Gamification is an innovative pedagogical approach to addressing problems related to social behaviour, student motivation and academic performance at different educational stages. Therefore, this research aimed to analyse its impact on the motivations and academic performances of university students. The research was carried out in the training of future teachers specialising in physical education during two academic courses. In total, 127 students participated in the study, divided into a gamified experimental group (n = 62) and a control group (n = 65). The participants completed a questionnaire to assess motivation in physical education before and after the intervention and performed a final exam to assess academic performance. The results indicated an increase in external regulation in the experimental group only. Furthermore, this group achieved significantly better academic performance. The findings of this study suggest that gamified implementation is beneficial for academic performance at the university stage, even though intrinsic motivation does not change. Furthermore, the nature of rewards or punishments, as characteristic of this pedagogical approach, could play an important role in the expected results, since external regulation increased significantly after the intervention.

El proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje está muy determinado por la motivación y el ambiente de aprendizaje. La motivación y el ambiente de aprendizaje, dentro de la educación, dependen mucho de las metodologías educativas que se implementan en los centros educativos. El objetivo de este trabajo es comparar la motivación y el estado de Flow entre la estrategia metodológica Flipped Classroom y una metodología tradicional. Para ello se llevó a cabo un estudio de diseño cuasiexperimental, con selección de la muestra no probabilística e intencional. 103 alumnos universitarios participaron en el estudio, divididos en un grupo experimental (Flipped Classroom) y un grupo control (metodología tradicional). La motivación y el estado de Flow se evaluaron antes de comenzar la impartición de lecciones relacionadas con la asignatura: “Didáctica de la Educación Física” y al finalizar la misma (cuatro meses). Se utilizaron los cuestionarios de metas de logro 2x2 (Guan et al., 2006) y DREEM (Herrera et al., 2015). Para determinar si existían diferencias iniciales y finales entre los grupos se realizó la prueba T-Student de muestras independientes. Para observar las diferencias intragrupo (pre vs pos-test) se utilizó una prueba T-Student para muestras relacionadas. Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias significativas entre el grupo de control y el grupo experimental en las variables aproximación/maestría (p < .001), enseñanza (p = .003) y aprendizaje (p = .05). Con la metodología Flipped Classroom el alumnado presenta niveles en la motivación y en el estado de Flow superiores al alumnado que imparte una metodología tradicional.  Summary. The teaching and learning process is highly determined by motivation and the learning environment. The motivation and the learning environment, within education, both of them depend a lot on the educational methodologies that are implemented in educational centers. The objective of this work is to compare the motivation and the state of Flow between the Flipped Classroom methodological strategy and a traditional methodology. For this reason, a quasi-experimental design study was carried out, with a selection of the non-probabilistic and intentional sample. 103 university students participated in the study, divided into an experimental group (Flipped Classroom) and a control group (traditional methodology). The motivation and the state of Flow were evaluated before the beginning of the lessons related to the subject: "Physical Education Didactics" and at the end of it (four months later). The 2x2 achievement goal questionnaires (Guan et al., 2006) and DREEM (Herrera et al., 2015) were used. To determine if there are initial and final differences between the groups, the T-Student test was performed on independent samples. To observe intra-group differences (pre vs. post-test), a T-Student test was detected for related samples. The results found that there are differences between the control group and the experimental group in the variables approach/mastery (p < .001), teaching (p = .003) and learning (p = .05). With the Flipped Classroom methodology, students have higher levels of motivation and Flow status than students who teach a traditional methodology.

Introducción: El propósito de la presente investigación es la de identificar como los juegos con competición y los juegos cooperativos afectan a la motivación del alumnado en las clases de educación física, en la etapa de la educación secundaria obligatoria. Método: Se ha recopilado la información científica necesaria en bases de datos como Pubmed, Google Scholar, Dialnet, Scopus y Web of Science. Para obtener los datos se ha llevado a cabo el cuestionario de motivación en las clases de educación física (CMEF) en un instituto de educación secundaria obligatoria de la ciudad de Alicante. Resultados: Se observaron mejoras en la motivación intrínseca en todos los grupos de trabajo. También se observaron diferencias significativas en el aumento de la motivación intrínseca del alumnado que realizó los juegos con competición. Conclusiones: Los juegos son una buena herramienta para mejorar la motivación del alumnado y los juegos con competición mejoran significativamente la motivación intrínseca en los estudiantes. Summary. Introduction: The purpose of this research is to identify how competitive and cooperative games affect students’ motivation in Physical Education classes, at the stage of compulsory secondary education. Method: The necessary scientific information has been collected in databases such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, Dialnet, Scopus, and Web of Science. In order to obtain the data, the motivation questionnaire in Physical Education classes (CMEF) was applied in a compulsory secondary school in the city of Alicante. Results: Intrinsic motivation improvements were observed in all work groups. Significant differences were also observed in the increase of students’ intrinsic motivation who performed games with competition. Conclusions: Games are a good tool to improve student’s motivation, and competitive games significantly enhance intrinsic motivation in students.

Competitive-grouping by chronological age is a common organizational strategy in competition which may unintentionally promote relative age effects, for the benefit of older individuals within the same competitive-group, especially in young athletes. This work presents the aim of analyzing differences in young triathletes on their performance within each competitive group. A total of 1243 entries of both sexes, both children—13–14 years old—and cadets—15–17 years old—participated. Firstly, we identified the year in the competitive group and relative-age semester for all the triathletes who competed in a total of six seasons from 2013 to 2018. Secondly, the performance indicator was calculated in all the segments in a triathlon competition for all triathletes. The Kruskal-Wallis Test and U Mann Whitney Test was applied. It was observed that all cadet triathletes born in the first semester of the year (S1, born in January–June) were faster; for both boys and girls. Likewise, it was observed that older triathletes who competed within the same category were faster, but only in males and for both competitive groups: children (p < 0.0083), and cadet (p < 0.0033). In conclusion, families, coaches and sports political agencies need a greater knowledge and understanding of the effects of relative age and competitive grouping to understand the important role of age in the development of sports talent demonstrated in this study.