Honorary Figure of Russian Higher Education, Dr.Hab., Professor A.E. Bolotin¹
Ph.D., Professor A.V. Karavan²
¹Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg
²Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, St. Petersburg

Keywords: indicators, professional performance, physical education teachers, students of higher educational institutions.

Introduction. In the modern context, the ongoing changes in the Russian Federation require a high level of professional performance of physical education (PE) teachers [1, 2]. This is due to dynamic reforms covering the university education system. In terms of modernizing the Russian university education system, the primary reform objectives comprise structuring the new system for evaluating the professional performance of university PE teachers. The evaluation system should be based on certain indicators.

Determining these indicators is a relatively new issue in pedagogical sciences. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the studies in this field attract the attention of a certain group of scientists [1, 2].

It is known that a university PE teacher performs a number of functions regarding education and training of students. Implementation of the educational function provides the students with the knowledge about the role of physical exercises in health improvement and work capacity enhancement in the further professional activity. Educational function stands for character and personality development. Implementation of this function builds the skills of healthy living and public conduct. However, the functions mentioned above cannot be completely implemented and performed unless the professional performance of PE teachers is effective enough. 

At this point, it is necessary to substantiate the objective evaluation of professional performance effectiveness for university teaching personnel. In other words, the priorities in the professional performance evaluation system should be restructured according to the modern requirements. The practical solution to the issue is closely related to the implementation of system approach determining the high level of professional performance of PE teachers.

The purpose of the study was to substantiate justification for the indicators determining professional performance of university PE teachers.

Materials and methods. For the purpose of substantiating the indicators determining professional performance of university PE teachers, the teachers from three universities of St. Petersburg were surveyed. 78 respondents from St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering and the National Mineral Resources University took part in the survey. The subjects were asked to evaluate the indicators determining professional performance of university PE teachers. Indicators were estimated with the use of the 9-point scale, in which the level of correlation ratio of indicators to professional performance of PE teachers identified the relation of these parameters. The rank statistics for each indicator was determined according to the level of correlation ratio.

Results and discussion. At this juncture, PE teachers should improve the effectiveness of performing their professional activities. According to these requirements, the proper environment for professional self-actualization should be provided in the department of physical culture and sports. This environment should contribute to increasing the vocational skills and knowledge of the PE teachers in the field of their vocational activities. Tackling professional issues enables the PE teachers to bridge the gaps between the actual knowledge they already have and the knowledge they are supposed to acquire for better professional competency. As a result, a pedagogue is capable of effective dealing with the wider scope of vocational issues. Self-actualization and development provides the opportunities for operating at the new level of professional activities.

Thus, self-actualization of PE teachers is based on systematic resolution of issues arising in the process of professional activities. Self-actualization provides the new experiences and methods of tackling the issues in the field of physical culture and sports, which enhance the professional competency of teachers. In its turn, professional competency contributes to professional performance and its effectiveness in terms of educational process.

The key point of professional activity is determined by the way a teacher understands the concept of professional competency. Professional competency of a PE teacher is described as having the following characteristics:

– the level of professional competency (is set by objective factors based on the features of professional activities);

– professional competency (as the form of self-actualization);

– professional competency (as a result of social demand for physical development of students).

Thus, the professional competency of PE teachers represents the system of individual psychological characteristics identifying the tendency for self-actualization. Professional competency is the qualitative level of proficiency which a PE teacher achieves in the field of professional activities.

The high level of professional competency is determined by the teachers' ability to analyze their professional performance and to determine the area and structure of their activities as appropriate. Taking right decisions and coping with diffidence are among the most important skills. Effective and productive professional activity requires from PE teachers that they have appropriate intellectual and psychological skills, as well as the developed personality characterized by a set of factors having a direct impact on the level of professional competency, which determines professional performance of the teachers. Organization of the process aimed at reaching the objective mentioned above can be attained through revealing the indicators determining professional performance. Results of the study, aimed at substantiating the indicators determining professional performance of the university PE teachers, are given in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Correlation analysis of PE teachers' professional performance according to the indicators determining competency in the field of physical culture and sports

Professional competency of PE teachers is an integrative quality comprising the level of proficiency, skills and knowledge of professional activity in the field of physical culture and sports, all based on the capacity for self-actualization and ability to determine the area and structure of the physical culture and sports program as appropriate.

Professional competency is the primary issue for the university PE teachers, since it stands for determining the parameters of self-actualization and professional performance of the PE teachers in the field of physical culture and sports. The study results show the significance of intellectual and psychological skills of the PE teachers in terms of their professional competency, whereas professional competency itself is characterized by a set of indicators determining competency in the field of physical culture and sports.

Conclusion. The conducted study proved that the revealed indicators provide an opportunity to give an objective evaluation to the professional performance of the university PE teachers.

References

1. Bolotin, A.E. Faktory, opredelyayushchie vklyuchennost' studentov gornykh spetsial'nostey v fizkul'turno-sportivnuyu deyatel'nost' (Factors determining involvement of students majoring in mining in sports activity) / A.E. Bolotin, Yu.V. Yakovlev // Teoriya i praktika fiz. kul'tury. – 2014. – № 6 – P. 58–59.
2. Bolotin, A.E. Pedagogicheskaya tekhnologiya ispol'zovaniya sredstv fizicheskoy kul'tury dlya adaptatsii studentov k professional'noy deyatel'nosti (Educational technology of using means of physical culture to adapt students to professional activity) / A.E. Bolotin, V.A. Shchegolev, V.V. Bakaev // Teoriya i praktika fiz. kul'tury. – 2014. – № 7 – P. 16–20.

 Corresponding author: a_bolotin@inbox.ru