Enhancing Motivation through Structured Music Activity: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of a 16-week structured music-based physical activity intervention on the exercise motivation of rural high school students in China. Ninety-eight Grade 10 students were assigned to either an experimental group, which participated in culturally relevant and emotionally engaging physical activities including functional music gymnastics, fun snake run, figure skipping rope, and yoga-based relaxation or a control group, which engaged in conventional group running. The intervention was grounded in the ADDIE instructional model, cooperative learning theory, and scaffolding. Motivation was measured before and after the intervention using a validated questionnaire. Results revealed significantly greater improvements in the experimental group across all motivation subdomains, with the largest effects observed in emotional experience and value embodiment. Overall motivation also increased substantially compared to the control group, which showed minimal change. These findings highlight the effectiveness of structured, emotionally resonant, and socially collaborative physical activity in enhancing student motivation. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the applicability of a multi-theoretical instructional design in rural educational settings and offers actionable implications for school administrators and physical education teachers seeking low-cost, scalable strategies to improve student engagement and well-being through rhythmically structured, music-enhanced recess programs.