Early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by family, community members, and older adults themselves, is important for identifying those who are at increased risk for dementia and need further evaluation. The author has developed a novel exercise form (Square-Stepping Exercise, SSE). SSE is a low-cost and easily administered exercise intervention that involves replicating a previously demonstrated stepping pattern in order to progress across a gridded floor mat. There are a total of 200 stepping patterns, ranging in difficulty from beginner (easy) to advanced (difficult) levels. A previous study found that those with low cognitive function could not accurately complete the difficult stepping patterns. The purpose of this study was to develop a protocol using SSE patterns to detect those with possible MCI. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and four different SSE patterns [Pattern A (easy) to D (difficult)] were used to evaluate older adults (aged 65 years or older; n = 168) for possible MCI. Of the 168 participants, 25% were classified as having possible MCI (25 points or less on the MoCA). Success rates for all participants for Patterns A to D were 92.8%, 59.9%, 67.3%, and 16.2%, respectively. Those with MCI had significantly lower success rates than those without MCI. After applying the decision tree analysis involving age, sex, and information on success/failure for each pattern, a protocol was developed as follows: if an older adult fails to accurately complete the allocated stepping pattern (Pattern C for aged 75 years or younger; Pattern B for aged 76 years or older), he/she may be considered as possible MCI. The protocol showed high sensitivity (69.0%) and specificity (76.2%) and a low false positive rate (23.8%) when applying to all the participants. In conclusion, this new protocol was developed to detect possible MCI and may be useful in home and community settings. Specifically, if an older adult fails to accurately complete the designated stepping pattern then this would signal the need for further clinical evaluation and to take additional measures to improve cognitive function.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine a method to help college students to increase comments on their college physical education class in terms of quantity. Methods: Students (n = 248) were randomly assigned to Normal group (N group; n = 132) and Intervention group (I group; n = 116). All the students took a class consisting of a lecture and group work (a consensus game) and were told to write their impressions about the lecture and group work at the end of class. The N group students were distributed a paper written “Your impressions”, while the I group students were distributed a paper written “Your impressions (4 or more)”. Then, we collected all the papers to assess the number of characters and sentences and the content of their comments. Results: The number of characters and sentences was significantly greater in the I group than in the N group (P < 0.001). The instruction of “four or more” approximately quadruplicated the number of those who wrote more than four sentences, although there were no significant differences in the number of characters per sentence or in the rate of those who wrote shorter and/or longer sentences between the both groups. Futhermore, the content of what the I group students wrote was more about communication than that of the N group students (P < 0.05). Compared with keywords of communication, the words such as “jibun”, “group or han”, and “iken” appeared more frequently in the I group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that, when college students are assigned to write their impressions in a physical education class, the instruction of “four or more” increases the number of characters and sentences and may enhance the effects of reviewing thier lesson content as compared to normal instruction.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of three types of physical education classes on the fundamental competencies for working persons in college students. Physical education classes were classified into beach

volleyball (BV), table tennis (TT) and training (TR) classes. BV, TT and TR classes were attended by 65, 85, and 85

college students, respectively. In the BV, TT and TR classes, the students were grouped into teams of 6, 3 and 3

members, respectively. Every class included education programs based on project-based learning (PBL) to cultivate the fundamental competencies for working persons. We asked college students to evaluate their own fundamental competencies for working persons by using questionnaires administered at the 2nd (Pre-test) and 12th (Post-test) classes. As a result, initiative, ability to influence, ability to detect issues, ability to listen closely and carefully, and ability to grasp situations improved significantly between the Pre- and Post-test in the BV and TT classes compared with the TR class. We speculated that one reason was due to an appetite for learning and a sense of coherence induced by the framework and organic linkage between PBLs based on sports activities like beach volleyball and table tennis. This study suggests that educational programs and methodology should be arranged to facilitate interpersonal interactions according to the situations and properties of physical education classes.

“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”.

The purpose of this study was to compare lower body-based physical fitness tests of university students before and after 15-week of sports activity in a university physical education class. Eighty male university students participated in this study. They took a physical education class (softball, futsal or basketball) in university once a week for 10 weeks. Measurements taken at 2nd and 3rd class (pre) and at 14th and 15th class (post) were: body weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), resting heart rate, muscle thickness (MT) for anterior and posterior thigh and posterior lower leg, girth for thigh and lower leg, muscle strength margin with squat-to-stand motion (MSM), knee extension muscle strength (KE), standing broad jump (SBJ), 30-s chair test (CS-30), one-legged standing with eyes closed and handgrip (HG). Body weight, BMI, SBP and DBP were decreased (p < 0.05) from pre to post (Body weight: 62.8 ± 8.2 kg vs. 61.8 ± 7.4 kg, BMI: 21.5 ± 2.6 kg/m² vs. 20.9 ± 3.3 kg/m², SBP : 118.6 ± 10.2 mmHg vs. 112.3 ± 10.3 mmHg, DBP : 71.0 ± 9.1 mmHg vs. 65.8 ± 9.2 mmHg, respectively). There were differences (p < 0.05) in MT between pre and post for posterior thigh and lower leg, but not for anterior thigh. MSM, SBJ and CS-30 were increased (p < 0.05) from pre to post (MSM: 197.7 ± 17.8% vs. 202.4 ± 20.1%, SBJ: 211.4 ± 0.2 cm vs. 221.5 ± 0.2 cm, CS-30: 36.9 ± 4.0 times vs. 39.2 ± 4.3 times, respectively). There was no difference (p > 0.05) between pre and post in KE (41.6 ± 9.2 kg vs. 43.3 ± 9.5 kg). One-legged standing with eyes closed was increased (p < 0.05) from pre to post (60.4 ± 37.1 sec vs. 77.0 ± 40.4 sec). Our results indicate that weekly sports activity in a university physical education class effects in lower muscle strength and power in university students.

Many sporting clay grounds at universities are not dedicated to a specific use, but instead shared by multiple clubs. The aim of this study was to clarify the current status for the maintenance of the condition of multipurpose clay grounds at universities. The level of two university clay grounds (ground T, 81 × 111 m; ground R, 92 × 91 m) was measured using an electronic digital level. Ground conditions (ground leveling, injury occurrence, awareness of ground conditions, etc.) were also investigated by a questionnaire given to players and seven club representatives who used the two surveyed grounds. The results were as follows. Ground T gradually sloped downward toward its edge from its center, and Ground R gradually sloped downward from its baseball diamond concentrically toward the edge. Ground T had some relatively large unevenness in the area of the baseball diamond, but no unevenness was seen in Ground R. The differences in the ground conditions were attributed to differences in awareness among club members of the ground leveling method and appropriate use of the grounds. A user of ground T had concerns about the prominence of buried ground markers and ground unevenness, and a user of ground R was concerned about ground unevenness and poor drainage. Both these users reported injuries due to these ground defects.

Coach feedback significantly contributes to players’sport competence associated with intrinsic motivation. However, limited research has examined this relationship with observation in real sport-coaching settings. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between coach feedback and players’self-perceived sport competence in actual coaching contexts. One coach and 23 players of a male university soccer club participated in this study. The coach’s feedback to the players was recorded for 10 weeks using VTR and, subsequently, categorized into seven domains: (1) positive, (2) negative, (3) instructive, (4) questioning, (5) organizing, (6) friendly, and (7) other. Both before and after receiving coach feedback, players were asked to complete a questionnaire, which consisted of 10 subscales: (1) pass and control decision-making, (2) speed, (3) dribble skill, (4) physical strength, (5) endurance, (6) defense skill, (7) leadership, (8) motivation, (9) long kick skill, (10) heading skill. A significant relationship between soccer players’self-perceived competence and coach feedback was found. The results reveal that frequency of positive feedbacks, such as praise and encouragement, are negatively associated with pass and control decision-making as well as dribble skill. The results further indicate that collegiate male soccer players tend to draw on self-comparison and other internal processes more than positive coach feedback to evaluate their competence. Alternatively, a positive association between negative feedback, such as negative feedbacks, and pass and control decision-making competence was also found. In competitive sports setting, the coach and players would share their common goal as a victory. In this case, players who received negative coach feedback understand the coaches’intent behind that. As a result, negative coach feedback seems to improve players’self-perceived competence in pass and control decision-making areas.

Here we report on an investigation of sport climbing practice using twenty eight healthy female university students as subjects. The intention was to promote the technical skills required for climbing and encourage the awakening of student motivation. We recorded 1）self-evaluation of basic skills, 2）performance tests, 3）changes in the number of climbs, and 4）details of experiences during the practice sessions. In addition to studying the efficacy and challenges during these sessions, we also discuss the contents of teaching given during each period from the perspective of basic skill acquisition by beginners. 1）The self-evaluation of basic skills increased during the course of the session. Items such as advance observation of the route and items related to methods of basic movement changed from lower values in the first half to relatively high values in the second half. 2）The results of the performance test showed that the section reached increased for 14 out of 27 participants （51.9%）. Differences were also observed in the duration of exercise during the completion of one route and in the movement during a specific section, based on fluctuations in performance. 3）The number of climbs increased as the sessions progressed. When compared to the first session, the values were significantly higher from the 6th session onwards. 4）Results of a questionnaire regarding the details of experience showed that the items ‘learning of climbing knowledge and skills’, ‘changes in human relations’, ‘enjoyment of the lesson’, and ‘a sense of fulfillment’ were scored highly. 5）Based on the results of the present study, we investigated the staged contents of teaching for basic skills. We believe that the main challenges during the first half are advance observation of the route and establishing a method for basic hand and foot movement. Once these have been established, we believe that the main challenge in the second half is imparting an understanding of the relationship between the footholds and how to manage the body.

In order to clarify the learning outcomes of the college physical education, an alumni survey was executed on the internet in the beginning of August, 2015. The subjects of survey were the graduates who met three following conditions. (1) who attended a class of physical education during at a four-year university, (2) who are under the fifth year after graduation and 30 years or younger, (3) who were the graduates of a private university in 3 metropolises. 102 men (38.6%) and 162 woman (61.4%) answered concerning the impressions and the experiences of the class of the college physical education. The main results are as follows.

1. As a result of having performed text mining of free description answers, the fun things in college physical education were "interchanges with the students of other departments", "making friends", "playing sports with man and women " and "physical activities".

2. As a result of having performed text mining of free description answers, good things or the things that helps now were "having exercise in the class of the university" and "physical activities". Many men answered "helping one's physical fitness", "continuing sports now", and "learning about strength training". Many women answered "making customs of stretching". There was a difference in the kinds of sports evaluated by men and women.

3. Only three experiences that related to cultivation of the human nature were gained. There may be a limit in such an internet investigation. It is thought that it is necessary to examine the method like an interview and a discussion investigation to make graduates to draw on their memories.