OPEN SPACE,
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List of faculty members

HIRANO, Tomoki Associate Professor

HIRANO, Tomoki Associate Professor

Affiliation:

Center for Meta-Learning、 Center for University-Society Relations and Collaboration

Research Fields

Educational Technology, Art Education, Workshop

Academic Background

Uchida Yoko Co.,Ltd.

Subjects in Charge (Undergraduate)

Engineering Ethics, Region and Society, History of Social Thought, Computers and Education

Degree

Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Information Studies)

Message for Students

Learning environments are ubiquitous in society, not just in universities. Take your academic books and let's go out!

Research Contents

(1) Practical Research on Workshop

A workshop is a learning and creative method that encourages thinking from a different perspective. It is widely used for communication, idea generation, and solving local issues. Unlike traditional knowledge-based classes, workshops emphasize participants’ active engagement, creativity, and unintentional learning. This research involves designing, implementing, and evaluating workshops for children, students, and professionals based on data collected from practice.

(2) Research on Arts, Museums, and Community Art Projects

Art is a unique human activity that evokes emotions and stimulates thought. Museums (art museums and history museums) and community art projects serve as flexible learning environments that connect people with art. This research explores the design of exhibitions and workshops in art-related settings and investigates the learning processes that take place within them.

(3) Research on Learning Environment Design

This research focuses on learning environment design based on educational and learning theories. Specifically, it explores informal learning environments outside of school, developing and evaluating new ICT-based systems and learning materials. Through qualitative and quantitative research, it aims to uncover innovative principles for designing effective learning environments.

Attractive Factors of My Research

 I worked for a company before enrolling in a doctoral program and earning my degree as a working graduate student. I believe that universities are always open when we want to learn.

Achievement

I have been involved in education and training programs utilizing dialogue-based art appreciation. At Aichi Triennale 2019 and the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, I was responsible for volunteer training and staff workshops. At Roppongi Art Night, I led guided tours that combined urban exploration with art appreciation. Additionally, I have worked on developing workshops that expand art appreciation experiences, including programs for visually impaired participants and workshops incorporating robots as facilitators.

In recent years, I have participated in projects focused on art, regional revitalization, and entrepreneurship development, striving to uncover the unique appeal of local communities (including the Fukushima Reconstruction Grand Prix, Playful PR: Odaka, Shizuoka Micro Art Workation, and Aomori Prefecture’s Regional Issue-Solving Business Creation Program). To support these initiatives, I collaborate with other universities and encourage students to actively engage in off-campus learning environments.

*JST「researchmap」

Major Books and Papers

  • Is Leadership and Management Necessary in Schools? (Edited by Takehiro Wakimoto and Daisuke Choshi, Kitaohji Shobo, 2026, in Japanese)
  • Facilitation of Art Appreciation: Towards Deep Dialogue in Art Communication (Airi Publishing, 2023, in Japanese)
  • Contributing Author: How to Create a School Where Teachers Learn from Each Other (Edited by Takehiro Wakimoto and Daisuke Choshi, Daiichi-Hoki, 2021, in Japanese)
  • Contributing Author: Theory and Practice in Art and Craft Education (Edited by Shingi Ikenaga, Airi Publishing, 2016, in Japanese)
  • Contributing Translator: Visual Thinking Strategies: Using Art to Deepen Learning Across School Disciplines (By Philip Yenawine, Translated by Kyoto University of the Arts Art Communication Research Center, Tankosha, 2015, Japanese Translation)