PhD, Professor I.N. Venediktov¹
Dr.Hab., Professor G.N. Ponomarev^1
1Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg

Keywords: history, development, educational research.

Background. Presently the faculty of the Physical Education Theory and Practice Department runs theoretical and practical research in the junior physical education and sports subjects based on the more than 70 year-old research school traditions.

Study findings and discussion. It was in December 1948 that one of the first national Physical Education Theory and Practice (PETP) department was established by the Physical Education Department of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia in Leningrad and made a fast progress due to the efforts of many physical education enthusiasts including S.V. Yananis, B.A. Ashmarin, B.A. Petrov, I.P. Potapchenko, V.D. Goncharov, A.A. Nesterov, S.Z. Khubbiev and G.N. Ponomarev.

The PETP department was masterminded and initiated by S.V. Yananis, a renowned top manager of the national physical education system, researcher and leading education specialist. His monograph ‘Motor skill building process methodology and process psychophysics” (1948) was the first major study to effectively advance the movement construction theory by N.A. Bernstein and outlined the ways for its application in the physical education sector.

B.A. Ashmarin was one more leading scientist of that time to advance the physical education theory and practice in the country who gave a special priority in his studies to the ways to apply the theoretical findings in the general physical education practice.

A valuable contribution to the educational research activity of the PETP department was made by Y.P. Ilyin, Professor and Doctor of Psychology who introduced Psychophysiology of Physical Education as a new academic discipline for students and postgraduates and established a special research laboratory for the discipline. 

It was the time when the key research thrusts and teams of the PETP department were shaped up including the Physical Education Theory and Practice department faculty headed by B.A. Ashmarin, N.G. Koltsova, S.A. Pushkarev, R.M. Kadyrov, G.N. Ponomarev, I.N. Venediktov, I.I. Kiprushina and S.A. Khismatullin; the Medical Biology research team headed by E.A. Bogdanov, A.N. Finkelstein, N.P. Svinukhov, M.A. Zamkova, Y.N. Moroz, S.V. Popov and P.V. Rodichkin; the Education Psychology research team headed by Y.P. Ilyin and Y.Y. Ryzhkin; and the School Education Practice research team headed by V.I. Slesar, L.K. Zavyalov, Y.A. Vinogradov, A.P. Pustovoy and G.N. Smirnov. The new research process design with the physical education theory ranked among the core educational and research disciplines to integrate a variety of the relevant psychological, educational and sport training research disciplines made it possible to secure a new quality for the physical education theory and practice.  

In 1980-1990s, a new research thrust was formed by the PETP department focused on the social and cultural aspects of the physical education service, with major contributions made by B.A. Petrov, I.P. Potapchenko and V.G. Goncharov. The new research thrust gave a new impetus to the educational and research projects of the faculty – as verified, among other things, by the growth of the post-graduate research activity and theses defences. In 1992, the PETP department formed a Dissertation Council to consider dissertations for academic degrees of PhDs and established productive contacts with foreign researchers from the Republic of Korea, Lithuania and Poland. Postgraduates and applicants from abroad have enjoyed a great support from the faculty largely due to the efforts of Professor A.A. Nesterov.

In the late XX and early XXI century, the PETP department has made a transition to the multilevel specialist training system, with the faculty actively involved in the Federal State Higher Education Standards development and implementation process. A new quality for the specialist training system was secured by the educational system reforms designed to update the system design, content and technologies. It was at that time that the PETP department faculty completed a few projects on commissions from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation including the Specialist Training Service Revision for the Physical Education, Sport and Tourism Sector; Education Specialist Training under the New Higher Pedagogical Education Curricula: Physical Education, Special Education etc. 

Furthermore, the PETP department faculty made a valuable contribution to the 2007-2008 Innovative Educational Program “New Specialist Training System based on the Humanitarian Technologies for Social Sector [1]; and was successful in the efforts to secure inflow of new human resource to the faculty. In 2001, a Dissertation Council to consider dissertations for academic degrees of PhD and Doctor of Science in 13.00.04 Physical Education, Sport Training, Health and Adaptive Physical Education (Pedagogical and Psychological Sciences) discipline was introduced by the department. In 2004, the PETP department established its doctorate office.

Since the first years of its operation, the PETP department has provided postgraduate training services to promising young researchers. For the period of 1995 to 2015, the PETP department reports more than 20 dissertations defended by young foreign researchers from the Republic of Korea, Lithuania and Poland; and 25 dissertations defended by the Russian young scientists.

The PETP department has sponsored publication of more than 50 textbooks, teaching aids and research monographs on the topical research issues of the physical education and sports services for the last 20 years. Success of the Innovative Education System based on Dialogue Practical Training Module for Primary School Classes and Disciplines Project implemented by the PETP department was acknowledged by the Grand Prix Diploma of the Achievements of the People’s Economy Exhibition.

Faculty of the PETP department has actively contributed to a variety of international and national scientific congresses and conferences by reports and presentations at major congresses, forums and conferences (in Malaysia, the US, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Germany, SAR, Belorussia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Bulgaria) and at home (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Belgorod, Kursk, Kaliningrad, Vladivostok, Surgut etc).

The PETP department closely cooperates with the peer faculties and research institutions including the University of Northern Iowa (USA); Umyan Rehabilitation and Nurturing Center (Lithuania); Konzhu National University (Republic of Korea), Research University in Kubang Kerian (Malaysia); Polessye State University (Belorussia) etc. [2].

Conclusion. The long history of the educational and research service and sound educational traditions of the Physical Education Theory and Practice Department of Herzen RSPU form a basis for a new quality of the specialist training service for the national physical education and sports sector. 

References

1. Venediktov I.N., Ponomarev G.N. 70 let: ot fakulteta fizicheskogo vospitaniya do instituta fizicheskoy kultury i sporta [70 years: from Physical Education Faculty to Institute of Physical Culture and Sport]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2016, no. 8, pp. 3-4.
2. Ponomarev G.N. Etapy bolshogo puti: 2010 let RGPU im. A.I. Gertsena, 60 let – fakultetu fizicheskoy kultury [Stages of a long journey: 210th anniversary of Herzen SPUR]. Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury, 2006, no. 9, pp. 2-4.

Corresponding author: g-ponomarev@inbox.ru

The article gives an analysis of the historical progress of the Physical Education Theory and Practice Department of Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia with an emphasis on its operational policies and strategies that have secured its leading positions in the national academic pedagogic education system. A special priority in the analysis is given to the educational research thrusts in the physical education theory and practice that are now central for the Physical Education Theory and Practice Department policies. The study data demonstrate that the long history of the educational and research service and sound educational traditions of the Physical Education Theory and Practice Department of Herzen RSPU form a basis for the new quality of the specialist training service for the national physical education and sports sector.