- The following is content from the press release -
With Ratatone, an educational instrument that allows people to interact with music as if they were playing, the company creates a culture of "auditory education" by fostering intellectual curiosity and sensitivity.
(Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan, CEO: Kazuhiro Kubota) will start a project to create a new educational method "auditory education" through "Ratatone," an educational instrument that was very popular in the crowdfunding campaign, and to realize a "society full of creativity" by making it take root as a culture.
STEAM education*1 is attracting attention as an educational method for fostering creativity, but the field of art, which is the basis of creativity education, is still unclear.
*1: An educational concept that adds creativity education to science and mathematics education.
*2: Stimulate "hearing" and approach brain development by "listening to sound".
[The creativity that society will demand in the future.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has, for the first time in nearly a decadeRevised Courses of StudyThe reason for this is that social change is becoming increasingly difficult and complex to predict. This is due to the fact that social changes are becoming increasingly difficult to predict and complex. In order to live in the midst of such drastic changes as the rapid evolution of AI (artificial intelligence), which is said to have a great impact on intellectual labor, the Singularity (technological singularity), climate issues, and energy issues due to the depletion of resources, all of which will overturn conventional values, people who can create new values are considered necessary. needed. Society'sSolving challenges with a new approachand create a better worldCreativity."is required.
STEAM education is attracting attention as an education that fosters creativity.
STEAM Educationis by crossing the five fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics,Educational concept that adds creativity education to science and mathematics educationIt is.
As the structure of capitalist society changes, information assets are no longer a differentiating factor, and we are entering an era in which people are expected to think, create, and express themselves. STEAM education for the purpose of creating new value and products/solutions is becoming more important.
The role of the Art field and educational methods
STEAM EducationThe predecessor of STEM education, which emphasized problem-solving skills, is the predecessor of STEM education. Developed during the transition from industrial capitalism to information capitalism, STEM education has been developed in compulsory education and higher and university education.
On the other hand, STEAM education, in which Art is added to STEM education, is attracting attention from the perspective of fostering "creativity of knowledge," but the educational method of "Art = creativity" is still largely unclear in terms of science and engineering education.
Therefore, we have been working to establish a new educational method in the field of Art,The Five Senses."The focus was on
The greater the sensitivity fostered through the five senses, the more accurateSelecting and choosing information (input) and self-expression (output)This is because it can be utilized to
However, in early childhoodeducation of the five sensesThe development of a nurturing environment has been particularly slow inHearing.It is.
Koto Corporation approaches "hearing" through Ratatone.
Hearing Education
Ratatone focuses on the importance of auditory education from early childhood and aims to create a culture of auditory education for amateurs and professionals alike through the approach of "tonal articulation*3 " and to realize a society full of creativity.
*3: The ability to "feel which note is the central note" in a piece of music.
What is Ratatone?
The "Ratatone" is a great product to hold in your hand.The joy of playing tones."You can feel theDigital educational instrumentsIt is.
The idea of "creating a musical instrument that produces tones with simple movements like a percussion instrument" and "fostering children's creativity through music" were realized through a digital instrument that produces sound and sheet music that anyone can play easily. This product is not only for the intellectual education of small children, but also for their parents to enjoy together.
A society where intellectual curiosity is stimulated and creativity abounds.
Three features of Ratatone.
1. Fostering creativity
Ratatone is a digital educational instrument that plays sounds and fosters creativity through hearing. By imagining and expressing sounds, you can nurture your creativity to assemble your own music.
2. Sound training is available for children as young as 3 years old.
Ratatone can train the ability to visualize sounds and tonal perception through the act of understanding played notes as chords and single notes.
3. Can be enjoyed in a variety of settings
Ratatone can be played by two or more players to utilize single notes and chords to create beautiful harmonies. It can be enjoyed not only by parents and children, but also at kindergarten and nursery school concerts.
[Future development
The Ratatone series of products will be released for each of the four quadrants of musical knowledge and value provided.
Specifically, we are developing playing card cards that focus on play with sound, Ratatone PRO with improved sound quality and a significantly increased number of chords, and a tool that allows users to compose music while playing.
Through the Ratatone series, we will achieve the trend to establish auditory education as a culture that fosters creativity through auditory stimulation.
[Ratatone®️ project official
https://www.ratatone.com/
Company Profile
Company name: Koto Co.
Representative: Kazuhiro Kubota, President
Location: 153 Nagahama-cho, Oike-sagaru, Korotanedori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8201
Established: September 1996
URL:https://www.koto.co.jp/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KOTO.co.jp/
Koto Corporation is a company that makes the world a more enjoyable place.
It was established in 1996 (Heisei 8) by the late Gunpei Yokoi, who retired from Nintendo.
Yokoi, who excelled in both analog and digital fields, had a dream that he wanted to realize with Koto Co. That is, to turn something painful and hard into something enjoyable with a few ideas and entertainment technology. By doing something fun, many people will be moved and new fun things will be born. We will create the soil in which this cycle can revolve.
