Situational problems and cases from sports practice as one of the forms of active methods of teaching students

The relevance of the study is due to the need to introduce active learning methods into the modern pedagogical process of a university, especially in the context of distance education. Traditional methods do not always ensure sufficient student engagement, while problem-based learning using cases and situational tasks promotes the development of critical thinking, independence, and professional competencies. The purpose of this work is to justify the effectiveness of using active methods, such as case-based technologies and situational tasks, in the educational process of sports university students. Special attention is paid to integrating these methods into the distance learning format. The research materials and methods include the analysis of pedagogical literature, the development of author's cases and tasks based on sports practice, and their approbation in the educational process of the Volga State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism. The study used the methods of observation, questioning, and pedagogical experimentation. The main results showed that the use of cases and situational tasks increases students' cognitive activity and develops their analytical and creative abilities. The article provides examples of classes that include intellectual warm-ups, cases on the periodization of training and sports psychology, as well as mathematical problems that stimulate logical thinking. Conclusion. Active learning methods have proven to be effective, but their use requires a balance with traditional teaching methods. The cases and tasks developed by the authors have been successfully tested in the master's program and can be recommended to teachers for improving the educational process.