passed a test today
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
I sat (and passed) a test on the cloud platform technology we're using at work. I can now throw "Azure Fundamentals" on top of however many of these things I've done in the past. This one, unlike the previous one I did on a rival platform (AWS) was proctored, so I had to clear my desk (even the monitor had to come off) and show photo ID and not speak and (oh no!) take my watch off mid-way. You needed 700 points out of a thousand to pass, and it told me I had 880. They sent me a badge for my resume or something, ha!
Here's why any of this is noteworthy: I was sure to do this on the weekend when The Boy and I are able to discuss it. He's just come off of the experience of not being admitted to the all-exam-prep school last week, and I wanted to make sure that he gets that the "preparing for continuous learning" vibe of Kogakuin, which we visited on Thursday, is the right way to go. Here's the message from the school's President.
The 21st century will see an unpredictable society in which we cannot solve issues with our past experiences and knowledge. Advancements in technology will also accelerate the pace of globalization beyond our imagination.
The more prevalent information becomes in a society, the more widely divided our society will be. Nowadays, people are starting to feel anxieties about the future integration of AI into society will bring forth. In order to dispel this sort of a negative atmosphere toward the future I strongly believe that we have to teach creative thinking skills as well as logical thinking skills rather than pure knowledge. Our school, Junior and Senior High School of Kogakuin University, takes a totally different approach from conventional teaching methods in Japan. Our school focuses on active interaction between teachers and students, based on project based learning (PBL) and peer instruction lectures (PIL). I would like each student to foster their creative skill-sets and flexible mindset through our education system. Moreover, I think that it is important to learn how to communicate in English as our society will become more globalized. A mission of private school is to teach students to find a path to the future through various sorts of educational programs.
Now, I would like you to ask yourself why you study. You may say that you will have an entrance exam. Indeed, it is a possible answer because getting into the school where you want to learn will surely make you happy. However, it might also make you sad if your goal is simply to get to “a prestigious school”. A school name, that is which school you graduate from, will not guarantee your success in the future any more. Today, you are expected to be a life-long learner.
Unfortunately, a common problem in the education system of Japan is for schools to teach for entrance exams. Students are expected to find the single correct answer to a test question in class. The process of thinking and exploring is avoided because it takes time. After a few days, knowledge learned through rote memorization will be forgotten. However, the knowledge you strive to acquire due to your own personal drive is yours forever. I would like you to acquire the sort of knowledge that you can make use of in the future.
Of course, you need to set goals in 3 years and 6 years. Yet, I do recommend you to see what await you after college. Keeping how you will be in the future you are expected to prepare and spend 6 years at school. Our school has already had a large number of study-abroad programs to meet your expectation. The Internet allows you to experience lives and scenes in foreign countries, but still misses something important; that is, a tangible reality. I believe that it is indispensable for students to experience lives in different cultures regardless of the length of their stay. They can make full use of their experiences to learn how diverse our society is and to create a tolerant society that embraces multiple races and cultures.
Let us experience a fully satisfied school life and learn to be a life-long learner in the 21st century. Be active as a leader in the global society. Welcome to Kogakuin.
Principal Kuniyuki Hirakata