Integration of physical culture and health technologies into physical education of higher education students

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to develop and theoretically substantiate an integrative model for embedding physical culture and health technologies into the physical education system of higher education students, taking into account current trends in digitalisation, individualisation, health preservation, and motivation for regular physical activity. The methodological basis was a targeted structured content analysis of 30 Ukrainian and international publications issued in 2021–2026. A publication was treated as the unit of analysis, while the unit of coding was the presence, in the aim, methods, results, or conclusions, of statements related to five thematic domains: health-preserving, motivational-behavioural, content-modality, digital-informational, and individualisation-monitoring. The codes were non-exclusive, and frequencies were calculated in Microsoft Excel. The health-preserving domain was identified in 21 of 30 sources (70.0%), the motivational-behavioural domain in 19 (63.3%), the content-modality and digital-informational domains in 13 sources each (43.3%), and the individualisation-monitoring domain in 12 (40.0%). Based on these findings, a five-component integrative model was developed combining variable health-oriented motor content, health-preserving orientation, motivational and behavioural mechanisms, digital support, and individualised monitoring. Four implementation stages are proposed: diagnostic-target, design-personalisation, activity-integration, and monitoring-reflective. The scientific novelty consists in improving the methodological foundations of university physical education by shifting from fragmented use of separate fitness or digital tools to their functionally coordinated integration around health goals, autonomous physical activity behaviour, and personalised feedback. The practical significance lies in the possibility of using the model in compulsory and elective courses, blended and distance learning formats, and programmes of students' independent physical activity. The study has a theoretical-methodological design and does not claim experimentally proven effectiveness of the proposed model; empirical validation is defined as the next research stage.