Research by master’s students of the institute of physical culture and sports in the context of teaching practice

Abstract

Introduction. This article examines the integration of project-based research activities into the teaching practice of master’s students in physical education and sports programs. The relevance of the study stems from a clear need to update the teaching practice content for such programs in the context of a competency-based approach and professional standard requirements.

Materials and Methods. The study is grounded in a competency-based approach with an applied focus aimed at developing students’ research competence (the ability to formulate hypotheses and process data), project competence (the ability to plan resources and time, and anticipate risks), and communicative competence (encompassing teamwork with teachers and coaches and interaction with research participants), all within the principle of integrating research and practice (ensuring correspondence between the research topic and the real needs of sports practice). Theoretical methods included analyzing and summarizing the pedagogical experience of organizing teaching practice at physical education universities. Empirical methods included pedagogical observation of the activities and research engagement of master’s students during their teaching practice; surveys and tests to identify students’ motivation, difficulties, and attitudes toward research; a methodological literacy test to assess students’ knowledge of research methods and statistical fundamentals; expert assessments; and an analysis of students’ activities. Data processing included calculating percentages, arithmetic means (M), and standard deviation (σ), as well as assessing the reliability of differences between indicators using Student’s t-test.

Results. The author presents a structural-functional model for organizing teaching practice, within which master’s students act as teacher-researchers, implementing an individual project to improve the educational and training process.

Conclusions. The study identified improvements in master’s students’ research competencies. It was established that implementing the project-based component in real-world teaching practice at a sports school increases master’s students’ motivation for scientific inquiry, enhances their analytical skills, and develops a readiness for innovation. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating project-based research activities into teaching practice. Future research may include creating a digital platform for remote monitoring of master’s students’ project activities during teaching practice, and studying the long-term effects of implementing the proposed research model on graduates’ career trajectories. The findings can be used in developing teaching practice programs and research projects for master’s students.