High School Student Sessions at Academic Conferences in Japan: Status and Participant Attributes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52731/lir.v006.486Keywords:
Academic Conference, Student Presentation Session, High School Students, Inquiry-Based LearningAbstract
In the Japanese education system, the 2018 revision of the High School Curriculum Guidelines emphasized inquiry-based cross-disciplinary study, encouraging students to engage in substantive research and presentation activities beyond the classroom. This study aims to clarify the current status of high school student sessions at academic conferences in Japan and to investigate the attributes of the presenting schools. A two-part survey was conducted: (1) Analysis of websites of leading Japanese academic societies to identify those holding high school student sessions; (2) Examination of programs and affiliated schools of presenters in these sessions, linking them with official school data to analyze school types, locations, and participation patterns. Results showed that high school sessions mainly exist in natural science fields, with participating high schools including both public and private institutions, and the geographic spread expanding beyond metropolitan Tokyo. Many schools participate only once, while about 20% engage repeatedly, indicating varied continuity. This study offers novel data on Japanese high school students’ academic presentations, an area rarely examined in Educational Data Science or Library and Information Science. It contributes to clarifying high school students' academic communication practices. It provides foundational insights for academic societies and universities hosting academic conferences to consider whether to open their events to high school students.
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