Student’s project activities: developing urban strategies (a case study of districts in the city of Aktobe)

Abstract

The article analyzes methodological approaches and educational strategies aimed at developing students' skills in formulating urban development forecasts and scenarios. During the study, third-year students of the "Geography" educational program at K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University were engaged in project activities focused on assessing the condition and forecasting the development of two urban districts in Aktobe. The primary focus was on analyzing current data, identifying key factors influencing urban development, and creating various scenarios: optimistic, pessimistic, and status quo. Experimental studies have shown that project activities contribute to the development of critical and creative thinking, systemic understanding, and analytical skills. Throughout the process, students encountered real urban problems and proposed innovative solutions to address them. The article also discusses the importance of ethical awareness and communication skills in formulating forecasts and scenarios, highlighting the need for further research to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional and intellectual aspects of scenario thinking. In our study, we took two steps to better understand the assessment of scenario thinking. First, we used open-ended assignments that evaluated critical and creative thinking. Second, to ensure validity and reliability, we assessed creativity in sketches through group work, as suggested in the literature on creativity in education. The conclusions of the article indicate that the development of these skills in students is a key factor in preparing competent professionals capable of making significant contributions to the sustainable and equitable development of urban areas. Students better assimilate argumentation skills when they observe and analyze examples rather than immediately trying to apply these skills in practice. Such findings may also be useful for teaching scenario thinking, as observing and analyzing examples can contribute to a deeper understanding and development of reflective skills in students.