Class Design for Junior High School Students Using Pattern Language: A Case Study of the Practice at Nichihara Junior High School

The purpose of this paper is to report on how to design a lesson for junior high school students using the pattern language [1] of human actions as a case study of the Period of Integrated Study. This practice was conducted for 27 second-year students of Nichihara Junior High School in Tsuwano Town, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, as pre-post studying for their school trip in November 2021. The school trip involves learning about local history and culture in groups, and then actually explore the area. The lessons were held in five times, using pattern language to realize proactive, interactive and authentic learning which is emphasized in the new curriculum [2]. In the first lesson, the students worked to think of solutions to problems that might occur during the school trip, using patterns. The pattern selection activity here is designed using the pattern language remix method proposed by Douglas Schuler [3, 4]. In the second and third lessons, students thought of eight patterns that they would like to practice during the school trip, and then discussed and decided on eight patterns that they would like to cherish as a team. In the fourth lesson, after the school trip, the students reflected on their behavior during the school trip, using mock-up papers, sticky notes, and the patterns they had chosen in their prior study. In the fifth lesson, the whole class reviewed their behavior and chose patterns that they would like to be aware of in their daily school life. This case shows that the use of pattern language in the Period of Integrated Study can be one approach to achieving proactive, interactive and authentic learning: express what the students value in the process of choosing patterns, exchange ideas among classmates and reflect on their actions and learnings during the school trip. From student and teacher feedback, the use of pattern cards is effective in making it easier for students who are not good at speaking to participate in dialogue activities while including playful elements in the learning process and using visual information such as illustrations. In addition, when using pattern language for the first time, there is a need to get used to it by using the pattern cards several times in several ways.