FUKUDA Minori

Focusing on questioning skills as a component of critical thinking, this study examined a common classroom practice for developing these skills in students: comment cards. The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire that measures the effectiveness of comment cards by describing how students use them and what ideas and attitudes they foster among students. 　A survey was conducted with 108 participants, making use of 15 question items regarding how teachers intended to use comment cards in classes and how the students responded. A factor analysis yielded 11 items divided into three factors . After testing the reliability of the model, a final version of the scale (the Scale for Measuring Effectiveness of Comment Cards) was produced. 　The scale can provide researchers with a quantitative measure for examining the practical effectiveness of comment cards. When used in combination with scales on critical thinking and questioning, the scale can further provide insights into both the practical effectiveness of comment cards and the issues to be addressed.

The activities of preventive care are important for extending life expectancy and improving the quality of life in an aging society. In order to spread these activities, the role of the community is important. “Ikiiki Hyakusai Taiso,” meaning lively 100-year-old’s gymnastics, is one of the preventive care activities operated by a local community. We analyzed whether there are any differences in the 12 elementary school districts regarding the data on living functions, physical functions, and medical expenses of the participants of the Ikiiki Hyakusai Taiso held in Sanyo-Onoda city. As a result, the Koyo Elementary School district was characterized by a few seconds of standing on one leg with eyes open, and low medical expenses. The community of Koyo Elementary School district has strong ties, and it is thought that preventive care activities are progressing with the help of local people. Akazaki and Motoyama Elementary School districts tend to have a high degree of certifications for preventive care. It is thought that this is because people who serve as self-government chairpersons and civil welfare officers and have a sense of mission play a central role in preventive care activities, and even those who find it difficult to participate alone in gymnastics can participate. It is important to strengthen local ties as a way of promoting preventive care activities. In areas where regional ties are not strong, it is considered effective to involve the chairman of the autonomy and local welfare officers.