新あすなろ
An Introduction of “ASUNARO DAIGAKU“
A life-long learning programme for elderly citizens, of which Zama City is proud.
The city is located in the middle of Kanagawa prefecture. The population in the city as of February2012 is about 129,000, and the area is 17.58 km2. The US army installation, ‘Camp Zama’ occupies 3.5 % of the city area. Nearby are such famous cities as Sagamihara, Yokohama, and Kamakura. (Zamacity maps 1 and 2 are attached in the last page)
‘Asunaro’ is the name of theThujopsis tree which is similar to the Japanese Hinoki cypress, which ishighly appreciated due to its value as a construction material, and is said to wish to become a Hinoki‘tomorrow’ (hence ‘Asu’ in Japanese).
Thus the word ‘Asunaro’ is often used in classes to show the importance of having a higher ambition.
“ASUNARO DAIGAKU”, the life-long learning community for elderly citizens, is managed by EastDistrict Community Center (EDCC) which is one of the three Kominkans in the city of Zama. Themost characteristic distinction in its activities from those of other similar lifelong-learning models iscentered in the continuous lifelong-learning throughout one’s whole life, not only ordinary socialeducation programmes given by series of short term courses.
《“The Zama Model” 》
We aim to have the voluntary and self-motivated-lifelong-learning patterns which are observedamong “ASUNARO DAIGAKU” participants. These unique learning patterns are defined as the “ZamaModel” in the life-long learning.
Indeed “Asunnaro" provides an ideal learning environment for participants and “Zama Model”embraces the substantial forms of its activities.
《ASUNARO DAIGAKU 》‘Asunaro’ is the name of theThujopsis tree which is similar to the Japanese Hinoki cypress, which ishighly appreciated due to its value as a construction material, and is said to wish to become a Hinoki‘tomorrow’ (hence ‘Asu’ in Japanese).
Thus the word ‘Asunaro’ is often used in classes to show the importance of having a higher ambition.
“ASUNARO DAIGAKU”, the life-long learning community for elderly citizens, is managed by EastDistrict Community Center (EDCC) which is one of the three Kominkans in the city of Zama. Themost characteristic distinction in its activities from those of other similar lifelong-learning models iscentered in the continuous lifelong-learning throughout one’s whole life, not only ordinary socialeducation programmes given by series of short term courses.
《“The Zama Model” 》
We aim to have the voluntary and self-motivated-lifelong-learning patterns which are observedamong “ASUNARO DAIGAKU” participants. These unique learning patterns are defined as the “ZamaModel” in the life-long learning.
Indeed “Asunnaro" provides an ideal learning environment for participants and “Zama Model”embraces the substantial forms of its activities.
This year marks the 25th anniversary since its foundation in 1988. Elderly citizens, over 60-years-of-age, are eligible to enroll in. The classes are organized in three major courses and the respectivecourse has their own curriculum.
The first class is the fundamental course for those who are enrolled in the past 1 and 2 years, thesecond is the general course for those who have been enrolled for 3 -7 years already, and finally thethird is the liberal course for those who have been enrolled for over 8 years.
We, all participants, who gathered in “ASUNARO DAIGAKU” enjoy learning and promote friendshipand acquaintance with our colleagues throughout our own lives. Therefore there is really no word ofgraduation in the ASUNARO DAIGAKU. Our spirit of learning would never end and continues until themoment we decide to quit “Asunaro” by our own will.
The current enrollees are 170 men and women, whose ages are ranged from 60 to 91 years of age. The current status of “Asunaro” is reported in the annual summary, 『Asunaro』(the White Paper of2010 version).
《 The learning activities in the “Zama Model” 》
In accordance with the basic principle and the spirit, as envisaged in the Asunaro Charter, our life-long learning classes are well represented in correlation of “three activities” and the presentation ofthe outcomes of self-managed learning.
All of these are called the “Zama Model” of learning..
《The three activities 》
The three activities are :
= learning,
= friendship exchange,
= management
The mutual relations are represented in the attached figure-1.
《The annual programme of the learning 》
The annual programmes activate “Zama Model” learning cultural activities.
The programme features the basic learning course for the project study and other general culturecourses provided by EDCC. Along these EDCC programmes, Asunaro offers voluntary projects, publiclectures and presentations of the study achievements. These annual programmes are indeed theguidepost to promote our cultural and learning activities.
《Asunaro Kai ( Asunaro Association) 》
In order to manage the various activities involved in “ASUNARO DAIGAKU”, the Asunaro Kai hasbeen organized as a governing body.
The Asunaro Kai will consult with EDCC,which is in charge of ASUNARO DAIGAKU, to develop andorganize the annual curriculum including promotion of the external activities.
《Our aim for pursuing the life-long learning 》
We will make use of acquired knowledge to contribute to promoting culture and welfare in the region.
《 The purpose of Asunaro Daigaku's web-site 》
Through our web-site, dispatching information regarding the Zama Model, we intend to resent thisModel as a typical learning pattern of the elderly people’s life-long learning.
Note:?
As a case study of life-long learning, Professor Sawano of Department of Education, University ofSacred Heart, Tokyo introduced and reported an entire picture on Asunaro Daigaku’s activity fullyand lively in her book “Second International Handbook of Lifelong Learning”, Springer, 2012 (jointauthorship).?
The copy of the Sawano report is kept at “the lable of the year of 2012” on the Asunaro’s shelvesin the EDCC library.
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