The dissertation presents the organizational and pedagogical conditions for the transformation of physical education of children of school age in the countries of Europe, Asia and America during the XX – the beginning of the XXI century and the factors that determine the quality of the organization of physical education process today.
According to the scientific literature, it is established that the subject «Physical education» is given considerable attention in the curriculum of different countries. It is presented as a compulsory subject at all stages of learning. But the actual status of this subject in some countries is different from the normative one. In addition to compulsory physical education classes in many countries, students are offered extra-curricular exercises, the content of which can be chosen by schoolchildren.
Despite the existing problems, different countries try to find ways out of the situation, to reconsider the disadvantages of physical education system. Therefore, foreign experience represents a significant value for the Ukrainian system of school physical education at the present stage of reforms.
On the basis of generalization of data from literature sources and documentary materials, the prerequisites and factors for the reform of the physical education systems of individual countries of Europe, Asia and America during the XX – beginning of the XXI centuries were determined.
According to regional peculiarities, the prerequisites for the implementation of physical education reforms are defined. They were: in Europe – political (geopolitical changes; European integration); economic (intensification of production, scientific and technological revolution, reduction of physical activity, reduction of financing of physical education); social (state regulation of physical culture and sports, changing social priorities for leisure, sporting society, building the technical base of physical culture and reducing it through the financial crisis, educational reforms, efforts to improve global competitiveness); the military (demilitarization of physical education); ideological (creation of a system of «European values») transformations; in Asia – in political (changes in political system of countries); economic (economic development; development of science, technology, education sector; preparation for major international competitions); ideological changes in China (construction of a «socialist state with Chinese specificity»); in USA – in politics (establishing the country's economy on the international stage); military (reducing the readiness of conscripts to serve in the army); social (low level of physical fitness of students, a decrease in the rating of the subject «Physical Education») changes.
The features of construction and maintenance of physical education in general secondary education institutions in Europe, Asia and USA are presented, their comparative characteristics, the system of assessment of educational achievements of schoolchildren in physical education, efficiency criteria and the main tendencies of development of physical education of school-age children in foreign countries.
By means of comparative analysis, we have identified the criteria by which a comparative characteristic of the peculiarities of the organization and conduct of physical education in schools of foreign countries is made: the existence of a legal framework for physical culture and sports; the content of national standards; status of the subject; availability of curriculum; number of hours to study the subject; logistics and sources of financing for the industry; the content of the curriculum and the purpose of studying the subject; extracurricular physical education work; the level of professional qualification of physical education teachers; a system for evaluating student achievement.
According to the new knowledge, the directions of improvement of the physical education system of schoolchildren of Ukraine are substantiated on the basis of positive foreign experience, which consist in creation of the appropriate legislative base of physical culture and sports; implementation of national standards of physical culture; development of variational curricula with the possibility to take into account all aspects of child`s development and the region of the country; correction and extension of the subject's focus; ensuring compliance with the recommended norms of motor activity; high quality staffing; the development of adequate approaches to the teaching of the subject and a comprehensive assessment of the educational achievements of the recipients of education.
