Abstract
1. The Object of This Study
The aim of this study is to inquire on “What is long distance walkingks?” for high school students.
2. Investigation of Related Researchers and Significance of This Study.
There are physiological studies of endurance running in schools and colleges and reports mainly concerned with development of long distance running programs, but there are few pedagogical and philosophical studies on long distance walking in schools.
3. Outline of the Long Distance Walking School Event in Question.
The objectives of the event are (1) to challenge the limit of one's own physical ability, and (2) to cultivate the spirit of co-operation. There were 5 classes of distance from 23.1km to 46.4km selected by each party of students in which was grouped by 3-5 students and it was the from of participation to the event. There was no individual participation. Each school class had 10-12 parties. A table of calculating the score of performances are made, and competition between classes was organized.
4. The Method of This Study
After the event, all the participated students were surveyed by a questionaire which made up from 8 questions. From the result, the present authors found 2 fundamental problems required to think; id est, (1) reason of compulsory participation, and (2) the nature of distance. These were discussed.
5. The Results of This Study
The above mentioned two problems were discussed and the results were as follows.
1) The compulsory participation will be justified, if there are good effects upon students as a whole. At the beginning, there should be enough explanation and motivation for the students to explore the meanings and significance of the event.
And at the end of the event, there should be the chance of reflective thinking for the students. It was concluded that, if the “now” of the event, which begins from explanations and ends with reflection, is, in the last analysis, not compulsory, the event is justified. If not, it is not justified.
2) The distance was analyzed from the resources of the students reports. The present authors differentiated the distance as follows.
(1) geometrical distance
(2) physical distance
(3) physiological distance
(4) psychological distance
(5) cultural distance; a. contemplative and imaginative distance
b. social life distance
c. sight-seeing distance
d. socio-historical distance
It was concluded that the course planner of long distance walking should consider the above mentioned kind of distance to make the event humanistic.
