Background: Gamification is a novel active methodology used in Physical Education to motivate students. Purpose: This study analyzed the impact of this method on the motivation of Compulsory Secondary Education students in Spain during an 8-session Physical Education Didactic Unit. Methods: A total of 275 students participated, divided into a…

Background: The need for novelty has been recently proposed as a candidate need within basic psychological needs theory (BPNT). In physical education (PE), research has shown that meeting students' need for novelty is often positively associated with enhanced (and negatively associated with impaired) pupils' well-being. Frustrating students'…

Background: Although several studies that rely on self-determination theory have shown the positive interrelations among perceived need supportive learning environment, needs satisfaction, quality of motivation, and desired outcomes in the context of physical education, only few studies have tested so far the full sequence of relations within a…

Background: The importance of clarifying goals and providing process feedback for student learning has been widely acknowledged. From a Self-Determination Theory perspective, it is suggested that motivational and learning gains will be obtained because in well-structured learning environments, when goals and process feedback are provided, students…

Background: According to self-determination theory [Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci. 2017. "Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development and wellness." New York, NY: Guilford], teachers' interpersonal behaviors would relate to students' behavioral outcomes in physical education. Although a body of…

Background: We present a unique study of adventure sports coaches teaching lead climbing. Expanding existing work on judgement and decision making, we examine the coaching process and the decision making employed to manage the pedagogical and security needs of climbers when they are being introduced to lead climbing. Research design and data…

Background: A distinction is made in Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) between task-oriented (i.e. effort, intra-individual progress, and self-comparison) and ego-oriented (i.e. inter-individual progress and normative comparison) climates. Combining insights from AGT and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), studies in the PE context have shown that a…

Background: Many children aged 9-12 appear to have low levels of fundamental movement skills (FMS). Physical education (PE) is important because PE-teachers can teach children a variety of FMS and can influence PE-motivation. However, declined levels of PE-motivation are reported in the final grades of elementary school. Therefore, more insight in…

Background: Providing motivationally supportive physical education experiences for learners is crucial, since empirical evidence in sport and physical education research has associated intrinsic motivation with positive educational outcomes. Self-determination theory (SDT) provides a valuable framework for examining motivationally supportive…

Background: Motivation is central to successful performance. In the case of sports coaches, drive is a prerequisite to sustained successful engagement in a complex, dynamic, and turbulent work environment. What fuels these coaches' drive to pursue this vocational activity? Coach motivation has been underrepresented in previous research which has…

Background: There is a significant amount of research which shows a proportion of girls are not engaging with physical education (PE) in school, resulting in a number of relatively inactive girls within the PE class. These girls are often identified in the literature as "low active", "hard to reach" or "disengaged".…

Background: A major goal within physical education is to develop a student who will engage in a lifetime of physical activity. A concept deemed critical and strongly associated with engagement in physical activity is motivation. As such, a number of research studies have been focused on elements that facilitate student motivation in physical…

Background: The relationship between outcomes, such as student learning, student motivation, and continued participation in activity, remains an important research focus within physical education. In particular, research has shown that secondary students exhibit behaviors indicative of low levels of motivation. Thus, there is a need for teachers…

Background: The motivation of physical education (PE) teachers has received precious little attention over the years. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a salient theoretical model for understanding motivation, and posits that self-determined motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation) stems from the perceived fulfillment of three psychological needs:…