Volume 13 - Issue 75
/ March 2024
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.75.03.10
How to Cite:
Zhyhailo, M., Bilyk, O., Borysova, A., & Mizyak, V. (2024). The role of cultural and creative competencies in shaping success of
art ukrainian students. Amazonia Investiga, 13(75), 113-129. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.75.03.10
The role of cultural and creative competencies in shaping success of art
ukrainian students
Роль культурних і творчих компетентностей у формуванні мистецького успіху українських
студентів
Received: February 5, 2024 Accepted: March 28, 2024
Written by:
Maryna Zhyhailo1
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8765-7125
Olena Bilyk2
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5468-2076
Alina Borysova3
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3323-4463
Vitaliy Mizyak4
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2923-2297
Abstract
The article considers the issues of the competency-
based approach in higher education and the role of
cultural and creative competencies in the modern
educational discourse. The aim of the article is to
define the peculiarities of forming cultural and
creative competencies of students in artistic
specialties in higher education institutions of
Ukraine, as well as to elucidate the influence of
these competencies on the competitiveness and
professional career advancement of specialists in
both domestic and global labor markets. The
research methodology includes a combination of
systemic-differentiated, comparative, synergistic,
cultural, axiological, structural-functional, and
empirical methods, which are employed to clarify
the peculiarities of forming cultural and creative
competencies during students’ professional training
in artistic specialties. The article demonstrates the
peculiarities of forming cultural and creative
competencies in the Standards of Higher Education
and educational-professional programs, examines
role of the educational environment in forming
creative competencies and its peculiarities as an
educational-creative environment using the
1
Candidate of Cultural Studies, Vice-Rector for Scientific-Pedagogical and Career Guidance Work, Kharkiv State Academy of Culture,
Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AAB-6326-2019
2
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Vice-Rector for Scientific-Pedagogical Work and International Links, Kharkiv State Academy of
Culture, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: HGU-2323-2022
3
Candidate of Psychology, Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, Pedagogy and Philology, Kharkiv State Academy
of Culture, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AAI-4677-2020
4
Candidate of Art Studies, Head of the Stage Craft Department, Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID:
HLX-5395-2023
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example of training students in artistic specialties at
Kharkiv State Academy of Culture. Promising
directions for improving creativity development in
educational-creative environments of educational
institutions are identified, which enhance the
competitiveness of professionals in artistic
specialties and contribute to the resolution of crisis
phenomena in society.
Keywords: competency-based teaching, cultural
research / policy, competency, creative, art,
creativity, higher education, educational
environment.
Introduction
Intensification and assimilation of globalization
processes into all spheres of societal life has been
a characteristic trend in the first quarter of the
21st century. Technologization and
informatization have triggered a “tsunami effect”
in all aspects of the social space and have defined
promising directions for humanity's
development.
Along with striking technological advancements
associated with the latest scientific and
technological revolution, crises have emerged,
which include, primarily, the so-called crisis of
“technocratic dominance” and, as a consequence,
ecological crisis; the crisis of spirituality in its
general and specific manifestations increasingly
assuming threatening proportions:
dehumanization of societal existence,
depreciation of personal qualities, crisis of
individual socialization, decrease in individual
socio-role activity, devaluation of intellectual
activity, global educational crisis, and so on
(Sheiko, 2005, p. 6). At the beginning of the 20th
century and, surprisingly, in the first quarter of
the 21st, the words of the Spanish philosopher
J. Ortega y Gasset (1965) remain relevant:
“Today, humanity itself is experiencing a
collapse, as it can no longer keep pace with its
civilization. Growing civilization is nothing but a
burning problem. The more achievements, the
more dangers it contains” (Ortega & Gasset,
1965).
Currently, society is interested in resolving such
issues as racism, decolonization, climate crises,
support for trans identity, and disability advocacy
regardless of race, gender, etc. (Paris, 2021,
p. 364). These crisis phenomena and the search
for ways to solve them confront all spheres of
sustenance and the educational sector in
particular. Considering this, Paris D. (2021)
poses a perfectly logical question: “How can we
restore education, envision it anew, transform it,
and be part of a possible future?” (Paris, 2021,
p. 365).
Overcoming the threat of cultural destruction,
countering “one-dimensional thinking”
(Marcuse, 1996, p. 104) of society in the era of
mass culture, and preserving a spiritually integral
personality capable of overcoming crisis
phenomena are possible under conditions of a
balanced educational paradigm in the context of
contemporary globalization shifts. Educational
institutions must ensure the preparation of highly
qualified and competitive professionals capable
of both advancing scientific and technological
progress, and addressing a range of socially
significant problems.
Crises in contemporary society pose a significant
challenge to the education system, which aims to
overcome the adverse effects of globalization
processes, particularly the relevant crises of
society. This necessitates radical transformation
of the modern education system. The most
relevant issues for the education crisis include
spiritual crisis, dehumanization of society, and
decline in social-role activity of individualsб
which demand a fundamental restructuring of the
educational paradigm and trigger global
transformative processes in education. Personal
development, social and professional self-
realization of youth can serve as leading means
to overcome these crisis phenomena.
A competency-based approach and attention to
the development of cultural and creative
competencies among students occupy a
prominent place in the formation of educational
Zhyhailo, M., Bilyk, O., Borysova, A., Mizyak, V. / Volume 13 - Issue 75: 113-129 / March, 2024
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philosophy and methodology. Joo-Seng Tan
(2005) notes that cultural competency is required
to cope with stress resulting from culture shock
and, consequently, disillusionment and
confusion, which typically may result from
clashes of cultural differences (Joo-Seng, 2005,
p. 19). In turn, the development of creative
competencies as a component of students’
professional training “enables, at a
fundamentally new, integrative level, the transfer
of acquired competencies from one area of life to
another to achieve a fundamentally new result of
activity or to perform activity at a fundamentally
new qualitative level” (Dimitrova-Burlayenko,
2017, p. 82).
Cultural and creative competencies are important
for representatives of all specialties in the context
of contemporary education transformative
processes, as they are integral to the successful
personal development of young people.
Nevertheless, these competencies are
particularly significant for the representatives of
artistic specialties, for whom these skills are
crucial both for personal development and
professional self-realization, especially in the
context of overcoming the crises of
contemporary society. Such competencies as the
ability to generate unconventional ideas, the
capacity to make considered decisions in
situations of uncertainty, recognition of the
multicultural nature of contemporary society,
and tolerant attitude towards cultural diversity in
the context of creative searches and the
implementation of artistic projects are essential
for the competitiveness of modern professionals
in the artistic field.
Nowadays, to be a successful mathematician, it
is not enough to be proficient in calculations and
formulae, and for a musician, it is not just about
memorizing musical scores. The task of higher
education institutions is to prepare professionals
capable of competing in both domestic and
global labor markets, being effective in various
fields, and countering societal crises. In a
constantly changing world, innovation and
creativity can be considered synonymous with
competitiveness. NACCCE report. (1999) notes
that creative and cultural education are not
alternatives to literacy and numeracy, as they are
equally essential for future generations
(NACCCE report, 1999, p. 13). This actualizes
the consideration of examining the specifics of
developing cultural and creative competencies
among students in arts specialties in higher
education institutions.
Literature review
Theoretical and methodological analysis of the
problem indicates that the competency-based
approach to preparing professionals in higher
education sparked lively interest among
researchers. Both domestic and international
scientific investigations focus on such theoretical
aspects as the content of the concepts
“competence”, “competency”, and
“competency-based approach”, on characteristic
features and structures of general and
professional competencies. Additionally, much
attention is given to the experience of developing
specific competencies in higher education
institutions, their role in professional career
guidance, and their compliance with modern
demands of business community.
Yagupov V., & Svistun V. (2007) identified the
application of the competency-based approach as
one of the optimal ways to meet the needs for
comprehensively trained professionals, both
graduates of higher education institutions and
their instigators. Yagupov V., & Svistun V.
(2007), along with other researchers like
Zablotska O. (2008), Rud M. (2006),
Miroshnychenko V. (2009), clarified the
concepts of “competence”, “competency”,
“competency-based approach”, and “key
competencies”. The scholars emphasize that
professional competence of a specialist is not
merely the sum of knowledge, skills, and
abilities. To be a competent professional, one
needs not only fundamental theoretical and
practical training but also to be a creative
individual, professionally and psychologically
prepared and capable of effective application of
the acquired professional knowledge in
professional activities. Many examples can be
cited regarding outstanding students who failed
to optimally apply acquired professional
knowledge in specific production-management
situations (Yagupov & Svistun, 2007, p. 6).
Zablotska O. (2008) performed a comparative
analysis of the competency-based approach to
education in higher education and identified
differences between the outcomes of education
based on the knowledge paradigm (knowledge,
skills, abilities) and such “competencies” as units
and outcomes of the competency-based approach
(Zablotska, 2008, p. 63).
Despite the pluralism of research themes
regarding competencies and the competency-
based approach, scholars directly or indirectly
touch upon the themes of creativity and cultural
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creation during the implementation of
professional training for specialists.
Marushko L., Hura A., Bryk R., Baboval N., &
Karabin O. (2023) considered issues related to
the professional training of future teachers and
noted that to develop the professional
competency system, it is necessary to employ
non-standard and creative approaches to teaching
that ensures active interaction among students
during the learning process (Marushko et al.,
2023, p. 315). The researchers found that the
level of professional competence of a teacher
depends on continuous improvement of
knowledge, self-realization, and development of
creative potential, which is reflected in new
methods of information presentation (Marushko
et al., 2023, p. 315).
Cultural education, creativity, and imaginative
competencies, as a direct object of study, have
been reflected in a number of scientific works,
defining the direction for further research.
Bilytska V. (2020) considers cultural
competence as the level at which a person defines
the horizons of perception of objective reality,
socialization, and interculturality of the
personality, which includes such components as
understanding, relationship, knowledge, and
skills (Bilytska, 2020, p.17).
According to Van Dyne L., Ang S., & Koh C.
(2008), cultural competence comprises four
components: 1) cognitive – scientific-cultural
norms, practices, and rules of an individual in
different cultural environments; 2) metacognitive
– an individual's cultural consciousness and
awareness in interactions with the representatives
of other cultural backgrounds; 3) motivational –
an individual’s ability to direct attention and
energy towards cultural differences;
4) behavioral – an individual’s ability to exhibit
appropriate verbal and non-verbal actions in
interactions with people of other cultural
backgrounds (Van Dyne et al., 2008, p. 16).
Dimitrova-Burlayenko S. (2017) defines creative
competence as the ability to demonstrate
productive activity and creatively transform
reality, characterized by originality, flexibility,
speed, critical thinking, holistic perception,
independence, decisiveness, self-confidence, and
openness (Dimitrova-Burlayenko, 2017, p. 87).
Alves J., Marques M. J., Saur I., & Marques P.
(2007) in their article “Creativity and Innovation
through Multidisciplinary and Multisectoral
Cooperation” state that creative competence
involves capability for innovation, new product
development, and competitiveness in the
contemporary environment (Alves et al., 2007,
p. 28).
Researchers highlight the connection between
the crises of contemporary society and the need
for transformations in higher education, where
the development of modern professionals occurs.
It is within the educational process that the
foundation is laid for further successful
professional activity and competitiveness.
Markevičiūtė I., & Jucevičius G. (2013) provide
compelling arguments regarding the necessity of
cultivating creative competencies in
contemporary professionals. The researchers
note that CEOs, managers, as well as leaders in
the public sector worldwide, stated that creativity
was the number one leadership competency their
organizations need due to the uncertainty and
complexity of the global competitive
environment (Markevičiūtė & Jucevičius, 2013,
p. 44). Creativity has become the most important
factor for a company’s success and competitive
advantage (Markevičiūtė & Jucevičius, 2013,
p. 45).
Several researchers pointed out both the demand
for creative competencies and advantages as key
skills for professionals. Here are some arguments
provided by scholars:
− Martins F. S., Santos E. B. A., & Vils L.
(2017) – creativity is necessary for the
emergence of innovations within an
organization (Martins et al., 2017. p. 1223).
− Alves J., Marques M. J., Saur I., & Marques
P. (2007) – creativity is a part of the
innovation process that contributes to firms’
competitiveness (Alves et al., 2007, p. 28).
− Isouard G., Martins Jo. M., & Friedman L.
(2015) – creativity and innovative thinking
are beneficial for any environment where
risk is acceptable and new ideas are
encouraged (Isouard et al., 2015, p. 258).
− Jeffrey B. (2006) – creative learning is a
common discourse and a solid foundation
for European educational connections
(Jeffrey, 2006, p. 16).
− NACCCE report. (1999) – the business
community wants education to give higher
priority to fostering young people’s creative
abilities (NACCCE report, 1999, p. 7).
− Kokarieva A. (2021) – creativity enables
adaptation to the educational environment,
successful creative activity, with all efforts
focused on optimizing the process, finding
an unlimited number of ways to solve the
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problem, and the ability to find solutions in
non-standard situations (Kokarieva, 2021,
p. 38).
Daviesa D., Jindal-Snapeb D., Colliera C.,
Digbya R., Haya P., & Howea A. (2013), relying
on a systematic review of over 200 research
studies, emphasize the importance of developing
creative skills in children and young people.
According to Rasmussen P. (2012), one of the
key tasks of adult education is creative and
innovative competence. To support his findings,
he cites the analysis of the national “competency
audit” conducted by the Danish Ministry of
Education (2001-2005), which identified
creative and innovative competencies as key for
the population (Rasmussen, 2012, p. 3).
Cultural competencies, including cultural
intelligence, as their component, attract the
attention of many researchers, including
Joo-seng T. (2005), Earley P., & Ang S. (2003),
Bilytska V. (2020), Varnavska I., & Cheremisin
O. (2021), Johnson R. (2014), Ivanova V. (2020),
Syzenko A., & Diachkova Y. (2020), among
others.
Therefore, Bondarenko N., Cherepania N.,
Malets D., Klepar M., & Matveieva N. (2023)
identified the criteria of a culturally tolerant
personality and proposed a definition for
“tolerance”. They discussed the typology,
principles, functions, essence of professional
tolerance, and the foundations of tolerance
formation in higher education learners.
Joo-seng T. (2005) notes that in the 21st century,
the ability to adapt to different cultures is
essential, and consequently, more organizations
and individuals perceive cultural intelligence as
a strategic capability and competitive advantage
(Joo-seng, 2005, p. 19). The researcher
emphasizes that for successful companies,
cultural intelligence is a valuable capital. Joo-
seng T. (2005) provides examples: IBM firmly
believes that intercultural competence is the glue
that ensures cohesion and collective productivity;
Novartis and Nike see a competitive advantage in
hiring individuals with cultural intelligence; at
Lufthansa, culturally developed individuals are
considered a valuable asset to the organization,
especially during crises (Joo-seng, 2005, p. 21).
Regarding professionals in the artistic field,
researchers provide examples of how cultural
and creative competencies manifest in their
professional activities. Ivanova V. (2020) cites
an example of competencies in demand during
the implementation of creative projects by
student musicians within the framework of the
nationwide educational artistic project “Music
Forum”. Working on these projects enriches
creative experience; and skills in intercultural
communication, socialization, and personal self-
realization are developed (Ivanova, 2020,
p. 132).
The methodology of research and the specifics of
cultural and creative competencies development
among students in arts specialties in Ukrainian
higher education institutions are not sufficiently
highlighted that determines further scientific
exploration to resolve these issues.
In this study, we will rely on the following
understanding of creative and cultural
competencies. Creative competencies refer to the
acquired abilities of a professional to engage in
innovative, non-standard, flexible activities
leading to creative actions and are aimed at
achieving specific goals and tasks in professional
practice. Cultural competencies, on the other
hand, are the acquired abilities of a professional
to adapt to the socio-cultural environment,
comprehend socio-cultural processes of societal
development, engage in cultural creation,
actively and productively act to achieve specific
goals and solve professional practical tasks
within the context of cultural dialogue and the
challenges of globalization.
In our research, we examine creative and cultural
competencies in an inseparable interaction,
taking into account that creativity plays a key
role in artistic specialties - which we emphasize,
while considering the cultural approach in
education and the formation of cultural
competencies as a means of enhancing cultural
orientation and the cultural-humanistic function
of education.
The purpose of the article is to identify the
features of developing creative competencies
among students of artistic specialities in the
educational and creative environment of higher
education institutions in Ukraine.
Methodology
The research is based on the assumption that the
development of cultural and creative (innovative)
competencies among students of artistic
specialties in Ukrainian higher education
institutions influences specialists’
competitiveness and professional career
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advancement in both the domestic and global
labor markets.
To achieve the research objective, the following
methods of scientific cognition were employed:
analysis and synthesis - to characterize key
concepts, scientific sources, and regulatory
documentation; systematization and
generalization - to formulate conclusions and
proposals for improving the formation of creative
(innovative) and cultural competencies among
higher education students.
The methodological framework of the scientific
cognition is formed by combining general
scientific research methods.
The systemic-differentiated approach allows us
to consider the process of developing creative
and cultural competencies in the higher
education system. The essence of applying this
approach lies in:
− considering competencies as a part of the
higher education system - a comprehensive,
complex, dynamic system that includes
legislative, organizational, didactic,
educational, and other elements and
subsystems with hierarchical subordination;
− identifying relationships between
competencies and professional activities, as
well as the regulatory acts that define them
(curricula, educational-professional
programs, standards, strategies, etc.);
− the expediency of distinguishing creative
and cultural competencies in the
competency-based approach system,
consisting of organically combined skills
necessary for preparing competitive
professionals.
The structural-functional approach is applied to
determine the role of creative and cultural
competencies in training competitive students in
artistic specialties.
The axiological approach envisages
consideration of creative and cultural
competencies from the perspective of value
theory, emphasizing their role in future
professional activities and addressing socially
significant issues. In the new system of societal
values influenced by globalization processes and
the increasing occurrences of wars,
environmental, and technological disasters,
discrimination, and intolerance, formation of
cultural competencies becomes a priority task for
the sphere of education.
The comparative approach is used to substantiate
the necessity of developing creative and cultural
competencies in the process of preparing higher
education students. They are considered as
structural-functional elements of the
competency-based approach in the higher
education system, taking into account the current
socio-economic realities.
Synergistic approach to creative competencies
involves application of chaos and order
categories. Order is perceived within the context
of the educational-creative environment
(methodological and theoretical variability, the
combination of abstract-logical, rational,
irrational, critical approaches, etc.), where
orderliness is ensured by the education system,
while chaos represents the process of creativity
and innovation. The result of creative activity of
the educational process participants is new ideas
that coincide with the goals of the educational
process and the education system as a whole.
Innovative ideas and creativity, acting as
attractors, determine the evolution of the
educational environment, transforming it into a
new progressive higher-level system, which we
propose to consider as the educational-creative
environment of a higher education institution.
Culturological approach is applied within the
framework of a unified humanistic orientation in
the global space, aiming to create educational-
creative environment that combines processes of
learning, upbringing, and the formation of a
meaningful life trajectory for individuals. The
principle of culturally responsible education lies
at the heart of creative and cultural competencies
formation, serving as the ideological cornerstone
of the cultural approach. V. Sheiko emphasizes
the cultural function of contemporary education,
which involves socialization and the
development of creative abilities in individuals,
thereby opening perspectives for providing
conditions for social-professional and socio-
cultural self-realization of an individual (Sheiko,
2005, p. 246).
Empirical research technologies are associated
with such traditional methods of study as
observation, comparison, and surveys. Higher
education standards and educational programs
are markers of the contemporary domestic
paradigm of higher education.
The study involves comparison of higher
education standards for four artistic specialties,
and educational-professional programs for five
higher education institutions corresponding to
those specialties.
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In the study, an express psychodiagnostic method
based on D. Johnson's creativity questionnaire
was employed to determine the level of creative
competencies among students of artistic
specialties at Kharkiv State Academy of Culture
(Ukraine). Additionally, a survey developed by
the authors of the article was used to examine the
educational-creative environment of the higher
education institution. The survey included 47
students from four artistic specialties (Music Art,
Performing Arts, Audiovisual Art and
Production, Choreography) at the bachelor’s
level of higher education. The survey was
conducted on the educational platform Google
Workspace for Education within the corporate
online educational environment of Kharkiv State
Academy of Culture using Google Forms. The
author-developed survey comprised 13 questions
aimed at determining students’ perceptions of the
level of the educational-creative environment
formation at the artistic higher education
institution. The questions posed included: Who,
in your opinion, should be creative in the higher
education institution? Did the level of creativity
of the higher education institution influence your
choice of study place during admission? In your
opinion, is creativity important during studies?
Which disciplines shape creativity during
studies? Which disciplines should shape
creativity during studies? In which discipline
cycles should creativity be enhanced? Do
instructors demonstrate personal creativity? In
your opinion, is creativity important outside of
academic activities – in student self-governance,
scientific, and public work? Identify what factors
influence the formation of a creative educational
environment in the higher education institution?
Are you satisfied with the level of creativity at
the higher education institution? In your opinion,
is creativity important in further professional
activity? Additionally, the survey included
questions about the specialty and proposals for
expanding the possibilities for generating
creative environment in the higher education
institution.
Considering the subjectivity of the survey and
influence of the artistic context of the higher
education institution on the personal self-
definition of respondents, the conducted survey
enabled the identification of general directions
for the development of the educational-creative
environment in the artistic higher education
institution and the formulation of strategic
vectors for the prospective development of
creative and cultural competencies of students in
artistic specialties.
Results and Discussion. The Strategy for Higher
Education Development in Ukraine for 2022-
2032 identifies, that rapid changes occurring in
society and technology, require from specialists
both professional and general competencies,
which include the ability to learn, think critically
and systematically, program, work in conditions
of uncertainty, creativity, intersectoral
communication, multiculturalism, and
proficiency in a number of languages, including
English (Order No. 286, 2022).
Currently, creativity and multiculturalism are
among the defining competencies capable of
responding contemporary globalization
challenges and meeting the demands of both
domestic and international labor markets.
To achieve the research goal, four steps are to be
taken: step 1 is to analyze the place of creative
and cultural competencies in the Standards of
Higher Education; step 2 is to determine the
peculiarities of ensuring the formation of cultural
and creative competencies in the educational-
professional programs for specialists in artistic
specialties; step 3 is to clarify the features of
creating educational-creative environment in
educational institutions, as well as the
effectiveness of fostering creativity in education
seekers through empirical research methods; step
4 is to identify prospective directions for
improving the system of training specialists in
artistic specialties in higher education institutions
of Ukraine regarding the formation of creative
competencies.
Step 1: Standards of Higher Education
The main direction of educational activity of
higher education institutions in Ukraine is
determined by the Standards of Higher
Education, which are based on a competency-
based approach. To form perception of the place
of cultural, creative, and (innovative)
competencies in the system of defining and
assessing the quality of content and results of
educational activities of higher education
institutions, a systemic-differentiated approach
to the Standards of Higher Education was used.
Four artistic specialties - 021 Audiovisual Arts
and Production, 024 Choreography, 025 Musical
Arts, 026 Performing Arts at the first
(bachelor's), second (master's), and third
(educational-scientific) levels of higher
education - were selected for analysis. Three
levels of education were considered to track the
sequence of the specified competencies
formation.
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For artistic specialties, the development of
creative competencies is an integral part of
professional training. Markevičiūtė I., &
Jucevičius G. (2013) identify four groups of
creative competencies - personal, professional,
common, and instrumental, noting that all these
competencies can improve both short-term and
long-term performance through personal desire
to learn, creative decision-making and problem-
solving, strategic and systemic thinking, as well
as teamwork and collaboration to achieve
excellent results (Markevičiūtė & Jucevičius,
2013, p. 48).
The wider is the range of acquiring such skills
and abilities, the higher is the professional’s
competitiveness. The Standards of Higher
Education envisage the development of creative
and cultural competencies, which may not be
exclusively related to professional activities and
are aimed at a wide range of applications in the
future career and life orientation of the
professional:
− ability to generate new ideas (creativity);
− ability to preserve and multiply moral,
cultural, scientific values and achievements
of society based on understanding the
history and regularities of the subject area
development, its place in the general system
of knowledge about nature and society, as
well as in the development of society,
equipment and technologies, using various
types and forms of physical activity for
active recreation and maintenance of a
healthy lifestyle;
− ability to understand and evaluate relevant
cultural and artistic processes;
− appreciation and respect for diversity and
multiculturalism;
− awareness of the role of culture and art in the
development of social relationships;
− ability to analyze the main stages, identify
patterns of historical development of the
arts, stylistic features, types and genres,
basic principles of coordinating historical
and stylistic periods of world artistic culture
(Ministry of Education and Science of
Ukraine, 2023).
Table 1, based on the Standards of Higher
Education, provides examples of specialities for
which the formation of creative and cultural
competencies is envisaged/not envisaged, which
may not exclusively relate to professional
activities.
Table 1.
Creative and cultural competencies in the Standards of Higher Education
The level of higher
education
Field of
knowledge
Speciality
Creative
competencies: + (provided); - (not provided)
Cultural
competencies: + (provided); - (not provided)
First (Bachelor’s)
02 Culture
and Art
021 Audiovisual
Arts and Production
+
+
024 Choreography
-
+
025 Music Art
+
+
026 Performing Art
-
+
Second (Master’s)
02 Culture
and Art
021 Audiovisual
Arts and Production
+
-
024 Choreography
+
-
025 Music Art
+
-
026 Performing Art
The standard is not approved
Third (educational-
scientific)
02 Culture
and Art
021 Audiovisual
Arts and Production
The standard is not approved
024 Choreography
-
-
025 Music Art
-
-
026 Performing Art
The standard is not approved
Source: prepared by the authors.
Based on a detailed analysis of the Higher
Education Standards concerning the formation of
creative and cultural competencies in the
aforementioned specialties, the following
conclusions can be drawn:
− creativity is a component of the professional
training of arts specialists, which determines
little attention to the formation of creative
competencies. Therefore, “the ability to
generate new ideas (creativity)” (Standard)
as a general competency is not provided at
all levels of higher education and for all
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specialties. Such approach does not consider
the argument highlighted by Markevičiūtė I.,
& Jucevičius G. (2013), stating that creative
competencies, creativity, and innovation
should be consistently emphasized
(Markevičiūtė & Jucevičius, 2013, p. 50);
− cultural competencies are envisaged for all
specialities at the first (bachelor's) level but
not for at the second (master's) level. It has
been identified that for the specialty 024
Choreography, the formation of cultural
components is provided in both the list of
general and specific (professional, subject-
specific) competencies, whereas for the
specialities 021 Audiovisual Arts and
Production, 025 Music Art, 026 Performing
Art, it is only included in the list of general
competencies. This indicates a certain
dichotomy in the strategy of training
specialists in artistic specialties;
− the holistic two/three-tier system for
developing creative and cultural
competencies across the first, second, and
third levels of higher education is not
observed. A continuous cycle of mastering
creative and cultural competencies ensures
the deepening of relevant skills, meeting the
needs of the labor market. For instance, in a
collective work, Koval V., Kushnir A.,
Vorona V., Balakirieva V., Moiseienko N.,
& Golubenko N. (2023) emphasizes the
necessity of implementing continuous
pedagogical influence on the development
of learners’ educational and research
activities (Koval et al., 2023, p. 78),
including creativity. Scholars note that
training competitive and highly qualified
specialists is a necessary task for higher
education institutions, as future workers
should be prepared for self-development,
continuous self-realization, the ability to
make non-standard decisions in various
situations, be engaged in innovative
processes, and organize creative training
considering scientific and educational
innovations (Koval et al., 2023, p. 78).
Therefore, in the studied Standards of Higher
Education for artistic specialties, there was no
sufficient reflection of the formation of creative
and cultural competencies.
Step 2: Educational-professional programs
Isouard G., Martins Jo. M., & Friedman L. note
that creativity is the starting point when it comes
to innovation, and this should be taken into
account when planning educational programs
that foster creativity and innovative thinking
(Isouard et al., 2015, p. 258).
To identify the characteristics of ensuring the
formation of cultural and creative (innovative)
competencies in the educational-professional
programs of arts specialists, 83 educational-
professional programs of four arts specialties
were analyzed - 021 Audiovisual Arts and
Production, 024 Choreography, 025 Music Art,
026 Performing Art, in 5 higher education
institutions (Kharkiv State Academy of Culture
(Ukraine, Kharkiv), Kharkiv National University
of Arts named after I. P. Kotliarevsky (Ukraine,
Kharkiv), Odessa National Music Academy
named after A. V. Nezhdanova (Ukraine,
Odessa), Ivan Franko National University of
Lviv (Ukraine, Lviv), Kyiv National University
of Theatre, Cinema and Television named after I.
K. Karpenko-Karyi (Ukraine, Kyiv). Among
them, 50 are at the first (bachelor's) level and 33
at the second (master's) level.
During the formation of educational-professional
programs, educational institutions are guided by
the Standards of Higher Education for the
specialities for which they are approved. In the
vast majority of educational programs, the
formation of creative and cultural competencies
takes into account the Standards of Higher
Education, as they are used to determine and
evaluate the quality of the content and results of
higher education (research) institutions’
educational activities during institutional
accreditation and program accreditation
(Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine,
2017, p. 1). On the one hand, this ensures
compliance with the recommendations for the
formation of educational programs and directs
higher education institutions to consider the need
for learners to acquire creative and cultural
competencies. On the other hand, it leads to the
transfer of certain substantive collisions into
educational programs in the list of general and
specific (professional) competencies. For
example, the general competency “ability to
generate new ideas (creativity)” is absent in the
Standards of Higher Education for the speciality
026 Performing Art, and accordingly in the
educational programs for this speciality in some
of the analyzed programs. Such inconsistencies
exist not only in comparing several higher
education institutions. In the same educational
institution for the speciality 026 Stage Art, there
are educational programs in which this
competency is provided, and in which it is not
provided.
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At the same time, some educational programs for
the speciality 025 Music Art, compared to the
Standards of Higher Education, expanded the list
of cultural competencies. Such abilities as “the
ability to demonstrate tolerance and respect for
cultural diversity” (Kudrych et al., 2023, p. 11),
“the ability to show respectful and careful
attitude to the historical heritage of the world and
Ukrainian culture, values, and traditions”
(Sakhno et al., 2023, p. 10) are added to the
existing competencies. This indicates different
approaches to assessing the role of creativity and
cultural competencies in the training of
specialists. A similar circumstance is pointed out
in the research by Isouard G., Martins Jo. M., &
Friedman L. (2015). The authors note that a
review of studies reporting on teaching creative
and innovative thinking indicates that there is no
clear consensus on how these competencies are
formed and what should be included in the
curriculum (Isouard et al., 2015, p. 259).
In the analyzed educational programs, there is an
imbalance in the number of educational
components, which contribute to the formation of
creative and cultural competencies. For example,
the ability to generate new ideas (creativity) at
the first (bachelor's) level is ensured by 2 to 17
educational components in educational programs
for one specialty; cultural competencies - from 1
to 21 educational components. In addition to
quantitative characteristics, the list of
educational components that shape creative
skills, abilities, and ways of thinking varies in
content. In addition to professional training,
these include disciplines of the social-
humanitarian cycle (“Philosophy”,
“Jurisprudence”, “Copyright Law”), pedagogical
(“Pedagogy”, “Teaching Methodology of
Professional Disciplines”, “Performance
Practice”, “Pedagogical Practice”), and others.
The issue of forming creative and cultural
competencies in the elective education
component cycle, which is an integral part of
shaping an individual educational trajectory,
remains unresolved. According to the Law of
Ukraine (2014) “On Higher Education” (Article
62, paragraph 1, subparagraph 15), “the choice of
educational disciplines within the framework
provided by the respective educational program
and the work curriculum, to the extent of not less
than 25 percent of the total number of ECTS
credits provided for this level of higher
education” (The Law of Ukraine 1556-VII,
2014). Of course, students can choose
disciplines, which involve acquiring these
competencies, but the envisaged, systematic
formation of them is possible only within the
framework of mandatory educational
components. Educational institutions should take
this into account when developing educational
programs.
Therefore, there is no system for the sequential
formation of cultural and creative competencies
in the analyzed educational-professional and
educational-scientific programs of artistic
specialties.
Step 3: Educational-Creative Environment
During the implementation of educational
activities, higher education institutions need to
rely on the regulatory framework, approach the
development of educational-professional
programs thoughtfully, and create an inclusive
and open educational environment where
appropriate conditions will be provided for the
implementation of high-quality professional
training. Several key aspects influencing the
formation of creative and cultural competencies
in the educational environment should be
considered.
During the training of students in artistic
specialties, higher education institutions should
ensure the functioning of an educational-creative
environment that encourages the implementation
of individual creative projects, the adoption of
unconventional solutions, openness to new
approaches in problem-solving, tolerance, and
the actualization of such socially significant
issues as armed conflicts, violence based on
racial, ethnic, or religious intolerance,
aggravation of environmental problems, and so
on.
Markevičiūtė I., & Jucevičius G. (2013) defined
a simple yet meaningful and effective formula for
developing students’ creative skills - creative
competencies are cultivated in a creative work
environment (Markevičiūtė & Jucevičius, 2013,
p. 49). Researchers point at three important
components that form the basis of a creative
workplace environment: 1) support for
leadership and innovations; 2) personal
knowledge that nourishes the leader's creativity;
3) requirements and duties necessitating the
adoption of creative solutions (Markevičiūtė &
Jucevičius, 2013, p. 49). Such an approach and
the demands of employers and external
stakeholders should be taken into account by
educational institutions in preparing future
professionals of artistic specialties.
The formation of creative thinking and respect
for multiculturalism should occur not only during
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the study of academic disciplines. Educational
institutions should stimulate the development of
these skills in all types of students’ learning
activities - participation in student self-
government, scientific and social activities, and
so on. Such multifaceted improvement and
practical application of creative and cultural
competencies foster the “habit of excellence”,
which will undoubtedly serve as an advantage in
the job market in the future.
The personal and professional development of
higher education students, formation of
competencies envisaged by educational
programs, including cultural and creative
competencies, take place in the environment of
higher education institutions, which play a
crucial role in ensuring the acquisition of quality
higher education. Considering the objectives of
forming cultural and creative competencies,
certain transformational processes occur within
the educational environment itself, which is
based on the norms, traditions, and values of
Ukrainian and world cultures, and also takes into
account didactic requirements for the modern
educational space and the necessity of
developing personal qualities of future
professionals, among which cultural and creative
competencies play a special role, especially
relevant for students of artistic specialties. Given
the tasks and specifics of professional training for
students of artistic specialties, we propose to
consider the environment of artistic higher
education institutions as educational-creative,
aimed at creating optimal conditions for
professional and social development of higher
education students as creative, artistic
individuals capable of solving complex socio-
cultural problems and containing organizational
(higher education standards, educational-
professional and educational-scientific
programs, regulations concerning the
organization of the educational process,
curricula), educational (scientific and
pedagogical workers, higher education students,
educational components), and socio-cultural
components (student self-government bodies,
socio-educational activities, creative
laboratories, student artistic groups, hubs, artistic
spaces, concerts, competitions, festivals). It is the
socio-cultural component of the educational
environment of artistic education institutions that
is decisive for considering such environment as
educational-creative.
An important aspect of quality training for
students in artistic specialties is the teacher’s
personal creativity. According to Marushko L.,
Hura A., Bryk R., Baboval N., & Karabin O.
(2023), the level of the teacher’s professional
competence determines continuous improvement
of knowledge, self-realization, and development
of creative potential, which is reflected in new
methods of presenting information (Marushko et
al., 2023, p. 315). Korman M. (2022) considers
creativity as the main factor in the teacher’s
personal competence, which is more
characterized by internal activity than external,
and is manifested by such key qualities as
readiness for risk, impulsiveness, independence
of judgments, critical reflection on one's own
activities, and boldness in imagination, thinking,
and expression (Korman, 2022, p. 35).
Qualitative characteristic of defining effective
elements and strategic gaps in the
implementation of the competency approach is
the opinion of higher education students
themselves.
Taking into account personal characteristics of
the applicants themselves plays an important role
in the formation of their cultural and creative
competencies, primarily determining the level of
creativity, which is carried out using the express
method of psychodiagnostics based on the
creativity questionnaire by D. Johnson,
application of which aims to assess students’
ability for inventiveness, unconventional
thinking, originality, imagery development,
transformation, etc. These indicators are
associated with creativity and creative abilities.
The research results are reflected in Table 2.
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Table 2.
Results of the express method of psychodiagnostics using the D. Johnson Creativity Questionnaire
Indicators of Creativity
Levels of Creativity
Very high
High
Average
Low
Very low
Sensitivity to the problem, preference for
challenges, ability to perceive subtle,
undefined, complex, contradictory features of
the surrounding world
12,5 %
30 %
37,5 %
15 %
5 %
Ability to generate and express a large
number of different ideas, images,
hypotheses, and solutions to tasks
20 %
27,5 %
40 %
12,5 %
0 %
Application of various strategies, problem-
solving approaches, ability to propose
different types and categories of ideas
12,5 %
32,5 %
47,5 %
5 %
2,5 %
The ability to complement an idea with
various details, develop, and refine the idea-
image
25 %
27,5 %
37,5 %
10 %
0 %
Originality, unconventional thinking and
behavior, unique outcomes of the activity,
individual style
25 %
25 %
37,5 %
12,5 %
0 %
The ability to transform and develop images
and ideas, dynamism, inventiveness
15 %
30 %
37,5 %
15 %
5 %
The capability for transformation,
development of images and ideas,
dynamism, and inventiveness
37,5 %
35 %
22,5 %
5 %
0 %
Independence of thinking, judgments,
behavior, responsibility for a non-standard
position, behavior style based on self-
reliance, self-sufficiency of behavior
22,5 %
35 %
35 %
5 %
2,5 %
Source: prepared by the authors.
The research results indicate that the surveyed
education applicants demonstrate a
predominantly average level of creativity, while
minimal indicators of low and very low levels of
creativity are observed. This suggests a sufficient
level of creativity among students of artistic
specialties and underscores the necessity to
review application of the competency-based
approach in the preparation of learners, the
content of educational and professional
programs, as well as the quality assessment of the
creativity level among all participants in the
educational process.
To clarify the peculiarities and prospective
directions for forming educational-creative
environment in the educational institution, a
survey and analysis among the students of the
Kharkiv State Academy of Culture was
conducted using an author-made questionnaire.
The questionnaire included inquiries concerning
creativity, its role and place in educational,
extracurricular, and subsequent professional
activities, and pertained to specific components
of the artistic institution's educational-creative
environment: organizational, educational, and
socio-cultural (creative) ones.
Here are the most significant results of the
analysis:
− 87.5% of respondents noted that all
participants in the educational process
should be creative;
− 70% of respondents believe that creativity is
very important for learning;
− 45% of respondents are generally satisfied
with the level of creativity in the educational
institution where they study;
− 97.5% of respondents consider creativity to
be very important for their future
professional activities.
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Fig. 1. Importance of Creativity in Future Professional Activities.
Source: prepared by the authors.
These indicators demonstrate the importance of
creativity for students and confirm our
assumption concerning the increased attention to
the formation of creative competence in the
educational process.
Regarding the educational component of the
educational-creative environment, the following
survey results were obtained: 52.5% of
respondents believe that creativity is shaped by
the disciplines of the professional cycle;
according to 37.5% of respondents, enhancing
creativity is necessary for all disciplines they
learn; 37.5% of respondents noted that personal
creativity is demonstrated by teachers who teach
the cycle of professional disciplines. The survey
results demonstrate that only about 50% of
students realize that the aim of professional
educational components is forming creative
competence.
Fig. 2. Disciplines that foster creativity during education.
Source: prepared by the authors.
Fig. 3. Disciplines that need to enhance creativity in their content.
Source: prepared by the authors.