Improving Interactivity in Instructional Design by Developing an ICT-based Social Studies Plan: Case Study of Smart Agriculture in the National Strategic Special Zone of Hyogo Prefecture’s Yabu City

This research aimed at designing a lesson plan in elementary social studies that enhances interactivity by utilizing information and communications technology (ICT). Taking into consideration that lessons created along with students and ICT-based elementary social studies classes enhance students’ learning, and based on the features of iPad, applications, and Zoom, a lesson for the fifth grade—called “Agriculture in Japan-Smart Agriculture in Yabu City, National Strategic Special Zone”—was designed. To clarify the actual situation pertaining to ICT utilization in the classroom, the lesson plan was examined from the perspectives of “information gathering,” “information examination/thinking,” and “reflection.” Information gathering enabled searching the Web for supplementary/additional materials using learning content-related keywords, and also helped share information and enhance teaching materials. Information examination/thinking enabled the use of map-based applications to improve reading skills. Zoom also enabled interaction with persons mentioned in the learning and teaching materials. This way, students could apply their learning beyond the classroom to the real world. LoiLoNote, a class-support application, helped organize thoughts on cards. Like a portfolio, students were able to build a learning history on their own. All these made instant sharing of classmates’ learning possible. Thus, utilizing ICT contributed to upgrading teaching and learning style and designing elementary school social-studies lessons to enhance interactivity.