November 12, 2000: Hyper Forum "Internet and Learning" |
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The 27th Hyper Forum is to be held today at Municipal Compal Hall co-sponsored by Oita Prefecture and Prefectural Oita Art and Culture Junior College. |
| I entered a greenroom in the Hall at noon. I will join the Forum as a panelist.
As I find tables in the sleeve of the stage, I feel nervous a little. |
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 There is a preparation corner in the greenroom. A mailing list was opened in advance for this time Forum, but most members meet each other at the corner and exchange the calling cards. |
 Professor Utsumiya of Oita University will coordinate the panel discussion today. Other seven panelists including Professor. Koorida of Art College talk about the proceedings. |
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At 12:30, the door opened for the audience. |
 Mr. Fujino sits in the center of the first row ready for monitoring the discussion with a computer. |
 Today's discussion is aired in live through the Internet. At the corner of the stage is a computer set for it. |
| The discussion started at 13:30 at last.
First, Mr. Motoharu Tsuru, chairman of Oita Prefectural Art and Culture Junior College, made a few words stressing, "This time we planned a forum titled Internet and Learning as a part of our series of extension lecture, our intention is to open the College to public. " |
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Mr. Isao Kouno, a manager of Prefectural Culture Department, also made a welcome message. He introduced the progress status of Hyper-network Project by mentioning some actual figures and referred to the learning program of nation-wide Internet literacy boost policy. |
 Likely to the Art College, the open symposium started with the chorus and music plays by the students. |
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| Professor Kazumi Koorida presented the introductive basic lecture "Present status of Information Education of Oita Prefecture." I could learn the history of Internet: ARPANET was started in the USA in 1960s NSFNET for research purpose in 1980s In Japan, Tokyo University, Tokyo Institute o Technology, and Keio University started JUNET in 1980s. In Oita, COARA was born in 1985 |
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Mr. Utsumiya, Professor of Oita University and a member of Hyper Network Society Research as well, made a basic lecture on "Hyper Network Project of the Land of Abundance." He introduced that the Project will open to public for easy use by anybody, anytime, and anywhere in order to bring a new joy of learning to the citizen. |
| The panel discussion starts now. I step up to the stage together with other panelists From left: Mr. Nishikuji (chief of Prefectural Library), Mr. Watanabe (Information education section in Prefectural Office), Mr. Ishii (Prefectural Lifelong Education Center.) |
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From left: Mr. Utsumiya, Ms. Hayashi from Ogusu elementary school in Nakatsu City, Mr. Sakamoto from Saeki Hikoyou junior high school, and Mr. Hara of Art College. |
| Self-introductions were followed by the reports from each panelist on how they use the Internet in their schools.
This is a sample image of remote-learning class by Mr. Hara, illustrating how he used the Internet in remote lesson. |
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I talked about how I use the Internet in my home: I enjoy the net by exchanging E-mails and making many friends all around the world, my husband is teaching on a volunteer basis in a senior group in Oita, and what can we dedicate to the community by making a homepage for a housekeeping group. |
| "Internet technology will be vertical strings and people be horizontal threads, making cloths through sending information from local residents", Mr. Utsumiya ended up the panel with this comment.
In the evening, a lot of participants joined a thank-you-party. |
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Here, I had a pleasant time again. "In two years or so, I hope to see you again like this" Mr. Utsumiya smiled at me. I was filled with expectation by his word that Hyper Network Project will come true without fail, how our community will change by that time? |