HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF ADOLESCENTS IN SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive historical analysis of the development of physical education for adolescents in school and extracurricular educational institutions of Ukraine from the late nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century.
Based on the analysis of scientific literature, pedagogical concepts, regulatory documents, and educational practices across different historical periods, the study systematizes the principal stages of the formation and transformation of adolescent physical education in Ukraine.
It is substantiated that the foundations of physical education were established in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries under the influence of European physical training systems and the emergence of national pedagogical thought. The article highlights the significant role of school-based physical training, sports societies, youth organizations, clubs, and extracurricular activities in fostering adolescents’ engagement in physical culture.
The study characterizes the institutionalization of physical education during the 1920s–1930s, its standardization and mass implementation during the mid-twentieth century, and its subsequent humanization and differentiation in the second half of the twentieth century.
It is established that by the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, physical education in Ukraine transitioned from a norm-oriented system to a learner-centered and health-preserving model. This transformation emphasized motivation for physical activity, development of self-regulation skills, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and integration of school and extracurricular physical education practices.
Particular attention is paid to contemporary challenges, including declining levels of adolescent physical activity, the impact of digitalization, the need for inclusive educational practices, and the integration of innovative health-promoting technologies.
The article concludes that historical analysis of physical education development provides an essential basis for understanding contemporary transformations and for modernizing physical education systems in response to current social, educational, and health-related demands.
Prospects for further research are associated with interdisciplinary approaches to improving physical education for adolescents through innovative pedagogical models, inclusive practices, and sustainable health-oriented educational strategies.

Received: February 12, 2026
Accepted: March 04, 2026
Published: May 28, 2026