Motivational effects of digital media on students in physical education: a scoping review

Introduction & study purpose Current research indicates that digital media (DM) may positively impact students’ motivation in physical education (PE). However, the theoretical details behind such motivational effects remain to be established. This scoping review provides an overview of the research on the motivational effects of DM in PE and discusses the results in the context of self-determination theory as a suitable basis for PE. Methods This scoping review was conducted according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Six databases (Eric, Psyndex, Pubmed, PsycInfo, SportDISCUS, Web of Science) were searched using the following inclusion criteria: (1) peer-reviewed publication, (2) empirical study, (3) English, (4) published in the last 15 years, and (5) deals with the motivational effects of DM on students in PE. Results In total, 14 studies were included in this review. The studies aimed to measure motivational effects of DM use in PE in three categories: intrinsic motivation, behavioral regulation, and basic psychological need (BPN) satisfaction. Eleven studies reported positive motivational changes in at least one of the three categories. Based on the included studies, five uses of DM in PE were identified: instruction, feedback, monitoring, knowledge transfer, and entertainment. Discussion & Conclusion Overall, the use of DM in PE can decrease controlled and increase self-determined forms of behavioral regulation, and enhance BPN satisfaction. However, this scoping review shows that further research is needed to investigate which processes lead to motivational effects and how these can be explained by psychological theories. Furthermore, it is important to examine the differences between DM uses and the sustainability of motivational effects.