An International Perspective on Strategies to Increase College Students’ Empathy in Gymnastics Courses

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explain an international perspective on strategies to increase college students’ empathy in gymnastics courses. One of the most popular basic physical activity courses in Japan is a trampoline-based gymnastics course that helps college students practice the safe use of the trampoline based on their own developmental interest and skill level. Instructors who teach gymnastics in basic instructional courses must understand the background of their students and should reduce the academic and social uncertainty and anxiety associated with gymnastics performance and practices in their courses. The authors explain four instructional strategies that foster the development of empathy in gymnastics courses in higher education. These strategies are (a) perspective taking through understanding different roles, (b) refraining from judgement and learning how to give empathy-based feedback, (c) recognizing emotion in others, and (d) self-assessment of empathy through communicating the understanding of another person’s emotions. While our materials and examples are unique to gymnastics and trampoline, the structure of the materials can be applied across physical activity settings at the secondary school and university level. Motor learning experiences in physical education and physical activity classes can help improve empathy when presented using the strategies and components introduced in this article. By having similar experiences through physical activity, we can come to understand each other’s emotions, and based on this understanding, we can communicate with others in a positive, empathetic manner.