COGNITIVE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORT

Abstract

The section examines cognitive and research activity in physical education and sport as an integral component of the professional development of higher education students. Cognitive and research engagement is interpreted as a holistic formation that combines motivational, cognitive, activity-based, and reflective dimensions, ensuring the transition from the reproductive performance of motor tasks to conscious, research-oriented analysis of one’s own physical activity. The aim of the study is to substantiate pedagogical conditions and empirically test a model that fosters such engagement in compulsory physical education classes. Theoretical methods (analysis, synthesis, comparison, modelling) were used to clarify the conceptual framework and to construct a model that integrates research tasks into the structure of physical education. Empirical data were collected through questionnaires, testing, pedagogical observations, expert evaluations, and a pedagogical experiment involving control and experimental groups (comprising 100 students from a faculty of physical education and sport). The model involved the systematic inclusion of mini-research projects, problem-based tasks, and digital tools for monitoring motor activity during classwork. The dynamics of students’ engagement were evaluated according to four criteria: motivational (interest in research and internal motivation), cognitive (knowledge of research methods and ability to apply them), activity-based (skills in planning and conducting experiments), and reflective (capacity for self-analysis and self-assessment). Statistical analysis of the results revealed a significant increase in the proportion of students with sufficient and high levels of cognitive and research engagement in the experimental group compared to the control group, as well as a decrease in the proportion of students with low levels. The introduction of research tasks and digital monitoring tools enhanced students’ awareness of the value of physical activity, improved their research skills, and fostered a more developed reflective culture. The findings confirm the effectiveness of the proposed pedagogical model and suggest the potential for its broader implementation in physical education courses, sports and wellness programs, and the training of future specialists in physical culture and sport.