Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/56832

JaLCDOI : 10.14943/J.HighEdu.21.41

This report considers the significance of learning opportunities furnished by university researchers to community residents through lifelong learning and social education research outreach activities. The subject is a case study concerning the “Workshop of SHIRABEKATA on Earth” (Workshop on How to Examine the Earth), which the Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University has continued to hold since 2011. The workshop is an extension course for community residents. University researchers planned this workshop with the express purpose of participant learning. As a result, at least 25% of the participants are familiar with the theme of each session and with the research being conducted based on their learning at the workshop. The learning processes, achievements and feedback of the community residents participating in the workshop provide the researchers, who also act as lecturers, with new perspectives on their own research. A well-planned research outreach activity such as this is useful as an initial step for a university functioning as a Center of Community (COC) because it helps the university and researchers establish a new relationship with community residents. To achieve this, those engaged in university research outreach activities must understand that such activities provide learning opportunities for community residents. They must also improve their competencies in planning and implementing outreach activities. At the same time, regional supporters of life-long learning organizations need to recognize research outreach activities as new occasions for learning. Furthermore, universities need to function as COCs in cooperation with regional learning supporters to create learning opportunities for community residents.