Greetings from the President

photo of Teruyuki HIROTA
SHigeo KODAMA,
President, Japanese Educational Research Association

The purpose of the Japanese Educational Research Association is to “advance and promote educational research -- through the presentation of its theory and application, exchange of knowledge, and collaboration with relevant associations, both at home and abroad -- and thus contribute to the development of our nation’s academia” (see the Regulations and Rules of Operation). Founded in 1941, the Association now has some 2700 individual members as one of the leading Japanese research associations with a focus on research areas involving educational studies.

As well as holding a yearly conference every August, the Association publishes a Japanese journal (Kyoikugaku Kenkyu) quarterly and an English journal (Educational Studies in Japan) yearly. Various symposia, research gatherings, and seminars for young researchers are also held frequently, along with research activities and meetings focused within seven geographical sectors of Japan, in order to work toward the further development of educational studies research in this country.

The novel coronavirus pandemic of 2020 on has changed the situation of the world and Japan significantly. Relationships between people, the core of education, have changed forms; the influence of socioeconomic inequality on education has also expanded and become more visible as a grave issue. On the other hand, online education and assembly have become rapidly normalized, widening the potential for people to encounter one another beyond space and time; the issue of handling digital transformation (DX) in education has arisen as well.

The global pandemic has, in tandem with climate change, led to inevitable transformations in the relationship between nature and humans on a worldwide scale. These transformations have also changed the conventional divisions between natural sciences and humanities/social sciences, calling for a reappraisal of pedagogy as an academic field taken for granted as well.

In this way, the environment of educational studies is undergoing tremendous changes; here the Association is called upon to address the following four issues.

First, handling our declining membership. Membership numbers last reached 3000 in 2012 and have been on the decline since, falling to the 2700s in recent years and thus placing strain on Association finances as well. To address this situation, we have been working since the previous year to reform the journal, improving the rate of accepted papers and thus creating a virtuous circle of knowledge. We are also working to improve research accessibility by streaming video of online discussions through our Research Promotion and Public Relations Committees, hoping to arouse greater interest in the Association.

Second, improving operation through the introduction of IT systems. In particular, we are bringing our membership management and journal editing and review systems online, intending to enhance journal production efficiency along with convenience for our membership.

Third, bringing new perspectives into the Association and thus bringing about a revolution of knowledge through the participation of high school students and undergraduates. To this end, we are considering adding a membership category enabling these students to participate in Association activities, with discussion in view regarding the need to amend the Regulations thereby.

Fourth, further internationalizing the Association’s activities. We have already begun the construction of spaces for international collaboration, such as holding the 2019 World Educational Research Association (WERA) conference in Tokyo along with our own yearly conference; we intend to enhance these activities further, working in collaboration with the ESJ editorial process and the International Relations and Research Promotion Committees as well in active pursuit of the international development of educational studies in a post-coronavirus world as we increase opportunities for our membership to access these activities.

The Association hopes to address these issues effectively while becoming an even more meaningful space for the participation of our members. We look forward to working together with a wider range of participants in the ever deeper and more active practice of educational studies.

October 22, 2021

Publication

Publication of the Record of the Presidential Symposium of Educational Research Associations in East Asia

The record of the Presidential Symposium of Educational Research Associations in East Asia on Education Reform in East Asia: Prospects for International Linkage among Educational Research Associations has been published. The symposium, hosted by President Teruyuki Hirota of JERA, was held at the 78th Annual JERA Conference in 2019, featuring the presidents of educational research associations in China and Korea as speakers. The record, available in three languages (Japanese, Korean, and Chinese) is downloadable from the following URL.

-Japanese (PDF)
-Korean (PDF)
-Chinese (PDF)


News and Information

Educational Studies in Japan (ESJ)

Our English journal, Educational Studies in Japan (ESJ) welcomes manuscripts related to the topics of particular special issues,
as well as general submissions in all fi elds and disciplines of educational research.
For details, please refer to the following URL:
ESJ Manuscript Submission (PDF)
Call for Papers (ESJ No.18) (PDF)
Submission deadline: August 31, 2023

Japanese Academic Societies Unite to Release a Joint Statement to Protect the Independence of the Science Council of Japan

For details, please refer to the following page: A Joint Statement to Protect the Independence of the Science Council of Japan



Japan Educational Research Association conducted a webinar series on “Pandemic and Education”

For details, please refer to the following page: Webinar series on “Pandemic and Education”



WERA 2023

WERA Focal Meeting 2023, Singapore: 22-24 November 2023
For details, please refer to the following URL:
https://2023eraswera.dryfta.com/

Submissions for the Call must be completed by:

First submission round deadline: 15 March 2023; 23:59 Singapore (GMT+8) [Notifications by 30 May 2023]

Final submission round deadline: 28 July 2023; 23:59 Singapore (GMT+8) [Notifications by 1 September 2023]