Philosophy and Goals

Philosophy/purpose

We aim to develop individuals with a wealth of knowledge, skills, and attitudes who can support people's learning and personal growth in order to live better lives.

Educational goals

1. Cultivating humanity through comprehensive character development education
2. Deepening human understanding through educational research
3. Developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes to promote intercultural exchange
4. Developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes to cope with an advanced information society
5. Developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes to contribute to the local community through school education and lifelong learning

The ideal student for this department

1. Possess sufficient basic academic ability and have a strong intellectual curiosity.
2. Possess logical thinking skills and can clearly explain their thoughts in their own words.
3. He has a strong interest in human learning and education.
4. Students have a thorough understanding of the department's curriculum and have a plan for their four years of study.

Undergraduate learning objectives (from the "Degree Awarding Policy")

Regarding education, the following learning outcomes can be demonstrated.

1. I can provide an overview of the fundamental knowledge and unique ways of thinking in educational studies.
2. We can support people in learning and personal growth so that they can live better lives.
3. You will acquire multifaceted, practical teaching skills and be able to support each individual student, regardless of their background.
4. Based on a broad understanding of different cultures and international relations, they can excel in English education at the elementary school level.
5. It can support the learning and growth of students at diverse developmental stages across multiple school types.

The philosophy of teacher training

Since its founding, our university has strived to cultivate individuals who can contribute to a better life for the local community and for humanity, based on Christian teachings. This educational philosophy as a university forms the foundation of the philosophy behind teacher training education throughout the entire institution. Furthermore, Department of Education, established in 2018, also adheres to the university's educational philosophy, and its educational philosophy is to "cultivate individuals equipped with rich knowledge, skills, and attitudes that can support learning and personal growth for people to live better lives."

Therefore, the philosophy of teacher training in Department of Education is fundamentally based on these principles. In other words, Department of Education aims to cultivate teachers who can earnestly fulfill the educational mission expected of society, based on the spirit of character development rooted in the Christian principles of this university, and who can acquire a broad general education that takes advantage of the benefits of being a comprehensive university, while engaging in specialized and practical research related to education, development, and learning from childhood to adolescence.

Furthermore, in order to realize the above-mentioned ideals for teacher training, Department of Education has set forth the following common teacher profiles for each school type (license type):

Teachers who possess multifaceted, practical teaching skills and can provide support to each individual student, regardless of their background.

In contemporary Japan, the nature of families and communities in which children and students grow up is becoming increasingly diverse, and as a result, the role expected of school education is becoming more complex and sophisticated. Moreover, the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 are still strongly felt in school education in Miyagi Prefecture, where our university is located, and in neighboring prefectures. Therefore, in light of these circumstances in contemporary Japan and various parts of the Tohoku region, Department of Education Education aims to train teachers who can empathize with each individual child and student with diverse backgrounds and personalities, and who can demonstrate multifaceted, flexible, and practical teaching skills not only in the area of academic instruction but also in the area of student guidance.

Teachers who can contribute to English education in elementary, junior high, and high schools based on a broad understanding of different cultures and international relations.

In elementary school education, progress is currently being made to enrich and strengthen English education, including making English a subject in the upper grades and introducing English activities in the middle grades. It goes without saying that the most important factor driving this major transformation in English education is the presence and function of teachers who possess specialized knowledge and skills in teaching English to students. As a university that has long produced many English teachers for junior and senior high schools in the local community, Department of Education aims to cultivate teachers who can contribute to achieving consistent English proficiency goals from elementary to high school, based on specialized knowledge and skills in English education, as well as a broad general education in intercultural and international understanding.

Teachers who can support the learning and growth of students at diverse developmental stages in multiple school types.

In the Tohoku region, including Miyagi Prefecture where our university is located, the declining birthrate and population decrease are progressing rapidly, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. In response to these social circumstances, it is expected that in the Tohoku region, not only will school mergers and closures progress, but the establishment of new integrated elementary and junior high schools and integrated junior and senior high schools, as well as the integration of operations between local elementary and junior high schools, will also progress further. As a university that has produced many valuable school teachers for the region, we will use teacher training education in Department of Education to cultivate teachers who can play an active role as "the salt of the earth and the light of the world" in order to meet the expectations of the rapidly changing local community.