Comparison of Astronomy school education curricula between Philippines and Japan

Abstract

As a case study for developing countries aiming at improving science and Astronomy school education, we compare the Philippine and Japanese school science curricula. The Philippines recently changed its national curriculum with a view of strengthening science education. Japan, on the other hand, already has a reputable national curriculum and continues to be one of the outstanding countries in science education. Likewise, higher education and informal Astronomy education of the two countries were reviewed for similarities and differences. The Philippine and Japanese National Curriculum Standards and government approved science books were used in the analysis of their respective Astronomy learning competencies. The findings show that the Astronomy-related topics in both countries are almost the same, but Filipino students have more time and exposure to Astronomy concepts compared to Japanese students. On the other hand, Japan is rich in student research presentation in high school. Japan offers more opportunities and facilities to students who would like to pursue both Astronomy education and research. It seems that these backgrounds are the basis for richer Astronomy research environment in Japan.