Training on Advancing 21st Century Education Through International Learning Communities

As part of the the Dispatched Experts Programme of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and coordinated by the SEAMEO Secretariat, SEAMEO RETRAC and the University of Fukui, Japan successfully conducted the training course on “Enhancing 21st Century Educational Practices Through International Professional Learning Communities” on March 4-5, 2025. Participating in this training were lecturers and administrators from universities and colleges.

The facilitators led three structured learning cycles to enhance teaching methodologies through international exchange and innovative 21st-century educational practices:

• Three Seeds – Reflecting on past formative experiences, current challenges, and future prospects in education.
• Lesson Study in Japan – Exploring student-centered learning, lesson study practices in Japan, case studies through video analysis and project-based learning, as well as professional learning systems, including pre-service teacher communities and educator support frameworks in Fukui.
• Developing PLCs Through Lesson Study – Introducing Fukui-style professional learning communities (PLCs) and showcased lesson study implementations in Asia and Africa.