Pedagogical conditions for the formation of engineering thinking in higher education students through project activities

Abstract

Abstract: The formation of engineering thinking has gained particular importance in the context of technological modernization and the digitalization of production processes, which impose new requirements on the content and organization of engineering education. Under these conditions, project-based learning is regarded as a key didactic tool capable of fostering the development of systemic analysis, spatial modelling, and analytical processing of technical tasks. The purpose of the article is to provide a theoretical justification for the pedagogical conditions that ensure the effective formation of engineering thinking in higher education students through project-based activities, as well as to identify the potential of the project-based approach for developing systemic, spatial, and analytical components of thinking. The research methodology is based on the analysis and synthesis of scientific sources, analytical-logical and comparative procedures, generalization of approaches to project-based learning, systematization of the structural components of engineering thinking, and content analysis of educational practices in higher education. The application of these methods enabled the identification of key cognitive components of engineering thinking and allowed for the specification of the pedagogical conditions necessary for their purposeful development. The results reveal the structure of engineering thinking, which comprises spatial, analytical-logical, project-design, algorithmic, operational-technological, reflective, and transversal components. The didactic potential of project-based learning in developing these components is substantiated through the integration of theoretical instruction, practical activities, research procedures, and mechanisms of reflection. Examples of project tasks from the cycle of agro-engineering disciplines are provided, demonstrating their contribution to the development of systemic understanding of technical objects, enhancement of spatial-graphic modelling, and strengthening of students’ analytical skills. A set of pedagogical conditions ensuring the effectiveness of project-based learning is identified, including a problem-oriented educational environment, integration of theory and practice, access to modern digital tools, methodological support of project stages, facilitative guidance, teamwork, and a comprehensive system of reflective assessment procedures. The conclusions demonstrate that project-based learning is an effective means of developing engineering thinking, as it promotes practical knowledge application, fosters the ability to analyse, model, and design technical solutions, and contributes to the acquisition of independent engineering experience. Implementing the identified pedagogical conditions ensures the coherence of the project-based learning approach and enhances the quality of future engineers’ professional training. Keywords: engineering thinking, project-based learning, pedagogical conditions, systems thinking, spatial modelling, analytical skills, engineering education, agro-engineering profile.