TRANSFORMATION OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING OF DESIGNERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF INDIVIDUALIZATION OF TRAINING

Abstract

Summary. Introduction. The transformation of design education in higher education institutions is driven by the growing demands of creative industries, the rapid integration of digital technologies, and the shift towards student-centered educational paradigms. These changes require reconsideration of traditional teaching models and emphasize the need for individualized learning approaches that correspond to the creative, project-based, and reflective nature of designers’ professional activity.

Purpose of the article. To analyze the directions of transformation of professional training of designers in higher education institutions in the context of student-centered learning and to identify mechanisms for implementing individualization in design education.

Research methods. The study employs methods of theoretical analysis and synthesis of pedagogical, design, and educational research; comparative analysis of international and domestic practices of design education; generalization of scientific approaches to individualization and student-centered learning; and abstraction and concretization to identify effective educational models and practices.

Results. The key directions of individualization in design education are identified, including the formation of personalized educational trajectories, flexible choice of projects and specializations, and the use of digital platforms to support self-directed learning. The modernization of educational content through interdisciplinary integration, project-based tasks, and digital tools is substantiated. The transformation of teaching methods and forms is analyzed, highlighting studio-based learning, project-oriented, collaborative, and research-based approaches as core methods of contemporary design education. International experience from the United States, the United Kingdom, and European Union countries is examined, and possibilities for adapting these practices to the Ukrainian higher education context are determined.

Originality. The study substantiates individualization of learning as an essential and systemic component of design education rather than an optional pedagogical strategy. It reveals the interrelation between design thinking, knowledge management tools, digital technologies, and individualized learning trajectories in forming designers’ professional autonomy, creativity, and adaptability.

Conclusions and suggestions. It is concluded that the combination of flexible educational trajectories, interdisciplinary projects, digital technologies, and studio practices ensures the formation of competent, adaptive, and competitive designers. Higher education institutions in Ukraine are recommended to implement individualized and student-centered approaches, integrate digital tools, and adapt international educational practices to enhance the quality of professional training in design.