This study aimed to examine the physical competence of second graders in elementary school in a ball-throwing task by reapplying teaching strategies that were introduced in the first grade. In the first grade, students learned to play tag, which was applied as a teaching strategy to enhance their physical competence. Physical competence comprises three factors: perceived physical competence, feelings of control, and peer and teacher acceptance. In addition to these factors, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical competence and tactical decision-making ability. A total of 82 second-grade students participated in this study. They were taught in which game situation to throw the ball. To evaluate their physical competence, we utilized the physical competence scale. The tactical decision-making ability when the ball was held during the game was analyzed in the following aspects: shooting, passing, and ball keeping (waiting until the area is clear). For each of the three factors of physical competence, the changes in tactical decision-making ability were analyzed by dividing the participants equally into upper and lower groups with high and low physical competence, respectively. The following findings were derived:

(1) Compared to the scores in a previous study, the physical competence scores before the ball-throwing task in the current study had higher scores in the upper and lower groups.

(2) The upper group maintained a high physical competence before and after the ball-throwing task while the lower group showed improvement after the task.

(3) The decision-making ability during the task improved in the upper and lower groups.

(4) The improvement in perceived physical competence in the lower groups was associated with their improved decision-making ability.

(5) A positive relationship was found between the upper and lower groups in terms of peer and teacher acceptance and ball keeping.

Our study revealed improvements in the physical competence of the second graders after reapplying teaching strategies to a ball-throwing task. These improvements in physical competence were found to be related to the enhancement of decision-making ability. Moreover, peer and teacher acceptance was improved, thus allowing the students to “wait until the area was clear.”

The purpose of this study is to understand the current issues and point out the problems of coeducational physical education classes in Japan by clarifying the perceptions of junior high school physical education teachers regarding coed physical education classes.

We surveyed 250 junior high school physical education teachers. The results show that junior high school physical education teachers’ approval or disapproval of coed physical education classes is a non-significant association between their age, gender, or teaching career. However, the approval or disapproval is significantly associated with their own experience of coed physical education classes when they were junior high school students and the actual implementation of coeducational physical education classes. These results suggest that the junior high school physical education teacher’s experiences as students before entering the teacher-training course influenced the perceptions of coed physical education classes. And it indicates professional socialization does not have significant effects on their perceptions of coed physical education classes.

Among those who take the affirmative position on the coed physical education classes, some physical education teachers state that the reason for this is that students can learn about opposite-sex gender roles like “strength” and “litheness”. In addition, those who take the against position on the coed physical education classes argued that there are differences in body build and athletic ability between boys and girls, and it is tough to teach students in the adolescent stage of development. It suggests that they do not have sufficient opportunities to acquire knowledge of gender and the skill to plan and conduct coed physical education classes in occupational socialization as a physical education teacher.

Consequently, while it is important to find “how to implement” the coed physical education classes, the results imply the need for ensuring that physical education teachers and Pre-service physical education teachers get opportunities to learn about the purpose and value of coed physical education classes and specialized information about gender.

The purpose of this study was to develop the criterion of observational movement evaluation of no-breath front crawl for the 4th grade children of swimming classes in elementary school physical education and verify for its effectiveness. Participants in this study were 4th grade 68 children (24 boys and 44 girls). Specifically, no-breath front crawl performance test was conducted, and the analysis was performed according to 2 data: reaching distance and movement score.

The main results were as follows:

・This study developed the criterion of observational movement evaluation for no-breath front crawl with three site movements (”stroke”, ”trunk movement” and ”flutter kick”) , six evaluation items (“pull”, “push”, “posture”, “rolling”, “leg movement” and “kick width”) and a three-level scale.

・The reliability of this criterion was high because the response stability and consistency in the movement evaluation of the no-breath front crawl were significantly recognized.

・The validity of this criterion was high because there was a significant correlation between no-breath front crawl performances score and the reaching distance.

These results indicated that the developed criterion can be used for the movement evaluation of no-breath front crawl for children in the 4th grade.

The purpose of this study was to examine trends in international English journals on research of physical education classes using mixed methods research. Research articles on PE classes published from 2003 to 2020 in seven journals were identified from SPORTDiscus™ with Full Text. These articles were analyzed regarding the purpose of research, mixed methods design, data collection and analysis methods, and the presentation of results.

As a result, extracted articles were 19 articles. The purpose of research was classified into three categories: “research on the actual conditions and outcomes related to learning and teaching models and methods (Teaching and instructional methods)”, “research on the actual conditions such as learners’ behavior and psychology (Learners)”, and “research on the actual conditions such as teachers’ behavior, psychology, and perceptions (Teachers)”.

About the mixed methods design, “Convergent design” was used in research on “Teaching and instructional methods” and “Teachers”, while three basic types of mixed research design were used in research on “Leaners”. According to the focus of the study, various approaches were used in data collection and data analysis.

It was confirmed that the presentation of results depended on not the purpose of research, but the mixed methods design

These results suggest that following issues in the study of physical education classes using the mixed method research in Japan. First, the characteristics of mixed methods research and which mixed methods design was used and that reasons must be described. Second, in qualitative data analysis, systematic theory was required for approaches for establishment of reliability and validity. In addition, in order to clarify the reasons for and factors contributing to learner behavior in physical education classes, it is useful data collect approaches that collect data using open-ended questionnaires, a small number of subjects, and relatively short interviews.