Purpose : Enjoyment in physical education represents a critical factor for increasing students’ physical activity (PA) levels. Designing game formats using a constraints-led approach, fostering richer experiences for all students, may help achieve this goal. This study examines how interaction effects between variations in the size of the playing area and student characteristics (e.g., sex and skill level) influence both PA levels and enjoyment in badminton. Method : Two hundred and fifty-four students participated in three badminton game formats where court size was varied: “singles full court,” “singles half-court,” and “doubles.” Results : The main results showed that PA generated in the singles full court fell into the “vigorous” category, but the analysis of interactions between environmental and individual constraints revealed how they modify this “area” effect. Discussion/Conclusion : Results underscored the importance of designing playing area dimensions in games (e.g., with a hybrid “accordion” format) to align with the specific needs of students, thereby enhancing PA levels.

Physical Education (PE) teachers' and coaches' education must develop specific skills to integrate technological elements into their pedagogical practices. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a university-based intervention in Sports Science using a digital application in gymnastics on students' motor skills compliance to the rules, motivation, and knowledge. Two classes of Sports Science students took part in 10 lessons. The experimental group (23 students) judged using myDartfish Note (R) app after watching the attempt on video, while the control group (23 students) judged in the classic way. Both groups demonstrated progress in motor skills compliance with the rules, with the experimental group showing greater improvement despite a lower initial score. Contrary to expectations, no significant improvements in motivation were observed in either group. Both groups improved their declarative knowledge of gymnastics composition. Potential improvements of the application and of the pedagogy used are suggested.

Women's participation in physical activity (PA) and sport remains lower than that of men, with specific challenges persisting into young adulthood. This study aims to better understand the diverse engagement patterns and motivations of women university students in order to inform targeted, gender-sensitive approaches to PA and sport promotion. A survey was conducted among 2,071 women students aged 18-25 years (M=20.01, SD=1.33) from 16 European universities. Principal component analysis and clustering techniques revealed two main participation styles: "free" (C1 and C2) and "organized" (C3 and C4). The "free" group preferred low-intensity, flexible activities, often self-directed, and supported by digital tools, while the "organized" group thrived in structured, socially supportive environments such as clubs or team sports with coaching. Motivational factors varied considerably: C1 participants did not prioritize a single motivational factor, C2 were primarily motivated by physical condition and appearance, while a combination of enjoyment, affiliation, and psychological well-being drove C3 and C4 participants. The study highlights the need for universities to offer diverse, flexible PA options that cater to different preferences, from autonomous activities facilitated by digital innovations to structured programs that promote social belonging and accountability. Universities can create supportive environments that encourage sustained PA and sport engagement by tailoring interventions to individual motivations and using inclusive communication strategies. These findings provide valuable insights for promoting active lifestyles among women university students and for advancing gender-sensitive approaches to PA and sport promotion.

Purpose: To provide safe and high-quality physical education, this study analyzed a physical literacy school-based intervention on active transport to school. Method: A total of 185 pupils (agemean= 11.76 +/- 0.52; 46% girls) participated in the intervention. Pupils from test (n =110) and control (n = 75) groups completed a survey based on their perceptions of the four dimensions of physical literacy (physical, cognitive, psychological, and social). Results: The test group displayed a significantly higher level of overall physical literacy compared with the control group (14.9 vs. 13.4) and also in the specific physical (16.4 vs. 15.3), cognitive (16.0 vs. 12.8), and psychological (15.3 vs. 13.8) dimensions. Boys recorded a significantly higher score than girls (16.7 vs. 14.5), particularly in the test group where girls showed less improvement than boys compared with the control group (+2.78 vs. +1.76). Discussion/Conclusion: Physical literacy is a dynamic process, which may be useful to reinforce the importance of incorporating this concept into physical education lesson planning while focusing on gender differences.

Cet article s'intéresse aux rapports divers qu'entretiennent des collégiens et collégiennes à un lieu singulier de l'espace scolaire, à savoir celui des toilettes scolaires. Une enquête ethnographique en collège urbain révèle comment les élèves pratiquent, vivent et perçoivent ce lieu. Au-delà de la dépréciation pour le lieu physique, les toilettes jouent un rôle de repli, de planque ou de refuge. Ces usages et pratiques multiples témoignent non seulement de l'importance du lieu dans le quotidien scolaire des élèves mais aussi de l'expression de besoins particuliers. Pour redonner aux toilettes scolaires leur fonctionnalité initiale, il conviendrait de repenser l'espace scolaire dans son ensemble pour qu'il réponde au mieux aux besoins des élèves.

En intégrant à nouveau le Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale en 1981, les acteurs de l’Éducation Physique et Sportive (EPS) se voient confier de nouvelles missions. Cet article interroge la participation des acteurs de l’EPS à une mission qui dépasse une réflexion strictement disciplinaire : la lutte contre le décrochage scolaire. Depuis 1981, une analyse de contenu des articles de la revue EP.S a été menée et a été enrichie par une analyse statistique des données textuelles des principaux textes officiels régissant la discipline. Seuls six articles de la revue traitent de la problématique du décrochage scolaire et aucun texte disciplinaire ne fait le lien entre décrochage scolaire et l’enseignement obligatoire de l’EPS. Les résultats de ces analyses croisées montrent que la problématique du décrochage scolaire, reste durant cette période, une mission scolaire oubliée des discours institutionnels et des pratiques professionnelles innovantes en EPS. Depuis 1981, la discipline EPS semble ancrée dans une logique disciplinaire contraignant l’engagement de ses acteurs dans des problématiques scolaires plus larges. Ces résultats interrogent la capacité des praticiens et des législateurs d’une discipline corporelle à répondre aux défis scolaires du moment.

Physical Education teachers are considered to be a special group in the educational system, as well as a community 'at the forefront' of pedagogy. This article proposes to test these widespread social representations by mobilising quantitative and qualitative data from four collective surveys devoted in whole or in part to PE teachers. By providing a means of comparison with secondary school teachers from a range of disciplines, this data set challenges the characteristics and delineation of the group. It confirms the importance within this disciplinary group of dispositions linked to the pedagogical dimensions of the profession and highlights the different moments of their development during primary socialisation and professional training. In this way, the mechanisms and conditions for the emergence of an effective singular teaching ethos are revealed, without prejudging the effectiveness of the associated teaching practices.

Purpose:Providing students with enjoyable experiences in Physical Education (PE) is considered a key variable in research on increasing Physical Activity (PA) levels. Designing game formats in PE is relevant to achieving this aim. Coupling principles of Motor Praxeology (MP) and the Constraints Led Approach (CLA) to design three games, the aim of this study was to examine how participants' sex, age and skill levels (organismic constraints) interacted with varied manipulations of task and environmental constraints in the organisational design of badminton games to increase their enjoyment and PA.Method:Participants were students (n = 55, Mage = 14.0, SD = 2.41, 41.8% girls, aged 11-19) enrolled in a PE unit with three distinct badminton organisational designs for games: Individual Tournament (IT), Team Score (TS) and Personal Challenge (PC). IT challenges students in a group of a homogeneous skill level with a one-on-one competition. TS consists of a series of one-on-one games amongst a group of students with a heterogeneous skill level. PC is a competition between students in a heterogenous-level group, adopting a handicap score system. Enjoyment and level of PA was measured using a pleasure scale and accelerometers.Results:Results indicated little effect of organisational design on pupils' enjoyment but showed a difference in their PA: younger and skilled boys moved less in the PC design compared to the TS organisational design.Discussion/conclusion:Our results suggest that potential interactions between the format of the organisational design and individual differences in students could be relevant for increasing PA in PE programmes. In exploring the effects of interactions of organisational designs for games, goal tasks and students' characteristics, a combination of MP and CLA frameworks helps to address some of the prevailing beliefs about pleasure and the commitment made by students in common physical education play and activity formats. Our study showed that there is no ideal organisational design for engaging students, but that the most fruitful formats depend on the specific interests of the students.Practical implications:These theoretical frameworks invite PE teachers to develop organisational designs by providing interaction between goal-oriented tasks and social variables (e.g. relationships between players) to provoke richer experiences in all students from different skill levels.

Purpose: Despite its relevance for the training of a well-rounded physically literate individual, the development of knowledge about physical activity (KPA) is understudied. We examined how KPA is differentiated and evolves according to grade level, gender, and type of school attended by an adolescent. Method: A reliable KPA assessment tool was developed. A three-way analysis of variance was used to analyze z scores on the effects of gender, grade level, and type of school on five different dimensions of knowledge. Results: The reliability was validated. Statistically significant interactions were revealed between grade and school institution on KPA z scores. Main results showed that vocational schools displayed significantly lower levels, compared to traditional ones. The only increase in knowledge according to grade was noticeable only in traditional schools. Results revealed no significant gender differences. Discussion: The French physical education system does not seem to provide an adequate level of KPA, especially in vocational schools.

Promouvoir l’activité physique (AP) en éducation physique (EP) repose, en partie, sur l’intérêt des élèves envers les situations proposées. L’EP poursuivant également la finalité de faire coopérer les élèves, concevoir des formats de jeu collectifs visant l’interdépendance entre élèves permet-il simultanément de les engager ? Considérant l’engagement comme un phénomène émergeant d’une interaction spécifique entre l’individu et son environnement, cette étude compare les effets de quatre formats de badminton, qui se distinguent par le degré d’interdépendance visé entre élèves, sur l’AP et l’intérêt en situation (IS) de 101 lycéens. L’engagement psychologique a été mesuré à l’aide d’une échelle validée d’intérêt en situation (IS) et des accéléromètres ont permis d’évaluer la quantité d’AP. Nos résultats montrent que la modification des formats de jeu n’impacte que deux dimensions de l’IS : la nouveauté et le plaisir instantané. En termes d’AP, si on ne note aucune différence entre les formats de double, des différences ont été relevées entre les formats de simple. La « ronde italienne » plait et met davantage en mouvement les élèves que la « montante descendante ». Ainsi cette étude suggère qu’un format de jeu, qui vise une interdépendance de buts entre élèves, offre une perspective de promotion de l’AP.