The use of modern information technologies in the development of spatial thinking of technical specialists in higher education institutions

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to evaluate the effectiveness of using traditional and modern teaching technologies in the professional training of technical specialists in higher education institutions. The task of the work was to assess the impact of using modern information technologies on the formation of spatial thinking in the professional training of technical specialists and to analyze the possibility of implementing information technologies in higher education institutions in Ukraine. To achieve this goal, general scientific research methods were used, namely the analysis of scientific sources, synthesis of the data obtained to form a general idea of the issue under study, comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of technologies, and generalization. In the course of the study, it was found that modern methods for developing spatial thinking show a clear trajectory of evolution from teacher-centered, passive teaching to student-centered, active, and experiential learning. This transition is facilitated by the synthesis of traditional methods and the implementation of modern information technologies. In this process, traditional descriptive geometry methods, enhanced by modern 3D visualization tools, lay a fundamental cognitive foundation; the use of computer-aided design (CAD) systems ensures efficiency and accuracy; the introduction of immersive technologies (VR/AR) helps bridge the gap between abstract concepts and their physical manifestation; and gamification and simulators support motivation and provide a risk-free environment for practice. At the same time, these tools reach maximum effectiveness only when integrated into active pedagogical frameworks, such as project-based learning (PBL), which simulates real-world engineering activities. The implementation of modern technologies in Ukrainian higher education institutions faces a number of systemic challenges. Overcoming them is seen through the implementation of the following measures: 1) introduction of hybrid, tiered curricula; 2) recognition of project-based learning as the primary pedagogy; 3) investment in phased technological integration; 4) creation of national faculty development programs; 5) promoting research in the field of AI-based adaptive learning.