PRACTICUM AS A MEANS OF FORMING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES OF FUTURE FITNESS TRAINERS AND ADAPTIVE SPORTS SPECIALISTS

Abstract

Purpose. The article substantiates the pedagogical potential of the practicum as an effective form of organizing the educational process in the training system of higher education students majoring in physical culture and sports, fitness, and adaptive sports. The purpose of the study is to justify the practicum as an effective means of forming professional competencies of future fitness trainers and adaptive sports specialists within the framework of competency-based, inclusive, and health-preserving approaches. Methods. The study employed a set of theoretical and empirical methods, including analysis and synthesis of scientific and methodological literature on professional training of specialists in the field of physical culture and sports; pedagogical observation; surveys of higher education students; and generalization of pedagogical experience in implementing practice-oriented educational components. The methodological framework of the study is based on competency-based, activity-based, and inclusive approaches. Results. It was established that the practicum as a structural component of the educational program ensures the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical skills and contributes to the formation of students' professional readiness for real working conditions in the fitness industry and the field of adaptive sports. The use of variable situational tasks, modeling of professional cases, work with individual educational needs, as well as the application of reflective methods, has a positive impact on the development of applied skills, communication culture, professional responsibility, and the ability for interdisciplinary interaction. Conclusions. The study substantiates that the practicum is an effective means of improving the quality of professional training, ensuring compliance with the requirements of higher education standards and the modern labor market. Its implementation contributes to the holistic formation of professional competencies necessary for specialists in fitness and adaptive physical culture, as well as creates conditions for their professional self-development and competitiveness.