<![CDATA[Swimming instruction in elementary physical education requires approaches that support both basic swimming skills and confidence in swimming-related activities. However, evidence regarding whether structured game-based swimming instruction provides additional benefits over conventional instruction for these outcomes remains limited. This study examined basic swimming skills and swimming-related self-confidence among elementary-school students receiving game-based or conventional swimming instruction. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control-group design involved 100 purposively selected students aged 10–12 years from intact classes at two elementary schools in Makassar City, comprising an experimental group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 50), without individual random assignment. The experimental group completed 16 game-based swimming sessions over eight weeks, whereas the control group received conventional instruction with equivalent duration and targeted skill content. Basic swimming skills were assessed using a researcher-developed 18-item performance rubric and swimming-related self-confidence using a researcher-developed 12-item questionnaire; both instruments underwent content validation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and independent-samples t-tests. Both groups showed significant pretest-to-posttest changes in both outcomes (p < .001). The experimental group showed larger descriptive mean gains in basic swimming skills (27.42 vs. 14.64 points) and swimming-related self-confidence (23.78 vs. 10.48 points), with significantly higher immediate posttest scores for both outcomes (p < .001). Within this eight-week quasi-experimental intervention, game-based swimming instruction was associated with higher immediate posttest scores than conventional instruction, providing context-specific evidence for its use in elementary-school swimming education.]]>
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