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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1996 > Priorities and Prospects for a Lifelong Learning Society Chapter 3 Section 4 1

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Priorities and Prospects for a Lifelong Learning Society: Increasing Diversification and Sphistication
Chapter 3. The Future of Lifelong Learning
Section 4. Benefiting from Learning Achievements
1. Improving Evaluation Systems


As discussed in chapter 2, section 3, opinion is divided on the way learning achievements should be evaluated, and indeed on whether such achievements should be evaluated at all. Moreover, since people have different interpretations of the concept of evaluation, discussion of this issue tends to be extremely vague. It may be necessary to distinguish between evaluation of knowledge and technical skills that is based on objective criteria and can be reflected in job appointments and promotions and evaluation that is used primarily to encourage learning activities. In both cases, however, it is necessary to provide some form of evaluation to people who want it. Given the basic aim of building a lifelong learning society, which is to correct the harmful effects of society's preoccupation with academic credentials, we should also prepare for a more pluralistic approach to the evaluation of learning achievements.

The results of evaluation take such forms as qualifications and licenses. It has become increasingly difficult for learners to obtain accurate information on these qualifications and licenses, which have varying characteristics. That is why there are now journals dedicated to providing such information. According to the 1995 annual report of the Japan Consumer Information Center, there has been a steady increase in the number of inquiries to the center about courses leading to qualifications. In fiscal 1994 there were 20,520 such inquiries.

Evaluation systems are becoming increasingly diverse. There is a need for measures to ensure that consumers are provided with accurate information on qualifications and licenses and the learning required to acquire them.


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