A Study on the Mechanisms Influencing Physical Education Engagement among College Students and Pathways for Teaching Reform

Zheng Liang¹, Wang Xue^2*

1.Guilin Institute of Information Technology; 2.GUILIN NORMAL COLLEGE

Abstract：

Engagement in physical education is a key indicator of the quality of physical education instruction in higher education institutions and a crucial component in achieving the educational goals of “enjoying the activity, enhancing physical fitness, fostering a well-rounded personality, and strengthening willpower.” This study focuses on college students in general higher education institutions. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, and integrating existing research findings, it systematically analyzes the connotations, characteristics, and influencing mechanisms of students’ engagement in physical education and proposes pathways for instructional reform. The study found that current physical education instruction in universities generally suffers from issues such as rigid content, monotonous methods, weak support systems, and one-sided evaluation methods. Undergraduates’ engagement in physical education is jointly influenced by instructional elements, social support, the teaching environment, psychological factors, and lifestyle, and generally follows the action pathway of “external drive-mediated transmission-internal activation.” Based on these findings, this paper constructs a “five-dimensional synergy” reform framework encompassing content optimization, support enhancement, motivation stimulation, evaluation refinement, and environment cultivation. It proposes specific implementation strategies aimed at enhancing university students’ engagement in physical education and promoting the high-quality development of physical education instruction in higher education institutions.

Key Words：

university students; engagement in physical education; influence mechanisms; teaching reform