Effects of Gamification and Cooperative Learning in Physical Education Teacher Training

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a gamified-cooperative project on achievement goals, basic psychological needs, and the perception of
autonomy support in the initial training of Physical Education teachers. A total of 132 fourth year students from a university in southern Spain were divided into three
groups (gamified-cooperative, cooperative, and traditional). The study followed a quasi-experimental, pre-test post-test design (10 and 12 weeks, 1.5 hours per week).
Perceived autonomy support, basic psychological needs, and 3x2 achievement goals of the participants were assessed. The gamified-cooperative group experienced
significant improvements in reducing comparison with other students and in procedural autonomy support. The cooperative group also showed improvements in
organizational and procedural autonomy support, while the control group improved in the perception of competence. Although there is a need for further research
to maximize the educational potential of these approaches in higher education, this study reveals that the implementation of gamification along with cooperative
learning can reduce comparison among students and increase the perception of autonomy, which is associated with positive outcomes for students.