Keywords

digital environment, digitalization of education, critical thinking, digital competencies, digital technologies.

Abstract

Introduction. The widespread use of digital technologies in the learning process not only develops students' digital competencies but should also stimulate the development of independent and critical thinking – one of the key competencies for success. The relevance of our research is determined by the existence of a dilemma: on the one hand, the student easily obtains information and knowledge using digital platforms; on the other hand, digital technologies can turn them into a passive consumer of information. This kind of transformation threatens the quality of education and the ability of future specialists in physical education and sports to solve complex, non-standard problems.

Objective of the study is to examine the role of digital technologies in developing critical thinking among students of sports universities in the context of modern requirements for specialists in the labor market.

Results of the study and their discussion. The new digital reality and the latest technologies raise the question of how well current Russian education meets the needs of the time, whether university graduates are capable of meeting these needs, and solving new problems in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution [1, p. 7]. It is impossible for modern education to ignore this question or leave it unresolved.

The digitalization of education is constantly accompanied by discussions about the significance and application of technologies in the educational process. Russian philosopher V.A. Kutyrev describes the tone of these discussions as follows: "It is assumed that educational networks and multimedia terminals will allow a person to gain knowledge anywhere and at any time. Their presence in special classrooms and lecture halls will become optional. An opportunity will open up for an almost unlimited choice of the best programs, by world standards, and their accumulation will lead to the displacement of professors and educators as bearers of more limited knowledge" [2, p. 173].

Modern students of sports universities constantly interact with digital resources: analytical platforms, VR simulators, big data in tactical training. This helps them "keep up with the times." Successful mastery of the digital environment presupposes that the student will learn to analyze information, compare sources, and form reasoned conclusions – that is, to develop critical thinking, rather than becoming a passive consumer of information. The application of digital technologies creates an environment for training students' critical thinking through interactive tasks, data analysis, and interdisciplinary projects.

Conclusion. Digital technologies do not replace critical thinking but contribute to its development and formation among students of sports universities. Through data analysis, they learn to make informed decisions in their professional activities. It depends only on the student themselves whether digital technologies will improve their competencies or whether they will remain a passive consumer of information, perceiving it superficially.

References

1. Dolgikh F.I. Yuridicheskoye obrazovaniye v Rossii v svete bolshikh vyzovov [Legal Education in Russia in the Light of Great Challenges]. Moscow: Synergy University Press, 2020. 106 p.
2. Kutyrev V.A. Kultura i tekhnologiya: borba mirov [Culture and Technology: The Clash of Worlds]. Moscow: Progress – Tradition, 2001. 240 p.