Outreach Class Conducted at a High School in Kawasaki City
On December 15, we held an outreach class for 38 second-year students in the Science Department at Kawasaki City High School for Science and Technology. The instructors were Yukihiro Kanda, a researcher from iCONM Ichiki Lab, and Michiko Yagi, an executive director of the Kawasaki Nursing Association. The primary objective was to help students understand the current situation in Japan, which faces an aging rate* of 29% in a super-aged society, and the unavoidable reality that by 2045, when they turn 38 years old, the aging rate is projected to rise to 36%.
For the students, the concept of an "aging society" seemed far off and irrelevant at first. However, as they learned more about the reality, their expressions changed. Following the lecture, the students broke into groups for a workshop. To process what they had just learned, they were asked to imagine what kind of life awaits them if things continue as they are. Words expressing pessimism about the future, such as "it's all gloomy" and "we're fortunate to live in this era," emerged.
Next, they were encouraged to envision an ideal future life, which led to ideas like "a society without the need for nursing care" and "a society that supports advancements in science and technology." In March of next year, we plan to have a discussion with leading researchers in the field of medical engineering about how to move closer to these ideals. We hope this experience fosters a mindset of "we create our own future."
*Note: Aging rate refers to the percentage of the population aged 65 and over in the total population.
Lecture by Yukihiro Kanda
Lecture by Michiko Yagi
