About us
Mission and Activity
The Center of ICT and Distance Education (hereinafter referred to as the “CODE”) has two objectives:
(1) Promotion of education utilizing multimedia; and
(2) Enhancement of education through utilization of information-communication technology (ICT)
In order to achieve these objectives, CODE carries out its activities centered on the pillars of
(1) Diffusion and promotion of methods for enhancing education by utilizing ICT; and
(2) Education provided by the Open University of Japan and other institutions.
The Center continues the “promotion of multimedia education, including ICT education” that had been undertaken by the National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME). With the abolition of NIME in March 2009, CODE was established within the Open University of Japan on April 1, 2009 in recognition of the need for advancing ICT education in order to improve the international competitiveness of Japanese university education.
The objectives of CODE are prescribed in the supplementary resolution (March 30, 2009; to the House of Councilors Standing Committee of Education, Culture and Science) to the “Outline of Laws Pertaining to the Preparation of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-related Laws Concerning the Promotion of Reform of Independent Administrative Institutions (Law No. 18 promulgated on March 31, 2009)” as “6. With the abolition of the National Institute of Multimedia Education (NIME), the government and related parties shall endeavor to promote multimedia education, including ICT education, while collaborating with not only the Open University of Japan but also relevant government ministries and local public agencies from the perspective of creating a lifelong learning society”.
Specific activities of CODE include, first of all, the provision of ICT education consulting services and dispatch of instructors for ICT education seminars in accordance with the needs of individual universities as part of our efforts of the “Diffusion and promotion of methods for enhancing education by utilizing ICT”. Based on the results of R&D concerning the content and methods of education using multimedia, CODE also provides free of charge useful tools and systems for enhancing education quality as well as ICT education seminars, copyright seminars, and international workshops. In addition, the Center undertakes activities to promote the distribution of e-learning materials that can be used immediately in university classes, etc., and the provision of information and shared use of contents related to e-learning.
As for “Education provided by the Open University of Japan and other institutions”, in addition to our involvement in the development of learning materials for the Open University of Japan, and the provision of guidance for face-to-face classes and undergraduate/master’s thesis instruction, it is planned that in the future CODE will contribute to the education provided by the Open University of Japan in various forms. Moreover, as a parent institute for the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), the Center is home to Sokendai’s Department of Cyber Society and Culture, School of Cultural and Social Studies, where between 10 and 20 graduate students are studying.
The “Journal of Multimedia Education Research”, which was launched during the NIME days with the aim of promoting multimedia education, has been transformed into and will continue to be published as an online journal. Taking advantage of the characteristics of online journals, it also accepts papers with embedded video and sound bites. The journal is now more convenient, enabling continual contributions and fast publication. For details, please see the “Journal of Multimedia Education Research” page.
