ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENT ATHLETES OF VARIOUS SPECIALIZATIONS IN GAMIFIED DISTANCE LEARNING IN ATHLETICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Improving higher education in physical education and sports requires introducing innovative digital tools to ensure sustained motivation and engagement among future specialists in distance learning. The purpose of the study is to establish the impact of gamified training in athletics on student-athlete engagement in an electronic format. The research methodology involved 52 student-athletes specializing in game and cyclic sports, who were divided into experimental and control groups of 26 each. For four weeks, the experimental group implemented gamified training in the LMS Moodle using points, badges, and leaderboards, supplemented by cooperative work in Slack and interactive Kahoot! quizzes. The control group followed the standard training program. The results were assessed through comprehensive monitoring of subjective engagement using the EGameFlow scale and NASA-TLX cognitive load, as well as automated analysis of behavioral log data. The results of the empirical study revealed a statistically significant increase in subjective cognitive load in both groups. In the experimental group, this process was accompanied by a significant increase in the parameters of psychological immersion and satisfaction. Analysis of the dynamics of the flow state using the EGameFlow scale demonstrated significant positive changes in the experimental group in concentration of attention, clarity of goals, quality of feedback, and perception of the challenge. In the control group, most indicators remained at their initial levels. The most pronounced intergroup differentiation was observed in the social interaction parameter, which confirms the effectiveness of gamified cooperative methods in overcoming the barrier of social isolation. Automated analysis of log activity in the Moodle LMS did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the groups, the experimental group had higher average values ​​of these indicators. Monitoring activity on the Slack platform indicated stable, long-term participant involvement through group interactions. In the use of Kahoot!, a high initial level of participation was observed with a gradual decrease in motivation to repeat the content. Conclusions. The increase in immersion and control indicators in the experimental group indicates the successful psychological adaptation of student-athletes to the gamified digital environment, and intensive feedback is perceived as a tool for confirming one's own competence. The obtained data confirm the initial hypothesis that game mechanics have a predominantly qualitative impact on the perception of the educational process, turning it into an interactive experience of self-improvement.