BackCopyright © 1997-2000 Hidetada OKAMYO All Rights Reserved.
BackDear Professor Ronald W Evans,Suddenly I send a first letter to you. I think that it is impolite to you to send you a letter. I must apologize to you very much.
My name is Mr. Hidetada Okamyo. I am ☆ years old. I am belonging to a Faculty of Literature at Meiji Gakuin University (MGU) in Japan. Strictly speaking, I belong to the Teacher Certification Program. ( Please visit my following homepage, and you can know my profile. http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~okamyo/ )
MGU is private school. MGU has two campuses, Shirokane Campus (Tokyo) and Yokohama Campus. There are about 10,000 students to study at both campuses. MGU is well-known for the mission school in Tokyo. Many students become teachers every year. About 1800 alums have become teachers all over Japan for about 50 years. ( Please visit the following homepage, and you can know MGU. http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/ )
I came to MGU in the spring of 1993, after I had completed Hiroshima Graduate School. I have been teaching Social Studies Education in secondary education mainly for five years. And I have been taking charge of Teaching Practice. I am doing various activities other than those. I hope that you see the following personal history.
The reason why I send you a letter this time is that I become a candidate who can research abroad for the 1998-99 academic year. I think that I want to research abroad from September, 1998 to September, 1999. I am going to seek the Host-University to research. I have been to USA in this summer with my wife. I could not find the Host-University in this travel, but could know USA. I hope that, if your University is good, your University may take the trouble of admitting my acceptance.
I will write the history of my research and matters of concern in my mind roughly.
I have studied about Social Studies Education in Japan and USA. 50 years ago, Social Studies Education in Japan began. The content of Social Studies Education in USA is different from the content of Social Studies Education in Japan. Social Studies Education in Japan have achieved original development. The label called memorization is attached except for 10 years until 1955 in Japan .
Many educators related to Social Studies Education have had an strong interest in the following question. "What should we do to stop memorization in Scocial Studies Lesson ? " For example, Doctor Takaharu MORIWAKE who is a famous professor in Hiroshima University and my teacher has proposed "Social Studies Education on the basis of the theory of pursuit". But Social Studies Education in Japan are not able to break away from memorization now. Masao KONISHI who is a professor in Naruto Education University advocates transformation from the idea of Input Type to the idea of Output Type. He urges students not to concentrate memorizing the limited contents, but to concentrate expressing something they think.
My interest is much the same as their interest. "What should we do to stop memorization in Scocial Studies Lesson?" I have studied Social Studies Education in Japan too. Moreover I have studied Teacher Training. I have done the following.
1) To analyze the theory of Social Studies Education of Pedagogist that aims for Problem-Solving Study in Japan and USA.
2) To analyze the lesson that aims for the Pursuit Study.
3) To support the preparation of the lesson that aims for the Pursuit Study.
4) To analyze the News Program that deals with the Social Problems.
5) To support the preparation of the lesson by utilizing the News Program that deals with the Social Problems.
6) To record the lesson of the student teacher by video.
7) To analyze the lesson of the student teacher.
8) To support the preparation of the lesson of the student teacher.
Heretofore I have studied about Social Studies Education in USA subsequent to the 1960's. I have studied the theory of the Social Studies Pedagogist, for example, Shirley H. Engle, Anna S. Ochoa, Fred M. Newmann, Donald W. Oliver and James P. Shaver that makes the Contents Social Problems.
The reason why I have started studying Social Studies Education in USA is that I met by chance to certain book when I was a graduate student. The book written by Doctor Shirley H.Engle and Doctor Anna S. Ochoa Becker is "Education For Democratic Citizenship : Decision Making in the Social Studies,1988." I had a strong feeling that I got out of memorization. So I have analyzed the purpose, the contents and the method of the education suggested in that book. I have examined the book on the basis of the concept, Countersocialization.
I have examined the Social Studies Education from both the theoretical and actual aspect. However, I have felt like my limit. For I have discussed about Social Studies Education in USA without seeing them actually. There was some misunderstanding in my papers with my immature capability of linguistics.
The Education in Japan is carrying various problems. There are such problems as bullying, unattending school, taking-tests war. Teacher Training in Japan must change according to them. It is serious time now.
By my visiting to research abroad, I think that I would like to know the real American Education, discuss with you and your student regarding the Education in both Japan and USA, and reconstruct the theory of Social Studies Education in USA subsequent to the 1970's.
Last Summer I tried to contact Doctor Anna S. Ochoa. I tried to communicates to her with a letter or an e-mail. I couldn't contact her. Because she retired from Indiana University for sickness.
Last October I went to the Academy of Social Studies Education at Okayama in Japan and met Yasushi MIZOUE who is a vice-president in Naruto Education University. He is my senior by over 30 years in Hiroshima University. I talked over my research abroad with him. He told me, " I would like to introduce University of Washington to you. There is a famous professor in this University. He is Doctor Walter C Parker. He has played an active part in the Civic Education. And Seattle has a good environment to research ". He advised me to send a letter to you.
I sent a letter to Doctor Walter C Parker on October 17. He sent me an e-mail quickly, " I will be away all next year on sabbatical leave. Consequently, I am unable to consider your request. I can make the following suggestion. Based on your interests, I recommend you apply to Prof. Ron Evans and Prof. Valerie Pang at San Diego State University. "
I looked for your homepage and visited there. I found Prof. Pang's Homepage, but did not find your Homepage. Perhaps the cause of my failure is that I used the Word "Ron".
So I sent a letter to Prof. Pang on December 8. But I couldn't receive her reply. Today I receive her e-mail. I am very surprised at her sabbatical. I know that her reply is delayed. She wrote, "Have you written to Dr. Ron Evans who is also at San Diego State University? If you have written Dr. Evans, could you share what his response has been? I don't know if he has talked with an administrator at the University about the possibility of your visit."
I think that I must research your Homepage again. Finally I have found your Homepage.
Editor of the Handbook on Issues-Centered Education. (1996). The book is being published by the NCSS and includes contributions from more than 50 leading social educators. Currently working on a history of social studies with emphasis on issues-centered approaches.In the book, Teaching Social Issues: A Century of Struggle, I explain the origins of issues-centered social studies, describe its development over the years, examine the generally disappointing impact on schools, and discuss implications for the future of the field.
Your interset is very interesting for me. Social Studies Education in Japan is a transition stage. The rapid progress by the influence of Industrization make us lose our goal for our life. Various information have come to reach us instantaneously by the progress of information devices. Internationalization have made us not become the Japanese. It has been said that Japan is not a Multiracial Nation. As a matter of fact, there are many races in Japan. Japan presently wrestles with large number of peoples from other countries who come seeking jobs and a better lifestyle. Japan gradually becomes as same as a Multiracial Nation as USA. "What is Japan?" is a topic now. As a result, History Education become conservative. Our main problem is "What do we do for the Social Studies Education (Civic Education, History Education, Geography Education) ?".
The remarkable development of communication and transportation does not make the single culture. Even though a peculiar culture is maintained, the culture of the world goes to resemble. International comprehension Education in Japan has been carried out from 20 years ago. And I have been related to Social Studies Education since 1984. The education in Japan is holding several old constitutions such as indoctrination and memorization. The Reform does not go on. I have caused an interest in "Issues-Centered Approaches ", by seeing your homepage.
I would like to discuss with Prof.Valerie Pang and you about the Education in both Japan and USA.
Moreover, Doctor Walter C Parker said, "San Diego is a beautiful city. And there is a good environment to research." I think that San Diego has a good environment to research, too.
I can receive research expenses from MGU. And I am scheduled to go to your nation with my wife, Nanae. I hope that I receive an e-mail address and the Library Pass. If there is a space, I would like to borrow the room for research.
I am waiting for the pleasant answer from your University. If there is necessary data, I will send it to you urgently. I know that you are busy, I am waiting for your answer to the following e-mail address.
Best Regards !
January 1, 1998
Yours sincerely
Hidetada Okamyo