University of Hamburg - to research, to teach, to educate and form, to homepage

Institute of Human Movement Science

Institute of Human Movement Science

Photo: Christine Grosche

Digital Competence Centre for Basic Motor Competencies (MOBAK-DigiKo)

Overview

A consortium of three universities seeked to promote the development of basic motor competencies among primary school students by creating digital formats and tools to support (prospective) physical education teachers in lesson planning and instruction as well as diagnostics. To achieve this goal, blended learning formats were developed, supplemented by app-based assessments and app-based support strategies. This approach enables teachers to address students’ individual motor competence levels using a competency-based approach.

Objectives and Scope

The MOBAK-DigiKo project aimed to adapt and implement existing digital tools to facilitate the assessment of basic motor competencies (BMCs) in physical education teacher education and professional development. The project was divided into three subprojects:

  •  Development of a blended-learning training programme for (prospective) teachers to promote diagnostic skills in the assessment of basic motor competencies.
  • Development of pre-service and in-service professional development programmes to enable (prospective) teachers to design, test, and implement physical education lessons supported by digital technologies.
  • Implementation of existing teaching and learning scenarios, app-based assessment, and the app-based support concept in teacher education and professional development programmes through blended-learning formats tailored to various target groups.

All subprojects were designed using a blended-learning format and/or digital tools to ensure that instruction was tailored to the specific target groups and their needs in increasingly digital teaching and learning environments. In addition, the subprojects were evaluated formatively using quantitative and qualitative methods, and adjusted based on the evaluation results.

More information on our training programmes can be found here (German site).

Practical Relevance, Transfer, and Implementation

In addition to integrating the digital teaching and learning scenarios on diagnostic competence into teacher training programmes, a sustainable transfer into school practice was achieved in collaboration with the respective state institutes. Furthermore, cooperation among the three participating federal states ensured that successfully tested formats were integrated into permanent professional development and teacher education structures. Consequently, the designed programmes were made available to state institutes in other German federal states, precisely because of their digital format. Through the international MOBAK network with partners in 14 countries, MOBAK-DigiKo and its project outcomes can gain substantial international visibility. The dissemination of the project results – in particular the provision of Open Educational Resources (OER) – is further supported by a digital collaboration platform planned by the networking and transfer office.

Project Duration

July 1, 2023 – February 28, 2026

Integration within the ‘lernen:digital’ Competence Network

MOBAK-DigiKo was part of a competence centre comprising eight collaborative projects in the field of music, art, and sport. The eight project consortia comprised a total of 68 sub-projects which were based at various universities and research institutions throughout Germany, and were linked nationwide via the “lernen:digital” competence network (https://lernen.digital). A brochure published by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (BMBFSFJ)provides an overview of the competence network and the competence centres: “Competence Centres for Digital and Digitally Supported Teaching in Schools and Further Education” (BMBF, 2023)[MW1] 

The project builds on the ‘Quality Initiative for Teacher Training’ and addresses the changes called for by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK, 2018) in the area of teaching and learning in schools in the digital age. The initiative is presented on the BMBF website.

Partners in the MOBAK-DigiKo collaborative project

UNIVERSITY OF HAMBURG

Project Lead & Lead of Sub-project II

Prof. Dr. Erin Gerlach (erin.gerlach@uni-hamburg.de), Chair of Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy

Coordination of the joint project

PD Dr. Jeffrey Sallen (jeffrey.sallen@uni-hamburg.de), Chair of Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy

Staff involved in Sub-project II

Lucas Schole (lucas.schole@uni-hamburg.de), Chair of Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy

Dr. Maike Niehues (maike.niehues@uni-hamburg.de), Chair of Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy

Melina Walter (melina.walter@uni-hamburg,de), Chair of Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy[MW1] [NM2]

EUROPA UNIVERSITÄT FLENSBURG

Head of Sub-project III

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Schwier (juergen.schwier@uni-flensburg.de), Institute for Sport Science

Staff involved in Sub-project III

Mats Egerer (mats.egerer@uni-flensburg.de), Institute for Sport Science

GOETHE-UNIVERSITY Frankfurt

Head of Sub-project I

Prof. Dr. Christopher Heim (c.heim@uni-frankfurt.de), Chair of Sport Pedagogy

Staff involved in Sub-project I

Dr. Petr Vlcek (vlcek@sport.uni-frankfurt.de), Chair of Sport Pedagogy

Funding

Funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU and supported by the Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (BMBFSFJ). The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the European Commission, or the BMBFSFJ. Neither the European Union, the European Commission nor the BMBFSFJ can be held responsible.

Project activities & results

Moodle Blended Learning Courses

  • Modulares Aus- und Fortbildungskonzept für (angehende) Lehrkräfte im Sport zur Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen in der Grundschule [Modular training and professional development concept for (prospective) physical education teachers on the assessment and promotion of basic motor competencies in primary schools]. University of Hamburg, Institute of Human Movement Sciences. https://zenodo.org/communities/mobak-digiko/

Peer-reviewed articles 

  • Egerer, M., Langer, W., Niehues, M., Heim, C., Sallen, J., Schole, L., Vlček, P., & Gerlach, E. (submitted). Ein Angebots-Nutzungs-Modell für den Schulsport [An offer-use-model for school sport] (ANuMo-Schulsport). German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research

  • Egerer, M., Schwier, J., Niehues, M., Sallen, J., Schole, L., Walter, M., Heim, C., Vlček, P., & Gerlach, E. (submitted 13 March 2026).  Evaluation eines Seminarkonzepts zur Förderung digitalisierungsbezogener Kompetenzen angehender Lehrpersonen im Fach Sport [Evaluation of a seminar concept for promoting digitalisation-related competencies among prospective physical education teachers].  Zeitschrift für Studium und Lehre in der Sportwissenschaft

  • Niehues, M., Lüthy, P., Schole, L., Ferrari, I., & Herrmann, C. (2025). Digital gestützte Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen – Die MOBAK-App [Digital-assisted assessment and development of basic motor competencies – The MOBAK app]. sportunterricht, 74 (12), 540–545. https://doi.org/10.30426/SU-2025-12-2 

  • Niehues, M., Schole, L., & Walter, M. (2025). Sportunterricht planen und durchführen mit der MOBAK-App [Planning and instructing physical education lessons with the MOBAK app]. sportunterricht, 74 (12), 559–566.

  • Sallen, J. (2025). Digitale Tools für den Sportunterricht (Editorial) [Digital tools for physical education (Editorial)]. sportunterricht, 74 (12), 530–531.

  • Sallen, J., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Schwier, J., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Gerlach, E. (2026, in press). Digital gestützte Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Kindern im Fach Sport: Qualifizierungskurse im Blended-Learning-Format für (angehende) Lehrpersonen an Grundschulen [Digital-supported assessment and development of children’s basic motor competencies in physical education: Blended-learning qualification courses for (prospective) primary school teachers]. In K. Scheiter, D. Richter, V. Frederking, & J. Lorenz (Eds.), Professionelles Handeln in einer Kultur der Digitalität: Ergebnisse des Kompetenzzentrums Musik/Kunst/Sport. Waxman.

  • Sallen, J., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Schwier, J., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Digital gestützte Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Kindern: Aus-, Fort- und Weiterbildungsformate für (angehende) Sportlehrpersonen an Grundschulen [Digital-assisted assessment and development of children’s basic motor competencies: Training and professional development formats for (prospective) primary school PE teachers]. sportunterricht, 74 (12), 546–551. https://doi.org/10.30426/SU-2025-12-3 

  • Schole, L., Gerlach, E., & Sallen, J. (2025). Entwicklung zielgruppenorientierter Qualifizierungsformate im Fach Sport am Beispiel der Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen [Development of target group-oriented qualification formats in physical education using the example of the assessment and promotion of basic motor competencies]. In P. Neumann & V. Kastrup (Eds.), Fachfremd unterrichtende Lehrkräfte im Sportunterricht der Grundschule. Aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse (pp. 51–62). Meyer & Meyer.

Conference proceedings

  • Egerer, M., Langer, W., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Sallen, J., Heim, C., Vlček, P., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Development of an Offer-Use Model for the Effectiveness of Physical Education and School Sports. In S. Flory, C. Nieman, & H. Sun (Eds.), The 2025 AIESEP International Conference. Making Waves: Transformative Practices in Physical Education. University of South Florida, 18–22 May 2025 (Abstract 68). https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/42085/submission/68

  • Egerer, M., Langer, W., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Sallen, J., Heim, C., Vlček, P., & Gerlach, E. (2024). Entwicklung eines Angebots-Nutzungs-Modells der Wirkweise des Unterrichts im Fach Sport [Development of a supply-demand model of the effectiveness of physical education teaching]. In U. Gebken, M. Pfitzner, & D. Wiesche (Eds.), Grenzen und Entgrenzungen sportpädagogischen Handelns [Boundaries and boundary-crossing in physical education practice]. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the dvs Section on Sports Pedagogy. 30 May–1 June 2024 (pp. 58–59). https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/sport-und-bewegungswissenschaften/2024_05_29_abstractband_dvs.pdf

  • Sallen, J., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Lehrkräfte fit machen für die Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Kindern im Sportunterricht: Ein Qualifizierungsangebot im Blended-Learning-Format auf dem Prüfstand [Equipping teachers to assess and develop children’s basic motor competencies in physical education: A blended-learning training programme put to the test]. In B. Strauß, M. Tietjens, E. van Meurs, & L. Henning (Eds.), Sportwissenschaft: Vielfalt und Nachhaltigkeit!? Kongress der Universität Münster anlässlich des 27. Hochschultages der Deutschen Vereinigung für Sportwissenschaft [Sports Science: Diversity and Sustainability!? Conference of the University of Münster on the occasion of the 27th University Day of the German Association for Sports Science]. Münster. 16–19 September 2025 (p. 540). Feldhaus.

  • Sallen, J., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Invited Symposium 2: Promoting children's basic motor competencies in physical education: Approaches at student and teacher level. In C. Herrmann, A. Crapa, & I. Ferrari (Eds.), CIAPSE Congress: Holistic approaches to childhood development. University of Teacher Education Zurich, 3–5 September 2025 (p. 64). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16870917

  • Sallen, J., Schole, L., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Making teachers fit for diagnosing and promoting children's basic motor competencies in physical education: Testing a blended learning teacher training. In C. Herrmann, A. Crapa, & I. Ferrari (Eds.), CIAPSE Congress: Holistic approaches to childhood development. University of Teacher Education Zurich, 3–5 September 2025 (pp. 68). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16870917

  • Schole, L., Egerer, M., Gerlach, E., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Sallen, J. (2026).  Professionalisierung von fachfremden Sportlehrpersonen: Evaluation eines Blended-Learning-Programms zur Diagnose und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Grundschulkindern [Professional development for out-of-field physical education teachers: Evaluation of a blended-learning programme for assessing and developing basic motor competencies in primary school children]. In T. Seidel, J. Koenen, A. Obersteiner, & A. Keune (Eds.), Bildungsforschung für technologiebedingte gesellschaftliche Entwicklungen [Educational research on technology-driven social developments]. 13th Congress of the Society for Empirical Educational Research. 16–18 March 2026 in Munich (p. 300). Technical University of Munich. https://doi.org/10.14459/2026md1850059

  • Schole, L., Egerer, M., Gerlach, E., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Sallen, J. (2026[JS1] ). Professionalisierung von fachfremden Sportlehrpersonen: Evaluation eines Blended-Learning-Programms zur Diagnose und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Grundschulkindern [Professionalisation of out-of-field physical education teachers: Evaluation of a blended learning programme for the assessment and development of basic motor competencies in primary school children]. In C. Heim & M. Giese (Eds.), Grenzen und Entgrenzungen sportpädagogischen Handelns [Boundaries and boundary-crossing in sports education]. Abstracts from the 39th Annual Conference of the dvs Section for Sports Education. 14–16 May 2026 in Frankfurt am Main.

  • Schole, L., Lüthy, P., Adamakis, M., Niehues, M., Sallen, J., Vlček, P., Herrmann, C., & Gerlach, E. (2024). Usability of the MOBAK App for assessing and promoting basic motor competencies in primary school. In A. Sääkslathi & T. Jaakkola (Eds.), The 2024 AIESEP International Conference “Past meets the Future”. Book of Abstracts. University of Jyväskylä, 13.-17.05.2024 (pp. 113–114). http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0158-6

  • Schole, L., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Sallen, J., Vlček, P., Walter, M., & Gerlach, E. (2025[JS2] ). Empowering Out-of-field Teachers: Evaluating a Blended Learning Professional Development Programme to Diagnose and Promote Children's Basic Motor Competencies – Initial Results. In OOF-TAS Collective (Ed.), 12th International Symposium of the Out-of-field Teaching Across Specialisations (OOFTAS) Collective, 07.-08.09.2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6DzHujI_1A

  • Vlček, P., & Heim, C. (2025). Basic motor competencies and digital tools in PE: Insights from the MOBAK-DigiKo project. In G. Leko (Ed.), Conference Proceedings: 33rd Summer School for Kinesiologists. Professional Development of Kinesiologists, 24.-28.06.2025, Zadar, Croatia (pp. 53–58). Croatian Kinesiology Association. https://www.hrks.hr/images/33_ljetna_skola/zbornik-8%20za%20web.pdf

  • Vlček, P., Niehues, M., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Sallen, J., Schole, L., Schwier, J., & Gerlach, E. (2025). MOBAK-DigiKo: Digital competence centre for basic motor competencies. In S. Flory, C. Nieman, & H. Sun (Eds.), The 2025 AIESEP International Conference. Making Waves: Transformative Practices in Physical Education. University of South Florida, 18.-22.05.2025 (Abstract 157). https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/42085/submission/157

  • Vlček, P., Niehues, M., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Sallen, J., Schole, L., Schwier, J., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Advancing Teacher Competence and Digital Integration in Physical Education: Interim Results from the MOBAK DigiKo Project. In S. Flory, C. Nieman, & H. Sun (Eds.), The 2025 AIESEP International Conference. Making Waves: Transformative Practices in Physical Education. University of South Florida, 18.-22.05.2025 (Abstract 159). https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/42085/submission/159

  • Vlček, P., Schole, L., Niehues, M., Egerer, M., Schwier, J., Heim, C., Gerlach, E., & Sallen, J. (2024). Digitales Kompetenzzentrum für motorische Basiskompetenzen (MOBAK-DigiKo) [Digital Competence Center for Basic Motor Competencies (MOBAK-DigiKo)]. In U. Gebken, M. Pfitzner, & D. Wiesche (Hrsg.), Grenzen und Entgrenzungen sportpädagogischen Handelns [The Boundaries and Transcendence of Sports Education Practice]. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the dvs Section on Sports Education. 30.05.-01.06.2024 (S. 250–251). https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/sport-und-bewegungswissenschaften/2024_05_29_abstractband_dvs.pdf 

  • Vlček, P., Sallen, J., Ennigkeit, F., Schole, L., Niehues, M., Egerer, M., Czogalla, J., Schwier, J., Heim, C., & Gerlach, E. (2024). Digital competence centre for basic motor competencies – MOBAK DigiKo. In A. Sääkslathi & T. Jaakkola (Eds.), The 2024 AIESEP International Conference “Past meets the Future”. Book of Abstracts. University of Jyväskylä, 13.-17.05.2024 (pp. 499–501). http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0158-6 

Other Publications

  • Learning:Digital Competence Network (March 4, 2026). Im Dialog mit... Erin Gerlach [In Conversation with... Erin Gerlach]. https://lernen.digital/2026/03/04/im-dialog-mit-erin-gerlach/  [Written Interview]

  • Lüthy, P., Schole, L., Vlček, P., Adamakis, M., Anronovski, M., Bund, A., Carcamo Oyarzun, J. E., Egerer, M., Ennigkeit, F., Ferrari, I., Gerlach, E., Heck, S., Heim, C., Huhtieniemi, M., Ianieri, S., Ivonen, S., Martins, J., Martins, M., Masaryková, D., Meira, A., Mombarg, R., Niederkofler, B., Niehues, M., Nolles, J., Onofre, M., Quy Dang, T., Sallen, J., Salin, K., Saukel, K., Scheuer, C., Šeflová, I., Vrbas, J., & Herrmann, C. (2025). MOBAK App (Version 1.1.1) [Mobile App]. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mobak/id6742377621

  • Lüthy, P., Schole, L., Vlček, P., Adamakis, M., Anronovski, M., Bund, A., Carcamo Oyarzun, J. E., Egerer, M., Ennigkeit, F., Ferrari, I., Gerlach, E., Heck, S., Heim, C., Huhtieniemi, M., Ianieri, S., Ivonen, S., Martins, J., Martins, M., Masaryková, D., Meira, A., Mombarg, R., Niederkofler, B., Niehues, M., Nolles, J., Onofre, M., Quy Dang, T., Sallen, J., Salin, K., Saukel, K., Scheuer, C., Šeflová, I., Vrbas, J., & Herrmann, C. (2025). MOBAK App (Version 1.1.1) [Mobile App]. Google Play Store. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.saukels.mobak&pcampaignid=web_share

  • Lüthy, P., Schole, L., Vlček, P., Adamakis, M., Anronovski, M., Bund, A., Carcamo Oyarzun, J. E., Egerer, M., Ennigkeit, F., Ferrari, I., Gerlach, E., Heck, S., Heim, C., Huhtieniemi, M., Ianieri, S., Ivonen, S., Martins, J., Martins, M., Masaryková, D., Meira, A., Mombarg, R., Niederkofler, B., Niehues, M., Nolles, J., Onofre, M., Quy Dang, T., Sallen, J., Salin, K., Saukel, K., Scheuer, C., Šeflová, I., Vrbas, J., & Herrmann, C. (2025). MOBAK App 1.1 – Digitally supported diagnostics and promotion of children's basic motor competencies.  https://zenodo.org/records/15303908

  • Sallen, J., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Schwier, J., Vlček, P., & Gerlach, E. (2023). Digital gestützte Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Kindern im Sportunterricht [Digitally supported diagnostics and promotion of children’s basic motor competencies in physical education]. In Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Ed.), Kompetenzzentren für digitales und digital gestütztes Unterrichten in Schule und Weiterbildung (S.27) [Competence Centres for Digital and Digitally Supported Teaching in Schools and Continuing Education (p. 27)]. Federal Ministry of Education and Research. [Brochure]

  • Sallen, J., Egerer, M., Heim, C., Niehues, M., Schole, L., Schwier, J., Vlček, P., & Gerlach, E. (2025). Digital gestützte Diagnostik und Förderung motorischer Basiskompetenzen von Kindern im Sportunterricht [Digital-assisted assessment and development of basic motor competencies in children in physical education]. In C. Kallenbach, A. Kube, M. Karnebogen, U. Martin, L. Scherzinger, M. L. Semrau, P. Seufert, S. Verseck, & S. Zeise (Eds.), Fortbildungs- und Professionalisierungsangebote: Musik/Kunst/Sport [Continuing Education and Professional Development Programmes: Music/Art/Physical Education] (2nd ed., p. 33). [Brochure] https://lernen.digital/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/LI_Broschuere_MKS_2_Auflage.pdf

Transfer & Scientific Communication