Gamified Program in Primary School

Effect of a Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program on Motivation, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behavior in Primary School Physical Education: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

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; 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
Experimental: Gamified Cooperative Exergaming Program; 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; An 8-week behavioral intervention delivered during regular physical education lessons (two 50-minute sessions per week; 16 sessions in total). The program integrated dance-based exergaming, cooperative learning, gamification, and symbolic rewards within a structured pedagogical framework. Sessions included choreographed exergames, cooperative motor challenges, progressive narrative levels, and group-based goals designed to promote autonomous motivation toward physical education, increase habitual physical activity, and reduce sedentary behavior in primary school children.
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; Standard school physical education delivered over 8 weeks (two 50-minute sessions per week) using the regular curriculum and conventional teaching methods. Classes included traditional physical education activities without exergaming, gamification, or structured cooperative learning strategies.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
School Engagement	Change in school engagement measured using the School Engagement Measure (SEM), including behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement, as well as the overall school engagement score. Higher scores indicate greater engagement with the teaching-learning process.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Academic Self-Efficacy	Change in self-efficacy measured using the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C), including academic, social, and emotional self-efficacy, as well as the overall self-efficacy score. Higher scores indicate greater perceived self-efficacy.	Baseline and immediately after the 8-week intervention
Academic Achievement	Change in academic achievement assessed using official school grades in Spanish Language and Literature, Mathematics, Natural, Social and Cultural Sciences, and Physical Education, together with the overall grade point average obtained before and after the intervention.	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 23, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 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.AC4

Drug and device information, study documents

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