CONCEPTUAL PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING IT PROFESSIONALS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Introduction. The article provides a theoretical generalization of the conceptual foundations of education for sustainable development relevant to the training of future information technology specialists. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to reorient IT education from a narrowly technical model toward the preparation of specialists capable of considering the social, environmental, and ethical consequences of digital solutions.
Purpose. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the conceptual foundations of education for sustainable development that define productive guidelines for the professional training of future IT specialists.
Methods. The study employs methods of theoretical analysis, comparison, generalization, and interpretation of scholarly sources devoted to education for sustainable development and its integration into IT education.
Results. It has been found that the methodological basis of such training rests on the constructivist approach, systems thinking, and critical pedagogy, while transdisciplinarity appears to be one of its most productive foundations, as it ensures the integration of technical, social, economic, and environmental dimensions of professional education. It has been established that the pedagogical potential of these foundations is realized through a shift in the teacher’s role toward facilitation, the strengthening of problem-based and project-based learning, the development of interdisciplinary interaction, reflection on the consequences of digital solutions, and the involvement of students in solving real socially significant problems. It is shown that increasing students’ awareness of sustainable development issues does not guarantee the formation of responsible professional behaviour; the most effective educational practices are those in which the value orientations of sustainable development are combined with activity-based learning formats, support for self-efficacy, and practical experience in developing digital solutions. It is substantiated that an important condition for integrating the principles of sustainable development into the training of future IT specialists is institutional support, interdepartmental interaction, and an integrated approach to embedding the ideas of sustainable development into existing educational components.
Originality. The study systematizes the conceptual foundations of education for sustainable development specifically in relation to the professional training of future IT specialists. It also clarifies the pedagogical and institutional conditions that ensure the productive integration of these foundations into IT education.
Conclusion. The expected outcomes of such training are summarized as follows: a systemic vision of technological and social processes, the ability to assess the social and environmental consequences of digital solutions, responsible professional thinking, and readiness to design sustainable digital solutions. Prospects for further research are associated with the development of a model for integrating the conceptual foundations of education for sustainable development into the training of future IT specialists and with the identification of diagnostic tools for evaluating the effectiveness of such training.