Engineering Education for Creativity

Abstract

A futuristic educational system is proposed for Japan to bring up creative scientists and engineers. Creativity education is achieved by recognizing the individual differences and by promoting them. Japan must adopt the educational system for the gifted adopted by the United States after awakened by the Sputnik event of 1957. Essential points of this system are: (1) Student's individual achievements should be given preference in university admission. (2) Centralized tests made by specialists in standing organizations should be given annually throughout the educational system. College entrance examinations should be given several times a year. (3) Written tests for college entrance should cover broad ranges so as to measure individual achievements and to favor those excelling in one subject. (4) Grades are abolished throughout the educational system, and students should be made to enroll in any class commensurate to one's abilitity. In high schools, college subjects should be taught to the qualified. (5) The sizes of the college admitting classes should not be limited. (6)The quality and the standard of colleges should be made transparent, and student transfers should be made easy. (7) Government should enforce fairness in various pre-college competitions and scholarship distribution, and transparency in evaluation of colleges. (8) Special taxes should be levied to finance college scholarships and to assist industry in giving grants to universities.