Exergames in formal school teaching: A pre-post longitudinal field study on the effects of a dance game on motor learning, physical enjoyment, and learning motivation

Abstract

Commercial exergames are popular entertainment games and beneficial for health and motivation. However, more evidence on their effectiveness in learning contexts is needed. The present pre-post longitudinal field study focused on whether and how a commercial dance exergame promotes student learning and on several experience factors when being integrated into formal school teaching across four regular sports lessons. In line with curricular guidelines, twenty students in sixth grade participated, practicing a dance choreography and competing against each other in groups. Motor learning was assessed in terms of changes in game scores and students’ self-rated dance skills, as well as their experienced dance and game enjoyment, learning motivation, group cohesion, and acceptance of video games. The results show that students’ objective and subjective measures of dance skills increased differently across the lessons, while their dance and game enjoyment did not change and was high across all lessons. Exploratory results indicate overall high learning motivation, group cohesion, and acceptance of video games for school teaching. Practical implications for school teaching are outlined, as well as prospects for further research on the educational effectiveness of exergames.