Japanese students
Covert
20 March 2000
Hi all,
Here's an article from the Japanese press that I thought might be of some
interest.
Especially revealing of the survey's bias is the mention of students
dyeing their hair (which Japanese schoolkids tend to think is cool but
which Japanese educators usually consider a surefire sign of delinquency).
And it is highly debatable, given all the academic and social pressures
Japanese schoolchildren face from the adult world, that they are
"satisfied just enjoying their day-to-day lives," as the quoted official
suggests.
What the story doesn't dig into (typical of Japanese newspapers) is the
"why" behind this phenomenon of students not wanting to study -- and what
the solutions to the problem might be. But guess we'll have to wait for
another "survey" before we get *those* answers! <g>
Brian
in Osaka, Japan
-----------------------------------
POLL SHOWS JAPANESE STUDENTS STUDY LEAST
The Daily Yomiuri - March 18, 2000
More than 40 percent of high school students surveyed across the country
do not study outside school, compared to only about 10 percent in the
United States and China, according to research conducted by the Japan
Youth Research Institute.
The latest finding may indicate that many Japanese high school students
lose motivation to study upon completion of school entrance screenings
and examinations, analysts said.
The comparative study was conducted on about 2,000 middle and high school
students in each of the three nations from November to December [1999].
A whopping 41.8 percent of Japanese students said they do not spend any
time studying outside school. According to the survey, only one in three
high school students in the nation studies outside school for more than
an hour each day.
A total of 12.6 percent of U.S. high [school] students said they do not
study outside school, while more than half of all high school students in
the country said they study more than an hour outside school.
Among Chinese high school students, 8.3 percent said they do not study
outside school, while more than 80 percent said they study more than an
hour every day outside class. A total of 29 percent said they spend
between two and three hours studying each day.
Among Japanese middle school students, 18.4 percent said they do not
study outside school, and about half said they study more than an hour
each day.
The research institute also found that 41.3 percent of Japanese high
school students carry cellular phones to school, a much higher figure
than in the United States and China, where 12.3 percent and 0.9 percent
of high school students, respectively, carry such phones to school.
In the survey, Japanese high school students were found most likely to
dye their hair among each of the three nations, with 42.9 percent of
female students and 33 percent of male students responding that they
color their hair. A total of 18.6 percent of female middle school
students said they dye their hair.
Meanwhile, 36.7 percent of female U.S. high school students and 14.8
percent of male students said they dye their hair.
More than 70 percent of all Japanese middle- and high school students
said they want high-income jobs in the future, the highest figure of the
three countries.
Meanwhile, about half of all Japanese middle- and high school students
said they do not want to be promoted to positions that carry heavy
responsibilities and require high commitment, also the highest figure
among the three nations.
"The futures of Japanese students are decided very early on, and that is
why they have little aspirations for the future compared with their U.S.
and Chinese counterparts. Japanese students tend to be satisfied by just
enjoying their day-to-day lives rather than preparing for the future,"
said Tamotsu Sengoku, director of the institute.
[copyright - Yomiuri Shimbun, 2000]
Hi all,
Here's an article from the Japanese press that I thought might be of some
interest.
Especially revealing of the survey's bias is the mention of students
dyeing their hair (which Japanese schoolkids tend to think is cool but
which Japanese educators usually consider a surefire sign of delinquency).
And it is highly debatable, given all the academic and social pressures
Japanese schoolchildren face from the adult world, that they are
"satisfied just enjoying their day-to-day lives," as the quoted official
suggests.
What the story doesn't dig into (typical of Japanese newspapers) is the
"why" behind this phenomenon of students not wanting to study -- and what
the solutions to the problem might be. But guess we'll have to wait for
another "survey" before we get *those* answers! <g>
Brian
in Osaka, Japan
-----------------------------------
POLL SHOWS JAPANESE STUDENTS STUDY LEAST
The Daily Yomiuri - March 18, 2000
More than 40 percent of high school students surveyed across the country
do not study outside school, compared to only about 10 percent in the
United States and China, according to research conducted by the Japan
Youth Research Institute.
The latest finding may indicate that many Japanese high school students
lose motivation to study upon completion of school entrance screenings
and examinations, analysts said.
The comparative study was conducted on about 2,000 middle and high school
students in each of the three nations from November to December [1999].
A whopping 41.8 percent of Japanese students said they do not spend any
time studying outside school. According to the survey, only one in three
high school students in the nation studies outside school for more than
an hour each day.
A total of 12.6 percent of U.S. high [school] students said they do not
study outside school, while more than half of all high school students in
the country said they study more than an hour outside school.
Among Chinese high school students, 8.3 percent said they do not study
outside school, while more than 80 percent said they study more than an
hour every day outside class. A total of 29 percent said they spend
between two and three hours studying each day.
Among Japanese middle school students, 18.4 percent said they do not
study outside school, and about half said they study more than an hour
each day.
The research institute also found that 41.3 percent of Japanese high
school students carry cellular phones to school, a much higher figure
than in the United States and China, where 12.3 percent and 0.9 percent
of high school students, respectively, carry such phones to school.
In the survey, Japanese high school students were found most likely to
dye their hair among each of the three nations, with 42.9 percent of
female students and 33 percent of male students responding that they
color their hair. A total of 18.6 percent of female middle school
students said they dye their hair.
Meanwhile, 36.7 percent of female U.S. high school students and 14.8
percent of male students said they dye their hair.
More than 70 percent of all Japanese middle- and high school students
said they want high-income jobs in the future, the highest figure of the
three countries.
Meanwhile, about half of all Japanese middle- and high school students
said they do not want to be promoted to positions that carry heavy
responsibilities and require high commitment, also the highest figure
among the three nations.
"The futures of Japanese students are decided very early on, and that is
why they have little aspirations for the future compared with their U.S.
and Chinese counterparts. Japanese students tend to be satisfied by just
enjoying their day-to-day lives rather than preparing for the future,"
said Tamotsu Sengoku, director of the institute.
[copyright - Yomiuri Shimbun, 2000]