Gamifying Hyflex Pe: An Investigation of its effect on Health-Related Fitness and Learning Interest among Tertiary Students

This study investigated the effects of two gamification approaches—content gamification and structural gamification—on health-related fitness and learning interest among sophomore students enrolled in a hyflex Physical Education class (PATHFIT 4). Using a quasi-experimental research design, the study involved two groups of college students from Laguna State Polytechnic University-San Pablo City Campus over a five-week intervention period. The Content Gamification group experienced gamified learning through game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics, while the Structural Gamification group was exposed to points, badges, and leaderboard systems. The findings revealed that anthropometric measurements remained unchanged for both groups. However, significant improvements were observed in health-related fitness components. The Structural Gamification approach demonstrated superior results in cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility compared to the Content Gamification approach. The Content Gamification approach was most effective in developing muscle strength among the measured parameters. Both groups demonstrated highly significant improvements in learning interest across all three dimensions: feelings and re-engagement. Students progressed from "moderately interested" to "very highly interested" in all measured aspects. While the Structural Gamification group showed slightly larger improvements in learning interest, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in post-assessment learning interest scores. The study concludes that while both gamification approaches effectively enhance learning interest in physical education, structural gamification is significantly more effective for improving health-related fitness outcomes. These findings suggest that different gamification strategies may target distinct outcome domains with varying degrees of effectiveness, providing educators flexibility to choose gamification strategies based on their specific objectives and contexts.