Miyagi Study Center

The Open University of Japan
Annual Review 2011
Gunma Study CenterTokyo Tama Study Center

Aichi Study Center

Osaka Study Center

Tokushima Study Center

Okinawa Study Center

A Messa ge from the Presi dent

Publication of the Fourth Annual Review

President,

岡部 洋一
Yoichi OKABE

I am pleased to present the 2011 Annual Review. This is
first such review since I became president of The Open University of Japan (OUJ) in May 2011.
The Annual Review was first published during the 2008
academic year and this year marks its fourth edition. The Annual Review summarizes the achievements of OUJ over the
past year, looks back on educational, research and overseasoriented activities and also serves to record milestones that
occurred during the year. In addition, it introduces multimedia lectures, face-to-face lectures, study centers, libraries,
ICT and Distance Education Center activities and major OUJ
events such as the graduation and degree conferment ceremony.
The 2011 academic year was also a milestone year for OUJFoundation, which celebrated the 30th anniversary of its
founding, and also coincided with other achievements. In
July, we completed the transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting, with the exception of areas affected by the Great
East Japan Earthquake, and our channel-12 terrestrial digital
broadcast begun in the Kanto region in 2006 has now beenpermanently established. Further, OUJ also managed to acquire a channel when the expansion of BS broadcast channels was started in October.
As a result, OUJ has become widely known not only in the
Kanto region but through Japan.

In addition to broadcasts, utilization of the Internet has also
taken off. For a number of years, Chairperson SHIRAI, who
assumed his new post a month before me in April 2011, ledefforts in support of ICT utilization at his previous school. I
have also brought experiences from my previous posting andconducted similar activities at OUJ. In that sense, OUJ Foundation’s 30th anniversary was also a milestone year for Internet utilization, despite its position as a means to supplement
our traditional broadcasting.
In fact, we have made significant progress in the distribution of broadcast materials over the Internet and the webbased submission of questions used in tutorials through correspondence. Moreover, in light of the characteristics of OUJ,
whose students are comparatively older than those at regular
universities, we have also made headway in terms of student-side IT adoption, through IT literacy education at nationwide study centers, and other means.
On the topic of our nationwide network of study centers, in
April the Yamaguchi Study Center relocated to within the
Yamaguchi University Campus, while in September, the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center moved to a new building at its old
location in Myogadani. Also, in April 2012 the Tokyo Shibuya
Study Center opened as our first “Urban Campus.”
Through this Annual Review, I hope you will gain an appreciation for the many changes which have taken place.

2

2011 Graduation and
Degree Conferment Ceremony
The graduation and degree conferment ceremony for the 2011 academic year
was held on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at NHK Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo. As theceremony for the 2010 academic year was cancelled due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, graduates and those who completed graduate programs fromthe 2010 fiscal year also attended this year’s ceremony, which brought together
more than 2,000 people in total.
The ceremony begun with the university song, which was followed by addresses by President Yoichi OKABE, Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology Minister Hirofumi HIRANO, Internal Affairs and Communications
Ministry Deputy Director-General Shuichi INADA and OUJ Alumni Association
Federation Director Tetsuo ONO. Reply addresses were then delivered by valedictorians Akiyoshi TAKAHASHI (Natural
Sciences Program) and Mihoko ADACHI (Sciences of Human Development and Education Program, School of Graduate
Studies of Arts and Sciences). Subsequently, a total of 34 graduates, comprising 15 from the 2010 academic year and 19
from the 2011 academic year, were honored by the President as “Prestigious Open University of Japan Graduates.”
For the 2011 academic year, 4,544 Faculty of Liberal Arts students graduated and 380 graduate students completed their
School of Graduate Studies programs.

Valedictorians Akiyoshi TAKAHASHI (right) and Mihoko ADACHI (left) are pictured either side of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hirofumi HIRANO, second from the left in the lower row.

CONTENTS
2
Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake ■ 3Rich Educational Content ■ 5
Research at the Open University of Japan ■ 11
The Open University of Japan■ 15
Spreading its Wings Worldwide
Contributions to Society ■ 17
A Message from the President ■Striving to Provide Higher Quality Education ■ 19
Activities of the Center of ICT and■ 22
Distance Education (CODE)
Study Center Activities over the Past Year ■ 25
New Trends at the Open University of Japan ■ 31
The Open University of Japan in Figures ■ 33

【Editorial Staff】■The Open University of Japan 2011 Annual Review Task Group
Vice President: Akira NINOMIYA
Society and Industry: Yasuoki TAKAGI (Course Coordinator)
Living and Welfare: Satoshi IDE

Psychology and Education: Hitomi SATOH
Humanities and Culture: Tooru MIYAMOTO
Nature and Environment: Tamiaki YONEYACenter of ICT and Distance Education: Yoko HIROSE
Public Relations Section, General Affairs Department

The Open University of Japan 2011 Annual Review covers university activities from January 2011 to March 2012.

1

Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake
At 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the largest to hit Japan in recorded history
and measuring the maximum 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, struck the Tohoku region, wreaking
catastrophic damage to the Pacific coastal areas of the Kanto and Tohoku regions. OUJ study centers andsatellite spaces also suffered enormous damage, primarily in the Tohoku and Kanto areas.

■Damage Situation at The Open University of Japan
Study centers and satellite spaces in the Tohoku District(Hachinohe, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima,
Iwaki) and Kanto District (Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba, Tokyo
Bunkyo, Tokyo Adachi, Tokyo Tama) suffered damage

Chiba Study Center Entrance

such as collapsed bookshelves, scattered books, partial
wall peeling and power outages, but buildings remaind intact buildings.

The Open University of Japan Library Interior■The Bonds of 80,000 OUJ Students Nationwide
Immediately after the earthquake, OUJ decided to collect
donations for the disaster affected areas. Later, OUJ started collecting donations aimed at those connected with theuniversity in the form of a “Great East Japan Earthquake
Manapi Fund” and provided support through scholarshipfunds and consolatory payments to fellow students exhibiting the strong will to continue studying despite being affected by the disaster.
Study centers around Japan also delivered streams of relief supplies and messages of encouragement to the centers affected by the disaster.
Former OUJ President ISHI with Japanese Red Cross Society Chiba Branch Chief AKIYAMA.

■Learning Support for Students Affected by the Disaster
The Open University of Japan instituted a number of support measures to help students affected by the Great East
Japan Earthquake or related nuclear power plant incident,
including current students who experienced significant difficulties completing their courses for economic reasons,and enrolling students. The measures included the waivingof enrollment fees, tuition fees and other costs, and the pro-3

vision of free printed course materials for students who lostthem in the disaster.
In addition, immediately following the earthquake the Student Support Center established a dedicated toll-free number for the disaster-affected region. The center handled between 10 and 50 consultations per day from students withproblems or worries about continuing their studies.

■University Research and Activities Aimed at Future Disaster Prevention
Since before the Great East Japan Earthquake, The Open University of Japan has provided regional disaster prevention
support through class-based courses, public lectures and other efforts aimed at preventing or reducing the damage
caused by major earthquakes and tsunami. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, OUJ has utilized the lessons
learned from the earthquake in its research and educational activities, contributed members to disaster task forces at the
local and national government levels, and placed an energetic focus on activities to support regional disaster prevention,such as holding public lectures.
Task Force Members
Iwate Prefecture Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction Committee Member Professor Masahito OGAWA
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Council for Science and Technology, Safe and Secure Science and Technology Committee Member Professor Yumiko NARA
Iwate Prefecture Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction Committee, Strategy and Planning Expert Committee Chairperson, Director, Iwate Study Center Tokumi SAITO

Public Lectures
Yamagata Study Center
Saitama Study Center
Straightforward Explanations from Scientists and Debate: Nuclear Power Generation and Radiation and Our Lives Tokyo Setagaya Study Center
Press Reports and Crisis Management: The Great East Japan Earthquake and Harmful Rumors
Ishikawa Study Center— Considering Earthquake Activities for Nagano Prefecture —Nagano Study Center
The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Prospects for Worldwide Systems
Osaka Study Center
What Are the Lessons We Need to Learn from the Great East Japan Earthquake
Wakayama Study Center
Considering the Great East Japan Earthquake (3) What Can We learn from the Great East Japan Earthquake
Tottori Study Center
Considering the Nuclear Power Plant Disaster — What’s Happening at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Okayama Study Center
Policy Recommendations for Recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake from a Marine Perspective
Okayama Study Center
The Earthquake Environment in Shikoku
Ehime Study Center
What We Should Learn from the Great East Japan Earthquake
Fukuoka Study Center
The Economic Climate in Japan and the World after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Saga Study Center
Lecture: Learn About Radiation for Life Support After the Great East Japan Earthquake
Advent of a M9.0 Earthquake and Future Earthquake Trends“ON AIR” Public Relations Magazine, September 2011 Issue
Professor Dialogue – Disaster Prevention Attitude, Not Disaster Prevention Knowledge
Professor Toshitaka KATADA, Gunma University Graduate School
Tokumi SAITO, Iwate Study Center Director.
Professor Yumiko NARA, OUJ
Voice Of Student “Fellow Students Learning in the Disaster-affected Regions”
December 2011 Issue“Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake”“University Window” announcement program run from April 8 onwards
・Communicating the state of damage in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima through maps and photos
・Interview with Iwate Study Center Director SAITO(PC-based relay with the Study Center)・Announcements regarding the extension oftuition fee payment deadlines and the free
distribution of printed course materials
・Information on acceptance of donations
Seven earthquake-related programs
were broadcast until October 2011.
University Window (Hachinohe Satellite Space)

ON AIR Issue 103

University Window (Iwate Study Center)

Special Lectures
The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake
Toshihiko HAYASHI, Visiting Professor
The Nuclear Power Plant Incident and Agriculture: Farmers Still Planted Seeds
Professor Kiichi NAKAJIMA, Ibaraki University(scheduled for radio broadcast during the 2012 academic year)

4

Academics

Rich Educational Content
TV and Radio Instruction
Broadcast lectures and classroom sessions are pivotal toacademics at the Open University of Japan (OUJ). As of
the 2nd Semester of 2011 academic year (October 2011 toMarch 2012), the number of subjects available stood at 257
Faculty of Liberal Arts subjects and 68 School of Graduate
Studies subjects, for a total of 325 subjects. As the broadcast lectures are in principle offered for four years (two semesters a year, totaling eight semesters), approximately
one quarter of the total number of subjects offered is subject to replacement each year.
New subjects offered in 2011 academic year included 54

Broadcast Lectures

Faculty of Liberal Arts subjects (32 TV, 22 Radio) and 16
School of Graduate Studies subjects (4 TV, 12 Radio) totaling 70 subjects.
■ Total Subjects Offered in 2011
1st Semester

2nd Semester

TV Subjects

Radio Subjects

TV Subjects

Faculty of
Liberal Arts

136

120

137

School of
Graduate
Studies

30

256
37

166

120
257

30

67

Total

Radio Subjects

38
68

157

167

323

158
325

■ List of New Subjects Offered in 2011 (Faculty of Liberal Arts) (TV=television, R=radio)
Broad Areaof Study

Area ofStudy

Detailed
Classification

Core
Core
Subjects Subjects

Subject Title
Health and Society (’11)

RConsidering Citizens and Society (’11)

R

Culture Stemming from the Japanese Language (’11)

TV

Reading Famous World Masterpieces (’11)

R

Methods of Scientific Exploration (’11)

TV

Language and Ideas (’11)

R

Introduction to Museums (’11)

TV

GeneralSubjects

EnglishHealthLivingandWelfareLivingWelfareSpecialized
Subjects

Psychology

Corporations, Consumers, Government and the Law (’11): Consumer Lifestyles and the Law-

R

Politics in Contemporary Japan (’11)

TV

Anthropologyand
ComparativeCulture

The Anthropology of Globalization (’11): The Various Aspects of Conflict and Compromise

Philosophy An Invitation to the Performing Arts (’11)
Humanities and Art
Challenging Contemporary Philosophy (’11)
and Culture
History and Ancient and Medieval Japanese History (’11)

Media

TV
TV
R
TV

Local Culture The Historical Development of the Islamic World (’11)

TV
TV

R

Contemporary Lifestyle Issues (’11)

RSocial Disparities and Neoliberalism (’11)

TV

The Evolving Information Society (’11)

TV

Development of Disease and Augmentation of Recovery (’11)

TV

Consumers and Securities Investments (’11)

TV

Energy and Society (’11)

TV

New Trends and Regions in Tourism (’11)

TV

TV

R

TV

Interdis- Interdisciplinary ciplinary
Subjects Subjects

TV

Introductory German I (’11)

TV

Introductory German II (’11)

R

Language and Culture in the English-speaking World (’11)

RArabian for Beginners (’11)

TV

Home Nursing Theory (’11)

TV

Mental Health Today (’11)

R

Cardiovascular Disease Health Sciences (’11)

TV

Clothes as Objects of the Body and Mind (’11)

R

TV
TV

■ List of New Subjects Offered in 2011 (School of Graduate Studies)
Program Name
Human Life and
Health Sciences

Sciences of Human
Development and
Education

Subject Title

Media

Theory of Developmental Kinematics (’11)

R

Lifestyle Risk Management (’11)

R

Lifespan Developmental Psychology Research (’11)

RSpecial Lectures on Educational Culture (’11)

TV

Contemporary Educational Reform (’11): Worldwide Trends and the Prospects for JapanR

Lifestyles in a Society of Population Decline (’11)

TV

Life Security for the Elderly (’11)

TV

Formation of Morality and Moral Education (’11)

RHistory and Prospects of Social Welfare in the West (’11)

TVSpecial Lectures on Developmental Psychology (’11)

TVSpecial Lectures of Contemporary Social Psychology (’11)

RSpecial Lectures of Clinical Psychology (’11)

RChildren’s Lives and Child Welfare (’11)

R

Theory and Practice of Child and Student Guidance (’11)

TV

Infant Childcare and Education (’11): Pursuing the Best Interests for Children

R

Special Lectures on Regional Assistance for Clinical Psychology (’11)

R

R

Regional Development and Industry (‘11)

R

Administrative Discretion (’11)

RFoundational Theory of Special Needs Education (’11)

R

General Theory of Special Needs Education (’11)

R

Psychometric Methods (’11)

TV

Comparative Ethology (’11): Rebuilding the Human PerspectiveR

Psychoanalysis and Jungian Psychology (’11)

R

Clinical
Psychology Infant and Child Clinical Psychology (’11)

Industry NPO Management (’11)
Society and Manandagement Globalization and Japanese Manufacturing (’11)
Industry
Sociotechnology Physical/Materials Engineering and Society (’11)

5Subject Title

Law and
Politics

R

Education Child and Youth Culture and Education (’11)
Psychology
andEducation

Detailed
Classification

Introduction to Education (’11): The Social Basis for Education Through the Interpretation of Literature

SocialSciences Approach to Technology-based Management (’11)

GermanArea ofStudy

Introduction to Developmental Psychology (’11)

Natural
Basic Chemistry (’11)
Sciences
The World of Physics (’11)

Foreign
Language

Broad Areaof Study

Nature SpaceandtheEarth The Evolving Universe (’11)
and theMathematics Introduction to Differential Equations (’11)
Environment LifeandEcology Changes in the Living World (’11): Introduction to Evolutionary Biology

Humanities Education and Society (’11)

GeneralSubjects

Media

TV
R
TV
TV

Clinical Psychology

Social GovernanceResearch into 20th Century Chinese Political History (’11)

R

Arts and Information
Science

21st Century Media (’11)

TV

The Establishment of Research into the Japanese Language and Japanese Literature (’11)

R

Natural and Environmental Sciences

Contemporary Geoscience (’11)

TVSpecial lectures are lectures presented by leaders fromeach discipline who share their profound knowledge of their
specialized fields. A total of 101 special lectures (52 TV, 49

Radio) where broadcast during 2011 academic year, including 24 new special lectures (14 TV, 10 Radio).

Academics■ Special Lectures■ Special Lectures Introduced in the 2011 Academic Year
Lecture Topic

Lecturer

Lecture Topic

Lecturer

Mastering the Beauty of JapanesePaper Sculptures

Japanese paper sculptor

KiyomiUCHIUMITV

Water Environment Around the
Myanmar Inle Lake Area

Director,
OUJ Tokyo Adachi Study Center

NorikoTOMINAGATV

The Birth of the Modern Novel– Examining Balzac’s
The Human Comedy

Vice President,
Otemae University

Takao
KASHIWAGI

TV

Searching for the Developmentof Life in the Sea of Japan– The San’in Kaigan Geopark

Director, OUJ Tottori Study Center
Professor, Osaka City University

Ryohei NISHIDA
Muneki MITAMURATVThe Expanding World of Art

Director, OUJ Kochi Study
CenterMitsuhiro
ISHIKAWATV

Professor Emeritus,
Hanazono University

Kuninori
YAMASAKI

R

Japanese Manga and Cultural Diversity– The Worldwide Diffusion of Illustrated
Book-Based Communication

Professor, Graduate Schoolof Science and Engineering,Tokyo Institute of Technology

The Unspoiled Scenery of Ogai
MORI – Rintaro MORI of Iwami(1) Tsuwano Era

Hiroshi
DEGUCHITV

Professor Emeritus,
Hanazono University

Kuninori
YAMASAKIR

The Culture of Straw: Fundamental
Japanese Design

Director,
OUJ Chiba Study Center

Kiyoshi
MIYAZAKIThe Unspoiled Scenery of Ogai
MORI – Rintaro MORI of Iwami(2) Journey of Mind

TV

Director, Primate ResearchInstitute Kyoto University

Tetsuro
MATSUZAWA

SusumuYOSHIDATV

Composer,
Former Part-time Instructor at
Keio University

R

Addiction– From Reality to Support for Recovery

The Queen of the Chanson– The Story of Edith Piaf
Pursuing Beautiful JapaneseThrough Recitation

Actress

HirokoKODA

R

Contributing to Drug Therapy– The Role of Hospital Pharmacists

Chairperson, Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists(Professor Emeritus, Gunma
University School of Medicine)

Ryuya HORIUCHITV

Ichiyo and Ryunosuke– From the Brink Between
Literature and Statistics

Professor Emeritus, Hitotsubashi
University

Hiroshi
ARAI

R

Towards a Society of Lifelong Active Service– The Current State of Elderly Employment

Professor, Hosei University

ChiekoKAMIBAYASHITV

The Wine Industry and Regional
BrandsProfessor,
Aichi Prefectural University

Katsuyuki
TAKENAKAR

Influenza 1
Infectious Diseases Appear outof the Blue- The Lessons Learned from
New Strains of Influenza -RIKEN Center ofResearch Network for Infectious
Diseases

Shigetaka
KATO

R

Influenza 2
The Prevalence of Influenza Is
Determined by Sugar Chains- From Birds to People -Professor, Chubu University

Yasuo
SUZUKIR

Taking Up English in Your 50s

Professor, Seisen University

MasaakiOSUGIRTaking Up Chinese in Your 50s

Professor,
Tokyo University of Technology

Chén Shûméi

R

Introduction to International Volunteer Studies

Professor, The Open University of Japan
Professor, Gakushuin University
Former Professor, Ochanomizu University

TsuneoYAMADA
TatsuhikoKAWASHIMA
Seiji UTSUMIThe Blossoming Dream of Japanese
Mathematics in Edo– The Story of Mathematician SEKI
Takakazu

Professor, The Open University of Japan
Professor, Yokkaichi University
Director, Seki Takakazu Mathematics
Institute, Yokkaichi University

Keisaku KUMAHARA
Tsukane OGAWA
Kenji UENO

Following the Journeys of Migratory
Birds

Professor, Graduate School of
the University of Tokyo

Hiroyoshi
HIGUCHITV

Closing in on the Mystery of Life’s
Beginnings: The GADV Hypothesis

Director, OUJ Nara Study
CenterKenji
IKEHARA

TV

TV

TV

■ Internet Distribution
In 2007, the Open University of Japan began offering
broadcast lectures over the Internet (streaming) through its
dedicated student website (Campus Network Website).
The number of courses offered in this way is increasing
each year, and now almost all radio courses are distributed
via the Internet. In the 2011 academic year, 72 TV subjects,
156 radio subjects and 42 special lectures were covered byInternet distribution.

■ Number of Subjects Covered by Internet Distribution in the 2011 Academic Year
TV

Radio

Undergraduate

65

118

Graduate

7

38

Special Lectures

0

42

Total

72

198

■ Sponsored Subjects
A number of organizations sponsor subjects at OUJ, andto comply with society’s expectations, such contributions
are made public. Six sponsored subjects were broadcast
during the 2011 academic year.

■ List of Sponsored Subjects Offered in the 2011 Academic Year
Subject Title

Sponsoring OrganizationMedia

Introduction to the Copyright Act (’10)

Japanese Society for Rights of Authors,
Composers and Publishers

R

Consumers and Securities Investments (’11)

Japan Securities Dealers Association

TV

Organizational Operation andInternal Auditing (’09)

Internal Auditors’ Association of Japan

TV

Society and Banks (’10)

Japanese Bankers AssociationTV

100 Years Since the Discovery of
Umami Taste- Searching for Advanced Science(Special Lecture)

Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Institute of Life Sciences

TV

Contributing to Drug Therapy- The Role of Hospital Pharmacists(Special Lecture)

Japanese Society of Hospital PharmacistsTV

6

Academics

Face-to-Face Instruction
Along with broadcast lessons, classroom sessions arepivotal to academics at the Open University of Japan, andare conducted at 50 Study Centers and seven Satellite
Spaces nationwide. In 2011 academic year, 2,884 subjects(1,386 in the 1st Semester and 1,498 in the 2nd Semester)
were offered.
Classroom session subjects are face-to-face classes
taught by full-time OUJ teaching staff and visiting local lecturers. Students meet lecturers, and encounter other students as well, through classroom sessions.
What’s more, in keeping with the characteristics of theFaculty of Liberal Arts, subjects cover a diverse range ofcontent, and the same goes for class formats, which may
include activities such as field work or tours of facilities in
addition to regular lectures and experiments. Different locations provide lectures under a uniform theme, such as the“Culture and Climate” series of collaborative classroom
sessions organized by the Hokkaido and Tohoku blocks.
To inform students of their grades as quickly as possible
to help them plan which courses to take, students who takeclassroom sessions from the 2nd Semester of 2011 academic year will have their grades from classroom sessions
taken in the first half of the semester listed on System
WAKABA as tentative grades. We continuously review ourClassroom Sessions

systems to ensure that we provide motivated students withas many opportunities to learn as possible.
■ Examples of Classroom Sessions Offered in the 2011 Academic Year
Study Center Name

Subject Title

Lecturer

Tokyo Tama Study Center
Shizuoka Study Center

French Social Welfare

Professor
Sachiko MATSUMURA

Psychotherapy Using Images

Professor
Keiko ONO

Environmental DesignFrom Playground Equipment to Cities

Professor
Mitsuru SENDA

Essays in Idleness and Japanese
CultureProfessor
Yuko SHIMAUCHI

Planets, the Earth and Life in Space

Professor
Norio KAIFU

Kumamoto Study Center
Saitama Study CenterTokyo Adachi Study Center
Wakayama Study Center
Okinawa Study Center
Ibaraki Study Center
Niigata Study Center
Okinawa Study Center
Iwate Study Center
Gifu Study CenterTokyo Tama Study Center
Kyoto Study Center
Nara Study Center
Tokushima Study Center

Making it Easy for Students to
Select Subjects that Match their Interests Course Information and Subject Search System
Under the Faculty of Liberal Arts, The Open University ofJapan offers some 300 subjects through television and radio covering a broad range of academic fields. For instance,
among psychology-related subjects alone more than 20
subjects are offered, from basic to specialized topics. For
this reason, selecting the subjects they want to study canquite a difficult task for students.
To address this, a “Course Information” program (15-minute television program) where senior instructors explain thecontent and key points of subjects as well as provide learning advice was started in 2010 academic year. To date,more than 50 subjects have been introduced through theprogram. As well as introducing a wide range of subjects
through nationwide television broadcasts every other day,course information can also be accessed through the web-site. We continue to our course selection services, whichmake use of Internet-based search tools.
With “Find it! Course Navi,” we help students find the motivation to learn based on various conditions such as study
theme, broadcast times and searches for subjects in specialized fields in conjunction with OUJ experts. Students can also
search for the some 3,000 classroom sessions (schooling)
offered all over Japan to find the classes that interest thembased on class times, study center or keywords. Looking
ahead, OUJ plans to upgrade its Internet services to betteraccommodate
the learning
approaches ofindividual students.

Course Information

7

Subject Navi

The Open University of Japan has established a range ofstudy support systems to ensure that every student is freefrom impediments to learning opportunities and is not put at
a disadvantage. For example, as a support measure forhearing-impaired students, we provide subtitled programsfor our television broadcast lecture subjects. In the 2nd Semester of 2011 academic year, 55 subjects were broadcast
on television along with subtitles, representing roughly 32%
of all television broadcast subjects. Of the 52 special lectures broadcast, 31 (roughly 60%) were shown with subtitles.
In addition, during credit certification examinations OUJ

has developed special measures under its handicap system, such as separate exam-taking rooms and extended
examination times. For instance, during credit certification
examinations for the 1st Semester of 2011 academic year,
audio questions were offered for 84 subjects, with a total of
103 eligible students taking advantage of the service. Similarly, questions were offered in Braille for 83 subjects, and a
total of 116 eligible students took the examinations in thisway. On an as-needed basis, OUJ also conducts credit certification exams at special-needs schools or in hospitals,
with eight students (12 in total) taking exams in this mannerin the 1st Semester of 2011 academic year.

Academics

Providing Learning Support to Students in Need of Special Assistance toEnsure a Pleasant Learning Experience for Everyone

Publication of Student Research Findings
The Undergraduate School of OUJ has set up graduate research courses where students produce research reports
while receiving direct guidance from advisory teaching staff.
Many students take the courses each year. From 2007 academic year, a list of graduate research themes and graduate
research reports that present research findings are published on the Campus Network Website as an information
service to students interested in taking graduate researchcourses. In 2011 academic year, a list of graduate research
report themes and the full text of 26 graduate research reports of the preceding 2010 academic year were published.
For the Graduate School, the Open Forum (The OUJ Schoolof Graduate Studies Education Research Result Report), primarily compiled from School of Graduate Studies Master’s
Course graduation theses, has been published since March
2005. The Open Forum is aimed at providing information to

current and future enrolling students, disseminating information from the university to society, and being used as materials
that specifically show thedetails of educational research at the Master’s
Course as well as theself-inspection and selfevaluation of teaching
staff. The seventh issue,
published in March 2011,
contains 12 theses with35 research notes selected from among all
the 396 Master’s Course
graduates from the 2009
academic year.
The 7th Issue of Open Forum

Open Courseware
Open Courseware (OCW) refers to “activities to publish
lectures and related information officially offered by universities free of charge over the Internet.”
OUJ, which was established with the aim of providing“open university education” where all people wishing tolearn can do so anytime and anywhere, supports the OCW
concept. OUJ joined the Open Courseware Consortium asa full member in 2009 and has made a wide variety ofcourses publicly available online since 2010.

■ List of Open Courseware Subjects in the 2011 Academic Year
Subject Title

LecturerMedia

Introduction to Linear Algebra (‘09)

Masahiro KUMABE

TV

Space and Vectors (’09)

Yukio MATSUMOTO / Teturou KAWASAKITV

The Mechanisms of Computers (’08)

Yoichi OKABE

TV

Introduction to Analysis (’08)

Keisaku KUMAHARA / Takeshi KAWAZOE

TV

Personality Psychology (’09)

Yasuhiro OHYAMAR

How to Read Japanese Literature (’09)

Yuko SHIMAUCHIR

Environment and Society (’09)

Motoyuki SUZUKI / Kazuhiro UEDA

R

Statistics (’09)

Yoshinori FUJIIR

Introduction to Educational Psychology (’09)

Nobuo OHTA

R

Public Health (’09)

Kozo TATARA / Toshiyuki TAKIZAWA

R

Northeast Asian History and the Korean Peninsula (’09)

Mitsuo YOSHIDAR

Special Lectures on Psychological and Educational Statistical Methods (’09)

Amane FUKUDA / Kenji UZUKI

RSpecial Lecture: Journalist Father, Celebrity Son
The Black Father and Son Who Contributed to Meiji-Era Japan

Yasuo KASHIWAKURA

R

Special Lecture: Reading World Classics: Learning from the Wealth of Nations

Hiroshi TAKEMOTO

R

Special Lecture: The Connection Between Humans and Animals – 1. Familiar Animals

Masahiko ISHIBASHI

R

Special Lecture: The Connection Between Humans and Animals – 2. Mouse

Masahiko ISHIBASHI

R

Special Lecture: Whales, the Largest Animals on Earth

Seiji OHSUMI

R

8

Academics

Watch Notable Lectures Once More

The OUJ Archives

Since it began broadcasting lectures in April 1985, OUJ has produced andbroadcast more than 2,000 subjects on radio and television.
Broadcast tapes holding subjects that were discontinued when their role ended
are stored in a “Permanent Archive” located in the OUJ Administration Building.
To commemorate the start of BS digital broadcasts in October 2011, OUJ
began creating and broadcasting a series of informational programs under
the title “Watch Notable Lectures Once More — The OUJ Archives.” The aimof the initiative was to pick the especially popular TV subjects from among
the valuable lectures being run at the time and have a wider audience view
them again. After adding new openings for the programs with course outlines
and lecturer introductions, the classes are shown almost entirely as they
originally aired. The subjects to be picked up are those recommended by acommittee made up of teaching staff from each course, and 25 such videos
were produced in 2011 academic year.

Shoichi OZAWA■ Program Examples
Program Name

Lecturer

Life and Art (’90): :The World of Tearooms:

President, Shizuoka University of Art and Culture

Isao
KUMAKURA

Fundamental Physics (’86): Work and Energy

Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Education

Morikazu
TODA

Modern Economic Thought (’87):
What is Economic Thought?

Economic Pundit

SusumuNISHIBEArt and Society (’89) - Art and Me

Actor

ShoichiOZAWA

Homes III (’87) - Capacity and Size Planning

Architect, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of the Arts
(then Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music)

Kiyoshi
SEIKE

Isao KUMAKURA“Expert” Subject Group Credit Certification System Expansion“Expert”, an original OUJ subject group credit certification
system, was introduced in the 2006 academic year. Objectives of and interest in subject matter in a given field are acquired through the completion of specific university designated instruction, and this confirms the achievement of asystematic study to that end. With the 2007 revision of the
School Education Act, “certified evaluation and accreditation
system” regulations for universities also came into effect, andas a result “Expert” was implemented again from the 2008 academic year to respond to the “certified evaluation and accreditation system.”
While the system was initially started with ten plans, newplans have been created every year since, and with the addition of the Fundamental Clinical Psychology Plan in the 2nd
Semester of 2011 academic year there are now 24 plans onoffer. The number of individuals that received subject groupcredit certification was 223 in 2006 academic year, 1,092 in2007 academic year, 2,848 in 2008 academic year, 2,552 in2009 academic year and 2,469 in 2010 academic year, with asimilar number of certifications expected for 2011 academic
year. As of December 31, 2011, a total of 10,350 certifications
have now been obtained, indicating that the system has established itself as a study goal among students.

■ Number Certified as of December 31, 2011
Certificate Title

NumberCertified

1 Health and Welfare Advisor Plan

Health and Welfare Exercise Coach

1,497

2 Social Welfare Coordinator Plan

Social Welfare Coordinator

1,141

3 Community Life Panning Plan

Community Life Planner628

4 Food and Health Advisor Plan

Food and Health Advisor

311

5 Fundamental Psychology Plan

Fundamental Psychology

1,481

Certification Plan Title

6 Fundamental Clinical Psychology Plan

Fundamental Clinical Psychology

7 Social Research Plan

Modern Social Research274

8 Civic Activity Assistance Plan

Civic Policy Theory320

9 Practical Business Administration Plan

Business Appreciation

292

10 Manufacturing MOT Plan

The Study of Monozukuri (Manufacturing of Techology) and MOT

119

11 Next-Generation Training Assistance Plan

Next-generation Training Assistance748

12 Community Learning Support Plan

Regional Lifelong Learning Support

134

13 Intercultural Communication Plan

Foreign Culture Appreciation Support

369

14 Asian Studies Plan

Asian Studies

157

15 Japanese Culture and Society Studies Plan

Japanese Culture and Society

228

16 Space and Earth Sciences Plan

Space and Earth Sciences

218

17 Life Science Plan

Human Life Sciences

460

18 Environmental Sciences Plan

Fundamental Environmental Science310

19 Social Mathematics Plan

Mathematics and Society

128

20 Energy and Environmental Research Plan

Energy and Environmental Policy Theory

128

21 Fine Arts Museum Plan

Fine Arts Museum Activity Support

516

22 Historical Museum Plan

Historical Museum Activity Support

674

23 Historical Museum Activity Support

Nature Museum Activity Support

136

24 Fundamental Engineering Plan

Fundamental Engineering
Total

9

9

72
10,350Some credits acquired at OUJ can be utilized to earn thefollowing types of certification.
Qualification for the National examination for registered nurses;
teacher certification for a higher class, additional subject, or a sequentially higher or lower school level; school librarian certification; second level special education teacher certification (mentallydisabled education); teacher for the disabled certification; nutrition
teacher certification; library curator certification; social education
superintendent certification; social welfare director certification;short course for care worker subjects.

OUJ has been conducting teacher’s certificate renewal
training since the 2009 academic year in connection withthe start of the teacher’s certificate renewal system. Making
the best use of the characteristics of OUJ, television, radioor Internet lectures are used to enable teachers to undergo
training from anywhere in Japan. Lectures are offered twicea year (summer semester or winter semester) and in training during the 2011 academic year approximately 5,000
participants took around 17,000 subjects.

Academics

Helping People Advance Their Careers Acquiring Qualifications

Educational Support for Other Institutions■ Credit-Transferring Initiatives
OUJ has been assertive in concluding credit-transferring
agreements with educational institutions nationwide.
In 2011 academic year, OUJ signed credit-transferring
agreements with 15 more universities and junior colleges
and two technical colleges, bringing the total to 371.

■ Credit-Transferring Schools Added in the 2011 Academic Year
School Name

10 Schools in the Academic Consortium of Fukushima
Kitasato University
Tokyo Kasei University
Tokyo Kasei University, Junior College Department
Fukui College of Health Sciences
Fukui National College of Technology
Ube Frontier University
Kumamoto Health Science University■ Coordination and Cooperation with Vocational Schools
OUJ runs a dual-enrollment university program, in collaboration with business colleges that have technical courses,
under which business college students can earn a liberalarts degree.
In 2011 academic year, OUJ signed a memorandum on
dual-enrollment with an additional business college, bringing the total to 22 institutions.

■ The following school signed a dual-enrollment
agreement with OUJ in 2011 academic year
School Name

Kobe Institute of Computing – College of Computing■ Initiatives Aimed at High School-University Collaboration
OUJ coordinates with high schools to promote highschool-university collaboration activities in which highschool students learn through broadcast lectures.
In 2011 academic year, OUJ signed a memorandum on coordination and collaboration with an additional high school,bringing the total to 14 schools.

■ Collaborative Schools Added in the 2011 Academic Year (High Schools)
School Name

Taiheiyo Gakuen High School10Research at The Open University of Japan
Special Research and Externally Funded Research Studies
Research

Full-time professors at the Open University of Japan avidly undertake numerous research projects on a variety ofthemes every year and publish the results.
OUJ has also established a Special Research Fund system especially to support and promote research. In addition, as a way to support educational or research projects
deemed beneficial to the development of OUJ, projects ofappreciable academic or operational merit to the university
or to support the research activities of individual teaching

staff, support for the financing of special individual researchis also provided.
Research is also pursued by actively seeking grant funding from other organizations such as the Society for the
Promotion of The Open University of Japan (SPUA).
The following are themes from among the many special
research activities conducted during the 2011 academic
year with assistance from the SPUA and Japan Society for
the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

■ List of 2011 President-allocated I (Group Research/Project Funding) Recipients
Affiliation

PositionFull Name

Research Title

Professor

Satoshi IDE

Town Development Conscientious of Dementia in Chiba

Professor

Hiroshi OHSONE

Research into the Role of Learning Support Systems for OUJ Students:
Addressing the Challenges of Human Support Such as Tutor Systems

Professor

Masaya IWANAGA

Research Into the Possibilities for an OUJ Expansion into Asia

Studies of Living and Welfare

Studies of Psychology and Education

Professor

Motoshi SAKAI

Research on the Institutionalization of Knowledge Circulation Research

Professor

Mitsuru SENDA

Research Into the Impact of an Environment in Which an Infant is Raised on Athletic Ability (Part 2)

Studies in Humanities and Culture

Professor

Katsumi SUGIURAThe Open University of Japan Library

Library
Director

Sachiko
MATSUMURA

The Books and Information Services Offered by Open Universities in Asia: Considered MainlyWith Respect to Thailand and Malaysia

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Associate
Professor

Kikuo ASAI

Constructing the Infrastructure for Immersive-Display Devices for the Visualization of Data

Center of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

Professor

Makiko MIWA

Effective Approaches to the Development of Broadcast Programs and Web-Based Materials
Utilizing PRIME StudioStudies of Society and Industry

Creating Japanese Language Educational Content Using Audio Correction■ List of 2011 President-allocated II (Special Individual Grant) Recipients
Affiliation

Studies of Living and Welfare

PositionFull Name

Research Title

Professor

Hiroshi OHSONE

Research Into the Development of the Transmutative Process and Practical Implementation of Childcare
Policy: Through a Half-Century of Changes in Childcare Services in the Tsukuba Region

Professor

Yumiko NARA

Research on Restoring the Livelihoods of Earthquake Victims and Risk Management

Professor

Sachiko
MATSUMURA

Disasters and Livelihood Support Information: Information Disparity in the Global Era

Professor

MichikoMIYAMOTO

Policy Trends Regarding the Social Participation of Youth and International Comparative
Research on the State of Participation

Associate
Professor

Yasuhiro
KAWAHARA

Building Wearable Bio-Feedback Systems for Autonomic Training Capable of Everyday Use

Professor

Motomitsu
UCHIBORI

Professor

Shunwa HONDA

Descriptions of the Ainu People in 2001 Academic Year Textbooks

Professor

Masaaki KUROSU

Research Into Actual Conditions in Remote Island Regions and the Role of Web-Based Distance
Learning

Associate
Professor

Hideaki
TAKAHASHI

Human Process Control Behavior Under Time Pressures: Considered Mainly With Respect toChanges Through Repeated Problem Solving

Associate
Professor

Motofumi SUZUKI

Research on the Extension of High-Order Local Autocorrelation Features and Multidimensional
Data Analysis

Studies in Humanities and Culture

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Center of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

11

Archiving of “Human” Rush Footage Preserved by the Production Department

■ SPUA-funded Research: Research and development aid for various media, research and development aid for
education systems, research and development aid for educational materials
Affiliation

PositionFull Name

Professor

Yukio OGURA“Creating Master’s Theses” Instructional Materials, Book and DVD Production Project

Research Title

Professor

Akinobu KAWAI

Pre-Survey on “Considering Developing Nations” TV Subject (Collection of Footage and Materials)

Professor

Masaaki KUROSU

Selection and Use of Learning Media - An Analytic Approach by Artifact Development Analysis (ADA)

Professor

Kimio KONDO

Research Into Study Support Methods by Providing Interactivity in Broadcast Education

Professor

Yoko HIROSE

Development of Support for Physically Impaired Users of Media at OUJAssociate
Professor

Hideaki TAKAHASHI

Professor

Makiko MIWA

Associate
Professor

Yoshitomo YAGINUMA

Studies of Society and Industry

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Research on Knowledge Sharing Methods to Support Digital Literacy for OUJ Students
Research on the Development of e-book-type OUJ Educational Materials■ SPUA-funded Research: Grant-in-aid for international surveys, aid for disseminating educational materials
overseas, international exchange aid
Affiliation

Center of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

PositionFull Name

President

Yoichi OKABE

Promoting International Exchange

Professor

Kumiko AOKI

Research Study on Performance Grades at Open Distance Education Universities Overseas

ResearchCenter of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

Describing the Distance Education Learning Process: For OUJ Teaching Staff and Students

Research Title■ SPUA-funded Research: Grant-in-aid for Specially Promoted Research at the Institution
Affiliation

Position
Vice
President

Full Name

Research Title

Shin KISUGI

Promotion of Credit-Transfers and Collaboration, Including High School-University Collaboration, and Enhanced
Support for Acquiring Certificates■ Research through JSPS-funded Scientific Research Cost Subsidy Project (Representative’s Name)
Affiliation

PositionFull Name

Research Item

Research Title
Developing Technologies to Regenerate Seaweed Beds and Tidal Flats Through Waste
Product Recycling

Studies of Society and Industry

Professor

Mitsumasa OKADA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research A

Center of ICT and Distance Education(e-Learning Promotion Division)

Professor

Hiroshi KATO

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research A

Research Into Learning Community Formation Support Functions on the Lifelong Learning Portal Website

Center of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

Professor

Tsuneo YAMADA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research A

Research on System for Sharing and Distributing Learning Content to Build an International Lifelong Learning Community

Vice
President

Akira NINOMIYA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Comparative Research on the Reality of Global Governance in International
Competition in Academic Achievement: Based on PISA as a Case Example

Vice
President

Mitsuo YOSHIDA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

The Construction of Academic Studies on Korea by Japanese Scholars Before theSecond World War

Professor

Hiroshi OHSONE

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

International Comparative Research on EU Policies Concerning Disabilities and Interactions Between Various Countries: Towards Social Inclusion

Professor

Yumiko NARA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

A Cross-Cultural Study on Risk Communication and Risk Management Focusing on
Safety and Security of Daily Life

Professor

Michiko MIYAMOTO

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

International Comparative Research on Policy Measures to Support Youth Excluded
from the Labor Market and Their Evaluation

Studies in Psychology and Education

Professor

Masahito OGAWA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Research Study on the Transformation of Local Education Administration Under the
Decentralization, Administrative and Fiscal Reform From the 2000s Onwards

Studies in Humanities and Culture

Professor

Toshio KUSAMITSU

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Travel Writings in the Age of Romanticism - Historical Chages in the Notions of Nation
and Citizens

Studies of Nature and the Environment

Professor

Tamiaki YONEYA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Developing Gauge/Gravity Correspondence and Non-Perturbative Superstring Theory

Associate
Professor

Kikuo ASAI

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Development of Distributed Environment for Skill Training Using Haptic Cooperativeinteraction, Aimed at Transfer of Techniques

Associate
Professor

Tomotsugu KONDO

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Longitudinal Study of Science Literacy Using Intercommunity Mixed Reality in Museums

Professor

Kumiko AOKI

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Research and Development of a Tool for Sharing Learning Designs with Design Classes
Based on Constructivistic Principles

Professor

Makiko MIWA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Research on the International Equivalence and Compatibility of Degrees and Certifications in the Education of Information Professionals

Tokyo Adachi Study Center

SpeciallyAppointed
Professor

Noriko TOMINAGA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research B

Scientific Investigation of Valuable Resources for Poverty Program and Health Promotion in Univestigated Area of Kachin State, Myanmar

Studies of Living and Welfare

Professor

Shosuke KOJO

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Establishment of Evaluation Methods and Application of Food Ingredients That Prevent
Metabolic Syndrome

Studies in Humanities and Culture

Professor

Shiro MIYASHITA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Comprehensive Research on the Plantin-Moretus Publishing House as a “Republic ofCreative Writing”

Studies of Nature and the Environment

Associate
Professor

Naruo NIKOH

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Evolution and Function of Gene Clusters That Insects Obtain from Symbiotic Bacterium
Through Horizontal Gene Transfer

Center of ICT and Distance Education(e-Learning Promotion Division)

Associate
Professor

Junji SHIBASAKI

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Research on the Building of Ubiquitous Learning Environments for Content Distribution
and Evaluation Information Exchange through Mobile Phones

Studies of Living and Welfare

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Center of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

12

■ JSPS-Funded Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Representative’s Name)
Affiliation

PositionFull Name

Research Item

Professor

Fujie YUAN

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Chinese Policies to Enhance Competitiveness of Higher Education- Their Structure and Implications for Japan

Professor

Masaaki KUROSU

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Developing User Experience Evaluation Techniques

Professor

Kimio KONDO

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Development of Telecommunication Support System to Improve the Quality of Discussion in International Educational Exchange Activities

Professor

Hitoshi NAKAGAWA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Development of Education Program to Improve Elementary School Students’ Abilities in
Viewing, Presentation, and Creation in Japanese Language Classes

Associate
Professor

Hitoshi OHNISHI

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Improving the Quality of Tactile Communication Based on the Sense of Touch and Motion Models

Tokyo Setagaya Study Center

SpeciallyAppointed
Professor

Kenichi AIKA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Research on New Ammonia Absorption Agent With the Aim of Storing Natural Energy

Hiroshima Study Center

SpeciallyAppointed
Professor

Yoshihito YASUHARA

Grant-in-Aid for
Scientific Research C

Historical Research on England’s External Examination Committee System - With aPrimary Focus on Guaranteeing the Quality of Higher Education

Center of ICT and Distance Education(e-Learning Promotion Division)

Professor

Hiroshi KATO

Grant-in-Aid for Challenging
Exploratory Research

Research on New Formative Techniques of Educational Assessment Based on a
Socially-Constructivist View of Ability

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Associate
Professor

Kikuo ASAI

Grant-in-Aid for Challenging
Exploratory Research

Research on Learning Environments in Science Museum Exhibits Using Augmented
Reality

Associate
Professor

Yasuhiro KAWAHARA

Grant-in-Aid forYoung Scientists B

Research on Seamless Indoor/Outdoor Positioning Systems in Distribution

Associate
Professor

Yasunori TOGARI

Grant-in-Aid forYoung Scientists B

Longitudinal Research on the Forming of Stress Coping Abilities (SOC) Among Adult Workers

Studies of Psychology and Education

Associate
Professor

Tsutako MORI

Grant-in-Aid forYoung Scientists B

Use of Heuristics and Established Factors in Lay Judge Sentencing Decisions

Center of ICT and Distance Education(e-Learning Promotion Division)

Associate
Professor

Yoshiaki HADA

Grant-in-Aid forYoung Scientists B

Development of a Ubiquitous Learning Support Environment by Handwriting Input in a
Face-to-Face Classroom

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Assistant
Professor

Hidenori SUGIYAMA

Grant-in-Aid forYoung Scientists B

Development of an Educational Material Sharing System Spanning Multiple Consortia

Center of ICT and Distance Education(International Collaboration Division)

Associate
Professor

Yosuke MORIMOTO

Grant-in-Aid forYoung Scientists B

Development and Evaluation of Environment Promoting the Reuse of Educational andLearning Content

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Research Title

Research

Studies of Living and Welfare■ JSPS-funded Grant-in-Aid for Cutting-edge and Next-Generation Research and Development Programs
Affiliation

PositionFull Name

Center of ICT and Distance Education(e-Learning Promotion Division)

Professor

Emi NISHINA

Research Title
Development of Healthy and Comfortable Media Information Environments Based on the Hypersonic Effect

The Open University of Japan Annual Research Report
The Open University of Japan Annual Research Report provides an opportunity for full-time OUJ teaching staff
to present various ideas and research findings based on their daily research activities. The 2010 edition was published in March 2011.
■ The Open University of Japan Annual Research Report 28th Edition, 2010
Name (Affiliation)

Coauthors

Hiroshi OHSONE(Living and Welfare)

MasakoMITOGAWA

Hitomi SATOH(Psychology and Education)

Spaces of Expression in Color Collages:
From the Perspectives of Composition and Structure

Motoshi SAKAI(Society and Industry)

Various Network Organizational Characteristics of Knowledge-Based Industry - Economics of Scale or Long Tail Economics?

Masaaki SAITO(Society and Industry)Business Administration Issues for Pure Holding Companies

Yasukuni SATOH(Humanities and Culture)

To What Extent Can We Consider the Senses? - Rearch on Immanuel Kent’s
Principle of Aesthetic (Intuitive) Standards in Critique of Judgment

Masafumi AOYAMA(Humanities and Culture)

Research on Didelot’s Theories on Theater- The Role of the Actor’s Performance

Atsushi IGUCHI(Humanities and Culture)

Appropriating the Other on the Edge of the World- Representations of the Western Middle Ages in Modern Japanese Culture

Masaaki KUROSU(ITC and Distance Education)

User Experience and Satisfaction Levels: Towards Refining the Concept ofStudent Satisfaction and Measurement Methods

Yoko HIROSE(ITC and Distance Education)

Learning Support Systems for Disabled People at The Open University

Yoshitomo YAGINUMA(ICT/International Collaboration)
Yuko SHIMAUCHI(Humanities and Culture)

13

Research Project Title
Advocating for the Rights of Mentally Disabled People When Subject toForced Hospitalization Under the Mental Health and Welfare Act

Motofumi SUZUKI
Haruo KODAMA

Trends in the Textbook Digitization and Development of a Prototype System
Literary Growth in Kenichi Yoshida - Considered Mainly Through the Newly Translated Fairy Tales of Hans Andersen and the Japanese Translation of Liao Zhai Zhi Yi

28th Edition of The Open University of Japan Annual
Research ReportPublication and Distribution of Research Findings

Major Subject / Full Namereading in the OUJ Library and in many public libraries. In
particular, some books contain more detailed informationthat broadcast lectures and printed teaching materials include, and that makes them perfect for deepening insights
into the research projects, activities and results each professor works on day to day.

Book Title Dictionary Title

Publisher

MitsuoYOSHIDA

Introduction to East Asian Bibliography (Coauthored)

Toho Shoten

MichikoMIYAMOTO

Polarized Youth and Independence Support, Written and Edited by Michiko MIYAMOTO
and Reiko KOSUGIAkashi Shoten

Sachiko
MATSUMURA

Global Social Welfare Yearbook 2011: 11th Edition

Junposha“Fundamental Assessment of the Revised Basic Act for Disabled Persons,” Normalization September Issue

Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons
with Disabilities

Significance and Issues for Judgments of Obligations Concerning Payment for Services
and Supports for Persons with Disabilities

Junposha

MasakiSUMIDA

Developmental Sociology of Children (Collaborative Compilation)

Hokuju Shuppan

MasayaIWANAGA

Straightforward Educational Principles (Collaboration)

Minerva Shobo

Masahito
OGAWA

Compendium of Educational Laws in Japan, 2011 Edition (Editing Committee Member)

Sanseido

Keiko
ONO

Clinical Baum - The Baum Test as a Therapeutic Medium (Collaboration)

Seishin Shobo

Circular Play System Book: SENDA MAN 1000

Bijutsu Shuppan-sha

Rebuilding Japan After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (Collaboration)

Chuokoron-Shinsha

Rebuilding Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Asia Institute of Urban Environment

Encyclopedia of Sea, Air and Ports (Editing Committee Member)

Seizando-Shoten

Go-Shirakawa-In: The King’s SongYamakawa Shuppansha

Saigyo and Kiyomori: Two Visionaries

Shinchosha

The Anthropology of Things, Edited by Ikuya TOKORO and Kaori KAWAI (Collaboration)

Kyoto University Press

Globalization and the Living World: The Anthropological Present From the Perspectiveof One’s Livelihood
Takeshi MATSUI and Katsuo NAWA (Collaboration)

ShowadoThe Story of Asdiwal, Levi Strauss (Commentary at End of Book)

Chikumashobo

It Fools Even God

Iwanami Shoten

Dans le secret d'une photo, Roger Gernier (Translation)

Misuzu Shobo

Dictionary of Comparative Education

Toshindo

Introductory Calculus Chapter 15

Nippon Hyoron Sha

Multivariate Calculus Chapter 15

Nippon Hyoron Sha

Tamiaki
YONEYA

Can Light be Stopped? Einstein’s Attempt

Iwanami Shoten

Iwate Study Center

Tokumi
SAITO

Problem-Solving Walks in Iwate Prefecture (Partial Author)

Jinbutsuoraisha

Nara Study Center

Kenji
IKEHARAAdvanceazs in the Study of Genetic Disorders

InTech-Open Access Publisher

Vice President

Research

To announce, share and distribute their research findings,
in addition to printed teaching materials, full-time OUJ professors edit and write a great number of reference volumes.
They are also actively involved in the compiling of dictionaries and lexicons. These publications can be purchased inordinary bookstores. Alternatively, they are available forStudies of Living and Welfare
HiroshiOHSONE

Studies of Psychology and
Education

Mitsuru
SENDA
Studies of Society and Industry

Junko
HARADA

Fumihiko
GOMI

Studies in Humanities and Culture

Motomitsu
UCHIBORIShiro
MIYASHITA

Center of ICT and Distance Education(ICT and Distance Learning Division)

Fujie
YUAN

Keisaku
KUMAHARA
Studies of Nature and Environment

14

The Open University of Japan Spreading
its Wings Worldwide
In 2011, OUJ continued to actively embrace international exchanges through participation in events such as the 24th
ICDE World Conference and the 25th AAOU Annual Conference.

Participation in the 25th AAOU Annual Conference
International Exchange

Over a three day period from September 28 to 30, 2011,
the 25th Annual Conference of the Asian Association ofOpen Universities (AAOU) was held in Penang, Malaysia.
Wawasan Open University served as the host university,and the conference took place on the main campus of theuniversity. With some 350 participants from 68 institutions
around the world, it was an extremely lively event. FromOUJ, eight teaching staff, including President Yoichi OKABE, took part in the conference.

The theme of the 25th AAOU Annual Conference was“Transforming Asia through Open Distance Learning,” andparticipants discussed how to comprehensively raise theeducational level in Asia through distance learning andopen education.
In addition to President OKABE taking part in the AAOU
Board Meeting, the teaching
staff moderated respective
panel discussions, delivered
reports and engaged in otheractivities during the conference.
As the 26th A AOU Annual
Conference is scheduled to beheld over three days from Oct o b e r 16 t o 18 , 2 0 12 a t t h e
Makuhari Messe International
Conference Hall and hosted by OUJ, the fact that the next
conference will be held in Japan was promoted during theclosing ceremony of the conference.

Participation in the 2011 ICDE Standing Conference ofPresidents (SCOP) and 24th ICDE World Conference
OUJ is an institutional member of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), and played an
active part in each of the ICDE conferences in 2011.
From June 20 to 22, 2011, the ICDE-SCOP 2011, whose
aim is to sharing information on distance education taking
place around the world, was held in New York. Two representatives from OUJ, one of whom was President OKABE,
attended the conference.
Running from October 2 to 5, 2011, the 24th ICDE World
Conference was hosted by Universitas Terbuka on the island of Bali in Indonesia. Held in alternating years, the 2011conference included discussions on a new approaches to15

open and distance learning (ODL) under the theme “Expanding Horizons – New Approaches to Open and Distance Learning.” More than 600 attendees from 50 countries took part. From OUJ, seven teaching staff, including
President OKABE took part, four of whom gave presentations in parallel sessions and the like. With OUJ acting as asponsor of the 2011 conference, the name and logo of OUJ
was displayed alongside other institutions on the distributed programs and images displayed inside the venue, making it a great opportunity to make OUJ’s presence felt to theworld.

The 3rd KNOU, OUC, OUJ International Seminarof OUJ. In the next session, “Facilitating Lifelong Learningand Learning for All Through Integration of ODL Resources,”
Professor YUAN presented information about the utilizationof ICT at higher education institutions in Japan. Both sessions
developed into lively discussions.
Tours were conducted in conjunction with the seminar, at
OUC and Beijing Radio and Television University on Tuesd ay, S e p t e m b e r 2 0, a n d a t S t u d y C e n t e r o f O U C o n
Wednesday, September 21.

International Exchange

On Monday, September 19, 2011, the third KNOU, OUC,OUJ International Seminar was held at the China People’s
Palace in Beijing, China. Following venues in South Korea(Seoul) in 2009 and Japan (Chiba) the following year, the2011 seminar was held in China. “Reforming Educational
Management in Open Universities” served as the theme of
the 3rd seminar. Four members from OUJ including President
OKABE, Professor YUAN and Associate Professor OHASHI,
joined by 23 members from the Open University of China(OUC and open universities in China) and six members from
Korea National Open University (KNOU). President OKABE
expressed his gratitude for the email messages of sympathy
received from each country after the March earthquake andintroduced the next AAOU Annual Conference, which will beheld in Makuhari in 2012. In the first session, “Effective Management of Open Universities,” Associate Professor OHASHI
described the current situation at the Student Support Center2011 International Symposium
The OUJ Center of ICT and Distance Education (CODE)
invited key figures from the UK, Canada, Australia, Hong
Kong and within Japan to the 2011 International Symposium held at the Makuhari Messe International Conference

Hall on February 23, 2011. After a welcoming address fromthen-OUJ President ISHI, the event proceeded under thetheme of “Digital Literacy in Higher Education and Lifelong
Learning,” with Professor Kumiko AOKI acting as chairperson. On the point of enabling educational models based onlearning-centric and constructivist approaches in higher education and lifelong learning, five invitational lectures andpanel discussions took place regarding digital literacy andits potential as the driving force that will set off a paradigm
shift in education. During each lecture, the challenges faced
in developing the digital literacy of students and teaching
staff as well as future directions were discussed.

Groups Visits to OUJ from Overseas
While the number of visits was lower than usual due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the following overseas groups
visited OUJ for information exchanges on distance education and other activities.
Date

Visiting Group

February
4

JOCA Youth Training India / ICT Policy CourseGroup (20 members)

August4South Korean Kyung Hee Cyber University Group(3 members)

November
10Group from Sichuan Open University and otherinstitutions (22 members)

December
12

Beijing Open University Group (4 members)

Officials from South Korea’s Kyung Hee Cyber University

Teaching staff from Sichuan Open University and other institutions

16

Contributions to Society

Since its founding, the Open University of Japan has earnestly provided philanthropic services as an open university. The
following are examples of the diverse philanthropic efforts made by our faculty members.

Science Council of Japan

Philanthropic Efforts

The Science Council of Japan was established in January 1949 with the aim of reflecting and instilling science ingovernment administration, industry and the lives of citizens. Operating under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister,
the council was established as a “Special Organization”
that undertakes its duties independent from the government. The council fulfills the following two functions.
●To deliberate on important issues concerning scienceand help solve such issues.
●To coordinate among scientific studies to achieve higher
efficiency.
The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) is the domestic andoverseas representative of some 840,000 scientists in allareas of the humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, physical sciences and engineering in Japan, and discharges its duties through a council body comprising 210
council members and some 2,000 regular members.

The primary roles of the SCJ are 1. Presenting policy recommendations to the government; 2. International activities; 3. Establishment of networks among scientists; and 4.
Raising public awareness about the roles of science.
Among the SCJ members, OUJ faculty members contributed to the council’s activities, as indicated in the below table.
■ SCJ Membership (Regular SCJ Members)
Name

Title

Mitsuo YOSHIDA

Vice President

Area of ExpertiseHistoryMotomitsu UCHIBORI

Professor

Regional Research

Masahito OGAWA

Professor

Psychology / Education

Norio KAIFU

Professor

Physics

Seiichi GIBO

Director, Okinawa Study Center, Specially-appointed Professor

Agriculture

Seiki SAITO

Director, Okayama Study Center

Chemistry

Mitsuru SENDA

Professor

Civil Engineering, Architecture

Junsuke HARA

Director, Miyagi Study Center, Specially-appointed Professor

Sociology

Shunwa HONDA

Professor

Regional ResearchTadao MATSUMOTO

Professor

Integrative Biology

Michiko MIYAMOTO

Professor

Sociology

Academic Society, National and Local Government Activities
As individuals of learning with respective specialist knowledge, faculty members at OUJ are active in many areas of society, actively supporting social development through involvement with academic societies, as well as national and local governmental organizations. The following are some of their activities.
■ Academic Society, National and Local Government Activities
Name

Title
Vice President

Member, Science Council of Japan (First section, History Committee Meeting); Director, Institute of Eastern Culture; Director, History Society; Chairperson, Korean History Research Institute; Executive
Board Member (Editing Committee), Institute of Korean Studies; Association for the Study of Korean Culture and Society (Chief Editor, Steering Committee Member)

Sachiko MATSUMURA

Library Director

Director, Japanese-French Sociology Society

Michiko MIYAMOTO Professor

Member, Labour Policy Council; Temporary Member, Central Council for Education; Member, Yokohama City Management Advisory Committee

Professor

Auditor, Japan Association of Social Security Law;Chairperson, Nagoya Council for the Promotion of Policies for Disabled Persons;Chairperson, Nagoya Rights Advocacy Center for the Rights of Disabled Persons and theElderly – Project Steering Committee;Chairperson, Yokkaichi Review Committee on Local Welfare Plan Formulation; Member, Science Research Costs Review Committee, Japan Society for Promotion of Science

Yumiko NARA

Professor

Member, Research and Development Evaluation Subcommittee, Subdivision on R&D Planning and Evaluation, MEXT Council for Science and Technology;Member, Safe and Secure Science and Technology
Committee, MEXT Council for Science and Technology

Masaki SUMIDA

Professor

Hiroshi OHSONE

17

Position

Mitsuo YOSHIDA

President, Japan Society for Child Study

Masaya IWANAGA Professor

Expert Committee Member, Examination Sectional Meeting B, Re-Inventing Japan Project Program Committee, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science;Director, Adachi Lifelong Educational Promotion Corporation;Member, Adachi Ward Expert Evaluation Committee on Designated Managers of Lifelong Learning-related Facilities;Director, Japan Society of Educational Sociology;Director and Deputy
Director-General, Japan Association for Social Research;Executive Board Member, Editing and Peer Review Committee, Lifelong Learning Research Institute

Masahito OGAWA Professor

Deputy Chairperson, 6th Stage MEXT Central Council for Education;Chairperson, Subdivision on Elementary and Secondary Education;Councilor, National Institute for Educational Policy;Member, Kanazawa Model Development Strategy Committee, Kanazawa Board of Education;Member, Adachi Board of Education Expert Committee on Inspection and Evaluation of Operations, Adachi Board of Education;
Expert Committee Member, Iwate Prefecture Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction Committee

Kiyoshi MORIOKA

Professor

Chairperson, Setagaya Ward Council on Basic Plan

Mitsuru SENDA

Professor

Deputy Chairperson, Committee on Civil Engineering and Architecture;Deputy Chairperson, Subcommittee on Child Development Environment;Chairperson, Subcommittee on Scenery and Culture;Member, Exploratory Subcommittee on Improvements to
Research and Campuses at Universities, etc.;Subdivision on Consideration of Social Systems to Encourage Design and Other Forms of Creativity, Architectural Institute of Japan (Member, Steering Committee on Legal Support and Architecture); Member,Committee on Architectural Museums;Member, Steering Committee for Architectural Meeting on Town Development Support;Representative Director, Association for Children’s Environment;Fellow, Japan Federation of Engineering Societies;Member,Council of Engineering Ethics;Investigatory Committee on Verification concerning the Speeding Up of the Judicial Process at the Supreme Court of Japan;Odawara City Administrative Strategy Advisor;Master Architect, New Hiroshima Municipal Stadium

Mitsumasa OKADA

Professor

Chairperson, Society of Environmental Science, Japan;Consultant, Japan Society on Water Environment;Councilor, Japan Society of Material Cycles and Waste Management:Chairperson, Evaluation Committee on
Ministry of the Environment Comprehensive Study on the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea; Member, Ministry of the Environment Central Environmental Council; Chairperson, Ministry of the Environment Subcommittee on
Water Environment; Chairperson, Ministry of the Environment Subcommittee on Seto Inland Sea;Chairperson, Hiroshima Prefecture Environment Council;Chairperson, Hiroshima City Environment Council

Satoru KAWAI

Professor

Member, Committee of Education on General Information, Information Processing Society of Japan

Shunwa HONDA

Professor

Member, Science Council of Japan

Motomitsu UCHIBORI

Professor

Member, Science Council of Japan

Tamiaki YONEYA

Professor

Councilor, Okayama Institute for Quantum Physics

Masahiro KUMABE

Professor

Council Member, The Mathematical Society of Japan

Hiroshi KATO

Professor

Director (Editing Committee Member, Event Planning Committee Member, Event Executive Committee Member), Japan Society for Educational Technology;Japan Society for Science Education (Deputy
Chairperson, Annual Planning Committee);Japanese Society for Information and Systems in Education (Member, 37th National Conference Executive Committee)

Hitoshi OHNISHI

Associate Professor

Chairperson, Technical Committee on Human Information Processing, Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers;Member, Technical Committee on Communication Quality, Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers;Member, Technical Committee on Communication Behavior Engineering, Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers;
Member, Steering Committee, Japanese Cognitive Science Society

Makiko MIWA

Professor

Member, Legal Deposit System Council (National Diet Library);Member, Official Documents Management Committee (Cabinet Office);Chairperson, Committee on Science and Technology Information Projects (Japan Science and Technology Agency);Executive Committee Member, Japan Society of Library and Information Science;Chairperson, International Committee

Tokumi SAITO

Iwate Study
Center Director

Chairperson, Panel on Mount Iwate Volcanic Activity;Chairperson, Mount Iwate Volcanic Disaster Countermeasures Research Committee;Chairperson, Research Committee on Mount Iwate Volcanic Eruption Emergency Disaster Mitigation Measures and Erosion Control Plan;Chairperson, Council on Measures to Restore Illegal Dumping Sites on Aomori-Iwate Prefectural Border to Original State; Chairperson,
Morioka City Environment Council;Iwate Prefecture Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Reconstruction Committee Expert Committee on General Planning

Hiroo SHIBATA

Yamagata Study
Center Director

Chairperson, Tohoku Regional Bureau of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Project Evaluation and Monitoring Committee;Chairperson, Yamagata Prefecture Council on General Policy:
Chairperson, Yamagata Prefecture Council on Large-scale Retail Store Location;Chairperson, Yamagata City Forum on the Promotion of Administrative and Fiscal Reform

Kiyoshi MIYAZAKI

Chiba Study Center Director

Chairperson, Asia Design Culture Society;Chairperson, METI Traditional Craft Industrials Council

Toshio SUZUKI

Fukui Study Center Director

Representative, Physical Society of Japan

Seiichi GIBO

Okinawa Study Center Director

Member, Science Council of Japan

Public Lectures
Providing the products of education and research accumulated at universities strips away the barriers between
universities and society and holds the promise of greater
mutual development. OUJ faculty members give back their
specialized knowledge to society through lectures.
Some of these activities are presented below. Additional

activities were held to commemorate this year’s reopeningof the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center, including “The Future of
the Open University of Japan,” by President OKABE and a
special symposium titled “Lifelong Learning and the Development of Local Communities” in which Director SHIRAI
took part.

Special Symposium: “Lifelong Learning and the Development of Local Communities”

Name
Yoichi OKABE
Katsuhiko SHIRAI

Title
President

ThemeCo-hosting, etc

The Future of the Open University of Japan

Commemorating the Reopening of the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center

Special Symposium“Lifelong Learning and the Development of Local Communities”

Commemorating the Reopening of the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center

Director, the Open University of Japan Foundation

Kenji YAMAMOTO

President, Wakayama University

Michiko MIYAMOTO

Professor, OUJ

Tokumi SAITO

Director, OUJ Iwate Study Center

Kosei NAKAJIMAOUJ School of Graduate Studies Graduate, Former Mayor of Eniwa

Sanae YOSHIDA

Current Student, OUJ School of Graduate Studies

Mitsuo YOSHIDA

Vice President

Discussing South Korea from Various Angles

Shinagawa Ward Regional Development Department

Shin KISUGI

Vice President

Policy Recommendations from a Marine Perspective for Recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake

Okayama Prefectural Board of Education, Tsuyama City, Tsuyama Municipal Board of Education, Belle Foret Tsuyama

Keiko ONO

Professor

Kaoru HOSHI

Associate Professor

How to Learn Psychology

Commemorating the Reopening of the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center

Tsutako MORI

Associate Professor

Tadao MATSUMOTO

Professor

Yumiko NARA

Professor

Earthquake Disaster Zone Report: Observational Reports from Sichuan, China and the Tohoku Region

Ota Municipal University

Kazuo TAKAHASHI

Professor

The Arab Spring, and the Death of a Terrorist

Shinagawa Ward Regional Development Department

What the Modern Extinction ofLife Means

Tamiaki YONEYA

Professor

What is Superstring Theory?

Chiba Municipal Board of Education

Masahiko ISHIMARU

Professor

Mental Health and Health of the Soul: What Supports Healthy Minds

Fukui Life Academy Headquarters

Sachiko MATSUMURA

Professor

Rebuilding Life: Disaster / Sustainability / Lifestyle SupportOUJ Shizuoka Alumni Association /Gakutokai

Tetsuya SUGIMORI

Professor

Namban Art and Kobe: Collector Hajime IKENAGA and his Public Activities

Kobe Lifelong Education Support Center

Tatsurou SAKIMOTO

Kumamoto Study Center Director

Civil Engineering Projects of Kiyomasa KATO
The Biedermeier Culture of Germany

Takaaki MORI

Ehime Study Center Director

Ryouhei NISHIDA

Tottori Study Center Director

Considering the Great East Japan Earthquake: Was the Great East Japan Earthquake Unexpected?

Kenji IKEHARANara Study Center Director

The Point of Living and Joy of Learning as Seen from the Origin of Life and Evolution

Kenichi AIKA

Director, Tokyo Setagaya Study Center, Specially-appointed Professor

Food and Energy: Considering Japan’s Future

Ota Municipal University

Chiba Study Center Director

Straw Culture

Narashino Municipal Board of Education

Kiyoshi MIYAZAKI

Philanthropic Efforts■ Public Lectures

Special Public Lecture: The Future of The Open University of Japan

Public Lecture: How to Learn Psychology

18

Towards Higher-Quality Education
Obtaining University Accreditation

Assessment/FD

During the 2010 academic year, OUJ underwent examination by the National Institution for Academic Degrees andUniversity Evaluation, and on March 25, 2011 was evaluated as having satisfied the university evaluation criteria.
The key merits of OUJ included “The Study Centers andSatellite Spaces set up at 57 locations nationwide not onlyoffer classroom sessions and credit certification exams but
conduct study guidance and consultation, allow the review,
reading or loaning out of broadcast materials and books,
and function effectively to support the studies of the students of an open university,” and “To create broadcast andprinted materials, conduct classroom sessions and otherservices, OUJ allocates not only specialized teaching staff
but adequate numbers of visiting lecturers and part-time instructors, and by engaging in education in close contact
with full-time lecturers, endeavors to offer high-quality education across a wide range of fields.”
The examination also noted the expectation that the utilization of ICT would be further improved, and OUJ is currently deliberating on improvements through voluntary inspections and evaluation committees.
The results of the evaluation have been made available tothe public at the following website.
http://www.ouj.ac.jp/hp/gaiyo/ninsyohyoka.html
・Report on University Accreditation Evaluation Conducted
in 2010・Report on Evaluation of Selected Evaluation Items Conducted in 2010
・Self Evaluation (June 2010)■ Contents of Self Evaluation
I. Current State and Features of the University
II. Purpose
III. Self Evaluation of Each Standard
		 Standard 1. Purpose of the university
		 Standard 2 Education and research structure				 (implementation system)
		 Standard 3 Academic staff and				 education supporting staff
		 Standard 4 Student admission
		 Standard 5 Academic programs
		 Standard 6 Effectiveness of institutional				 performance
		 Standard 7 Student support
		 Standard 8 Facilities
		 Standard 9 Internal quality assurance system
		 Standard 10 Finance		 Standard 11 Management
		 Standard 12 State of educational services for				 persons other than students taking			regular courses
IV. Attachments

Lecture Assessments
The Open University of Japan aims to improve its curriculum, teaching methodology, and learning support systems.
As part of self check and appraisal activities in this regard,
lectures are assessed in the following three ways.
●Lecture Assessment by Students
Applicable Subjects: All subjects being offered for the
first time during the academic year in question
Appraisers: Extracted from among students taking the
subject during the first semester of the academic year
in question● Lecture Assessment by Study Center Directors
and Visiting Lecturers
Applicable Subjects: A selection of subjects being newly offered during the academic year in question
Appraisers: Study Center directors or visiting lecturers
specializing in the same or a similar field as the selected subject

19●Lecture Assessment by Full-time Lecturers
Applicable Subjects: A selection of subjects being newly offered during the academic year in question
Appraisers: Full-time lecturers of the course or programof the selected subject
Assessment results are fed back to the chief lecturer of
each subject, full-time lecturers and persons responsible for subject development at the Depar tment of
Broadcasting and Department of Production. Revisions
to lectures are made on an as-needed basis.
The results are also used to improve questions used in tutorials through correspondence and credit certification examinations, and to provide better learning support services
including responses to student inquiries.
http://www.ouj.ac.jp/hp/osirase /jugyohyoka /index.
html

Creating Subjects Through a Painstaking Three-Year Process
to explain all aspects of broadcast lecturing. This is also an
opportunity for the lecturers to exchange views with the directors and editors in charge of course materials on ways to
produce materials which are easier to understand.
The OUJ Chief Lecturer Meeting(on subjects for 2014 academic year)
Friday, September 16, 2011
Agenda[General Meeting]
1. Opening of General Meeting
2. President’s Address
3. Participant Introductions
4. Notes on Course Material Production
5. Briefing on System WAKABA Services
6. Question-and-Answer Session
7. Closing of General Meeting[Constituent Meetings]
8. Opening of Course/Program-Specific		 Constituent Meetings
9. Briefing on Services
10. Exchange of Views
11. Closing of Course/Program-Specific		 Constituent Meetings[Studio Orientation]
12. Beginning Personal Experience in the Studio
13. Briefing on TV and Radio Program
		 Recording Processes
14. Experiencing Studio Recording
15. Finishing Experiencing Studio Recording

Assessment/FD

To produce better course materials, OUJ is making improvements to its course material production schedule. The
improvements currently being worked on involve allowing
the time to concentrate on the production of each type ofcourse material. Previously, broadcast materials and textbooks were produced in tandem in the year prior to a subject being offered, while under the improved system, thecreation of textbooks would begin separately a year earlier.
In 2011, when materials development was implemented inaccordance with this schedule, a meeting of chief lecturers
was held regarding courses to be offered during the 2014
academic year. Chief lecturers are the full-time lecturers incharge of OUJ broadcast lecture subjects who write textbooks, produce broadcast materials, prepare questions
and mark answers for tutorials by correspondence andcredit certification exams, and respond to query cards.
OUJ lectures consist of broadcast lectures and classroom
sessions. Both may be given by lecturers who are researchers at other universities and various institutions, visiting
lecturers or part-time lecturers, as well as by full-time OUJlecturers. Written and verbal information
about the special attributes of OUJ and its students is provided to visiting professors and part-time lecturers in advance. However, there are many tasks that chief lecturers
involved in broadcast teaching undertake that they would
not experience at a campus-based college, such as airing
lectures, writing textbooks, providing tutorials through correspondence and preparing credit certification examinationquestions. For this reason, before broadcast program production, OUJ assembles all chief lecturers under one roof,
regardless of whether they are full-time or visiting lecturers,

Chief Lecturer Meeting20Faculty Development (FD) Initiatives
As a part of Faculty Development (FD) efforts, presentations were held on October 27, 2011 and March 21, 2012.
Professor Makiko MIWA presented a report on Universityof Maryland University College, including the new lecturer
training program, ongoing FD program, the promotion oftalented lecturers, services and sources of information on
appraisals and the lecturer evaluation system.
Associate Professor Rie OHASHI gave an explanation of
the differences between classes at The Open University(England) and OUJ, and proposed materials for studying
the possibility of applying the instructional methods employed at The Open University.
Associate Professor Akemi KAWAFUCHI delivered an interim report on the contents of interviews with highly-experienced lecturers on techniques and tips for producing television-based broadcast subjects.
Following the presentations, lively discussions with par-ticipants ensued.
OUJ has also held FD seminars and luncheon seminars.
One example is “PCs from the ground up,” a classroom
sessions taught at Study Centers across Japan which aims
to instruct OUJ students on the operation of PCs. Since the2010 academic year, lecturers running the classroom sessions have reported on things such as course content, impressions and points for improvement to help improve thesubject. In a bid to improve the quality of broadcast lecturer
programs, workshops are also held with the staff in chargeof program production serving as instructors and engaging
in lively discussions on topics such as the future role ofbroadcast lectures. OUJ will continue to pursue FD activities and strive to improve the quality of its instruction.
The themes addressed at FD presentations, seminars
and luncheon seminars conducted by OUJ are given below.

Assessment/FD[FD Presentations]Thursday, October 27, 12:10 to 13:15(1) Professor Makiko MIWA (International Collaboration Division, Center of ICT and Distance Education)
		 Presentation Theme: FD Initiatives at University of Maryland University College(2) Associate Professor Rie OHASHI (Humanities and Culture Course, Faculty of Liberal Arts)
		 Presentation Theme: Course Material Production at The Open University and its Applicability to OUJ
Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 16:00 to 17:00
		 Associate Professor Akemi KAWAFUCHI, Associate Professor Hideaki TAKAHASHI (Center of ICT and Distance Education)
		 Presentation Theme: Results of Interviews with Lecturers on Broadcast Lecture Production[FD Seminars]
Wednesday, March 30, 15:00 to 17:00
Lecturers: Yoshiaki HAMADA, Makiko MIWA, Kumiko AOKI
Lecture Theme: Lecture Program Production Through PRIME Studio: Methods of Scientific Inquiry (’11)
Tuesday, April 12, 10:00 to 12:00
Lecturers: Makiko MIWA, Toshio AKIMITSU, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Yoko HIROSE, Emi NISHINA, Akemi KAWAFUCHI,			
Yoshitomo YAGINUMA, Junji SHIBASAKI
Lecture Theme: Instruction Methods for Classroom Session: PCs from the Ground Up
Tuesday, June 14, 16:00 to 18:00
Lecturer: Kazumichi TAKAHIRA
Lecture Theme: Filming Seminar: When Lecturers Do the Filming Themselves!
Wednesday, July 6, 13:30 to 15:30
Lecturer: Masaru WATANABE
Lecture Theme: Study Session on Speaking in a Straightforward Manner During Broadcast Lectures
Friday, September 30, 10:00 to 12:00
Lecturers: Makiko MIWA, Toshio AKIMITSU, Hideaki TAKAHASHI, Yoko HIROSE, Emi NISHINA, Akemi KAWAFUCHI,			
Yoshitomo YAGINUMA
Lecture Theme: Textbook Revisions for Classroom Session: PCs from the Ground Up
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Lecturers: Kazumichi TAKAHIRA, Masaaki KUROSU
Lecture Themes: “Create Effective PowerPoint Presentations,”			“Drive the Point Home with PowerPoint”
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Lecturers: Makoto HACHIKI, Unsobu CHI
Lecture Themes: Practical Report on Classroom Session: PCs from the Ground Up[FD Luncheon Seminar]
Tuesday, February 8, 11:30 to 13:00
Reporters: Hiroshi KATO, Masaaki KUROSU, Tsuneo YAMADA,			Junji SHIBASAKI, Yasuhiko TSUJI, Hideaki TAKAHASHI
Theme: Practical Report on Classroom Session: PCs from the Ground Up

21

Activities of the Center of ICT and Distance
Education (CODE)
CODE creates new learning experiences through elearning and educational content, and promotes the adoption of ICT at OUJ.

Website of the Center of ICT
and Distance Education (CODE)Now Offering “UPO-NET for OUJ”
UPO-NET provides instructional e-learning materials to universities and other institutions over the Internet. 35 instructionale-learning materials covering fundamental, first-year, pre-university and career education have been produced and distributed by OUJ, and are being utilized by many students.
“UPO-NET for OUJ” provides these instructional materials to OUJ as part of its learning support and student services. OUJ students can utilize these materials for self-directed study and learning separately from universit ylectures to study areas in which they are weaker throughrepetition and review. Some 15,000 students registeredand used the materials during the 2011 academic year.
Materials on mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology mirror the content learned at the junior high school andhigh school levels
English materials range from the junior high school andhigh school levels to TOEIC exams
Japanese language, common sense and the knowledge,

skills and ICT-related technologies required to find employment
CODE has also developed and currently distributes on a trial
basis remedial instructional materials for broadcast lecturesdesigned for use at institutions with whom OUJ has credittransferring or dual-enrollment agreements, as well as instructional e-learning materials to help those taking the National
Nursing Examination. Some of the instructional materials canbe studied using devices suchas mobile phones, iPads andiPhones.

Remedial Mathematics Explained

Remedial Biology Explained

The Center of ICT and Distance Education actively publishes online journals of research reports● Journal of Multimedia Education Research
The Journal of Multimedia Education Research is apeer-reviewed academic journal that presents the resultsof research and development into education conductedusing various forms of media or utilizing ICT such as elearning. The journal publishes invited papers on special
themes, original papers submitted from Japan and overseas, review papers, research materials and reports.
2011 Academic Year Journal of Multimedia Education
Research, Volume 8, Issue 1
http://www.code.ouj.ac.jp/media/vol8no1
Special Feature – The Internationalization of Higher Education: Asia and Japan
Guest Editor: Akira NINOMIYA (OUJ Vice President)
This special issue analyzed the state of internationalization in Asian higher education with an awareness of Ja-

CODE

Online Journal Publicationpan, and explored the role of Asia and interuniversity exchanges as well as new directions of internationalization
being taken by Japanese universities. Outstanding papers from the top Japanese researchers in the field werecompiled, generating a great level of interest.
● Report on Research Findings
2009/2010 MEXT-commissioned project on promoting
reforms at universities: Investigative Study on the Promotion of Education Utilizing ICT
Report on Findings
A study on the role of universities utilizing ICT and quality
assurance of education was conducted on a global scale.
In addition to close coordination with experts in respective
countries for local surveys, a large-scale survey was also
conducted. This is important research in considering therole and direction of future higher education in Japan.

22

Utilizing ICT-Based Education for University Faculty Members
A Faculty Development (FD) project to enhance the ICT
utilization skills of university faculty members through various FD seminars held throughout the year has attracted theattention of faculty members and related staff both insideand outside OUJ. The results of the project are being distributed through the CODE website in the form of an on-demand guidebook and video-based tips.
http://fd.code.ouj.ac.jp/tips/●Guidebook on the Introduction of ICT Utilization in
Education
To encourage e-learning and the ICT utilization in education at Japanese universities, the questions posed byuniversity faculty and administrative staff regarding
trends in e-learning, their effect and the use of ICT are
presented in a Q&A format. The materials provide the opportunity to learn about specific techniques and the latest
insight into the field.
●Teaching Tips for Improving Lectures
The Center of ICT and Distance Education website hasposted a collection of tips for university faculty members
to improve their lectures. The format allows video-based
explanations on how to deliver lectures using ICT andhow to deal with conceivable problems to be linked with a
Q&A section.

Top page of the ICT Utilization Tips section

Holding Seminars to Support Human Resource Development for ICT Utilization in Education

CODE
23

CODE has conducted seminars for university faculty andadministrative staff at various locations. The seminars deal
with techniques for producing highly-effective content forstudy utilizing ICT, as well as information on copyright issues and other topics. CODE has also provided support forvarious human resource development seminars held by individual universities by dispatching instructors.

・Seminars Conducted by OUJInstructional design seminars (3)Seminars on copyright in education (9)Seminars on ICT utilization (2)・Dispatch of instructors for human resource
development seminars in response to requests fromuniversities, etc.
Learning Design (2)Seminars on copyright in education (10)Seminars on ICT utilization (2)Research on a Mixed Reality-Based Exhibit Explanation System
Museums are excellent learning environments that allow
contact with real items. However, simply visiting a museum
does not lend itself well to learning. For instance, people
who are not familiar with paleontology may find it difficult tolearn about the differences between dinosaurs no matter
how long they look at their skeletons. This research uses
technology that fuses real spaces with 3D computer graphics to develop a new system for explaining exhibits. Unlike

explanations through pictorial books or video footage, visitors can learn in a sensory fashion because the explanations
are presented atop the actual skeletons. Photos serve as thecontent for explaining the skeletal structure of the dinosaurs.
This experience aims to serve as the trigger enabling study
through the examination of specimens. Experiments of thesystem were conducted at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in March 2011.

Exhibit experiment at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History (March 2011)

Mixed reality content for studying skeletal structure of dinosaurs

Website for Supporting Disabled Persons at University●Special Website for Visually-impaired Users Set Up
at the Top Page of the OUJ Website
While visually-impaired people usually use PC-based
text-to-speech software to view websites on the Internet,
websites are often difficult to read. With the cooperationof the “Nanohana no Kai” (Representative: Kazuko SUGIYAMA), a voluntary group for which has been supporting
visually-impaired OUJ students for the past 12 years, awebsite that can be easily read by text-to-speech software was developed. Working in coordination with theStudent Section of the Department of Academic Affairs, a“For Visually-impaired Users” link was placed on the top
page of the OUJ website. The special website allows visually-impaired users to access important information essential to university life, such as examination and lectureschedules, lists of subject textbooks translated into Brailleand application procedures on an as-needed basis.
http://www.ouj.ac.jp/hp/barrier_free/

CODE

Providing support to a diverse range of students including
those with disabilities is an opportunity to review newteaching methodologies and the role of communication,and is also a unique opportunity for regular students to appreciate the meaning and value of learning, and discoverpeople’s limitless potential. From research and development of support for disabled people, flexible ways of learning that utilize ICT are created at OUJ.
On-demand service is available to view archived lecturesof experts in support for disabled people and TV lecturesdelivered by OUJ President OKABE as video with subtitles.
http://www.code.ouj.ac.jp/disable/

Top page of the OUJ website

24

Study Center Trends■ Newly Enrolled Student Gatherings

Newly enrolled student gathering were held at individual Study Centers in April and October. The Open University of Japan has a total of 55,495 students enrolled nationwide in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and School of Graduate Studies. Each
new student took the first step towards fulfilling their desire for learning.

Chiba Study Center

Kyoto Study CenterTokyo Bunkyo Study Center■ Prestigious Open University of Japan Student Ceremony

Study Centers

In April 2010, OUJ established the “Prestigious Open University of Japan Student” system. The system aims to honor motivated students who have dedicated many years to
study and increase the motivation of OUJ students to learn,
and applies to students who have received degrees in all
five (previously six) OUJ courses.
During the 2010 academic year, 15 students became
Prestigious Open University of Japan Student. While students who have attained the honor are usually recognizedat the March Graduation and Degree Conferment Ceremo-

ny, the honors were presented through individual Study
Center because of the cancellation of the 2010 Graduation
and Degree Conferment Ceremony due to the Great East
Japan Earthquake. In addition, students who have received
the honor are granted various benefits, such as the ability to
use Study Center facilities even after graduating from OUJ.
From the 2011 academic year awards onwards, having afavorable personality and attitude towards study has been
made a requirement in addition to having completed all five
(previously six) OUJ courses.

Chiba Study Center Kou KOUZUKI

Hokkaido Study Center Shuko OBUCHI■ Newly Appointed Study Center Directors

In the 2011 academic year, new directors were appointed to nine Study Centers. They are each engaged in activities tofurther enhance and develop their Study Centers.

■ Newly Appointed Study Center Directors
Ibaraki Study Center

25

Masatake SHIRAISHI

Osaka Study Center

Masanori HAYASHI

Saitama Study Center

Mineaki KANNO

Hiroshima Study Center

Yoshihito YASUHARA

Tokyo Tama Study Center

Nobuyoshi TASAKI

Ehime Study Center

Takaaki MORI

Toyama Study Center

Masao HATTORI

Kagoshima Study Center

Yusho NAKAYAMA

Mie Study Center

Tatsuhiko UENO

■ Ceremonies to Commemorate the 15th and 20th Anniversaries of Study Centers
Ceremonies were held to commemorate the 20th anniversaries of the Miyagi, Ishikawa, Gifu, Osaka, Kagawa andNagasaki Study Centers, and the 15th anniversaries of the
Akita, Shiga, Nara, Shimane and Miyazaki Study Centers.

Participants interacted and celebrated the Study Center
milestones through a variety of projects, lectures and otherevents.

Commemorative Speeches by President OKABE (Nagasaki Study Center, Nara Study Center)

20th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony (Gifu Study Center)

Exhibition held as a commemorative project (Shimane Study Center)■ Study Center Relocations and Closures

Yamaguchi Study Center●Yamaguchi Study Center(April 2011: Tokyo University of Science, Yamaguchi▶ University Hall, Yamaguchi University)●Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center(September 2011: Ukimafunado ▶ Myogadani)●Tokyo Setagaya Study Center(Closed March 2012)

Study Centers

The Yamaguchi Study Center relocated from Tokyo University of Science, Yamaguchi (located in Onoda) to the
University Hall of Yamaguchi University (Yamaguchi City).
In September 2011, the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center moved
from its temporary location at Ukimafunado to a new building constructed at the previous Study Center site in Myogadani. The Tokyo Setagaya Study Center was closed at theend of the 2011 academic year ahead of a new Study Center opening in Shibuya in April 2012. Each of the newly constructed centers feature better traffic access, which is expected to lead to a more fulfilling study environment.

Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center

The Tokyo Setagaya Study Center slated for closure

26

Community-Based Education■ Classroom Sessions
OUJ continued to hold a wide variety of classroom sessions at individual Study Centers. Many students took advantage of the sessions, which were taught by OUJ faculty
members as well as lecturers active on various fronts anddealt with community-oriented themes as well as the fundamentals of different academic fields.

Kumamoto Study Center Classroom Sessions●Kumamoto Study Center
Visiting the legacies of Hearn and Soseki
Digging into Primitive Society from the Archeology of Kumamoto●Wakayama Study Center
Introduction to Studies of Plum Trees

Kumamoto Study Center Classroom Sessions

Wakayama Study Center Classroom Sessions■ Seminars
A special emergency seminar related to earthquakes andtsunamis titled “Major Tsunami Disasters in the Heisei-era
and Challenges to Recovery” was held at the Iwate Study
Center and delivered by Center Director Tokumi SAITO,
who specializes in regional disaster prevention engineering. The seminar went over capacity, with almost 100 people in attendance.

●Iwate Study Center
Special Seminar: Major Tsunami Disasters in the
Heisei-era and Challenges to Recovery

Study Centers
Iwate Study Center Special Seminar

27

Study Centers as Meeting Places■ Study Tours

At OUJ, Study Centers also serve as meeting places. As
well as for studying, students make active use of Study
Centers as places of exchange for club activities, mutual interests and so on.
●Gifu Study Center(Hands on Echizen Japanese paper-making session and Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins)

Gifu Study Center Study Tour■ Club and Student Activities●Kochi Study Center (Muroto Kanpo walking event)●Kagoshima Study Center (Yoga club)

Kochi Study Center (Muroto Kanpo walking event)Kagoshima Study Center (Yoga club)■ School Festivals

Chiba Study Center (Autumn Festival)●Chiba Study Center (Autumn Festival)●Gifu Study Center (Exhibition of Student Works)●Kochi Study Center (Art and Craft Festival)

Gifu Study Center (Exhibition of Student Works)

Study Centers

Some Study Centers hold school festivals where students
exhibit and celebrate their study achievements and the products of club activities. As well as being an occasion for students to conduct exchanges with one another, school festivals are also an opportunity to deepen exchanges withfaculty and administrative staff as well as members of thecommunity, who also take part.

Kochi Study Center (Art and Craft Festival)

28

Study Centers with Close Ties to the Community■ Public Lectures

Study Centers hold many public lectures, classes, symposiums and other events that anyone can join. The events
give people the opportunity to acquire the latest knowledge
regarding various issues which are useful not only to OUJ
students but to members of the community, and consider

those issues together. In addition to lecturers connected to
OUJ, Study Centers invite a diverse range of lecturers active across various regions and fields. Below is a small
sampling of the lectures offered at Study Centers in 2011
academic year.

■ Examples of Public Lectures and Classes
Study Center

Lecturer

Town Development of Abashiri: A Spirit of Challenge
Leads the Region

Director, Hokkaido Study Center

Masanori TSUKUWA

Aomori Study Center

The Challenge of Invention to Which HAYABUSA Strived,
and a Message for the Next Generation

Professor, Japan Aerospace Exploration
AgencyJunichiro KAWAGUCHI

Akita Study Center

Geopark Travels

Professor Emeritus, Akita University
Representative, Oga Nature and Culture Association

Tateo SHIRAISHI
Kouichi NATSUI

Ibaraki Study Center

Seeking Improved Quality of Life Through Life Support Sciences

Director, Ibaraki Study Center

Saitama Study Center

Japanese Education from a Global Perspective

Vice President, OUJ

Chiba Study Center

The Joy of Filmmaking

Screenwriter and Film Director

Mitsuo KUROTSUCHI
Shigeo NISHIMURATokyo Setagaya Study Center

The Prospects of 21st Century China after 200 Years of Trials

Professor, OUJ

Toyama Study Center

Introduction to Traditional Medicine: Learning about the
Old to Make Way for the New

Director, Toyama Study Center

Ishikawa Study Center

Information and Education

President, OUJ

Fukui Study Center

What is Family?

Professor, OUJ
Vice President, Fukui University
Associate Professor, Fukui University

Gifu Study Center

Can we avoid financial collapse? - Considering Japan’s Debt

Former President, OUJ

Shizuoka Study Center

Ieyasu, Shingen and the Battle of Mikatagahara

Director, Shizuoka Study Center

Masatake SHIRAISHI
Akira NINOMIYA

Masao HATTORI
Yoichi OKABE
Miciko MIYAMOTO
Yasuhiro SAKURAI
Keiko HATANO
Hiromitsu ISHI

Mie Study Center

Is the Lay Judge System working well?

Director, Mie Study Center

Tatsuhiko UENO

Listening to Goethe

Director, Osaka Study Center

Masanori HAYASHI

Hyogo Study Center

Namban Art and Kobe: Collector Hajime Ikenaga and his
Public Activities

Professor, OUJ

Tetsuya SUGIMORI

Okayama Study Center

The Science of Nuclear Power Generation

Director, Okayama Study Center

Seiki SAITO

Kochi Study Center

The Most Sought After Lesson in the World
Yataro IWASAKI and Modern Times: A Biography of Tosa’s Hero

Historian, High School Lecturer

Atsushi KAWAI

Fukuoka Study Center

Lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake- Seismic Motion, Tsunamis, Disaster Prevention Measures and the Nuclear Power Plant Incident

Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University

Hisanori OTSUKA

Saga Study Center

Speaking about Hands-on Agriculture Marketing

Marketing Producer

Kagoshima Study Center

Illustrated Children’s Books of the Edo Period and Today

Director, Kagoshima Study Center

Study Centers

Akita Study Center Public Class

Yutaka HIRAOKA
Yuushou NAKAYAMA

Aomori Study Center Public Lecture

The Okinawa Study Center held joint classroom sessions and a joint symposium for the Kyushu/Okinawa Block at the Ishigaki Municipal Hall (Nobumoto Ohama Memorial Hall) on thetheme of trends in development of the Yaeyama region. Up to 150 people attended, including
students and citizens. Using a teleconferencing system, a four-way live relay was establishedwith the Hokkaido and Fukuoka Study Centers and the OUJ Administration Building, making it agroundbreaking event in which students in remote areas also took part.
Yoichi OKABE (OUJ President)[Panelists]
Shigeo HIRAMATSU (former Professor, Kyorin University)
Hiroiwa MIYAGI (Representative, Asia-Okinawa Economic Research Institute)
Ichiro OHAMA (Chairperson, Yaeyama Business Council)
Yoshitaka NAKAYAMA (Mayor of Ishigaki)

Public Lecture Poster for Kochi Study Center

Kyoto Study Center Public Class■ Symposium

The Crossroads of East Asia
The Challenge and Vision for
YaeyamaPublic Lecture Poster for Aomori Study Center

Takashige HONDA

Osaka Study Center

OUJ Kyushu andOkinawa Block Joint
Symposium

29

LectureHokkaido Study Center

Flyer for the Kyushu andOkinawa Block
Joint Symposium■ Regional Contributions
As a part of efforts to contribute to local communities, many
Study Centers actively conduct mobile community courses
and on-site courses at local schools, at various levels.

Shiga Study Center mobile community courses●Shiga Study Center (Mobile community courses)●Shimane Study Center    (On-site courses at elementary schools)

Shimane Study Center on-site school courses)■ Open Campus
Study Centers open their campuses to the public to deepen exchanges with members of the community. For example, at the summer festival open campus run by the Miyazaki
Study Center, more than 100 visitors from all walks of life visited and deepened exchanges amid a lively atmosphere.
●Miyazaki Study Center(Summer festival open campus)

Miyazaki Study Center Summer Festival

Links with Graduates

Kochi Study Center Alumni Association Officemonies. At OUJ, which boasts a high reenrollment rate
among graduates, alumni associations serve as a wide
conduit linking students with the university.
●Kochi Study Center (Alumni Association Office)●Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center(Special lecture for graduates and social gathering)

Study Centers

As of 2011, 46 alumni associations have been establishedat OUJ. These associations facilitate exchanges between
fellow graduates through association newsletters, social
trips, lectures and other activities. Alumni associations also
cooperate with Study Center events, including the planningand running of graduation and course completion celebrations after annual graduation and degree conferment cere-

Gathering for graduates at the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center

30

New Trends at The Open University of JapanThe Open University of Japan Library Collections
The OUJ Library published “The Open University of Japan Library Collections” book in March 2011.
The book includes more than 80 distinctive pieces fromamong the rare books stored at the library. Themed afterWestern perspective of Japan, the collection includes literary works such as expedition and travel writings on trips toAsia and Japan, and many Japan-oriented materials sentout from Japan to the West from the end of
the Edo period to the Meiji period, such as
old photographs and illustrated crepe paper
books. The collection also houses materials
such as Newton’s Principia and Seibold’s
Nippon.
The materials not only contribute to research but are also utilized in OUJ broadcast
materials and textbooks. Since 1996, OUJ
holds exhibitions of the collection presenting

rare items such as old photographs and illustrated crepe paper books to the public at various locations around Japan.
With the book listing its collections, OUJ seeks further
use of the precious materials it holds in and out of OUJ.

Cover of the bookInside the book

The Third OUJ Student Essay Contest
The winners of the Third OUJ Student Essay Contest
were selected in February 2011. 84 essays on the theme of“the world that extends from OUJ” were submitted, and as
a result of strict examination by the screening committee,
11 winners were selected.
The applicants comprised a wide range of ages from 23

to 77 years, and came from 15 Study Centers across thecountry. All submissions were excellent in their own right.
Submissions for the Fourth OUJ Student Essay Contest
were accepted from July 1 to October 16, 2011, resulting in
37 submissions. Selections will begin in December, withthe final results to be announced in February 2012.

■ Winners of Third Essay Competition
Award

WinnerBest Essay

Yasushi OKAMOTO

A Broadening Not of Knowledge But of the Heart

Hiromi SAKAMOTO

The Power to Expand My Own World

Masashi NISHIMURA

Three Unexpected Burdens

Kyoto

Keiko MIZUTANIChallenging the Unconnected Society! Virtual Family

Aichi

Nozomi ISHIKAWA

Learning is Exciting

Saitama

Hisako OOISHIOpen Sesame!

Tochigi

Mikiko SATOH

The World That Extends from OUJ

Iwate

Yoko TAKAURA

The World That Extends from OUJ

Chiba

Junichi TAKAGIIt All Started with a Bowling Tournament

Aichi

Kouji TACHIBANAThe Long Journey

Kyoto

Sayuri YAMAMITSU

An Encounter Is a God That Enriches Life

Excellent Essay

New Vistas

Fine Essay

Title* In each award category, names are listed in the Japanese alphabetical order. * Study Centers appear as of the time of application.

31

Study Center
Osaka
Kagoshima

Fukuyama

Launching a BS Digital Broadcasting Station
In October 2011, the Open University of Japan Foundation commenced BS Digital broadcasting on television
channels 231 to 233 and on BS radio channel 531.
As with the terrestrial digital broadcasts conducted insome parts of the Kanto region, BS Digital broadcasting has
enabled an improved learning environment nationwide, withthe provision of high-definition video, program delivery
through a multi-broadcast system where three channels arebroadcast simultaneously, and the provision of Study Center information, etc. through data broadcasting.
BS Digital broadcasts can generally be viewed by connecting a parabolic BS reception antenna, as many televisions capable of receiving terrestrial digital broadcasts arealso equipped with BS tuners.
Also note that CS broadcasts (Sky Perfect! SD) will ceaseat the end of March 2012.
In commemoration of the start of BS Digital broadcasts
on the October 1st station launch day, special programs
were aired to provide information about The Open University of Japan, not only to the students watching but to generalviewers around Japan as well.
The lineup of special programs included “Watch Notable

Lectures Once More: The OUJ Archives,” “Fellow Learners” and “Let’s Talk about The Open University of Japan!”“Watch Notable Lectures Once More: The OUJ Archives”
showcased the best scenes from notable past lectures fromlikes of Shoichi OZAWA and Susumu NISHIBE.
“Fellow Learners” featured students from around Japan
studying in a variety of environments, including students
preserving their passion for study despite being affected byearthquakes or tsunamis.
“Let’s Talk about The Open University of Japan!” broadcast thescenes from a Symposium thatgathered OUJ students in their
20s to 80s, OUJ President OKABE and Chairperson SHIRAI, Press Conference on the BS Broadcast Station Launch
as well as Yokohama Mayor Fumiko HAYASHI, who had beenable to study at OUJ. The program
showed a passionate exchangeof views about “ the wonder ofcontinuing to learn throughout“Let’s Talk About The Open University of Japan!”one’s life” and “the future of OUJ.”

Completion of the New Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center Building
The new Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center building opened in
September 2011.
The new building is situated in a location with excellent
access to transportation, just a three-minute walk from
Myogadani Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Subway Line. The building is a joint construction by OUJ and
Tsukuba University with seven floors in total (six aboveground and one basement level) with an inner garden
placed at the center to produce a relaxed and comfortable
space with ample daylight. OUJ will mainly use the basement level as well as the second and third floors. In addition
to a large lecture hall which can be used for various lectures
as well as enrollment ceremonies, there is a large libraryroom, seminar rooms, and an audio-visual learning room
where students can re-watch and study broadcast materials. The student lounge is an open space for communica-tion with fellow students and breaks
between classes.
The number of classroom sessions
has been doubled, and students cantake an even greater variety of sessions. From the second semester theExterior View of
the Tokyo Bunkyo Study Center
number of classroom session subjects will be increased from 80 to 180 (around 300 subjects
per year), giving students the ability to take classes across awide range of fields. Experiment-oriented classes that can’t be experienced through broadcast lectures
such as physics, chemistry and biology have been added, giving people
the opportunity to share the joy oflearning with fellow students.
Student Hall

Creating of the First “Urban Campus” (Tokyo Shibuya Study Center)
The Study Center also promises to be a place visited andused by large numbers of people from all over Japan as alandmark that actively disseminates information about OUJ
to prospective students.
Basic functions will mirror those of existing Study Centers,such as re-watching of broadcast lectures, classroom sessions
and course counseling. The center is also expected to function
as a new hub of lifelong learning by attempting a number ofother approaches such as early-morning and late-night classroom sessions and new projects aimed at business people.

New Vistas

In April 2012, OUJ plans to establish a new facility inShibuya, a diverse hub of culture, fashion and IT, as OUJ’s
first “Urban Campus.”
Based on the concept of a “close by and convenient campus”
just five minutes’ walk from Shibuya
Station, the Tokyo Shibuya Study Center will be a new source of information
for students studying for a range of purposes, from earning a degree to career
Tokyo Shibuya Study Center
advancement or self-fulfillment.

32

The Open University of Japan in Figures
Student Enrollment

Officials, Faculty Members andAdministrative Staff (Unit: person)
Officials

7

President

1Vice Presidents

3

Faculty Members

86

Administrative Staff

247

Total

342

Faculty of Liberal Arts

＊1

Student Type

7,739

4,159

11,898

One-Year Non-Degree Students

11,241

5,779

17,020One-Semester Non-Degree Students

7,350

8,636

15,986

Special Auditing Students

1,360

3,762

5,122

Total

27,69022,33650,026(2011 academic year)(2011 academic year)

School of Graduate Studies
Student Type

(Unit: person)

Faculty of Liberal Arts
Current Students
Student Type
Regular Students
51,300
One-Year Non-Degree Students
17,070One-SemesterNon-DegreeStudents
8,636
Special Auditing Students
3,762
Total
80,768(As of 2nd semester, 2011 academic year)

School of Graduate Studies
Current Students
Student Type
Master’s Course Students
1,136
One-Year Non-Degree Master’s Course Students
3,540
One-Semester Non-Degree Master’s Course Students
875
Total
5,551
(As of 2nd semester, 2011 academic year)

Total

Regular Students＊2＊3

1st Semester 2nd Semester＊1. Includes President (Trustee) and Vice Presidents (Trustee).
＊2. Includes Vice Presidents (Trustee).
＊3. The sum of the categories will not equal the total,
because the categories overlap

Current Students(Unit: person)

1st Semester 2nd Semester

Total

Master’s Course Students

403

-

403

One-Year Non-Degree Master’s Course Students

2,543

982

3,525

One-Semester Non-Degree Master’s Course Students

666

875

1,541

Total

3,612

1,857

5,469

(2011 academic year)

Student Types andCurrent Students■ Regular Students

875（1.0%）

3,540（4.1%）
1,136（1.3%）
3,762（4.4%）■ One-Year

8,636（10.0%）

Non-Degree Students■ One-Semester
Non-Degree Students

Students Enrolled in Summer Intensive Course
Student Type
CurrentStudents
School Librarianship Certification Program
906
Nurse Qualification Course
415
Total
1,321

■ Special Auditing Students(2011 academic year)

Master’s Course Students■ Master’s Course Students■ One-Year Non-Degree
Master’s Course Students

17,070（19.8%）

Total
86,319（100%）

51,300（59.4%）■ One-Semester Non-Degree＊ Special auditing students are those enrolled at other universities
while studying at OUJ under the mutual credit transfer agreements.

Credit-Transferring Schools
School Type
Universities
Colleges
Higher Professional Schools

Graduate Schools
Total(Unit: Schools)

Number
264
90
11
6
371
(As of February 2012)

33

Faculty of Liberal
Arts Alumni(Unit: person)

1st Semester

2nd Semester

Total

1,661

2,883

4,544

Cumulative Total
70,265(2011 academic year)

School of Graduate
Studies Alumni(Unit: person)

1st Semester

2nd Semester

Total

Cumulative otal

9

371

380

3,544
(2011 academic year)2-11 Wakaba, Mihama-ku, Chiba-city
261- 8586 Japan
TEL:+ 81- 43-276 -5111(central switchboard)
http: / /www.ouj.ac.jp /eng /October 2012