《Kansai Seminar House》

Development Education Seminar

Resource Center for Development Education

Development Education Seminar(DES) is;

Residential weekend program for teachers, NGO staff and students to experience & learn the issues in the feild of development education such as
issues of social injustice like human rights, poverty, refugee, economical exploitation, environment issues, community development, and issues for creating peace...
to create educational materials more suiteable for Japanese people and students of different level. We meet 6-7 times a year since 1989.

Resource Centre for Development Education offers the collection of material on Develpment Education

Development Education aims to:

enable people in "North" to recognise the links between their own lives and those of people in the "South", both in terms of understanding the causes of world poverty and an acknowledgement that we can learn from the South.

increase understanding of the economic, social, cultural, political, environmental and spiritual forces which shape the relationship between "North" and "South", and which affect all our lives.

enable people to achieve a more just and sustainable world, in their schools and communities as well as more widely, in which power and resources are more fairly held by all.

It begins with recognition of global interdependence and the continuing need for justice and equity in the world. Its programs and processes convey information, promote humanitarian values, and stimulate individual and community action aimed at improving the quality of life and eliminating the root cause of poverty

For more information: http://www.dep.org.uk/


DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION SEMINAR tries to create educational methods and materials to promote students' active participation in the classroom. Here teacher's role is more like "a facilitator" rather than "a lecturer". Most of his/her efforts are spent for bringing out students' creativity in learning with others and making them aware of the issues sometimes cunningly hidden in the daily life.

Many visual & audio materials, games like "role play"&"simulation game" are used in order for students to acquire a better understanding of the world and to be more aware of economic, social, political and cultural issues from perspective as a global citizen.

DES promotes participatory educational methods for learning these issues rather than too much listening, reading and memorizing, which is main teaching method in typical classroom in Japan that sometimes prevents students from freely think and feel to the issues.
6 "Basic Concepts", 4 "Skills" & 5 "Atitudes" of DES
4Skills
①Investigation
②Communication
③Critical Thinking
④Democratic Decision Making		 6Basic Concepts　
①Culture・Identity　～Who I am～ 　
②Mutual Dependency･ Relationship ～I am not Alone～ 　
③Limitation･Circulation～There's a limitation～
④Conflict・Peace ～How to Reconcile & Living in Peace～
⑤Social Justice・Equality～What's Right & What's Wrong～
⑥Change･Future～Got to Make Some Change～		 5Attitudes
①Dignity as human being
②Curiosity･ Interest
③Sympathy
④Understanding for Diversity
⑤Participation

Development Education Seminar in 2000

①"What is 'Identity'? (participants:37) 　 ②"Development Education for Beginners"(46)　
③"Workshop with NGO leaders from Asia"(48)　 ④"Let's Learn About Issues of Refugee"(35)　
⑤"How to live as 'Global Citizen'"(40) ⑥"Participatory Rural Appraisal"(43)
⑦"Globalization and Fair Trade"(30)　　 ＊"Study tour" to Republic of Marshall Islands (10)

Resource Center for Development Education
Established In 1992, we collects materials on issues of development education. Anybody can use this center. More than 3500 books, magazines, games, audio/visual materials and leaflets/news letters published by various NGOs in and sbroad are available in this center. Although most of collection are written in Japanese, there are several hundreds of books, magazines, educational materials in English and other languages.

In 1995, DES compiled reports of their previous seminars and published this book. "Atarashii Kaihatukyoiku no Susumekata"("New Instruction Book for Development Education") It is a collection of educational materials for development education, especially on the field of poverty, human rights and Environment. Since then, more than 12000 copies have been sold that is rare phenomenon on this type of book.

In Fall of 2000, DES published the second volume of this book, with help from staff of UNHCR . "Atarashii Kaihatukyoiku no Susumekata Vol.2 Nanmin" ("New Instruction Book forDevelopment Education Vol.2 Refugee")This time, the whole book is totally devoted on the issue of refugee.


Study Trip / Field Syudy of DES & KSH
Kansai Seminar House had done many "Study Trip" programs in 1970's, 80's. Many of those were to visit Christian organizations in Asian and Europe countries. From the end of 80's, the direction of trip sifted towards visiting NGOs in Asia, starting the trip to Bangladesh, Thailand and Nepal. and in 1991, 21 people visited Bhutan and India. Many members of DES jointed the trip and in 90's KSH did trip to visit Idan community, the biggest aborigine in Sarawak, Malaysia. In 1999, 2000、DES visited the Republic of Marshall Islands to learn the issues of global warming, and nuclear wastes. They did cooperative working sessions with NGO workers and school teachers there .