2024 Volume 21 Pages 145-160
The primary purpose of this study was to design a university physical education Gymnastics for All class that promoted students’ daily physical activity and aligned with the experienced gymnastics instructors’ ideal of “physicality,” “competence,” “autonomy,” and “relatedness” (Maehara et al., 2023). The second objective was to assess the program’s effectiveness through the learners’ class feedback, utilizing the “method to visualize students’ learning based upon descriptive contents of Reaction-Paper” by Suda (2017). The first half of each session focused on exercises that emphasized “physicality” such as stretching, while the second half was designed to foster “autonomy” and “sense of competence” by incorporating activities like G-ball and Wheel gymnastics. Group activities were also incorporated throughout the class to strengthen the “relatedness.” An exercise self-monitoring sheet was used as an assignment to record daily physical activity outside of class time. An analysis of the students’ feedback revealed that practicing stretching exercises helped them confront their own body and mind, thereby contributing to “physicality.” Practicing with inexperienced exercise materials enhanced their “competence.” Engaging in easy-to-practice daily life exercises and recording observations in daily life promoted “autonomy.” Lastly, participating in light exercise in pairs and groups fostered “relatedness.” These findings suggest that the trial lesson successfully aligned with the instructors’ vision of “physicality,” “competence,” “autonomy,” and “relatedness,” and the students understood the lesson’s intent. Further research is needed to examine the long-term impact on students’ daily physical activity.
