Elena S. Terehova

This article presents a modified version of the “Incomplete Figures” subtest originally developed by Ellis Paul Torrance. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing role of creative competency within the system of art and design education, as well as by the need to develop diagnostic instruments that account for the specific features of students’ visual and figurative thinking. In educational practice, standardized creativity tests are widely applied, including the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking; however, their implementation in art education encounters a number of limitations related to the nature of the stimulus material and the professional orientation of students’ activities. The aim of the article is to develop and conduct an initial validation of a modified version of the Torrance subtest aimed at assessing the activity-based component of creative competency, as well as to analyze its diagnostic potential in samples of schoolchildren and university students. The modification is based on the use of more complex stimulus material and involves completing a series of sequential graphic tasks followed by an analysis of the produced works according to the criteria of fluency, originality, elaboration, and resistance to premature closure. The validation of the proposed modification was carried out among undergraduate students majoring in Design and primary school students receiving supplementary art education. The study identified age- and context-related characteristics in the manifestation of specific indicators of creative thinking and confirmed the diagnostic applicability of the proposed modification when working with different categories of learners. The theoretical significance of the research lies in the systematization and updating of scholarly approaches to creativity assessment in the context of art and design education. The practical significance consists in the possibility of applying the proposed modification in educational and research practice for analyzing the development of students’ creative competency and monitoring its developmental dynamics.

Modern education is at a crucial historical point where technological innovations have become an integral part of the learning process and have a significant impact on its structure and organization. Special attention is paid to the use of artificial intelligence technologies, which open up new opportunities for optimizing learning. This article is dedicated to analyzing the demand for the use of tools based on generative adversarial networks in the learning process by students of the Institute of Culture and Arts at Moscow City Pedagogical University. The research was conducted to assess the potential use of neural networks for solving specific educational tasks. To achieve this goal, various methods were used, including analyzing domestic and foreign scientific sources on the topic, surveying students, and comparing the survey results with the results of similar studies. The survey results showed that students highly appreciate the potential of neural networks, actively use these technologies to solve educational and creative tasks, and they will continue to apply them in their professional activities. Unfortunately, students are not fully able to understand the dangers of being addicted to generated content. Recognizing the need to use the opportunities of artificial intelligence, we consider it important not only to teach students practical skills in working with neural networks but also to pay attention to the development of critical thinking. The theoretical significance of this article lies in expanding knowledge about the potential of applying neural networks in art education and identifying factors that affect the effectiveness of their use. The novelty of the research lies in the focus on the application of neural networks in the field of fine arts and design. The results of the analysis revealed specific challenges and advantages of using artificial intelligence in these areas. The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of using its results both to optimize the educational program of the Institute of Culture and Arts and to develop strategies for integrating modern technologies into the educational process in the field of art education.