Today, a sedentary lifestyle is recognized as one of the significant risks for chronic diseases. The importance of mobility and physical activity are increased among health professionals. Currently, inactive and inadequate physical activity is known as a significant concern to WHO, and fourth leading cause of death in the world (Organization, 2019) and the rise of obesity in childhood creates a critical health problem. Inactive can establish obesity in adulthood and physical activity can be prevented the obesity(Geneen et al., 2017; Whitaker, Wright, Pepe, Seidel, & Dietz, 1997) and a physically active lifestyle plays a vital role in maintaining both physical and mental health. A recent report showed that less than half of preschoolers obtained the recommended ≥3 hours/days of total PA (light, moderate, and vigorous), with at least 1 of these hours in MVPA, recommended by leading international organizations (Health & Services, 2008; Pate et al., 2015). Also, some studies presented that Latino and African American youth are at odds of meeting daily PA recommendations and higher odds of being overweight/obese (Anderson, Economos, & Must, 2008; Fakhouri, Hughes, Brody, Kit, & Ogden, 2013; Piercy et al., 2018). Also, Numerous studies were showed which the prevalence of inactivity, the decrease in physical activity, and the prevalence of obesity’ children in Iran (Mohammadpour-Ahranjani, 2011; Taymoori, Falhahi, & Esmailnasab, 2011). However, physical activity for preschool children is vital and the use of an intervention for performing physical activity is significant. (Wilkie, Standage, Gillison, Cumming, & Katzmarzyk, 2018) were indicated which factors pertaining to the individual, home and school environment played a vital role in performing physical activity. In other research, parental monitoring as a positive determinant to change physical activity behavior and role of neighborhood economic context on physical activity was searched by (Hesketh et al., 2017; Kim & Cubbin, 2017).
Although, all studies of above-mentioned have shown positive consequences of physical activity in children, but they have not used approaches which increase motivation levels for exerting physical activity. In reality, such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, and other elementary school curricula, physical activity is part of education in schools. The purpose of this study is to use the virtual reality and gamification approach to affect motivation to exert physical activity in children.
The present study intends to answer the following research question.
RQ: Can combination of virtual reality and gamification change student behavior and attract them for performing physical activity?
Literature review
In all studies have utilized an intervention to perform physical activity successfully. Flexible ecological intervention that educates trainers to offer opportunities for children, enhance MVPA and physical activity energy expenditure in school was used (Pate et al., 2016). Also, this fact which family support is one of the essential elements for influencing physical activity was determined by (Tamimi & Noroozi, 2016). Furthermore, classroom-based brain breaks as an easy method to support physical activity in students was researched and results indicate which this way can be efficient (Armstrong & Jenny, 2018). In another research, a hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine PA opportunities for children and showed the importance of teacher existence in a physical activity (Glowacki, Centeio, Van Dongen, Carson, & Castelli, 2016). Also, the ability of PA increasing in rural schools by environmental and policy interventions by school administers and educators was indicated by (Economo et al., 2018). Also, teaching by using CDs can be useful in decreasing BMI in overweight and obese children and adolescents as-much-as face to face education and participation in physical (Ghatrehsamani et al., 2010). Also, in children with cancer physical activity was examined and results indicated that active video games could play a useful role in increasing physical activity in children (Kauhanen et al., 2014) and physical activity can be useful in cancer treatment. In addition, vast range of environmental intervention has been implemented to improve PA levels. By installing outdoor exercise equipment, reconstructing playground and increasing the amount of open green pace (Cohen, Marsh, Williamson, Golinelli, & McKenzie, 2012) and a growing number of built environment infrastructural changes (BEICs) to promote active transportation (AT) by walking and bicycling for transportation was examined by (Evenson, Herring, & Huston, 2005).
In all studies of above-mentioned interventions was utilized to affect children for changing their behavior to perform physical activity. In this study is aimed to enhance motivation in children to engage themselves. Therefore, we are going to use the virtual reality and gamification to affect them.
In the next section, motivation is defined and is examined in school curricula. Then, the gamification approach will be addressed.
Motivation
Motivation was interpreted as which describes the direction and extent behavior(Keller, 2009). In other words, motivation is the extent continual effort directed towards a goal (Adams-Wiggins, 2017; Hamzah, Ali, Saman, Yusoff, & Yacob, 2014). In this regard, if students was derived to learn, they enhance their engagement and increased attempt for task completion than other neutral students in school (Efklides, Kuhl, & Sorrentino, 2001; Schmidt, 2007). integration of technology into education showed that motivation has increased in some researches (Aşıksoy & Özdamlı, 2016; Di Serio, Ibáñez, & Kloos, 2013). One of motivational models is ARCS model. The ARCS model was defined as combination motivational concepts, namely attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction (Keller, 2000) which the aim of ARCS model to increase motivation in learning was determined.
So far, different ARCS model was extracted, ARCS+AT was defined by (Nakajima, Nakano, Ohmori, & Suzuki, 2011) utilizing stuff and checklist to promote assistant university faculty in e-learning. ARCS-V model which added volition for motivating learner and Volition as actions and attitudes regarding a steady effort to reach a goal was defined by (Keller, 2008a). MVP model as integrative of intention, action control, information processing to explain the performance level of the learner was discussed by (Keller, 2008b). Last model called ARCS+G model which utilized game dynamics to motivate leaner for performing tasks in students. There were various studies which used the ARCS model in education. Impacts of the flipped classroom method adapted to the ARCS’ Keller in a physics course was examined and results represented that student were motivated more than the control group (Aşıksoy & Özdamlı, 2016). In addition, the effect of podcasting on student motivation align with the ARCS model was investigated in the online environment by (Bolliger, Supanakorn, & Boggs, 2010) and Results indicated that components such as confident, satisfaction, relevance, and attention increased. Also, ARCS’ motivation for analysis of the student stimuli in the design of an acid and bases unit in the chemistry was used and results indicated this model can be efficient to enhance motivation in student (Feng & Tuan, 2005). Another research by (Li & Keller, 2018) were showed that the ARCS model can apply to a variation of education setting such as course email, specific software, game.
In this paper, we used the ARCS+G model for driving students. In the next section, we address gamification for engaging individuals and virtual reality in different context.
Gamification
There are very definitions for gamification, but the most applicable is the use of game elements in a non-game context in order to increase engagement (Deterding, Dixon, Khaled, & Nacke, 2011). The purpose of gamification to change behavior users, and turning undesirable behavior into desirable behavior was defined. Behavior changes by using Elements of gamification include dynamics, mechanics, and aesthetics are performed. We use game mechanics such as point, leaderboard, badge, group tasks, level and dynamic games like reward, status, competition which was determined by (Chan, Nah, Liu, & Lu, 2018; Khaleel, Sahari, Wook, & Ismail, 2016) to increase learning motivation. First, we define some mechanics such as point, badge, and leaderboard.
Point: this mechanic is used to reward users through multiple dimensions and different categories (Gafni, Achituv, Eidelman, & Chatsky, 2018).
Badge: this mechanic is used to promote external recognition that the user comes to new levels and succeeded in the challenges (Gafni et al., 2018). In other words, this type of rewards drive students and their fancy to complete the challenges (da Rocha Seixas, Gomes, & de Melo Filho, 2016). In this study, we used the trademark of Saaland health club as the badge (figure1).
Leaderboard: this component indicates users’ relative position compared to others to indicate students’ achievements in order to improve incentives and uses competition as an incentive for behavior of individual (Cagiltay, Ozcelik, & Ozcelik, 2015; da Rocha Seixas et al., 2016). In our research, we used picture and name of users to challenge and the avatar of games brought for attraction(figure2).
Virtual reality
Sherman and Craig described virtual reality as the make-up of simulation computers to interact with the environment for the participant through virtual space (Sherman & Craig, 2002). Using VR can be helpful and enhanced motivation in learning (Freina & Ott, 2015). It has begun suitable and reliable media to use in elementary school (Roussou, 2004). Thus, VR can be utilized as a simulation-based education and permits students and educators to practice skillfulness for improvement, repetition, and non-dangerous failure (Jensen & Konradsen, 2018). In this regard, the use of virtual reality in different context was investigated. Gamification and virtual reality in teaching 3D arts for examining the engagement of university students was utilized by (Villagrasa, Fonseca, & Durán, 2014) and results showed integration virtual reality and gamification can increase motivation in individual. Also, in other research, the use of AR for training, 3D presentations and interaction techniques for a better perception of scientific and cultural content is useful to engage student in learning (Bogen, Wind, & Giuliano, 2006). Another research a virtual physics laboratory in physics class was discussed by (Loftin, Engleberg, & Benedetti, 1993) and results reveal motivation improved for researching.