Casio to Launch Collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Thailand for Use of Scientific Calculators
Platform for Discussion of Inquiry-Based Mathematics Education to Be Established
March 9, 2022
MOU Signing Ceremony
From left to right: Nakajima Yoshinori, Managing Director, Casio Marketing (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Dr. Rattana Sangbuaphuen, Director, Bureau of Academic Affairs and Educational Standard, OBEC
Dr. Sornthep Vannarat, Executive Director, Office of Mathematics and Technology, IPST
Tokyo, March 9, 2022 — Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today that group company Casio Marketing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding on February 25, 2022 with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) of the Thai Ministry of Education and the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) covering collaboration on the use of scientific calculators for education in Thailand.
Casio conducts GAKUHAN activities to promote the use of scientific calculators in the field of education worldwide. Among these efforts, its initiatives in Thailand have been selected by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as an EDU-Port Japan Supported Project. With the aim of reducing any education gaps, Casio is working with local educators to develop inquiry-based classes in which students in upper secondary education, equivalent to high school in Japan, can learn independently using scientific calculators.
In connection with this project, Casio Marketing (Thailand) will collaborate with OBEC and IPST to establish a platform to serve a forum for discussion among the three parties. On the platform, the parties plan to conduct verification and analysis of inquiry-based mathematics education using scientific calculators and to closely discuss the expansion of the project’s impact.
Key Initiatives on the Platform
｜Verification and analysis of inquiry-based mathematics education
In the field of upper secondary education in Thailand, Casio is developing and creating educational guidance proposals and teaching materials for teachers and students to foster learners who are capable of ongoing independent thinking and learning. Also, through the implementation of pilot classes with more than 1,000 students at 27 classes of 9 schools, Casio supports the cycle from ideas to practice. With the platform to be established this time, Casio aims to further enhance impact by closely verifying and analyzing, in a collaboration process between the public and the private sector, whether the series of initiatives using scientific calculators is progressing smoothly.
｜Discussion on expanding the project’s impact
By supporting the development of inquiry-based mathematics education, Casio will aim to establish a learning environment where students can learn independently, and will also seek to reduce any education gaps between different areas. After verifying and analyzing the overall project, the parties will discuss from multiple perspectives what is needed to expand the impact further, and what is still lacking when it comes to building the optimal learning environment and reducing any gaps.
Reference: MEXT EDU-Port Japan Project (Introduction of Japanese-Style Education Using the Public-Private Collaborative Platform)
EDU-Port Japan is a public-private initiative to introduce Japanese-style education overseas.
Japanese-style education is gathering attention worldwide and EDU-Port Japan has conducted pilot projects in 36 countries since its launch in 2016.
Casio activities in Thailand have been selected as a 2021 EDU-Port Japan Supported Project for their ability to serve as a model in implementing Japanese-style education overseas. Casio will be receiving assistance in coordinating with local institutions through the Public-Private Collaborative Platform.
