Fair Decision-Making Methods for Schools and Educational Settings

"Who will be the class president?" "How should we divide groups?" "What's the presentation order?"

In schools and educational settings, there are countless situations where decisions need to be made "fairly." When decision-making processes lack transparency, it can lead to student dissatisfaction and negatively impact classroom management.

This article provides a detailed, scenario-based explanation of fair decision-making methods for educational settings.

Why Decision-Making Methods Matter in Schools

1. Sense of Fairness Affects Classroom Atmosphere

When students perceive unfairness:

• Student motivation decreases
• Negative impact on classroom relationships
• Loss of trust in teachers
• Decline in learning enthusiasm

2. Transparency Creates Educational Value

By experiencing fair processes, students:

• Learn democratic decision-making
• Understand the importance of following rules
• Develop resilience to accept results
• Foster social development

3. Reduces Teacher Burden

Using appropriate tools:

• Shortens decision-making time
• Reduces explanation effort
• Prevents problems before they occur
• Makes effective use of class time

Scenario-Based Fair Decision-Making Guide

1. Role and Duty Assignment

Elementary School Lower Grades (1-3)

Challenges:

• Some students cannot read yet
• Takes time to understand explanations
• Short attention span
• Preferences concentrated on popular roles

Recommended Method:

Step 1: Preference Survey

• Explain each role's responsibilities clearly
• Visualize with illustrations and photos
• Have students write up to three preferred roles

Step 2: Group Division

• Use Online Amidakuji for contested roles
• Conduct on large monitor or projector visible to everyone
• Show the actual line-drawing process

Step 3: Follow-up

• Individual support for students who didn't get their first choice
• Give priority for next time
• Share the positive aspects of assigned roles to boost motivation

Elementary School Upper Grades (4-6)

Challenges:

• Preferences concentrated on popular roles
• Tendency to avoid unpopular roles
• Students want to stick with friends
• Beginning to understand responsibility weight

Recommended Method:

Method 1: Point System

• Assign "burden points" to each role
• Adjust priority based on previous burden
• Visualize fairness with numbers

Method 2: Discussion + Lottery

• First attempt adjustment through discussion
• Use lottery for unadjusted parts
• Ensure transparency with Digital Amidakuji

Method 3: Combination with Rotation

• Rotate roles each semester
• Move to next semester in lottery-determined order
• Everyone experiences all roles

Junior High and High School

Challenges:

• Some positions carry heavy responsibility
• Balance with club activities and committees
• Consideration of impact on future paths
• More complex interpersonal relationships

Recommended Method:

Class President/Student Council Officers:

1. Primarily use candidacy system
2. Hold elections if multiple candidates
3. Use recommendation/lottery only when no candidates

Role Assignment:

1. Pre-survey using Google Forms etc.
2. Match preferences with aptitude
3. Online lottery for parts needing adjustment
4. Students can participate from smartphones

2. Group and Team Division

Random Group Division

Usage Scenarios:

• First-time class division
• Preventing group stagnation
• Creating new relationships

Methods:

Small Classes (20 or fewer):

• Divide into 4 groups using card suits
• Draw numbers by lottery
• Distribute with amidakuji

Medium Classes (20-40):

1. Create groups in advance using Amida-san
2. Share URL at class start
3. Students participate from smartphones
4. Display results and confirm groups

Large Groups (40+):

• Mathematical distribution using attendance numbers
• Automatic grouping with online tools
• Supports up to 299 people

Ability-Based Group Division

Considerations:

• Respect student privacy
• Avoid labeling
• Use group names that don't indicate ability

Method:

1. Teachers judge based on pre-tests or observation
2. Present as "random" publicly
3. Determine roles within groups fairly by lottery

Friend-Based Group Division

Usage Scenarios:

• Long-term projects
• School trip groups
• Cultural festival activities

Method:

Step 1: Preference Survey

• Have students write 3-5 people they want to work with
• Teachers create relationship map

Step 2: Base Group Formation

• Base on members with matching preferences
• Extract groups needing size adjustment

Step 3: Adjustment

• Use lottery to add members to undersized groups
• Ensure transparency with fair lottery methods

3. Order Determination

Presentation Order

Challenges:

• First and last positions have advantages/disadvantages
• Fairness of preparation time
• Differences in nervousness levels

Recommended Methods:

Method 1: Completely Random

• Determine order with amidakuji
• Transparency everyone can accept
• Decide in advance to secure preparation time

Method 2: Choice + Lottery

• Have students choose "first half" or "second half"
• Lottery within each group
• Reflect some preferences

Method 3: Reverse Rotation

• Those in second half last time get first half priority this time
• Record history to maintain fairness

Lab/Practice Order

Challenges:

• Long wait times reduce concentration
• Limited equipment/facilities
• Differences in observation quality

Recommended Method:

Create Rotation Table:

1. Determine all group order with amidakuji
2. Display in easy-to-read table
3. Manage time with timer
4. Rotate in reverse order next time

Lunch/Cleaning Duty Order

Challenges:

• Efficiency important for daily tasks
• Handling absent students
• Maintaining sense of fairness

Recommended Method:

Weekly Rotation:

• Decide all week assignments at semester start
• Confirm everyone's order with amidakuji
• Display and visualize
• Clarify substitute rules for absences

Teacher Guide: Implementation Steps

Step 1: Explaining to Students

Explanation for Lower Grades:

"Today, we're going to decide roles together.
This amidakuji is like magic lottery that nobody knows the result of.
Everyone takes turns drawing lines and we make it together.
That's why it's so fair!"

Explanation for Upper Grades:

"Today's role assignment uses digital amidakuji.
Everyone can participate from smartphones or tablets.
Each person draws a line one by one, so nobody can manipulate the result.
It's a mathematically proven fair method."

Step 2: Preparing the Environment

Necessary Environment:

• Wi-Fi connection (if students participate from smartphones)
• Large monitor or projector
• Camera or screenshot function to record results

Advance Preparation:

1. Create event on Amida-san
2. Print or display QR code
3. Display participation instructions clearly

Step 3: Implementation

Example Procedure:

1. Explanation (3 minutes)
2. Everyone participates (5-10 minutes)
   - Draw lines in attendance number order
   - Say "Done!" after drawing
3. Result announcement (2 minutes)
4. Recording (1 minute)

Step 4: Follow-up

• Record results in class journal
• Individual support for dissatisfied students
• Note improvements for next time
• Create explanation materials for parents (as needed)

Explaining to Parents

Example Class Newsletter Explanation

【About Role Assignment】

This semester's role assignment used digital amidakuji.
This tool has the following features:

✓ High transparency with full participation
✓ System where nobody can manipulate results
✓ Mathematically guaranteed fairness
✓ Opportunity for children to learn democratic decision-making

Even when students are dissatisfied with results, we guide them
to gain acceptance by understanding the fairness of the process.

Explanation at Parent-Teacher Conferences

Key Points:

• Emphasize educational significance
• Explain basis of fairness
• Position as growth opportunity for children
• Prioritize process over results

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Are digital tools educationally appropriate?

No problem. In fact, they provide these educational benefits:

• Improved digital literacy
• Democratic education through visualized fairness
• Opportunity to learn appropriate use of technology

Q2: What about students without smartphones?

• Can participate from tablets or PCs
• Use classroom devices
• Let them participate with friends
• Teachers can operate on their behalf

Q3: How to handle dissatisfied students?

• Carefully explain the fairness of the process
• Give priority for next time
• Share the positive aspects of assigned role
• Don't forget individual follow-up

Q4: What if someone is absent?

• Decide substitute rules in advance
• Re-draw with remaining members
• Next absent person substitutes
• Maintain fairness while being flexible

Q5: Won't using the same method get boring?

If it gets boring:

• Change methods each semester
• Combine discussion and lottery
• Let students choose the decision method itself
• Change methods according to growth

Summary

Fair decision-making in schools and educational settings:

• Role Assignment: Preference survey + transparent lottery
• Group Division: Choose method according to purpose
• Order Determination: Combination of randomness and recording
• Digital Tool Use: Educational benefits expected
• Parent Explanation: Clarify educational significance

By utilizing Amida-san, you can make fair decisions that everyone can accept. Please use it for better classroom and school management.