Welcome to Baba-Lab

This spring 2017, we have six new students from several countries.

There are three Japanese, Mamoru Tsurudome, Yoshinori Takahashi, and Kana Yoshida as master students. We have one master student as well from Rwanda Nsengimana Jean Pierre. The last two students are doctor students from Indonesia Mulia Putra and Sommay Shingphachanh from Lao.

Let’s study hard and work hard for our bright future. 

Ganbarimashou minna-san.

Real Life Just Started

It is almost two months after my graduation day, but I still feel a lack of the knowledge that I get. Somehow the more I learn, the more I realize I do not know anything. It sounds classical, but this is how I feel now.

For the past two years, I am very grateful to have an opportunity to meet many great, kind and minded people. I learn a lot from them. Academic's life that I never imagined before made me aware what is the meaning of hard work itself. During my study, it was so tough, and I struggled many times,  but I can feel a point of satisfaction of my own difficulties. I am so grateful to be in the environment of my lab, where all my lab-mates are deeply mindset, critical and it's creating new characters within me.

I just start the real life where I feel enjoy the atmosphere doing research and trying to deepen further my understanding of looking at the new things. Hopefully, I can gain new knowledge from new people in the new environment. The knowledge that I gained is none other than as my provision to build my beloved country, Indonesia.

Hello everyone, my name is Mamoru Tsurudome, a new member in the Baba lab from this April. I am very happy to be welcomed in such a nice community.

I have just graduated from my undergraduate course in Tokyo. I am very exited to pursue my study here in the somewhat comfortable Saijo city.

I plan to join the Zambia program, and I will be sent to a local school in Ndola city next January. I hope to receive many teachings and guidance from Baba sensei and the lab members, as well as gaining strength and knowledge to pursue my research independently. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu.

Mamoru Tsurudome

Introduction

I am Sommay SHINGPHACHANH, I am from Laos. In 2006, I got bachelor degree of mathematics in the faculty of education at National University of Laos. Then I work as mathematics teacher in a Teacher Training College up to present. In 2012, I got master degree from Osaka university, Japan. In 2017, I am first year of doctor student at IDEC, Hiroshima university, Japan. My research interest is on the area of improving mathematics teacher education quality, lesson study, and teacher professional development. 

Before coming in IDEC /Hiroshima, I was a Mathematics Subject Specialist in Rwanda Education Board since 2007.
I want to analyze the mathematics' performance and affecting factors of secondary students in Rwanda
My target for this research, I want to find out the real problem in this area and to contribute with my efforts for improving the quality of education in Rwanda and in the World.

Greeting for Japan

            Hello, everyone, my name is Mulia Putra, I am from Indonesia, Aceh Province (the place which hit by tsunami in 26^th December 2004) and in Japan people around call me Putra San. Actually, it is a little bit strange for me since in my country they call me with Mul. However, right now it really makes comfortable through the nickname. Thank you, Minna. Before I am going to tell you related to my unique experience when the first time I landed in Japan. In Aceh, I work as Junior mathematics education lecturer in STKIP Bina Bangsa Meulaboh (Private University).  

            Well, it is the first I came to Japan. I arrived in late of March and I am going to pursue my doctoral in here, IDEC focusing on mathematics education. To be honest, when I was landed in Osaka airport, I though the weather would be nice for me since the winter already passed in Japan. In fact, my smartphone which already not too smart showed the degree of the weather, ooooh god! it was 0 degree which made me really shock because I did not prepare for this situation. Fortunately, I did not need to wait for long time to find transportation hence I can feel warmer when I was in the bus. To be honest as well, I did not expect to use the bus to go to Hiroshima beside I would like to use shinkansen (the legendary fastest train in Japan). Unfortunately, I cannot use it because the ticket price is Very Expensive. Hence, we decide to use the bus. However, next time I will take shinkansen to visit Osaka.  

            I came to Japan with my friends. Three of them, IDEC student’s as well. It is around 4 hours more or least to Okayama station and from Okayama station we use general train to Hiroshima and it took about 2 hours until we reached Saijo Eki (station), of course the weather freezing sugoiiily until make my skin senseless. It is truly unforgettable moment for me. Thank you, Japan. You are Sugoiii

            Afterwards, next day I came to IDEC faculty and met some new friends there. Including some alumnus under Prof. Baba’s supervision. They all welcome me warmly and an interesting condition is happening, I can see snow come directly with my own eyes, what a magnificence experience since I just saw the snow in TV or smartphone. What make me more surprise is that the shape of the snow itself and I found out that snow is look like es doger without syrup in my country and I cannot hold my laughing. Well, since it is very hard to describe what es doger look like here I provide you es doger picture with me of course.

修了しました！

先日，ザンビアでの活動を入れて４年間の研究活動を終え，修士課程を修了いたしました。
ザンビアプログラムに参加したこともあり，同期よりも長い時間がかかってしまいましたが，その分たくさんのものを得られたように思います。

入学した当初は，英語もろくに話すことができない中で授業についていくことや，研究とは何なのかということもわからない状況の中でゼミの発表の準備をしていたことを思い出します。夜な夜な研究室にこもって勉強をしていました。この時に，私は実際に国際協力の現場に出たことがないこともあって，ザンビアでの研究についての準備をしてはいるものの，本当にこれがザンビアの教育にとって役に立つものであるのか，必要とされているのか半信半疑であったため，常にこの疑問が頭の中に浮かんでいました。

ザンビアへ赴任し，協力隊員として活動をしていく中でこれまで研究していたことがあまり現場の課題と直結していないことに気がつくことができました。研究のテーマを変えることについて，帰国の半年前に先生へ相談をした際には反対をされましたが，当時感じた問題や研究の必要性を認識しながら進めることができたので，今となってはテーマを変えてよかったなと心から思っています。

帰国後は，修士論文の執筆活動と並行して就職活動を行なっておりました。しかしながら，どちらも状況はあまり良くなかったため３年半での修了を目標を４年に変更せざるを得ない状況となりました。
在学期間を過ぎていたこともあり奨学金が止まったため，経済的に苦しい状況となったことや，親に余計に学費を払ってもらわなければいけなくなった背景もあり，この半年は今までとは気持ちを入れ替えて研究に取り組みました。
幸運なことに，半年の間に2回も学会発表をする機会をいただき，また論文投稿も2回経験させてもらうことができました。9月で修了していたならばきっとできなかった，学生らしい経験，そして研究することの面白さや厳しさについて先輩から多く学ぶことができました。


修了までに，先生をはじめとして馬場研の先輩方，同期の皆さん，そしてザンビアでお世話になった先生や生徒，JICAザンビアの職員の皆さん，隊員の皆さん，多くの方々に支えていただいたことによって修士号を取ることができました。本当にありがとうございます。

4月からは，社会人として世界展開をしている教育系企業で働くことになります。研究とは離れてしまいますが，研究室で学んだことを活かしていきながら社会人としてやっていきたいと思います。