Video: Did you know?

Here's a video containing some mind-boggling facts about today's world that is very interesting to watch.

So what does it all really mean? Below are some excerpts taken from the Life Skills Booklet published by Kumon Institute of Education in April 2004.

In an Information-Oriented Society

As we strongly believe that "superior basic academic ability", "a sense of self-affirmation" and "ability to learn independently" are essential attributes, we will elaborate further on what abilities constitute "superior basic academic ability" in an information-oriented society.

By the term, "superior basic academic ability", we mean a synthesis of three crucial abilities - ability to read and acquire information, ability to think critically, ability to communicate (one's opinions to others).

ABILITY TO READ AND ACQUIRE INFORMATION means:

The ability to read, comprehend and acquire information expressed in any medium such as languages - English, Japanese etc. (includes reading & comprehension, and listening & comprehension ability) or numbers (involves ability to analyse mathematical formula and statistics).

ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY means:

The ability to collect and collate information/data, make connections and deductions on the materials that have been presented and come up with logical hypotheses or solutions (ability to think logically).

ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE means:

The ability to clearly express one's own views and comments to others, with regards to the outcome or solutions one has deduced (ability to express oneself).

We can sharpen and hone these three abilities by developing a strong foundation in the three fundamental subjects - native language, mathematics and English.

Although "superior basic academic ability" is necessary in any individual society, the need for it becomes even greater in IT-oriented societies. We need to examine what the information-oriented society will be like and why we think "superior basic academic ability" will become increasingly essential in such a society.

Everyone Will Have Instant and Equal Access to Information, Going Beyond National Boundaries

In information-oriented societies, the amount of data transmitted through the Internet and other means of communication increases significantly, and the quality of this information will exceed that which was available prior to the Internet. These phenomena are expected to reach a point unparalleled in human history. As a matter of fact, anyone, from the comfort of his or her home, can instantly obtain information about any subject from any location in the world. Everyone who has access to a computer is on an equal playing field. This phenomenon was unheard of when society was primarily industry-based and you needed to be a member of an organisation or association in order to have access to their information.

Under these newly emerging circumstances, it will become necessary for people to develop a new set of abilities, such as taking initiative, quickly locating what they need out of the vast ocean of available information, digesting the content, deciding to adopt or reject it after making a value judgment, and utilising it, etc. With the advent of the Internet, it has also become possible for any individual to transmit his or her own message to the entire world, which was an impossible feat before the Internet. It could be said that if the industrial society represented the "era of organisations", the new information-oriented society represents the 'era of individuals".

Obtaining the Latest Knowledge Is Vital in a Fast-Paced Society

Scientific and technological advancements are not limited to the field of information and telecommunications. Tremendous advancements are also taking place in many other fields that deeply touch upon our personal lives, including biotechnology, medicine, science and energy. Under these circumstances, the knowledge we gained in the past becomes obsolete very quickly, and it has become crucial that we develop the initiative to constantly obtain the latest information.

It Is Necessary to Have Ability to Read and Absorb Information/Knowledge, Process It, and Communicate the Outcome to Others

What abilities do we need in order to absorb the information and knowledge that we obtained and use that information and knowledge? The three abilities we mentioned earlier come into play - ability to read and acquire information, ability to think critically, and ability to communicate. The ability to read and acquire information is necessary for absorbing information and knowledge; the ability to think critically is necessary for applying that information; and the ability to communicate is essential if we wish to put across our views to others. All of these abilities can be developed through the study of such academic subjects as native language, mathematics and English.

Ironically, it is this easy access to the vast sea of information in this IT age that further accentuates the importance of one's ability to read, comprehend, think and communicate. And, as a natural consequence, learning and building a strong foundation in the fundamental subjects of native language, mathematics and English becomes even more critical.

Some people may think that, in an information-oriented society, once we become adept in handling PCs, the step-by-step, "old-fashioned" way of studying is no longer necessary. On the contrary, however, the advancement of computers and the Internet requires that, in order for us to fully utilise such tools, "superior basic academic ability" must be developed and to do that, the honest, hard work of studying is absolutely necessary and becoming more so that ever before.

There are many more passages in the Life Skills Booklet about the importance of "superior basic academic ability". This blog will attempt to share more in subsequent postings so stay tuned!