Fostering Learner Agency in Creativity and Critical Thinking in Higher Education

Policy, Practice, and Context of Liberal Arts Education in Japan
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-981-9250-34-9
Verlag: Springer

Buch, Englisch, 313 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm

Reihe: Crossing Cultures: Liberal Learning for a World in Flux

This book presents an in-depth discussion on how to foster creativity and critical thinking (CCT) in the liberal arts higher education context in Japan, where socio-cultural contexts often contradict the perceived values of liberal learning with a highly competitive education system with standardized testing.

By presenting four-year long case studies conducted in two leading private universities in Japan, this book discusses pedagogy, the process of learning, and their impact on students' creativity and critical thinking in a more nuanced and thought-provoking manner. It presents discussions on cultural epistemological differences, advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), and research ethics and integrity policies that affect practices to foster creativity and critical thinking practices in contemporary higher education institutions. This book concludes with recommendations for future higher education to foster CCT in a socio-culturally viable manner, paying special attention to the agency development of learners and teachers, and institutional development as an enabling learning community.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Sugimura, Miki

Nishimura, Mikiko

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Pädagogik Berufliche Bildung Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten, Studientechnik
• Sozialwissenschaften Medien- und Kommunikationswissenschaften Kommunikationswissenschaften
• Sozialwissenschaften Pädagogik Schulen, Schulleitung Universitäten, Hochschulen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction by Miki Sugimura and Mikiko Nishimura Section I: Policy Framework: Creativity and Critical Thinking in Liberal Arts Education.- Creativity and Critical Thinking: Why and How? by Stephen Vincent Lancrin (OECD).- Comparative Perspectives in Creativity and Critical Thinking by James Williams (George Washington University).- Creativity and Critical Thinking in UNESCO’s Transformative Education by Miki Sugimura.- Creativity and Critical Thinking in the Japanese Context by Shun Shirai (TBC) (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan) Section II: Practice of Creativity and Critical Thinking in Liberal Arts Education.- Creativity and Critical Thinking in Environmental Studies by Tatsuo Nunoshiba (International Christian University: ICU).- Creativity and Critical Thinking in Service-Learning by Mikiko Nishimura and Kanako Omi (ICU).- Creativity and Critical Thinking in Education for Sustainable Development by Taro Komatsu (Sophia University).- Intercultural Competencies in Sustainability by Mikiko Sugiura (Sophia University).- Language of Instruction and Students' Performance by Ryosuke Fujinuma (ICU) Section III: Reconsidering Context of Creativity and Critical Thinking.- Epistemological Difference in Creativity and Critical Thinking in Four Cultures by Masako Watanabe (Nagoya University) (TBC).- Emerging Digital and AI Technologies: Implications for Creativity and Critical Thinking in the Context of Japan and Beyond by Insung Jung (Seoul National University).- Intercultural Communicative Competencies and Creativity and Critical Thinking by Darla Deardorff (Duke University).- Ethics and Integrity in Competencies in Higher Education by Takehito Kamata (Sophia University).- Conclusion by Miki Sugimura and Mikiko Nishimura.

Über Autor(innen)

Miki Sugimura is a Professor of Education at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. She currently serves as the President of Sophia University and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in 'Education for Human Dignity, Peace and Sustainability' across Asia, Africa, North America, and Latin America. She was selected as a member of the International Expert Committee for the revision of UNESCO's 1974 Recommendations in 2022, and participated as an observer in the intergovernmental meeting on the revision of the Recommendations in June and July 2023 (held at the Paris Headquarters), as well as in the UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Regional Meeting in June 2023. She has a history of developing research exchange activities with various institutions as the Vice-President of Sophia University. Sugimura participated as a principal investigator in the 'Visualization of Learning Outcomes on Creativity and Critical Thinking in Higher Education Project' conducted by OECD-CERI (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development - Centre for Educational Research and Innovation) as a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research B), funded by the Japanese Government. Furthermore, as a Visiting Professor at the United Nations University, she serves as the Vice-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Network of Graduate Schools for Environment, for which the University serves as the secretariat, and has participated in the July 2024 meeting of the United Nations Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI).

Mikiko Nishimura is a Professor of Sociology of Education, Director of Institute of Educational Research and at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan. She is a co-editor of the book series 'Crossing Cultures: Liberal Learning in a World in Flux', and has edited two books on liberal arts education with Springer in 2016 and 2019 respectively. She has also contributed a chapter on liberal arts education in Asia and the Pacific to the 'Oxford Handbook of Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region' in 2022. With Dr. Miki Sugimura, first editor of this book, Nishimura has participated in the OECD's (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) research on creativity and critical thinking (CCT) in higher education between 2019 and 2023 with 14 countries.