Development and evaluation of Olympic and Paralympic education in schools for Tokyo 2020 Analysis of a report on the Nationwide Development Project of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement

• Published in: Taiikugaku kenkyu (Japan Journal of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences) Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 855 - 868
• Main Author: Miyazaki, Akiyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Tokyo Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences 16.12.2019; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: actual practices of Olympic and Paralympic Education; Education; interim evaluation of Olympic and Paralympic education programme; Paralympic Games; Schools; values based education
• ISSN: 0484-6710; 1881-7718
• DOI: 10.5432/jjpehss.19028

The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual practice, outcomes and challenges of the Olympic and Paralympic Education Programme in schools through an analysis of the Nationwide Development Project of Olympic and Paralympic Movement 2016-2017. The Japan Sports Agency have been running the Nationwide Development Project of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement since 2016 in association with 12 government bodies, and a further 22 joined in 2017. These government bodies were supervised by 3 universities, who designated specific schools for Olympic and Paralympic Education. The supervising universities held a startup seminar at the beginning of the school year and a workshop in which schools shared their own practices in the form of reports at the end of the year. This study examined the actual practice, outcomes and challenges related to this project through an analysis of these reports. The subjects were 4 prefectures that joined this project in both years: 111 schools in 2016 and 140 schools in 2017. 　The result showed that the most popular activities were lectures and sport experiences with Olympians and Paralympians, and that investigative learning about the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the “I’mPOSSIBLE” programme (IPC) has increased in 2017. Exchange programmes were also conducted with special needs schools, welfare facilities and sport festivals. These activities were intended to stimulate interest and concern about Olympic and Paralympic Games and Sports. The outcome was that students developed life skills, encouraging them to face challenges, make an effort, and to adopt a never-give-up attitude, kindness and sympathy for others through the education programmes. On the other hand, some challenges were also revealed, such as difficulties in inviting the Olympian or Paralympian lecturers and event management, suggesting that the education programmes should be conducted in a more systematic manner from an early stage. The results of this study indicated the importance of making Olympic and Paralympic Education part of the school curriculum and demonstrating the need to continue Olympic and Paralympic Education after Tokyo 2020.