THE PROJECT METHOD AT DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY LESSONS IN TERMS OF REFORMING THE NEW UKRAINIAN SCHOOL

According to a new program for general secondary education institutions approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Design and Technology Lessons are considered as a leading tool of the development of students' ability for self-studying, mastering the tools of modern technologies, building the cognitive process and carrying out their plans practically. Labour training provides the formation, purposeful manifestation and development of students' skills and cultivates their project and technological competency as a component of key and subject competencies. The aim of the paper is to provide explanation of the efficiency of the project method and the necessity of its implementation during academic and labour training at Design and Technology lessons. The survey results of Design and Technology teachers from different regions of Kirovohrad region have shown that most of them do not have profound knowledge of using the project method in their teaching practice. They are not quite aware of the requirements of projects and main tasks of the project-based teaching technology, that is why the study is considered to be relevant for Ukrainian education system. The use of the project method in the art and labour creativity will enhance a holistic development of students' personalities, their preparation for the subjecttransforming activity. It also helps students to satisfy their own interests, needs; cultivate their independence, develop their communicative skills. The purpose of an academic project is to create such educational conditions under which students will gain the experience in a project activity. The project based technology covers the following issues: didactic, educational, developmental. Some recommendations for teachers working with this technology have been also presented in the paper.