Mimi Yulianti, Subagyo, Sujarwo, Nevitaningrum
Background and Study Aim. Physical education is essential for developing students’ motor skills, knowledge, and motivation. However, the relative effectiveness of the drill and play methods remains debated, particularly in teaching fundamental volleyball skills. This study compared the effects of drill and play methods, along with motor educability levels, on learning motivation, knowledge, and underhand passing performance among junior high school students. Material and methods. A quasi-experimental $2 \times 2$ factorial design was employed involving 40 seventh-grade students from SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, divided into four groups based on the learning method (drill vs. play) and motor educability (high vs. low). Instruments included a learning motivation questionnaire, the IOWA Brace Test, a 10-item knowledge test, and a volleyball underhand passing skills test. Data were analyzed using N-Gain and MANOVA at a 0.05 significance level. Results. Results indicated that the play method was more effective than the drill method in improving knowledge ($F = 24.649; p < 0.001; \eta^2 = 0.406$) and skills ($F = 19.746; p < 0.001; \eta^2 = 0.354$). Students with high motor educability also achieved better results, while no significant differences were found in motivation or interaction effects. Conclusions. The study concludes that play-based learning enhances volleyball knowledge and skills more effectively, promoting inclusive and engaging physical education. © 2025 The Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY) License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Islam Riau University, Pekanbaru, Indonesia; Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya, Indonesia
