[O-63] Food-Related Educational Environment in Japanese Schools During COVID-19: Has the learning enjoyment been lost?
Keywords:Japanese School Activities、Covid-19、Food Education "Shokuiku"
[Purpose]This study aimed to identify how the COVID-19 affected the food-related educational framework in Japanese schools, from the viewpoints and practises of nutrition teachers.[Method]A number of (13) face-to-face interviews were conducted with expert nutrition teachers working in school lunch centres or schools in (4) different cities within Osaka prefecture during 2021, which lasted for 30 mins. [Results]The study found that COVID-19 dramatically changed the entire learning setting related to food in Japanese schools. Due to COVID-19 regulations, school lunchtime lacked the customary teacher-student interaction that occurs during lunchtime guidance, as well as student-student sociability during participating in lunchtime activities. Moreover, all hands-on food education activities were effectively cancelled.[Conclusion]COVID-19 had wider-anging impacts on food-related educational activities, including school lunches and indoor and outdoor hands-on activities. Consequently, schoolchildren may have missed some of the more enjoyable learning chances and the supportive learning opportunities that food education programmes offer for fostering social engagement and personal fulfilment.