Enhancing Student Engagement and Teamwork: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial of the BOPPPS Model in College Volleyball Courses

Background BOPPPS, which comprises six components—Bridge-in, Objective, Pre-assessment, Participatory Learning, Post-assessment, and Summary—is a student-centered structured teaching model widely applied in theoretical courses. However, empirical research on its implementation in motor skill instruction, particularly in team ball sports such as volleyball, remains limited. Purpose This study aims to investigate the effects of the BOPPPS teaching model, compared to traditional teaching methods, on college student’s mastery of basic volleyball techniques, their interest in course learning, and their collaborative learning abilities. Method This study compares the effects of the BOPPPS model and traditional teaching on college students' basic volleyball skill acquisition, learning interest, and collaborative learning ability. Results Regarding basic volleyball techniques, post-test results showed no significant differences between the two groups in passing (p = 0.276), digging (p = 0.335), or serving (p = 0.236), indicating that the two teaching models did not differ significantly in terms of technical skill acquisition. However, the C demonstrated significant improvement in all three techniques after the experiment (p < 0.05). In terms of learning interest, the E showed significant improvement across all five dimensions: negative aspects, positive aspects, skill learning, extracurricular engagement, and attention to physical education. Furthermore, after the experiment, the E significantly outperformed the C in all these dimensions (p < 0.05). Regarding collaborative learning ability, the E exhibited significant improvement in four dimensions: collaborative cognition, collaborative affect, collaborative intention, and interpersonal interaction, and scored significantly higher than the C after the experiment (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in the dimensions of emotional regulation, conflict management, or leadership (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, the C showed significant changes after the experiment in interpersonal interaction, emotional regulation, conflict management, and leadership (p < 0.05). Conclusion The BOPPPS model is as effective as traditional teaching in developing basic volleyball skills but demonstrates clear advantages in enhancing learning interest and fostering deeper collaborative competencies. It is recommended for integration into team sports education to support comprehensive student development.