Theoretical and Methodological Foundations for Developing Students’ Project-Based Creative Potential in the Prospective Design and Technology Section of the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63437/3083-6425-2026-2(101)-14

Keywords:

giftedness, design giftedness, Dasein, pedagogical design, students, Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, project-based creative activity, design thinking

Abstract

The article substantiates a philosophical and pedagogical understanding of design giftedness as a manifestation of students’ project-based creative potential in the educational environment of the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Giftedness is interpreted as an integrative personal quality that becomes visible in research, project-based, aesthetic, technological and reflective activity. The study focuses on design giftedness as a type of special giftedness associated with form-making, design thinking, cultural interpretation, the ability to generate and justify design ideas, and the capacity to embody these ideas in meaningful products. The conceptual logic “from meanings to action” is used to explain how students move from value-based interpretation of the world to project-based creative action. The article clarifies the concepts of feature, criterion, indicator and measure in the empirical study of design giftedness. A system of criteria is proposed: motivational-value, cognitive-projective, creative-imaginative, aesthetic-compositional, technological-operational and reflective-presentational. Each criterion is connected with observable indicators and possible diagnostic tools, including open-ended creative tasks, project exercises, sketching, portfolio analysis, pedagogical observation, self-assessment, expert evaluation cards and mini-project presentations. The article also considers the notion of creative confidence as a new quality that design giftedness may acquire under favourable pedagogical conditions. The experience of the International Baccalaureate programmes, particularly the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme, is used to demonstrate the educational value of design literacy, critical thinking, interdisciplinary inquiry and project-based learning. It is argued that the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine provides a productive environment for the development of design giftedness because it integrates research, project work, competition-based activity, public presentation and reflection. The role of the Institute of Applied Pedagogy is specified as an institutional environment for transforming the theoretical model of design giftedness into practice-oriented educational products, including programmes, diagnostic materials, assessment rubrics, pedagogical scenarios and professional development resources for mentors. The prospects for further research are related to developing levels of design giftedness, validating diagnostic tools and testing a pedagogical model for its development.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Використані літературні джерела

1. Про освіту: Закон України від 05 верес. 2017 р. № 2145-VIII. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2145-19.

2. Мала академія наук України : офіційний сайт. URL: https://man.gov.ua/.

3. Wrathall M. Martin Heidegger. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2025. URL: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heidegger/.

4. Wendt T. Design for Dasein: Understanding the Design of Experiences. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. 180 p.

5. Kelley T., Kelley D. Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All. New York: Crown Business, 2013. 304 p.

6. Rauth I., Köppen E., Jobst B., Meinel C. Design Thinking: An Educational Model toward Creative Confidence. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Design Creativity (ICDC 2010). Кобе, Японія, 2010. URL: https://www.designsociety.org/publication/30267/design_thinking_an_educational_model_towards_creative_confidence.

7. Liu Y.-L. E., Lee T.-P., Huang Y.-M. Enhancing university students’ creative confidence, learning motivation, and team creative performance in design thinking using a digital visual collaborative environment. Thinking Skills and Creativity. 2023. Vol. 50. Article 101388. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101388.

8. Iddris F., Agyapong K., Kparl E. M., Mensah P. O. Unlocking Students’ Creative Confidence Through Design Thinking Practices: A Parallel Mediation of Collaboration and Diversity, and Creativity. Active Learning in Higher Education. 2026. OnlineFirst. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874261437051.

9. Yu Q., Yu K., Lin R. A meta-analysis of the effects of design thinking on student learning. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 2024. Vol. 11. Article 742. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03237-5.

10. Kaynar H., Kurnaz A. The effect of interdisciplinary teaching approach on the creative and critical thinking skills of gifted pupils. Thinking Skills and Creativity. 2024. Vol. 54. Article 101637. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101637.

11. Muneer S., Park Y., Kim J. A meta-analysis to explore the role of design thinking in STEM education for fostering students’ creativity. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-025-10005-2.

12. To C. W., Shih J. L., Chiu T. K. F. Planning Design Competitions to Cultivate Innovative Design Capabilities Among Hong Kong Secondary School Students. Education Sciences. 2025. Vol. 15, No. 6. Article 722. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060722.

13. Nasution E. Y. P., Yulia P., Deswita R. A modified project-based learning model to promote students’ creative thinking ability. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology. 2025. Vol. 7, No. 2. P. 17–38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33902/jpsp.202530694.

14. Razzouk R., Shute V. J. What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It Important? Review of Educational Research. 2012. Vol. 82, No. 3. P. 330–348. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654312457429.

15. International Baccalaureate Organization. MYP curriculum. URL: https://ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/curriculum/.

16. International Baccalaureate Organization. DP design technology. URL: https://ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/sciences/design-technology/.

17. Конкурс-захист науково-дослідницьких робіт учнів – членів Малої академії наук України. Вимоги до дослідницьких робіт. URL: https://man.gov.ua/contests/olympiad/konkurs-zahist-naukovo-doslidnicskih-robit-uchniv-chleniv-man/conditions/vimogi-do-doslidnicskih-robit.

References

1. Pro osvitu: Zakon Ukrainy vid 05 veres. 2017 r. No. 2145-VIII [On education: Law of Ukraine of Sept. 05, 2017 No. 2145-VIII]. Retrieved from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2145-19. [in Ukrainian].

2. Mala akademiia nauk Ukrainy: ofitsiinyi sait [Lesser Academy of Sciences of Ukraine: official website]. Mala akademiia nauk Ukrainy – Lesser Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Kyiv. Retrieved from: https://man.gov.ua/. [in Ukrainian].

3. Wrathall, M. (2025). Martin Heidegger. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford. Retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heidegger/.

4. Wendt, T. (2015). Design for Dasein: Understanding the Design of Experiences. CreateSpace, 180 p.

5. Kelley, T., & Kelley, D. (2013). Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All. New York, 304 p.

6. Rauth, I., Köppen, E., Jobst, B., & Meinel, C. (2010). Design Thinking: An Educational Model toward Creative Confidence. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Design Creativity (ICDC 2010). Retrieved from: https://www.designsociety.org/publication/30267/design_thinking_an_educational_model_towards_creative_confidence.

7. Liu, Y.-L. E., Lee, T.-P., & Huang, Y.-M. (2023). Enhancing university students’ creative confidence, learning motivation, and team creative performance in design thinking using a digital visual collaborative environment. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 50, Article 101388. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101388.

8. Iddris, F., Agyapong, K., Kparl, E. M., & Mensah, P. O. (2026). Unlocking Students’ Creative Confidence Through Design Thinking Practices: A Parallel Mediation of Collaboration and Diversity, and Creativity. Active Learning in Higher Education. OnlineFirst. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874261437051.

9. Yu, Q., Yu, K., & Lin, R. (2024). A meta-analysis of the effects of design thinking on student learning. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, Article 742. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03237-5.

10. Kaynar, H., & Kurnaz, A. (2024). The effect of interdisciplinary teaching approach on the creative and critical thinking skills of gifted pupils. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 54, Article 101637. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101637.

11. Muneer, S., Park, Y., & Kim, J. (2025). A meta-analysis to explore the role of design thinking in STEM education for fostering students’ creativity. International Journal of Technology and Design Education. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-025-10005-2.

12. To, C. W., Shih, J. L., & Chiu, T. K. F. (2025). Planning Design Competitions to Cultivate Innovative Design Capabilities Among Hong Kong Secondary School Students. Education Sciences, 15(6), Article 722. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060722.

13. Nasution, E. Y. P., Yulia, P., & Deswita, R. (2025). A modified project-based learning model to promote students’ creative thinking ability. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 7(2), 17-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33902/jpsp.202530694.

14. Razzouk, R., & Shute, V. J. (2012). What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It Important? Review of Educational Research, 82(3), 330-348. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654312457429.

15. (2026). MYP curriculum. International Baccalaureate Organization. Geneva. Retrieved from: https://ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/curriculum/.

16. (2026). DP design technology. International Baccalaureate Organization. Geneva. Retrieved from: https://ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/sciences/design-technology/.

17. Konkurs-zakhist naukovo-doslidnytskykh robit uchniv – chleniv Maloi akademii nauk Ukrainy. Vymohy do doslidnytskykh robit [Competition-defense of research works of students - members of the Lesser Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Requirements for research works]. Retrieved from: https://man.gov.ua/contests/olympiad/konkurs-zahist-naukovo-doslidnicskih-robit-uchniv-chleniv-man/conditions/vimogi-do-doslidnicskih-robit. [in Ukrainian].

Published

2026-05-31