DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

1.0 Introduction This article analysis is based on the online journal hosted by Education Research Information Center (ERIC) entitled Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case. The author of the journal, Hideki Maruyama of National Institute for Educational Policy Research (NIER) of Japan graduated from Hiroshima University Graduate School of International Development and cooperation. He is a researcher of the National Institute for Educational Policy Research, which belongs to the Japanese Ministry of Education, and works for many international cooperation projects with UNESCO. His research interest is comparative education and sociology across countries, especially Turkey and Japan. This article is produced by Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, V 4,N 1, 2009.

This article emphasized on what we had missed in Japanese education today which is conceived as a social aspect of educational effects through formal education and informal learning. Social capital is the concept to analyze it.

2.0 Objectives This article overlooks what the Japanese society has missed today and to identify the social aspects of outcomes by lifelong learning. Hence, a case study has been conducted on education and development of local community. The target fields Takasi City located 105 km north away from Tokyo.

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DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

A case study is examined as comprehensive learning outcomes which stem from the process of community development projects in a local city in Japan. The author discusses the accumulation of social capital, as results of lifelong learning, is the key for sustainable development.

3.0 Background

The author in his report evaluated on the scope of lifelong learning in Japan that covers school education and informal learning. Japan faces large social changes: severe child population decline could ease competition for entrance examination but students are pushed to win in the society; cyber communication changes the human relationships more invisible and atomized; the gap between urban and remote areas is widened; and local industry can hardly find its successors and local schools need to attract students because young people move away to city.

Recent trends and the framework of lifelong learning in Japan are introduced, and the concept of social capital is used for discussion. The case study shows benefits of learning opportunities, technology, and collaboration in a Japanese local city to build a sustainable society.

4.0 Two Important Concepts (Related To Community Development Or HRD) Discussed In The Article. 4.1 Social Capital and Human Capital For Sustainable Development

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DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

According to Maruyama, volunteering may mean mutual assistance or potential for it as a direct result of social capital. In the present case study the students work for agriculture without payment receive little financial accumulation (economical capital) and limited educational achievement (human capital) as credits of the university. But they think of being a farmer in the future as a member of the local community and receive information and opportunities for their job hunting and counseling.

Maruyama (2008) analyzed the community development in Turkey after the earthquake and concludes sustainable development stands with the good balance between economic, human, and social capital, the present study has the strength of direction for accumulation of social capital through their projects. This is more beneficial than what the individual students can receive by their ability only.

4.2 Bridging For Community Development: Collaboration Between Sectors

The recent case showed the benefit to all the sectors as overlooked. The confidence and perceptions of personal effectiveness increased, each group receives benefit for itself, and community development was promoted. The advantage of Takasaki's cafe is collaboration among government, university, and private sectors. his is because social capital enhancement could be

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DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

continued as having direct links with community development adult education in that community development is generally defined as a social learning process; a learning process which serves to empower individuals and social groups by involving them as citizens in collective activities aimed at socioeconomic regeneration, development and change (McClenaghan, 2000, p.566). While neo-liberal economic situation drives people for economic benefit, this case is an example of self reliance.

Tsurumi

(1989)

emphasized

the

importance

of

endogenous

development in which the self-reliantly create the society based on culture/tradition and indigenous natural ecosystem suitable to their local unique conditions while they matching external knowledge, skills, and systems. In addition to that Fukuyama (2001) explained educational institutions increase human and social capital as the greatest direct ability of the government, the author would like to point out that social capital can contribute towards education because social capital runs circular and is interactive.

The collaborations, could mean the bridging social capital, among more actors are necessary because actors for sustainability exist at the local level. In other words, the synergy can be expected between education and social capital. Its potential could be enlarged by hardware and human network of Kominkan in Japan.

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DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

5.0 Conclusion

As Japan rushed to modernization in order to avoid from being occupied from the Great Powers at the end of nineteenth century and tried to catch up the western economies after the lost war in the 1940s until it became an economic power in the 1980s. The central government took a very strong initiative to control the whole country efficiently and successfully led the country up to one of the most developed economies in the world. Recent neo-liberal movements, promoted strongly by the popular Koizumi Administration between 2001 and 2006, accelerated privatization aiming at so-called small government and cut off public services in order to go along with the process of globalization or the next society requiring the social shift.

As regard to the above article, in Malaysia, the government has adopted the creation of a fully developed economy by the year 2020 as a principal goal, emphasizing that the development should be economic, political, social, spiritual, psychological, and cultural. In order to develop the necessary human resource base to reach this goal, the country must strengthen the teaching of mathematics, science, and English in its higher education system establish entrepreneurial and management developments programs, and train its workforce with the latest industrial processes. Education in Malaysia is, in fact, changing very rapidly, responding to the emerging focus on lifelong learning; the growing emphasis on learning, as opposed to teaching; and the development of new delivery systems.

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DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

With respect to elementary and secondary education, the country has shifted its focus on the provision of basic education for all to the provision of quality education for all in the 21st century, developing new principles and integrating education at all levels of schooling. Changes are also being made in the nation's higher education and training systems, such as 1996 legislation that permits the establishment of private universities and branch campuses of foreign universities and efforts to provide financial assistance to students. Finally, in the non-formal educational sector, there is an increased emphasis on human resource updating and meeting individual and business needs for job advancement and higher wages.

As for instance, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) has reached out further to learners by setting up its first lifelong learning centre, South City Plaza Lifelong Learning Centre in Seri Kembangan, signaled the second stage of the campaign under the MCAs nine-point party platform. The move was to drive home the point that learning opportunities existed in all places. Bringing learning programmes into a shopping mall will definitely help facilitate learning opportunities. The community will bring themselves a step closer to lifelong learning as a shopping mall is a place of convergence of people from all walks of life. The idea of expanding the campaign to a commercial complex was inspired by HKU Space (Hong Kong Universitys School of Professional and Continuing Education) offered various courses to people in commercial complexes. The MCA, on its part, had laid the foundation for the implementation of lifelong learning since the campaign was incepted in October 2004. In moving forward, their action plan will be to strengthen the community-based lifelong learning centres.
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DCE 3401: Community Development Article Analysis on Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Community Development in a Japanese Case

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