Structural and Functional Model of the Formation of Physical Education and Professional Competence among Future Preschool Teachers

Abstract

Physical education is an integral part of the comprehensive development of a child's personality and the preservation of his psychophysical health. An analysis of the current state of theory and practice in higher pedagogical education reveals a contradiction between the growing social demand for educators prepared to implement innovative physical education and health-improving technologies in preschool educational institutions (PEIs) and the insufficient level of training of pedagogical university graduates in designing and implementing activities aimed at strengthening children's health. Thus, the formation of phy¬sical-professional competence in future educators is a necessary component of the professional training of PEI specialists, defined as a synthesis of readiness for professional activity and a personal predisposition to implementing the tasks of children's physical development. The aim of the study is to create and test a structural-functional model for the formation of physical-professional competence, the use of which is aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the educational process. The analysis of scientific literature, modeling, pedagogical experiment, testing, questionnaires, and methods of mathematical statistics were used to solve the tasks of the study. The stages and content blocks of the model were developed, and their correspond-ence to the types of educational activities was determined. Within the framework of the structural-functional model, a set of modern innovative forms of physical development for preschoolers was offered, consisting of four interconnected blocks implemented within the discipline “Elective Courses in Physical Culture and Sports.” The structural-functional model for the formation of physical-professional competence was tested in a pedagogical experiment conducted at the Pedagogical Institute of Irkutsk State Uni-versity (specialization “Preschool Education”), with a sample size of n = 73. Criteria for the level of for-mation of physical-professional competence in future PEI educators were identified: theoretical knowledge and skills; organizational and methodological skills; practice-oriented skills; reflexive skills. As a result of the pedagogical experiment implementing professional training in the subject area “Physical Culture,” the level of formation of physical-professional competence in future preschool educators showed statistically significant positive dynamics according to these criteria.