A Methodological Model for Developing Professional Competence of Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers by Means of Gymnastics

The paper presents a methodological model for developing the professional competence of pre-service physical education teachers by means of gymnastics. The model was built by modelling, theoretical analysis of the literature and generalisation of teaching practice, and rests on the integration of systemic, competency-based and activity approaches. It consists of five interrelated blocks: a target block (social order, aim and tasks), a methodological block (approaches and principles), a content block (four modules - theoretical, practical, communicative and reflective), a procedural block (forms, methods and means of gymnastics teaching) and an evaluative-result block (criteria, indicators, levels and diagnostic tools). The model specifies the pedagogical conditions of its implementation and three stages of its introduction - diagnostic, formative and control. Its approbation in a 16-week experiment with second-year physical culture students (n = 40) showed a significantly larger gain in overall competence in the experimental group than in the control group (+9.1 vs +3.4 points on a 100-point scale; t = 4.91; p < 0.001). The model can be used in the design of gymnastics courses in bachelor programmes for physical education teachers.