Abstract
<jats:p>Background and purpose Physical education instruction in elementary schools not only plays a role in improving students' motor skills, but also serves as an important tool in instilling character values, such as teamwork and discipline. One activity deemed relevant to supporting these goals is mini volleyball or modified volleyball, as it requires interaction between students, adherence to rules, and responsibility in playing. Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of integrating volleyball games (mini/modified volleyball) in Physical Education learning on the formation of cooperative and disciplined characters in elementary school students. Material and methods This study used a quasi-experimental approach with a one-group pretest-posttest design on 35 fifth-grade students of SD Negeri No. 53/IX Kenali Kecil, Muaro Jambi. The character-based volleyball learning intervention was implemented for 16 meetings. Teamwork character data was measured using an adapted Teamwork Scale for Youth (TSY), while discipline was measured using a self-discipline instrument adapted from Hagger et al. Data analysis included the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, a paired t-test to test differences in pretest and posttest scores, and Cohen's d effect size calculation to assess the strength of the intervention's influence. Results The results of the study showed a significant increase in the character of cooperation (Mpre = 38.74; Mpost = 43.74; Δ = 5.00; p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 6.519) and discipline (Mpre = 30.29; Mpost = 35.51; Δ = 5.22; p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 4.221), which indicates that the intervention had a very strong influence on both variables.. Conclusions A volleyball game designed based on values can be an authentic context for fostering prosocial behavior, rule compliance, and responsible learning. The implications of this research point to strengthening the design of game-based Physical Education learning and values reflection to align it with the curriculum and the developmental needs of elementary school students. Keywords mini volleyball, physical education, character education, cooperation, discipline, elementary school</jats:p>