Programming Education in Japanese Elementary Schools Integrated with Multiple Subjects: Origins, Practical Paths and Implications

With the advent of the smart age, programming education has become an important means of developing the necessary literacy for the smart age. Programming education is also becoming increasingly popular in countries around the world. Japan, as an advanced country in programming education, has issued the Guide to Primary School Programming Education (Third Edition) (hereinafter referred to as the Guide) to ensure the smooth implementation of primary school programming education in 2020. The Guide provides detailed descriptions of the objectives, positioning and cultivation requirements of Japanese primary school programming education, analyses practical examples of incorporating multidisciplinary programming education, and also provides examples of relevant safeguards for the smooth implementation of Japanese primary school programming education. It also provides examples of practical examples of the integration of multidisciplinary programming education, as well as examples of measures to ensure the successful implementation of programming education in Japanese primary schools. The article provides an in-depth reading of the Guidelines, clarifying the objectives of programming education in Japan, analysing the ways in which programming education is compulsory and integrated in Japanese primary schools, and analysing the measures taken to ensure the smooth implementation of programming education in primary schools, such as curriculum management, multi-disciplinary cooperation and teacher training. In this paper, we propose some suggestions and insights for the development of programming education in China in terms of top-level design, curriculum management, and guaranteeing means.