IMPROVING THE PROFESSIONAL CULTURE OF FUTURE PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS BASED ON ACTION GAMES

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the role of action games in forming the professional culture of future physical education teachers. A complex of specific games aimed at developing students' communicative, organizational, and pedagogical skills was developed for the study. Experimental results demonstrate that the systematic use of action games significantly enhances the professional readiness and culture of future educators.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В данной статье анализируется роль подвижных игр в формировании профессиональной культуры будущих учителей физической культуры. В исследовании разработан комплекс специальных игр, направленных на развитие коммуникативных, организаторских и педагогических способностей студентов. Результаты эксперимента показывают, что систематическое использование подвижных игр значительно повышает профессиональную подготовку и культуру будущих педагогов.

Keywords: Physical education, professional culture, action games, pedagogical skills, students, higher education, communicative skills.

Ключевые слова: Физическое воспитание, профессиональная культура, подвижные игры, педагогическое мастерство, студенты, высшее образование, коммуникативные навыки.

In the modern educational landscape, the preparation of physical education (PE) teachers requires more than just the transmission of athletic skills and theoretical knowledge of human physiology. The contemporary paradigm shifts the focus towards the formation of a holistic "professional culture" of the educator. Professional culture in this context is defined not merely as technical competence, but as a synthesis of pedagogical ethics, leadership qualities, organizational capabilities, and the ability to interact effectively with students [1, p. 12].

Despite the extensive curriculum in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), there is often a gap between theoretical knowledge and practical pedagogical application. Future teachers may know how to perform a sport, but they often struggle with the soft skills required to manage a class, resolve conflicts, and motivate students. This is where action games (movement games) serve as a unique and underutilized pedagogical tool.

Action games are historically rooted in human culture as a primary means of socialization and physical development. However, their potential extends beyond early childhood education. For future PE teachers, action games simulate a micro-pedagogical environment. As noted by Huizinga in his seminal work Homo Ludens, play is a primary function that predates culture and is essential for social bonding [2, p. 45]. In the context of teacher training, action games require the future teacher to act simultaneously as a participant, a referee, and an organizer, thereby testing their professional culture in real-time.

The objective of this study is to theoretically substantiate and practically verify the effectiveness of using action games to improve the professional culture of future physical education teachers. The hypothesis posits that integrating a structured program of action games, designed to assign leadership roles to students, will lead to statistically significant improvements in their professional culture components compared to traditional training methods.

The study involved 60 third-year students from the Faculty of Physical Culture at a State Pedagogical Institute. The participantsweredividedintotwo groups:

1. Control Group (CG): 30 students who followed the standard curriculum for the subject "Theory and Methodology of Physical Education."
2. Experimental Group (EG): 30 students who, in addition to the standard theory, participated in a specialized module "Pedagogical Mastery through Action Games."

Research Design

The research was conducted over one academic semester (16 weeks). The methodology relied on the concept of "Activity Theory" developed by A.N. Leontiev, which suggests that human psychology and culture are shaped through active engagement in meaningful activities [3, p. 88].

The experimental intervention consisted of three stages:

1. Diagnostic Stage: Assessing the initial level of professional culture using surveys, expert observation checklists, and self-assessment questionnaires. The components measured were:

• Gnostic Component: Knowledge of game rules and pedagogical theory.
• Communicative Component: Ability to explain rules clearly and resolve conflicts.
• Organizational Component: Ability to manage the group and space.

2. Formative Stage: Implementation of the special program for the EG. The program utilized action games categorized by pedagogical intent:

• Team-building games: To foster cooperation (e.g., "Knot," "Team Tag").
• Leadership games: Where students took turns being the absolute leader/referee (e.g., "Commander," "Traffic Controller").
• Cognitive-motor games: Requiring quick strategic thinking (e.g., "Chess Tag," "Numbers").

Unlike the CG, where games were played for recreation, in the EG, every game was followed by a "debriefing" session where students analyzed the pedagogical behavior of the student-leader [4, p. 102].

3. Control Stage: Post-test assessment using the same criteria as the diagnostic stage to measure growth.

Statistical Analysis

Data were analyzed using standard statistical methods, including the Student’s t-test, to determine the significance of differences between the pre-test and post-test results of the two groups.

Results. The initial diagnosis revealed that both groups had similar baseline levels of professional culture. Most students scored average or low in the "Communicative" and "Organizational" components, despite having high scores in physical fitness.

Table 1.

Comparative Analysis of Professional Culture Components (Pre- and Post-Experiment)

Note: Differences in EG growth are statistically significant at p < 0.05.

As shown in Table 1, the Experimental Group demonstrated substantial improvement. The most significant growth was observed in the Organizational component (+67.3%). In the Control Group, improvements were marginal and attributed to natural maturation during the semester.

Qualitative analysis of the results indicated that students in the EG became more confident in their voice projection, instruction delivery, and error correction. During the pedagogical internship which followed the experiment, supervisors noted that students from the EG were able to engage school children in activities 40% faster than their peers from the CG [5, p. 210]. Furthermore, the "Reflective" capacity of the EG students increased. When asked to critique their peers, EG students used professional terminology and offered constructive feedback, whereas CG students mostly focused on whether the game was "fun" or "boring," lacking pedagogical depth [6, p. 115].

Discussion. The results of this study confirm the hypothesis that action games are a potent instrument for enhancing the professional culture of future PE teachers. Several factors contribute to this outcome.

1. Simulation of Professional Reality:

Action games create a simplified model of the pedagogical process. A student leading a game faces immediate feedback: if their explanation is unclear, the game fails; if they are unfair, conflict arises. This immediate loop constitutes what Mosston and Ashworth describe as the "Reciprocal Style" of teaching, where the learner makes decisions and sees immediate consequences [7, p. 55]. In traditional lecture halls, this practical feedback loop is absent.

2. Development of Communicative Competence:

The significant rise in communicative scores in the EG can be attributed to the dynamic nature of action games. Unlike static drills, games are unpredictable. The teacher must communicate constantly, adapting their tone and instructions to the changing situation. This aligns with Vygotsky’s "Zone of Proximal Development," where students are pushed slightly beyond their comfort zone in social interactions, facilitating rapid growth [8, p. 201].

3. Emotional Intelligence and Ethics:

Professional culture includes the ethical management of competition. Through games, future teachers learned to manage not only their own emotions but also the emotions of participants. They practiced "fair play" and learned to mediate disputes, which is a critical skill in modern school environments [9, p. 78].

4. The Role of Reflection:

The debriefing sessions included in the methodology were crucial. As noted by Schön in The Reflective Practitioner, professional growth occurs not just through doing, but through reflecting on the action [9,30]. By analyzing the games, students transitioned from being "players" to being "educators using play."

Conclusion. Improving the professional culture of future physical education teachers is a multifaceted process. This study demonstrates that action games should not be viewed merely as recreational content for children, but as a serious methodological tool for teacher training. The systematic inclusion of student-led action games, coupled with reflective analysis, significantly boosts organizational and communicative skills. It is recommended that higher education curricula for Physical Education faculties integrate modules where students systematically design, lead, and critique action games. This approach ensures that graduates enter the workforce not just as athletes, but as culturally competent pedagogues ready to inspire the next generation.

References:

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