＊April 14, 2020 - Important Notice＊
Cancellation of the 2020 Japan-U.S. ICT Teacher Exchange Program
Thank you for your interest in the 2020 Japan-U.S. ICT Teacher Exchange Program. Due to the unprecedented global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Japan-U.S. Educational Commission has regrettably decided to cancel the implementation of the program for this year in order to prioritize the health and safety of all participants. This decision was made in consultation with both the Japanese and U.S governments represented by the Ministry of Education, Cultural, Sport, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Embassy Tokyo.

We will contact all current applicant directly to notify them of the program cancellation and possible next steps regarding their application. If you are a U.S. applicant, please contact our cooperating agency the Institute of International Education. If you are a Japanese applicant, please contact us by clicking here.

We apologize for this sudden notice, as the application deadline approaches, and for any inconvenience we may have caused. We hope that the global pandemic will recede soon and that you and your school communities will stay safe and healthy.

＊NOTICE＊

The Japan-United States Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan) is closely monitoring the latest information and following guidance from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Please know that your safety and wellbeing are our highest priority.

At this time, Japan-United States Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan) will continue to accept applications for the 2020 Japan-U.S. ICT Teacher Exchange Program. In many cases, our response to the COVID-19 crisis has been ongoing for over two months and remains quite fluid. It is highly probable that there will be more challenges and disruptions ahead that may require changes to the program, timeline, and travel schedule in August. We will inform all applicants promptly if there will be any significant changes. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. - March 31, 2020 -

１．Objectives

The Japan-U.S. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Teacher Exchange Program is a succeeding program of the Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and is jointly funded by the U.S. Embassy Japan and the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Education, Sports, Science, Culture and Technology (MEXT). The Institute of International Education (IIE) is an implementation partner of this program. This program provides the opportunity for U.S. grades 7-12 teachers (junior high and high school teachers for Japanese teachers) who is interested in or have been implementing ICT in the classroom teaching, to participate in a conference in August 2020. The program is open to teachers from all disciplines, as long as applicants can demonstrate the ability to apply the theme, “Space and Earth - utilizing ICT in the classroom,” to their own subject. Through discussion, the teachers will expand their perspectives, enrich the content of their classes, and foster better understanding of each other’s countries.

２．Program Outline

The Japan-U.S. ICT Teacher Exchange Program seeks 15 participants from a broad cross-section of the U.S. secondary educational community in order to reflect the rich cultural, institutional, and regional diversity of the United States. Fifteen teachers from across Japan will also be selected to participate in the 2020 program.

Participants will be required to attend the conference in Hawaii for a week, including travel dates to and from Hawaii. During the conference, participants will explore the possibilities and the role of ICT in the classroom teaching along with 21st century skills. There will be lectures and workshops, and will visit related institutions to deepen and gain multiple perspectives on the Japan-U.S. relationship. By the end of the program, participants will develop collaborative projects (lesson plans) focused on “Space and Earth - utilizing ICT in the classroom.” Participants will be expected to implement collaborative projects in order to 1) maximize this experience, 2) develop skills to incorporate ICT into their classroom teaching, and 3) further promote educational exchanges.

As stated in the above program objectives, this program welcomes applications from teachers from all subject fields, as long as they can demonstrate ability to apply “Space and Earth” to their own subject. Science and math teachers may have numerous examples of relevant applications, but the topic has many examples of cross-disciplinary approaches such as history, geography, food education, life science and more. Some examples may include:

A home economics class learning about “space food” (preserved food for astronauts)

A social science class discussing international space treaties and how to regulate them

A history class analyzing the societal implications of Galileo’s discoveries

A creative writing class where students write fiction and poetry based on field trips and lab discoveries

A geography class creating a new map based on satellite-derived data

A literature class comparing and analyzing folktale related to constellation or astronomy

And many more!

Participants will be required to submit impact reports showing the development and implementation of ICT curricula as a result of the program as well as the progress of the collaborative projects developed during the conference.

３．Program Schedule (tentative)

August 2	Sun	Travel to Hawaii
August 3	Mon	Day 1 (Lectures and workshops with Japanese teachers)
August 4	Tues	Day 2 (Visit related institutions, lectures, and group discussions)
August 5	Wed	Day 3（Lecture, workshop, and group discussions with Japanese teachers to develop colloborative projects）
August 6	Thurs	Day 4 (Group disccusions with Japanese teachers to develop collaborative projects)
August 7	Fri	Day 5 (Conclusion; presentation on collaborative projects)
August 8	Sat	Depart Hawaii

４．Eligibility for the U.S. Applicants

U.S. applicants for the Japan-U.S. ICT Teacher Exchange Program must:

1. Hold teaching certificates and/or have the equivalent credentials to teach at their schools.
2. Be employed full-time as grades 7-12 teachers. (Administrators and auxiliary personnel are NOT eligible.) Successful candidates must be employed in education for at least one year following their participation in the program.
3. Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application.
4. Reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory or protectorate.
5. Have not previously participated in the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund (JFMF) Teacher Program or the Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), UNLESS the applicant can demonstrate compelling programmatic responsibilities and/or experience in space and earth science.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants will be selected with the following criteria in mind:

1. Commitment to producing substantive space and earth science related curricula using ICT, during and after the program.
2. Commitment to remaining an active grade 7-12 school teacher in order to share experiences gained through the program on a long-term basis (at least 2-3 years) in the classroom, school, and community. In order to ensure that recipients will remain engaged in secondary education, the program encourages applications from educators with preferably five or more years of experience and at least three years from retirement. Teachers nearing retirement, should demonstrate how they intend to remain in the profession.
3. Strong ability or interest in implementing school activities related to space and earth science, and a serious professional interest in developing curricula in these topics.
4. Serious academic/professional interest in curriculum development, teaching methodologies and/or projects and activities related to Japan and ICT, and serious interest in international exchange, including Japan-U.S. exchange, as a component of the program’s activities.
5. Familiarity with or willingness to use internet-based applications (including email, GoogleForms, Slides, Classroom or other social media) to connect and communicate with other participants. Program participants are expected to plan and develop collaborative curricula during the program and to remain in contact with program partners while the projects are conducted in home schools for a period of six months or longer after the program concludes.
6. Personal adaptability and flexibility, sensitivity to group dynamics, and the ability to be a team player as demonstrated by the applicant's recommendations from supervisor(s) or other education professionals.

５．To Apply

If you are an U.S. educator, please check IIE’s website to apply.

If you are a Japanese educator, please click here.