Recreational sports and games to improve group cohesion among industrial students

Abstract

Physical education at the higher education level is ideal for building group cohesion where all students, regardless of their differences, have the opportunity to learn, grow, and fully develop. The implementation of sports, recreational activities, and games in physical education classes can help satisfy students' basic psychological needs toward more self-determined motivations that lead to changes in attitudes and intentions toward physical activity, resulting in increased activity, healthier and more active lifestyle habits, and greater adherence to these behaviors. This is a descriptive analysis that examines how these activities impact the educational process. The results showed improvements in the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, greater self-determined motivation, a greater intention to engage in physical activity, and improved relationship goals and task-related and social cohesion. Therefore, the effectiveness of this intervention reflects the importance of implementing motivational strategies in physical education classes to generate more positive motivation, physical activity intention, and classroom relationships and cohesion, which can translate into higher levels of leisure-time physical activity.

Keywords:

Games, recreational activities, Physical Education, group cohesion.