Fieldwork Education Practice and Its Educational Efficacies : Focusing on Improving Communicative Ability

Table of Contents Introduction: What is Fieldwork Education? 1-1 Fieldwork Education Practice in Mera (Izu Peninsula) 1-2 Fieldwork Education Practice in Tateiwa (IzuPeninsula) 1-3 Fieldwork Education Practice in Isshiki (IzuPeninsula) 1-4 Fieldwork Education Practice in Ohya (Shizuoka City) 2-1 Roles of the Teacher in the Field 2-2 Current Situation of Students and the University 2-3 Communication and Fieldwork Education Learning Conclusion or Efficacies of Fieldwork Education Discussion of ideas and the practices of fieldwork is popular in Japan. However, essays and books on fieldwork education are rare. This article, which is based upon my fieldwork education practice over the past four years, focuses on fieldwork education practices and explicates their educational efficacies. Since the process of, and during, fieldwork can be seen in both teachers and students, we have to discuss efficacies of fieldwork education on each side. Regarding students, (1) they can conquer ego-centric narcissism and acquire communicative sociability, (2) they can develop and expand communicative abilities in general, such as speaking, hearing, responding, writing and reading, (3) they can develop better communication ability with the teacher. Regarding teachers, they can have chance to (1) he/she can develop teaching and communication abilities. Further, better relationships between local communities and the university can be established because the fieldwork activities are conducted in local communities and students and the teacher have to establish better communication between university people and local people for their research. This article provides examples of meanings and efficacies of fieldwork education and may contribute to creating a fieldwork education curriculum. This contribution may give each fieldwork teacher opportunities to create his/her own planning of fieldwork education.publishe