Introduction

At Chuo University Junior and Senior High School at Koganei (hereinafter, "the School"), the development of a competency-based evaluation system is one of the research issues that should be addressed by the entire School. This article introduces the initiatives and results that we have accumulated over the past three years.

Ⅰ　Tangible academic ability/intangible academic ability

Competency corresponds to attributes and abilities that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is trying to develop under the new government course guidelines. This corresponds to the behavioral characteristics which are emphasized at Chuo University. It is also a concept that is connected to Chuo University's message of "Knowledge into Action" and the "Ability to Apply Knowledge to Practice" in our founding spirit of "Fostering the Ability to Apply Knowledge to Practice."

Stated simply, we believe that competency is the intangible academic ability. For example, the grades shown on tests and report cards can be called tangible academic ability in the sense that they can be quantified. However, the foundation for the tangible academic ability is the intangible academic ability that is more significant and is more difficult to quantify. When compared to an iceberg, intangible academic ability is the portion that is submerged in the seabed. This is the true power which serves as the basis for action. At the School, we define competencies in the following seven areas as intangible academic ability that should be nurtured at educational institutions.

From the 2021 Academic Year Syllabus of Chuo University Senior High School
Now, let's look back on three years of theme research.

Ⅱ　Measuring intangible academic ability

The competency self-assessment questionnaire "Chufu-compass" for high school students utilizes "C-compass," created by Chuo University. Thanks to cooperation from two Tokyo public high schools, we have gathered data for approximately 2,000 students since the first academic year of the survey.

The analysis results clarified the following points for the 2018 academic year.

(1) Comparing the survey response results with the students of Tokyo public high school A and Tokyo public high school B (Science and Technology Department), more than two-thirds of students at both schools only reach Level 2 "Behavior while awaiting instructions" in the three categories/three items of Category I "101 Knowledge," Category IV "402 Schedule Management," and Category V (2) "504 Explanation ability."

(2) The competency self-assessment tends to differ among students in each class of the cross-curriculum course Comprehensive Liberal Arts I.

In response to the above, in the 2019 academic year, we conducted a similar questionnaire with the cooperation of Tokyo public high school C (regular course). Furthermore, we conducted a second questionnaire for students at the School. As a result, the following points were clarified.

(1) Competency self-assessment during the first year of high school and the admission stage at the School is relatively low in all items compared to students of Tokyo public high school C.

(2) Comparing the first (July 2018) and second (March 2019) survey results by grade, there was no change in the response ratio for Level 3 "Voluntary behavior" + Level 4 "Autonomous behavior" when comparing first-year students of the School to second-year students.

(3) Conversely, for second-year high school students, the response ratio of Level 3 "Voluntary behavior" + Level 4 "Autonomous behavior" is increasing for all items.

(4) The breakdown of the competency self-assessment of students who took Comprehensive Liberal Arts I for second-year high school students is characterized by different items that increase for each class.

Ⅲ　Nurturing intangible academic ability

The School established the subjects Comprehensive Liberal Arts I to Comprehensive Liberal Arts III from the 2018 academic year. In particular, Comprehensive Liberal Arts I is a cross-curriculum and project-type course that was established to arouse the spirit of examining various problems in modern society. Comprehensive Liberal Arts I was established as an independent two-credit course and positioned as preparatory/follow-up learning for the second-year high school course "Research trip" which had been offered. Comprehensive Liberal Arts I has contributed to the development of students' own ability to discover problems, think logically, and express themselves.

As mentioned above, based on results showing improved competency self-assessment of students who took Comprehensive Liberal Arts I, the School is testing a curriculum design which focuses on cross-curriculum learning and exploratory learning in line with the revision of the new government course guidelines from the 2022 academic year. Specifically, we plan to reorganize the cross-curriculum course Comprehensive Liberal Arts that were previously set only for second-year and third-year high school students, and to newly establish similar subjects for first-year high school students and third-year junior high school students. As a result, Comprehensive Liberal Arts will be established as a subject in all years from the third year of junior high school to the third year of high school. We are preparing so that learning which lays the groundwork for students themselves to discover problems can be acquired as a staircase leading to high education at universities.

Additionally, the progress of the series of surveys and analysis conducted thus far has been periodically shared with all faculty and staff. In March 2020, to address an identified educational issue, we conducted a questionnaire survey for instructors to examine factors in the low self-assessment of students at the School.

When organizing responses by viewpoint, we determined that many faculty and staff find it difficult to achieve the educational goals symbolized by independence, autonomy, and self-reliance. Moreover, when using grade valuation data as a basis for studying the old curriculum and new curriculum (new: 2019 academic year graduates, old: 2018 academic year graduates), we found that the grades tended to be polarized, and that there was a strong correlation for the grades attained in the first year and third year of high school, regardless of curriculum changes.

Therefore, in the 2020 academic year, we conducted individual interviews with 6 instructors in charge of Comprehensive Liberal Arts I for second-year high school students. The goal of the interviews was to determine what kind of specific educational activities are needed to nurture intangible academic ability. We then organized the activities used in each class in detail. For example, upon extracting keywords that were used in dialogue during interviews for target courses, we clarified the following essential concepts (learning goal) for classes.

(1) SDGs project for high school students (2020)
Ensure that students think of activities as their own. Hold events which instill students with a sense of how their school life is supported by efforts of various people and how they live as a member of society.

(2) Jungle nature survey in Borneo, Malaysia (2020)
Have students acquire a comprehensive and overall view of the natural environment through persistent work which consists of independent observation, collection, and investigation.

(3) Mathematics in English (from 2018)
Have students change their view of learning, broaden their horizons, overcome the ambiguity of Japanese language in translation, and approach the essence of mathematics.

Summarizing the sections underlined above, when learning through Comprehensive Liberal Arts, it is clear that circumstances and activities incongruent with the School's education goals are scattered throughout; specifically (1) think of activities as their own, (2) persistent work, and (3) approach the essence.

Ⅳ　Capabilities unique to university-affiliated schools

Concepts raised in the School's educational goals include independent and creative motivation for learning, a spirit of independence and autonomy, and a spirit of independence and self-reliance. Such concepts cannot be seen by the human eye. Nevertheless, in order to live in a rapidly changing society like modern times, it is necessary to continue learning even after leaving school. The intangible academic ability such as motivation for learning and a spirit of independence, autonomy and self-reliance serves as the foundation. We believe that school education must cultivate such intangible academic ability.

Conclusion

Research conducted thus far has identified that the School's uniquely established subject of Comprehensive Liberal Arts is the most suitable practice for developing scientific thinking ability, as represented by our student's logical thinking ability and desire to explore. Research has also shown that, in its original meaning, Comprehensive Liberal Arts is a class that is incongruent with the School's educational goals. We are currently struggling to reflect these conclusions in the new curriculum for the upcoming academic year and beyond.

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*Please see the following materials for details on the research discussed in this article.
◆Seeking Independence, Autonomy, and Self-Reliance
--Competency Analysis Based on the Results Obtained from the Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (Vol. 3)--Chuo University Junior and Senior High School Newsletter, Education and Research, Issue No. 34 (2020)
◆Nurturing "Knowledge into Action"
~Competency Analysis Based on the Results Obtained from the Self-Evaluation Questionnaire Vol. 2~
https://yab.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/chuo/dy/education/20200624_en.php
◆How Can We Measure Learning Ability?
--Analysis of a Competency Self-Assessment Questionnaire--Published in Japan Association for Informatics Education, Informatics Education, Vol. 1
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/rrie/1/0/1_8/_pdf/-char/ja

Yu Saito／Teacher of Japanese language, Chuo University Junior and Senior High School at the Koganei campus

Yu Saito graduated from the Faculty of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University.
In 2005, he was appointed as teacher at Chuo University Suginami High School.
He assumed his current position in 2018.
Research themes: Japanese language education and competency development. For the research discussed in this article, he devised questionnaire items and decided on analysis policy.

Yoko Neha／Teacher of Information Technology, Chuo University Junior and Senior High School at the Koganei campus

She graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the Musashi Institute of Technology (currently Tokyo City University).
Research themes: Information education and math/science education. For the research discussed in this article, she proposed analysis methods and oversaw analysis work.

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