Signal Impact of introducing "Informatics I" to the common university entrance examination in Japan: a longitudinal study on students' perceptions from 2006 to 2026

Summary

Secondary informatics curricula and assessments have recently seen intensive development, but the effect of such assessments on students has not been well studied. This paper presents a longitudinal study spanning twenty years, from 2006 to 2026, examining how the introduction of an Informatics I subject into Japan's common university entrance examination affected students' self-perceived information-related knowledge and skills. Because informatics education covers a wide range of content from computer science fundamentals to practical ICT skills, the authors highlight the risk that high-stakes standardized testing could distort educational priorities toward test preparation rather than genuine competency building. Tracking student perceptions over such a long span sets this study apart from shorter-term research on the same topic. The study states that it offers empirical, longitudinal evidence directly relevant to other countries considering similar informatics entrance-exam reforms.