Effect of the intervention aimed at improving fundamental competencies for working persons in the college physical education class

Abstract

“Fundamental competencies for working persons”, which has been proposed by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry since 2006, has been one of important content in academic education. In general, “Fundamental competencies for working persons” consists of three competencies, i.e. “Ability to step forward (action), “Ability to think through (thinking)” and “Ability to work in a team (teamwork)”. Moreover, each competency is included in 3 〜6 competency factors, respectively. Recently, developmental programs of “Fundamental competencies for working persons”, e.g. Project Based Learning and career education, have been promoting in higher education. On the other hand, the education effect of regular class such as physical education classes on “Fundamental competencies for working persons” remains unclear. This study examined the changes of “Fundamental competencies for working persons”score in the college students who selectively participated in regular physical education classes, and then tried to reveal the education effect of regular physical education on improvement of “Fundamental competencies for working persons”. Moreover, this study investigated whether education intervention in physical education can induce further promotion of Fundamental competencies for working persons”. In this study, the questionnaire investigation about “Fundamental competencies for working persons” was performed at both first and final round of classes. As a result, the score of “Ability to think through (thinking)” in final round of classes was significantly increased than that in first round of classes (p<0.05). Likewise, the score of “Ability to work in a team (teamwork)” was significantly increased compared with that in final round of classes (p<0.05). Moreover, the score of “Creativity”, “Ability to deliver messages”, “Flexibility” and “Ability to grasp situations” were significantly increased in final round of classes as compered of that in first round of classes, respectively (p<0.05). These factors were competency factors that compose three competencies of “Fundamental competencies for working persons”. On the other hand, further promotion of “Fundamental competencies for working persons” by education intervention was not observed in this study, and thus further studies must be attempted to improve procedure of education intervention to promote further “Fundamental competencies for working persons”. Therefore, this study indicates that “Fundamental competencies for working persons” score is increased by the regular physical education classes in higher education, and thus it was suggested that regular physical education classes may have the inherent educational effect for the improvement of “Fundamental competencies for working persons”.