Legende træning i atletik - betydning for børns motivation og engagement

Playful track and field training - the impact on childrens motivation and engagement

Enevoldsen, Frederikke

4. semester

Idræt, Kandidat

2026

2026-06-05

Formål: Dette studie undersøger, hvordan en legende tilgang til atletiktræning kan styrke motivation og engagement hos børn i alderen 9‑11 år i en atletikklub. Metode: Undersøgelsen bygger teoretisk på Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) og Organismic Integration Theory (OIT) (Deci & Ryan, 2017) samt engagementsteori (Fredericks m.fl., 2004). Disse teorier handler om, hvordan grundlæggende psykologiske behov – som følelsen af selvbestemmelse, kompetence og tilhørighed – påvirker vores motivation og grad af deltagelse. Studiet har en pragmatisk tilgang og bruger Design Thinking som ramme for løbende at udvikle, afprøve og justere de legende træningsaktiviteter. De didaktiske værktøjer “lege‑mixerpulten” og “lege‑pendulet” blev brugt til at strukturere og tilpasse øvelserne. Det empiriske grundlag består af deltagerobservationer fra seks træningspas, tre workshops med trænere, to fokusgruppeinterview med børnene samt spørgeskemadata (BRSQ‑6; PNSS‑S). Denne kombination af kvalitative og kvantitative metoder (mixed methods) gør det muligt at sammenholde forskellige datakilder og få en mere nuanceret forståelse af motivation og engagement. Resultater: Den kvalitative analyse pegede på fire centrale faktorer, der påvirker børnenes engagement i legende atletiktræning: variation og tilfældighed i øvelserne, muligheder for medbestemmelse (autonomi), måden aktiviteterne rammesættes på, og de sociale relationer mellem børn og trænere. Engagementet varierede både mellem aktiviteter og mellem børn og kom til udtryk gennem adfærd (fx aktiv deltagelse), følelser (fx glæde eller frustration) og tanker (fx interesse eller kedsomhed). Legende elementer som uforudsigelighed, rolleleg og mulighed for at eksperimentere så ud til at støtte engagementet. Omvendt kunne uklar forståelse af opgaverne og øvelser, der var enten for krævende eller for lidt udfordrende, mindske engagementet. De kvantitative resultater viste generelt positive udviklinger i børnenes oplevelse af autonomi, kompetence og tilhørighed i løbet af forløbet samt en bevægelse mod mere selvbestemt motivation. Der blev fundet en statistisk signifikant stigning i børnenes oplevede kompetence i atletik (p = 0,044). Konklusion: Resultaterne peger på, at en legende tilgang til atletiktræning kan bidrage til at støtte børns motivation og engagement. Selv om de kvantitative data kun viste få statistisk sikre ændringer ud over øget oplevet kompetence, tyder de kvalitative fund på, at legende træning kan skabe gode rammer for engagement gennem variation, medbestemmelse, tydelig rammesætning og fokus på sociale relationer.

Purpose: This study examines how a playful approach to track and field training can strengthen motivation and engagement among children aged 9–11 in an athletics club. Methods: The study is theoretically based on Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT) and Organismic Integration Theory (OIT) (Deci & Ryan, 2017), as well as engagement theory (Fredericks et al., 2004). These theories explain how basic psychological needs – such as feeling autonomous, competent, and connected to others – shape our motivation and level of involvement. The study follows a pragmatic research approach and uses Design Thinking as a framework to continuously develop, test, and adjust the playful training activities. The didactical tools “lege‑mixerpulten” and “lege‑pendulet” were used to structure and adapt the activities. The empirical material consists of participant observations from six training sessions, three workshops with coaches, two focus group interviews with the children, and questionnaire data (BRSQ‑6; PNSS‑S). This mixed‑methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative data, enables triangulation and a more comprehensive understanding of motivation‑ and engagement‑related processes. Results: The qualitative analysis identified four key factors that influence children’s engagement in playful track and field training: variation and randomness in the activities, opportunities for autonomy (having a say and making choices), the way activities are framed and explained, and the social relationships between children and coaches. Engagement varied across activities and between children and was expressed through behavioral (e.g., participation), emotional (e.g., enjoyment or frustration), and cognitive (e.g., interest or boredom) dimensions. Playful elements such as unpredictability, role‑play, and opportunities to experiment appeared to support engagement. In contrast, unclear task instructions and activities that were either too demanding or not challenging enough could reduce engagement. The quantitative findings showed generally positive developments in children’s perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness over the course of the intervention, along with a shift towards a more self‑determined type of motivation. A statistically significant increase was found in children’s perceived competence in athletics (p = 0.044). Conclusion: The findings suggest that a playful approach to track and field training can help support children’s motivation and engagement. Although the quantitative results showed few statistically significant changes beyond perceived competence, the qualitative findings indicate that playful training can create conditions that foster engagement through variation, autonomy, clear framing of activities, and attention to social relationships.

[Dette resumé er omskrevet med hjælp fra AI baseret på projektets originale resumé]

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