CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT OF PEDAGOGY OF LEISURE TIME

Abstract

The pedagogy of leisure time is a pedagogical scholarly discipline of a more recent date. Its establishment is burdened by similar issues accompanying pedagogical science and other pedagogical scholarly disciplines. Theoretical thoughts on leisure time dates back in history, from ancient times to modern age, within the framework of philosophical-sociological and pedagogical paradigm. The paper aims at, based on an analysis of theoretical concepts about leisure time, pointing to challenges and perspectives of development of pedagogy of leisure time. To that end, the author analyses theoretical concepts of free time, notions of freedom in leisure time, definitions of free time, along with the most relevant psychological sociological theories of free time. Based on the analysis of theoretical concepts of leisure time, it is possible to notice the emergence and development of various theoretical approaches to leisure time, as well as the development of specific traditional concepts of leisure time. Historically speaking, theoretical thoughts about leisure time have often been reduced to understanding and interpreting of the phenomenon of freedom. With regard to psychological-sociological theories, the dominant position is reserved for the subjectivist understanding of leisure time. In the contemporary pedagogy of leisure time, the aforementioned concepts belong to the general theory of leisure time. The lack of such theory lies in the fact that it does not contain performing models as an important structural element on the basis of which one could act in the practice of leisure time. The contemporary pedagogy of leisure develops two aspects, moral education for leisure time and moral education in leisure time, which represents a major challenge for its future development. A major challenge is numerous unresolved theoretical-methodological issues as well. The pedagogy of leisure time needs new methodological directions. The level of scientific development achieved implies that the pedagogy of leisure time has its perspectives in the future.