The Impact of Different Game Types and Sports on College Students’ Physical Activity and Motivation in Basic Instruction Program Settings

Abstract

Background: Although Basic Instruction Program (BIP) or Higher Education Physical Activity Program (HEPAP) classes within university/colleges are founded on the rationale of providing students with opportunities to be physically active, little is known about the physical activity (PA) accrual and/or motivation levels in these classes. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate college students’ Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) and motivationlevels while playing different games types (modified games/MGs, small-sided games/SSGs, and full-sided games/FSGs) in badminton and soccer classes. In addition, the study examined the extent to which motivation levels predicted students MVPA. Method: Participants were seventy-one college students (14 females) from a rural Mid-Atlantic university in the United States (U.S.).Triaxial accelerometers were used to collect MVPA data and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) to measure student motivation. Results: Students in soccer classes had statistically significant more MVPA than those in badminton. Students in soccer and badminton classes had most MVPA in FSGs and SSGs, respectively. Although students reported similar scores in the three IMI subscales when data were aggregated, soccer students reported higher levels of competence and effort in MGs, whereas badminton students reported higher levels of competence and effort in SSGs. Interest was the only statistically significant predictor of MVPA in MGs whereas perceived competence statistically significantly predicted MVPA in both SSGs and FSGs. Conclusion: PE and sport practitioners should utilize the different game types to find the optimal balance between MVPA and student motivation and realize lesson objectives.