RC Grant Findings: Learning Activity Effects on Students' Situational Motivation and Activity Levels

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of three learning activities on students' situational motivation and PA levels. This study also examined the predictive strengths of motivational variables to PA levels. In this study, situational motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000) includes intrinsic motivation (IM), identified regulation (IR), external regulation (ER) and amotivation (AM).

Methods

Four hundred and twelve 7th-9th grades participated in three activities (cardiovascular fitness, ultimate football, and Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]) in physical education class. Students' PA levels were measured by Actigraph GT1M accelerometers for three classes for each activity, respectively. Students also completed a Situational Motivation Scale (Guay et al., 2000) by the end of each class.

Analysis/Results

Descriptive analyses determined students' different levels of situational motivation and percentages of time engaged in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). A one-way MANOVA with repeated measures was used to examine the effects of three activities on students' situational motivation and time in MVPA. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was employed to determine how students' situational motivation beliefs predicted time in MVPA. The MANOVA revealed a significant main effect for activity, Wilks' Lambda = .24, F (10, 270) = 87.45, p = .00, ç2 = .76. Follow-up tests indicated that students spent significant higher percentages of time in MVPA in fitness and football classes than they did in DDR class (p = .00). Students reported higher IM and IR toward fitness than DDR (p < .05). They also scored higher in IR toward fitness than football (p =.00). In contrast, students displayed significantly lower AM toward fitness than football and DDR (p < .05). HLM yielded significant predictors for time in MVPA, ÷2 = 830.14, d.f. =373, p = .00. Specifically, IM emerged as the only positive predictor for time in MVPA (t = 2.28, p = .02) whereas AM was the negative predictor (t = -3.86, p = .00).

Conclusions

Students were not as physically active in DDR as they were in fitness and football. Students' also displayed lower level of motivation toward DDR. It is possible that their skill levels in DDR were relatively low. The results suggest that fitness units are an effective activity to incorporate to maximize MVPA and intrinsic motivation. Additionally, students' IM positively predicted percentages of time spent in MVPA. Instructors should present and organize the activities in an interesting and enjoyable way which leads to the maximum of MVPA.