This study examines the roles of groups in learning in Tetsufumi Miyasaka's theory of learning during the 1950s and explains the factors that changed his theory.
It is generally known that Miyasaka contributed to the development of theories regarding learning groups in Japan. Previous studies have examined Miyasaka's theory of learning groups during the 1960s and demonstrated that Miyasaka was one of the first scholars to focus on groups' educational functions. However, studies have not sufficiently examined Miyasaka's theory of learning groups during the 1950s.
During the 1960s, Miyasaka's work was affected by collective education theories. Focusing on the 1950s, we can explain his theory's structure before collective education theories influenced it. Therefore, this study focuses on Miyasaka's theory during the 1950s.
In the 1950s, Miyasaka had described the following roles of groups in learning: (1) to establish intimate relationships between children through extra-curricular activities, placing emphasis on understanding individuals who tend to be repressed in classrooms and (2) to develop children's perspectives by giving them opportunities to share their ideas. The noteworthy point of his theory in the early 1950s is the concept that gatherings of individuals who study science result in democratic groups, but this idea diminished when Miyasaka became involved in the conservative-versus-leftist political ideology.

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