抄録
We now live in society where changes, such as globalization and computerization, are rapidly happening. In order to survive such times, the development of integrated and versatile skills is now required in every stage of education. For example, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry have defined "human skills (ningen-ryoku)" and "basic skills (shakai-jin kisoryoku)" respectively, and both ministries now promote the development of these skills. This study centers on student learning, focusing on a case of a high school which continues its effort to develop students' integrated and versatile skills through school events. In short, this study attempts to elucidate what students learn while being actively involved in the planning and the organization of school events. It attempts to capture the full picture of the students' learning experience, while paying particular attention to the level of their participation (of both leading students and peripherally involved students) in school events. Through questionnaires and interviews, the study obtained the following findings. First, the students developed the public speaking skill, which was found characteristic to leading students. The study also found that the students specifically demonstrated the skill to listen to other people with different opinions, a skill developed through the organization of school events, regardless of the intensity of their participation. Furthermore, the study indicated that the target school has a strict policy of organizing school events entirely led by students. It can then be assumed that the teachers' rigorous attitude regarding school events, coupled with the students' awareness and sense of responsibility, fosters the production of school events completely organized by students. Secondly, the sense of achievement, personal growth, conflicts and struggles that leading students experience through their interpersonal relationships, are also the product of this thoroughly independent planning and organization of school events by students. What leading students experience, however, is not limited to conflicts and struggles in interpersonal relationships within a same group such as the event coordination committee. The study showed that these students also experience difficulties in balancing their responsibility for school events and extracurricular activities. Here, we can point out the importance of peripherally involved students, to whom little attention had previously been paid. The study showed that these students may not be, in fact, simply non-active and peripheral, but instead may actually be of great significance in the growth of leading students.
