Non-professional physical education of the individual in higher education: conceptual foundations, educational mission, and development prospects

Abstract

Topicality. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to rethink the educational mission of Physical Education in higher education institutions under the conditions of competence-based transformation of the modern university, the spread of sedentary lifestyles, increasing psycho-physical burdens, and the growing necessity to develop individuals capable of maintaining health, work capacity, and physical activity throughout life regardless of their chosen profession. Under contemporary conditions, the contradiction between the predominantly time-limited educational influence of traditional physical education and the need to prepare a person for the independent organization of physical culture and health-related activities throughout life becomes increasingly evident. This actualizes the search for new pedagogical approaches related to the formation of non-professional physical education of the individual (NPPE). The purpose of the study is to provide a theoretical and methodological substantiation of non-professional physical education of the individual as a new direction for the development of Physical Education in higher education institutions, to determine its conceptual logic, educational mission, pedagogical content, and potential for developing universal life-related competencies among higher education students. Material and methods of the research. The methodological basis of the study included the provisions of competence-based, human-centered, systemic, and anthropological approaches, as well as the concepts of lifelong learning, health literacy, physical literacy, pedagogical innovation, and personality subjectivity. The study employed methods of analysis, systematization, and generalization of scientific literature, comparative pedagogical analysis, conceptual modeling, theoretical synthesis, and pedagogical interpretation. Results of the research. It has been established that, under the conditions of competence-based modernization of higher education, Physical Education acquires the potential to rethink its educational mission as a field for developing universal competencies related to a person’s ability for physical culture self-regulation, health maintenance, organization of physical activity, and lifelong viability. It has been substantiated that NPPE does not negate the traditional system of physical education but serves as a pedagogical continuation and expansion of its possibilities in accordance with the modern logic of general competencies. It has been shown that Physical Education possesses a unique potential for integrating knowledge, practice, personal experience, corporeality, self-observation, and physical culture activity of the individual. Prospective directions for NPPE implementation have been identified, including the renewal of the professional role of the physical education teacher, the creation of an appropriate educational environment, pedagogical design of implementation mechanisms, and expert evaluation of the feasibility of innovative models. Conclusions. It has been proved that non-professional physical education of the individual can be considered a promising direction for the transformation of Physical Education in higher education institutions aimed at developing an individual’s ability to maintain personal health, work capacity, psycho-physical balance, and physical activity throughout life. Strengthening the role of Physical Education in the modern university is associated not with professional competition among disciplines but with its capacity to ensure a universal component of educational outcomes equally significant for representatives of all specialties.