The Avengers in action: A gamified-based intermittent programming unit in the Physical Education setting to promote physical activity and its psychological mediators in secondary education students.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a gamified-based intermittent teaching unit in the Physical Education setting, combined with behavior modification strategies and following an autonomysupportive teaching style, on secondary education students’ physical activity (PA) psychological mediators and objective weekly PA levels. A sample of 142 secondary education students (50 % females; 14–16 years) from six classes were clustered randomly and assigned to Avengers (n = 79) or Control (n = 63) groups. The Avengers group students performed a gamified-based intermittent teaching unit using only the first 15 min of each session twice a week for eight weeks. Based on the Trans-Contextual Model of autonomous motivation in education, the intermittent teaching unit was performed by behavior modification strategies such as goal-setting, activity wristband, educational counselling, reminders, diary, motivational messages, and incentives. Students’ selfreported PA psychological mediators were assessed by validated psychometric questionnaires before and after the intervention. Moreover, objective weekly PA was assessed by the students wearing a Xiaomi Mi Band 5 activity wristband before and during the last week of the intervention. The Multilevel Linear Model results showed that the gamified-based teaching unit produced a statistically significant improvement in all Avengers group students’ PA psychological mediators (p < 0.05; d = 0.29–1.52) and objective weekly PA levels (p < 0.001; d = 1.17). A gamified-based intermittent teaching unit in Physical Education combined with behavior modification strategies seems to be effective for enhancing secondary education students’ PA psychological mediators and weekly PA levels.