Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology Launches STEAM Education Program with Interactive Learning Materials

Yokohama, Japan - A recent school day saw fourth-graders at Yokohama city's Kanazawa Elementary School immersed in a comprehensive learning class using interactive teaching materials from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). The programme is part of JAMSTEC's STEAM education initiative aimed at nurturing future scientists.
Teacher Masatoshi Nozaki led the interactive lesson, which focused on the impact of human activities on the ocean. Students were shown images and videos from JAMSTEC surveys depicting icy seas in 2007 and plastic waste on the seafloor. The material sparked surprise and curiosity among students, who engaged with their educators by presenting approaches to mitigate these issues.
"We're witnessing children's natural inclination towards exploration, as they examine our educational materials," Nozaki remarked about student engagement. "Teaching aids this extensive are virtually unattainable for individual instructors - that’s the main purpose of JAMSTEC's educational resources."
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) developed interactive teaching tools last year, featuring vast data sources from their researches including videos and images about ocean pollution and deep-sea creatures. Collaborating with educational institutions across Japan, they shared these materials to support STEAM education.