The „New Education Expo 2024 Osaka“ for education professionals was held on June 14th and 15th, 2024 in Osaka. On the second day, a seminar titled „What is Needed for the ‚Information‘ Subject in University Entrance Exams and How to Proceed“ featured speakers such as Professor and Representative Director of the Digital Talent Co-creation Federation at Kyoto Seika University, Toshiharu Shikano, Director of the Educational Research and Development Department at Kawai Juku, Hirokazu Tomizawa, and Teacher at Kagoshima Prefectural Tsurumaru High School, Yu Kasugai. They discussed the latest information on the inclusion of the „Information“ subject in the university entrance common test scheduled for January 2025 and the schools‘ responses.
The seminar began with the facilitator, Jun Nakano, Assistant Unit Chief of the Technical Products Unit at Nikkei BP, providing an overview of the history leading to the inclusion of the „Information“ subject in university entrance exams. The National University Association has indicated a policy of including the „Information“ subject in the university entrance common test for national universities. Nakano explained that back in 2002, the National University Association was cautious about including the „Information“ subject in the Center Test, but the significant changes in the relationship between ICT and society over the past 20 years have led to the current developments. He highlighted the challenges and struggles faced by teachers and discussed how schools should proceed with their preparations for the entrance exams.
Following Nakano, Professor Toshiharu Shikano from Kyoto Seika University took the stage to discuss the introduction, current status, and future of the information science entrance exams. Drawing from his experience as a high school teacher and a surveyor for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Shikano provided a comprehensive explanation of the introduction of Information I and Information II into university entrance exams.
Shikano outlined the discussions at the Central Council for Education regarding the changes in entrance exams starting in 2012, focusing on the alignment between high school and university education and the direction of entrance exams. Although the proposed „University Entrance Examination Evaluation Test (tentative name)“ did not materialize, the emphasis on critical thinking, judgment, and expression skills laid the foundation for the current Information I and Information II subjects.
In terms of the content covered in the Information I and II exams, Shikano emphasized that the questions also include basic statistical concepts learned in elementary school, such as quartiles and histograms. He highlighted that the subjects build upon the knowledge acquired from elementary school, testing the cumulative learning abilities of students.
Shikano also discussed the importance of curriculum management in preparing students for the information science entrance exams. He stressed that simply solving practice problems from exam guides is not sufficient, and a holistic approach that includes comprehensive inquiry in various subjects is essential for students, even those not planning to take the university entrance exams.
Looking ahead, Shikano predicted that many universities currently using the mainstream 5 subjects and 7 subjects format for the university entrance common test will transition to a 6 subjects and 8 subjects format, including Information. He also mentioned an increase in high schools starting Information II classes using the supplementary budget allocated for DX High Schools in 2023. Consequently, he expects a rise in information-related exams in individual university entrance tests for departments focusing on information.
In conclusion, the seminar shed light on the evolving landscape of information science in university entrance exams and the importance of comprehensive preparation and curriculum management for students. The insights shared by the speakers provided valuable guidance for educators and schools navigating the changes in the education system.