A Future Scenario-Making Approach as an Instructional Method in Planning Education

The Japanese Context

抄録

This study developed an instructional method for planning education based on a future scenario-making approach for a first-year course at a Japanese university. In environmental policy-making, such as that regarding climate change, energy use, community development, and so on, a multi-collaboration and planning approach was implemented to promote United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On the other hand, planning education methodology in the Japanese context has not yet been sufficiently discussed. Based on the discussion in the European context and existing research, this paper focuses on a future scenario-making approach as an instructional method in planning education. For the research process, minilectures and group discussions were conducted in two lessons with three different classes, and two surveys, a worksheet analysis, and interviews were conducted with the participants. The results of this study implied the need for the following educational design in planning education: (1) to direct the students' attention to the mitigation of and adaptation to possible negative future events and scenarios, (2) to promote multilateral consideration using self-checking of the students' homework and consideration of future events and scenarios, and (3) to stimulate critical thinking on the basis of (1) and (2).