Dr.Med., professor S.N. Simonov¹
Associate professor, PhD A.A. Chastikhin²
Dr.Med., professor A.V. Gulin¹
Associate professor, PhD V.V. Apokin^3
1Tambov State University n.a. G.R. Derzhavin, Tambov
²Air Force Military Training and Research Center "Air Force Academy n.a. Professor N.E. Zhukovsky and Yu.A. Gagarin", Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Voronezh
³Surgut State University, Surgut

Keywords: synergy, sensitive periods of development, modelling, kinesiology, theory of physical education.

Introduction. Today it can be said with confidence that the synergetic approach is becoming increasingly popular and even “trendy”. Synergy has long gone beyond the boundaries of the sphere of its origin: physical chemistry, mathematical physics, laser and plasma physics. Synergetic terminology is increasingly becoming a part of general scientific language as well as specific languages of individual spheres, often far from physics and mathematics. Synergetic models now work productively in such areas as neurobiology, neuroimmunology, medicine, economics, sociology, science studies, cultural studies and others.

We believe that synergy is a part of a universal methodological paradigm relating to the areas of knowledge that study complex systems, the phenomenon of self-organization and is an integrated multidisciplinary approach to the studied subjects and objects. The basic concepts of synergy are openness, non-linearity, non-equilibrium, bifurcation, fluctuations, dissipative structures, attractor, fractality.

Self-organization mechanisms are what synergy is about. That is why it is called the theory of self-organization.

According to Hermann Haken, objects of various nature demonstrate properties of self-organization [4, 10]. The processes of self-organization occur due to restructuring of the existing and creation of new links between the elements of the system. A distinctive feature of self-organization processes is their focused, but at the same time natural, spontaneous character: the processes taking place in the interaction of the system with the environment are to a certain extent autonomous, relatively independent of it. The process of self-organization is the result of the interaction of randomness and necessity and is always associated with the transition from instability to stability [4, 10, 11].

Conceptual and methodological novelty of the self-organization ideas is associated with recognition of the ability of self-development of various systems not only due to the inflow of energy, information and substance from the outside, but also through the use of their internal resources.  

At present promotion of synergy into the sphere of education resulted in the ideas, the starting point of which is the synergetic nature of the process of education, and pedagogical synergy is understood as the area of pedagogical knowledge that is just strengthening its position, the ideology of which finds its reflection in the theory, principles and patterns of self-organization of systems of education [5, 6. 9, 11, 12].

Interpretation of pedagogical phenomena in terms of the theory of self-organization is a difficult but quite important task. There is no definition of the term “pedagogical synergy” in the currently existing textbooks and reference books, which indicates insufficient theoretical elaboration of this phenomenon in the science itself [5, 6, 9, 11].

In order to apply the principles of synergy to the analysis of processes taking place in education, it is necessary to determine to what extent the system of education can be regarded as synergetic. To do this it is to be studied from the perspective of synergetic methodology as an open, self-organizing, non-linear system [5, 6, 13, 14].

Objective of the research was to provide a theoretical basis for synergetic modelling of sensitive periods in development of pupils’ motor abilities.   

Research results and discussion. The education system can be regarded open since, firstly, it is a process of constant information (knowledge) exchange between a teacher and students (feedback), of focused information obtaining. New targets, methods and means of teaching and learning emerge during this process. Secondly, the content of education is changing, as it does not correspond to the current system of knowledge and skills of students. There is a non-linearity of both the process and the outcome. The result of the process of education is always different from the concepts of its participants. Thirdly, the ever-increasing educational information space interferes with the stable equilibrium of the system [3, 4, 10, 11].

Other most important concepts of synergy also quite correctly correlate with the concepts of traditional education science.

Non-linearity of the system means that the result of the impact on the system is not proportional to the power (intensity) of the impact. The main features of the phenomenon of non-linearity are as follows:  

– non-linearity means a possibility of sudden changes in the development of processes. Since the development occurs by means of random choices in the bifurcation points, extrapolation from the present state becomes quite unreliable: the picture of the process at an intermediate stage can be very far from its picture at a developed (asymptotic) stage;  

– non-linearity is associated with a potential possibility of ultrafast development of processes at certain stages; 

– non-linearity creates a sort of quantum effect: discreteness of the spectrum of ways of evolution of non-linear systems. In other words, not a spontaneous course of evolution is possible in the non-linear environment, but only a certain set of such paths.  

Bifurcations in non-linear systems can be determined not only by changing the environment parameters from outside, but also by the course of self-development processes of the system itself. Furthermore, there may occur spontaneous changes of the environment itself, entailing the transformation of the range of system attractors.   

An attractor is defined in synergy as a relatively stable state of the system that kind of attracts all the many of its paths defined by different initial conditions.  

Bifurcation is a point of branching of evolution paths of a complex system: while passing the point of bifurcation, the system “chooses” one of the possible directions of further development. Thus, it can only be determined after the “choice” of the attractor in what point the system will be at any moment after the t time (Figure1).

It is important to emphasize that passing through the bifurcation points closes “rejected” evolutionary paths, thus making the process of evolution irreversible: several ways of development are available only at this point of instability, passing this point means deployment of only one of potentially possible processes.

The concept of “sensitive periods of development” is one of the basic in the theory of human motor abilities, and is understood in sport practice as age periods of accelerated growth rates of the motor ability influenced by training.

Analysis of the literature on the subject enables us to make the following generalizations of the basic characteristics specific of the sensitive periods of development of motor abilities:

Figure 1. Principle diagram of the process development through the “synergetic transit”

1. They are universal, that is, they emerge during the development of all children, regardless of race, nationality, pace of development, geopolitical, cultural differences, etc.  
2. They are individual if it comes to the time of their occurrence and duration for a particular child.   
3. The periods before and after the sensitive one are characterized by steady, stable growth of motor abilities under the influence of exercise.
4. Targeted physical exercise used in the sensitive period help develop this motor ability selectively and significantly, and the delayed effect of such pedagogical impact is accompanied by fundamental changes in the dynamics of further development of this ability (Guzhalovskiy A.A., 1977) [1, 2].
5. If the sensitive period is skipped for some reason, the consequences are irreversible, that is, there is no going back to it.
6. Minor impacts can cause significant changes in the growth of motor ability during the sensitive period, thereby developing pedagogical impacts are most effective.
7. Training impacts that vary in their intensity can provide different levels of development of this motor ability.  
8. In the absence of targeted impact on this motor ability in the sensitive period its level growth rate remains average for this age period.

Designing the synergetic model of sensitive periods of development of motor abilities we assumed that different levels of motor activity should provide different growth rates of this ability. Grading of A.G. Sukharev was used as a basis for the concept of the levels of motor activity (1991) [7, 8].

The normal level of motor activity, or normokinesis, was understood by us as the age norm provided by the daily volume of natural physical activity, combined with the volume of activity in educational institutions, such as physical education lessons at school.   

Hyperkinesis is the result of a combination of natural activity, training at a sports club and physical education lessons at school.  

Extreme hyperkinesis, in our opinion, is provided as a result of regular training within elite sport, supplemented by natural activity and physical education lessons.   

Hypokinesis is the result of a sedentary lifestyle characterized by deficiency of movement for this age, which may be associated with some disease and PE classes in a specialized group at school.  

Forced or pathological hypokinesis is caused by significant limitation of motor activity of a child as a result of a permanent motor impairment in case of a disability. All children with disabilities are characterized by typical motor disorders and related diseases (Figure 2).

Within the framework of the synergetic model of the implementation of sensitive periods of development of motor abilities of pupils we assumed that each of the strategies is an attractor that the system enters after a period of bifurcation.  

Bifurcation, in fact, is a sensitive period of 2-3 years, very short compared to life expectancy, when the body of the child is to enter the next period (attractor) – the one of sustainable development. Prerequisites for this qualitative transition are created or cleared in the sensitive period.  

It is “not clear” during the sensitive period in which direction the system will develop: whether there will be considerable (exceptionally high) growth rates of motor abilities or, on the contrary, this option will be completely destroyed by negative external influences. Intensive targeted physical load during this period ensures a “leap” to a whole new (high) level of development of this motor ability. At the same time, if the period when the bifurcation point is being passed is blocked by a pathological condition, such as immobility due to illness, then, by the principle of irrevocability, a transfer to some productive attractor of further sustainable development will not take place.

Figure 2. Synergetic model of sensitive periods in development of motor abilities

Conclusions. Synergetic modeling led to the following main conclusions:

• Sensitive periods in development of motor abilities are transition periods implemented by means of synergetic mechanisms that ensure a transfer to a whole new level in development of this ability. At the same time in reality each of the motor abilities develops with varying degrees of intensity, which is related to inborn biological characteristics and ensures individuality of motor areas of each child.
• Motor activity as part of physical education at school creates the basis for a “normal” implementation of sensitive periods in development of motor abilities and provides the necessary level of general and specialized physical fitness of children and adolescents.  Disability and pathological hypokinesia that accompanies it lead to “non-implementation” of potential sensitive periods, which causes a considerable delay in the development of motor abilities of children with impairments.  

References

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Corresponding author: apokin_vv@mail.ru

Abstract

The theoretical model of the sensitive periods of development of motor abilities of children and adolescents of school age is substantiated within the paradigm of the synergetic approach of Hermann Haken. It is argued that periods of highest sensitivity to external influences fully coincide with the concept of "bifurcation", and the subsequent sustainable development perfectly fits into the concept of "attractor". It is shown that the "choice" of the attractor within sensitive periods depends on the level of physical load during previous development. It is assumed that due to the lack of physical activity children with impairments "skip" the period of transition to a higher level of development of motor qualities and therefore lag behind their peers for 2-3 years.