Influence of Virtual Reality and Gamification Combined with Practice Teaching Style in Physical Education on Motor Skills and Students' Perceived Effort: A Mixed-Method Intervention Study

This mixed-method study examined the impact of combining virtual reality (VR) and gamification (GAM) with the practice teaching style (PTS) on students' motor skills and perceived effort in physical education. Participants (n = 75) were divided into three groups: PTS (control), PTS + GAM and PTS + GAM + VR. Each group had two one-hour sessions per week for six weeks. Participants' motor skills and perceived effort were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively using tests such as the SportComp Motor, flamingo and plate-tapping tests, as well as the handgrip strength test and the Pictorical Children's Effort Rating Table. The results indicate that the PTS group reported a higher perceived effort compared to the other groups (p < 0.001). All study groups exhibited improvements in the handgrip strength (p < 0.001) and flamingo (p < 0.05) tests, while lateral jump test improvements were observed only in the two GAM groups (p < 0.001). The VR group showed an improvement in the plate-tapping tests (p < 0.001), while the PTS group exhibited a decline in the displacement with support test (p < 0.05). Participant perceptions suggest that the activity nature, motivation from competition and rewards influenced the perceived effort and motor skills. In conclusion, GAM techniques are effective in reducing perceived effort in physical education programs, and combining GAM with VR enhances improvements in motor skills.