Questionnaire research and development of self-motivating education method using intellectual property rights

It may be no exaggeration to say that the intellectual contribution gains an important position in the Japanese economic strategy. In regard to the intellectual property, most of the attention focuses on creation and protection of intellectual property. However, education on intellectual properties is important as a long-term strategy to form a solid foundation of creative human resources. Especially, the active education is necessary to cultivate the student independent creativity. In this study The University of Tokushima, Anan National College Technology, and Tokushima Prefectural Senior High School Science and Technology have jointly taken action on the active education to enhance the creativity of students on intellectual properties. The patent and the design contests are utilized to cultivate the student creativity by having an experience of the invention processes. In this self-motivating education method patent attorneys brush up the student´s idea through discussion in a small group to create inventions such as an electric bulb for an earthquake. According to the questionnaire research and student evaluation, this type of education covers both needs of industries and curiosities of students and leads to form a solid foundation of human resources of the future.