A Study on 3D Printer in Japanese Schools: Focus on Courses of Study and Number of Articles

Authors

  • SHOKO USUI Yamagata University
  • Michiyo Oda Reitaku University
  • Yoko Noborimoto Tokyo Gakugei University
  • Hidemitsu Furukawa Yamagata University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52731/lir.v005.390

Keywords:

3D printing, Commentary on the Courses of Study, Japanese School Education

Abstract

The use of 3D printers in education is becoming increasingly common. However, there is a paucity of objective data regarding their implementation in Japanese schools. Furthermore, few resources in languages other than Japanese present this information, creating barriers to international comparative research. To bridge this knowledge gap, this paper provides empirical data on the integration of 3D printers into Japanese school education. Our analysis focuses on two key areas: (1) how 3D printers are addressed in the Commentary on the Courses of Study (a significant shift from their absence in the prior edition to inclusion in four current subject areas), and (2) the publication trends of 3D printer-related articles in Japanese academic literature. Our findings indicate that while such articles began appearing around 2014, their volume has remained modest with only a slight increase over time.

References

J. Couch and J. Towne, “3D PRINTING, Chapter 14, Rewiring Education: How Technology Can Unlock Every Student’s Potential,” BenBella Books, 2018, pp. 198–199.

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, https://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2019/08/06/1316723_4_2.pdf.

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20241129_mxt_koukou01_000036932_0001.pdf.

S. Usui, Y. Noborimoto, Y. Sakurai, Y. Watanabe, H. Furukawa, “An Examination of Learning to Create 3-D Works Using GelPiPer in Japanese School Education,” Conference on 4D and Functional Fabrication, 2021, pp. 67-70.

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20210126-mxt_syoto02-000012321_2-4.pdf.

S. Usui, Y. Noborimoto, Y. Watanabe, and H. Furukawa, “Examination of Trends in Research on the School Educational Use of 3D Printers and Research Cases in Elementary Schools in Japan,” Proceedings of the CIEC Spring Conference, 2021, pp. 80–85.

S. Usui, Y. Noborimoto, “An Examination of the Content Regarding 3D Printers in the Japanese Commentary to the Curriculum Guidelines,” Research report of JSET Conferences JSET22-1, 2022, pp. 143-146.

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Published

2025-09-30