Gradebook · Japan
Japanese Three-Dimension School Evaluation — MEXT 知識・技能・思考
Japan's 2020 学習指導要領 (Curriculum Standards) require that every subject at elementary and junior high school level be evaluated across three independent dimensions: 知識・技能 (Knowledge & Skills), 思考・判断・表現 (Thinking, Judgement & Expression), and 主体的に学習に取り組む態度 (Attitude toward Learning). Each dimension receives its own ◎/○/△ rating — they cannot be averaged. OpenEduCat stores all three dimensions independently for MEXT compliance and switches to the inverted 1–5 numerical scale for Senior High School.
The Three Evaluation Dimensions
Each dimension is assessed independently. A student's rating in one dimension does not constrain their rating in another.
知識・技能
Chishiki · Ginou — Knowledge & Skills
Student demonstrates thorough and accurate knowledge of factual content, concepts, and procedures for the subject. Can apply skills fluently in familiar contexts.
Student demonstrates adequate knowledge and skills for the subject at grade level. Applies skills in taught contexts with reasonable accuracy.
Student has not yet demonstrated grade-level knowledge or skills in the subject. Requires additional instruction and support.
This dimension is evaluated independently. A student can score ◎ in Knowledge & Skills while scoring △ in Attitude — they are not averaged or combined.
思考・判断・表現
Shikou · Handan · Hyougen — Thinking, Judgement & Expression
Student demonstrates excellent ability to think critically about subject matter, make sound judgements, and express understanding clearly in appropriate forms (writing, presentation, art, etc.).
Student demonstrates satisfactory thinking and judgement within the subject area, and expresses understanding in generally appropriate ways.
Student has difficulty thinking independently about subject matter, making judgements, or expressing understanding in appropriate forms.
A student with strong factual knowledge (◎ in Knowledge) may still struggle with open-ended thinking tasks (△ in Thinking). MEXT requires these to be reported separately because the intervention strategies differ.
主体的に学習に取り組む態度
Shutaiteki ni Gakushuu ni Torikumu Taido — Attitude toward Learning
Student demonstrates a proactive and sustained attitude toward learning: sets goals, reflects on progress, seeks to deepen understanding beyond teacher instruction, and engages with self-directed study.
Student demonstrates an adequate attitude toward learning, participates in lessons, completes assigned work, and engages with the subject at the expected level.
Student's engagement and self-directed learning attitude needs improvement. May not complete work consistently or demonstrate interest in deepening understanding.
The third dimension captures metacognitive and motivational engagement — distinct from whether a student has mastered content or can think critically. MEXT introduced this dimension specifically to avoid equating effort with ability.
Evaluation Scale by School Level
The evaluation method changes at Senior High School. OpenEduCat uses the hyotei selector to apply the correct method per subject and school level.
| School Level | Evaluation Scale | How Assigned | OpenEduCat Config |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School (小学校) | ◎ / ○ / △ (three-band qualitative) | Teacher assigns each of the three MEXT dimensions independently per subject per semester. No numerical grade is assigned at any point. | hyotei = qualitative_3band |
| Junior High School (中学校) | ◎ / ○ / △ (three-band qualitative) | Same three-dimension structure as elementary. JHS subjects include additional specialist areas (Technology, Home Economics, Music). Dimensions evaluated separately per subject. | hyotei = qualitative_3band |
| Senior High School (高校) | 1 – 5 numerical (inverted: 1 = best) | A single numerical grade (1–5) replaces the three-dimension structure. Note: the scale is inverted from international convention — Grade 1 is excellent, Grade 5 is failing. No ◎/○/△ used. | hyotei = numerical_5 |
| 道徳 (Moral Education) — all levels | Descriptive text only (qualitative_only) | MEXT prohibits any numerical or symbolic grade for Moral Education. Teachers write a qualitative comment. No ◎/○/△ and no 1–5 are permitted. OpenEduCat enforces this at the data layer. | hyotei = qualitative_only |
Configuring Three-Dimension Evaluation in OpenEduCat
OpenEduCat uses the hyotei field at subject level to route each subject to the correct evaluation interface, report template, and data validation rules.
hyotei = qualitative_3band
Activates the three-dimension ◎/○/△ entry interface for elementary and JHS subjects. Three independent fields are stored: chishiki_ginou, shikou_handan, and taido. No numerical entry is possible. The 通知表 template renders a three-row evaluation grid for this subject.
hyotei = numerical_5
Activates the 1–5 numerical entry interface for SHS subjects. A single grade (1 = excellent, 5 = failing) is stored per subject. Credit unit (単位 tan-i) tracking is linked at subject level. The SHS transcript renders this as a single-column numerical grade.
hyotei = qualitative_only
Activates the text-comment-only interface for 道徳 (Moral Education). No ◎/○/△ or numerical entry is possible. OpenEduCat enforces this prohibition at the data layer — attempting to assign a symbolic or numerical grade to a 道徳 subject raises a validation error.
Mixed-hyotei 通知表 Generation
A single 通知表 PDF for an elementary student might include qualitative_3band subjects (Japanese, Mathematics, Science), a qualitative_only 道徳 section, and special activities sections — all rendered correctly by the report template based on each subject's hyotei setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Japan's MEXT three-dimension evaluation system.
MEXT-compliant three-dimension evaluation, pre-configured
OpenEduCat stores each MEXT dimension independently, enforces the 道徳 qualitative-only constraint at the data layer, and generates MEXT-aligned 通知表 PDFs — ready for Japanese elementary, JHS, and SHS institutions.