Abstract
In the context of the accelerating digitalization of the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the transition to a new paradigm of industrial development, the requirements for the education and training of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) professionals have increased substantially. A modern ICT engineer is expected not only to master software development tools but also to possess methodological competence—the ability to independently formulate research problems, select appropriate mathematical methods, justify architectural decisions, and critically evaluate the limitations of the approaches employed. However, an analysis of the current educational practice within the Bachelor’s degree program 6B061 Information and Communication Technologies at Kazakhstani universities reveals a persistent gap between academic training, which remains largely focused on the transmission of established knowledge and the development of narrowly defined practical skills, and the actual demands of the ICT industry, which requires professionals with well-developed adaptive expertise and the ability to solve complex, ill-structured engineering problems independently. This study substantiates the necessity of transitioning from a reproductive model of instruction to a competency-based educational approach integrating contemporary pedagogical strategies. Based on a comprehensive review of international research, the author proposes an integrated didactic system for developing the methodological competence of ICT professionals. The proposed system comprises three complementary layers: (1) an ontological layer, which provides a formalized representation of educational content based on competencies and interdisciplinary relationships; (2) a Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) layer, which generates authentic professional contexts through complex interdisciplinary challenges; and (3) a Four-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID) layer, which supports the acquisition of complex cognitive skills through the sequential completion of learning tasks accompanied by adaptive instructional support. An integrative mechanism connecting these layers ensures alignment among educational content, learning context, and instructional processes, while a reflective assessment component enables the evaluation of methodological competence and facilitates the continuous adjustment of individual learning trajectories. The practical significance of the proposed system lies in its potential application within Kazakhstani universities to modernize educational programs in the Bachelor’s degree program 6B061 Information and Communication Technologies. The paper also outlines directions for future empirical research, including a pedagogical experiment to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, the development of an ontology-based competency model, and the design of methodological assessment tools for evaluating graduates’ methodological preparedness.