The Impact of AI-Powered Learning Assistants on Student Motivation and Motor Skill Performance in Physical Education

This study examined the impact of AI-powered learning assistants on student motivation and motor skill performance in Physical Education (PE). A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used with 60 secondary school students, divided into an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). Over eight weeks, the experimental group used an AI-powered learning assistant that provided real-time feedback, personalized practice guidance, and video-based movement analysis, while the control group received conventional instruction. Motivation was measured with the Situational Motivation Scale, and motor skill performance with standardized skill tests. The experimental group improved motivation by 24.6%, compared with 9.8% in the control group, and motor skill performance by 31.2%, compared with 12.5%. Independent-samples t-tests showed significant between-group differences (p < .05) with large effect sizes. Motivation gains were positively correlated with skill improvement (r = .62). These findings suggest that AI-powered learning assistants can enhance student engagement and accelerate motor skill acquisition in PE. Integrating such tools with teacher guidance is recommended.