Elements of the Foresight Technology in Design Project-Oriented Training of Prospective Engineers

The article is devoted to one of the most important problems regarding the results of technical innovations implementation in people's life and to training future specialists to uncover those consequences during the preparation stage of technical projects. The objective of this paper is to analyze the problems of design project-oriented training of engineering students in Russia and find ways for its improvement. Methodology: Universal scientific research methods were used such as the methods of idealization and formalization. The experimental research methods of observation, modeling, abstraction, comparison, the analysis of students' educational activity results were also employed. Results: 1. The experience of some well-known organizations that use foresight technologies for predicting the consequences of innovative engineering and technical decisions implementation is analyzed. 2. The methodology of students training in forecasting skills making use of foresight technologies is developed. 3. The educational and expert procedure content is described. The results obtained are novel as for the first time foresight technologies are applied to the process of training of engineers. Previously the foresight technologies were used for elaborating large social and economic projects directed on the large territories development. The findings obtained comply with well-known technologies with similar focus, e.g. CDIO. This research contributes to the theory and methodology of professional education of engineers as it develops the understanding of their training content. Recommendations: The findings obtained can be useful for specialists of training and methodological associations, technical universities curricular designers and educators, specialists of various design organizations.