Gamified Program in Primary School Physical Education ((MOVE-PE))

Effects of a Pedagogically Designed Active Technology Programme on Physical Fitness, Motor Competence, and Physical Activity Self-perceptions in Primary School Children

This study evaluates the effects of an 8-week gamified cooperative exergaming program implemented during regular physical education lessons in primary school children. Participants were assigned by classroom to either an experimental group, which completed "The Movement League" program integrating dance-based exergames, cooperative learning, and gamification, or a control group, which received conventional physical education. The study aims to determine whether this multicomponent intervention improves motivation toward physical education, increases habitual physical activity, and reduces sedentary behavior compared with standard physical education.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Activity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League); Other: Conventional Physical Education

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 176
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Jaén, Spain
    • Primary school

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 8 to 12 years.
• Enrolled in grades 3 to 6 of primary school.
• Able to participate safely in regular physical education classes.
• Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian.
• Verbal assent provided by the participant.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Physical pathology or medical contraindication preventing safe participation in physical activity.
• Formal diagnosis of severe learning difficulties or developmental disorders.
• Failure to complete the outcome assessments at both baseline and post-intervention.
• Attendance at fewer than 14 of the 16 intervention sessions (less than 85% adherence).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Conventional Physical Education; Participants received the school's standard physical education curriculum for 8 weeks (two 50-minute sessions per week), using conventional teaching methods and activities without exergames, gamification, or structured cooperative learning components.	Other: Conventional Physical Education; Participants received the school's standard physical education curriculum for 8 weeks (two 50-minute sessions per week), using conventional teaching methods and activities without exergames, gamification, or structured cooperative learning components.
Experimental: Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League); Participants received an 8-week gamified cooperative exergaming program ("The Movement League") delivered during regular physical education lessons (two 50-minute sessions per week). The intervention integrated dance-based exergames, cooperative learning, gamification, and symbolic rewards to promote motivation, physical activity, and reduce sedentary behavior.	Behavioral: Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program (The Movement League); Participants received an 8-week gamified cooperative exergaming program ("The Movement League") delivered during regular physical education lessons (two 50-minute sessions per week). The intervention integrated dance-based exergames, cooperative learning, gamification, and symbolic rewards to promote motivation, physical activity, and reduce sedentary behavior.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Health-Related Physical Fitness	Change in health-related physical fitness measured using the ALPHA-Fitness Test Battery, including cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run), lower-body muscular power (standing long jump), upper-body muscular strength (handgrip strength), and speed-agility (4 × 10 m shuttle run).	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Motor Competence	Change in motor competence measured using the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA), including movement skill quality, task completion time, and total score.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Physical Activity Self-Perceptions	Change in physical activity self-perceptions measured using the Children's Self-Perceptions of Adequacy in and Predilection for Physical Activity (CSAPPA) questionnaire, including adequacy, predilection, enjoyment, and total score.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Jaén

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 2, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 26, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): April 2, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 24, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 23, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Motor Activity
• Other Study ID Numbers: U.AC

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No