Improving Students’ Motivation for Physical Activity Using Digital Media: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Physical Education Using Smartphones and Tablets

Based on the potential of digital media (DM) to increase students’ motivation in physical education (PE), this study investigated the effects of a theory-based tablet and smartphone intervention on students’ motivation in PE. A total of 309 students (8th and 9th grade) participated over five weeks. The intervention group (n = 161) carried out DM-supported PE lessons. Basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) and behavioral regulation were assessed. Results show no significant differences between groups on BPNS and behavioral regulation. However, BPNS moderated behavioral regulation regardless of the group. The non-significant results on BPNS and behavioral regulation show that the intervention did not lead to a significant improvement in motivation, which may be due to too little autonomy support, too little attractive content, and too little fun for the students. Future studies should investigate students’ preferences for DM in PE and use these findings to develop interventions to support BPNS in PE.