Engineering Specialties: Enhancing the Instruction of General Mathematics Through a Professional Approach

The article addresses pressing issues in teaching general mathematics to engineering students in the context of modernization of higher technical education and increasing requirements for graduates’ professional competence. It substantiates the need to shift from a traditional theory-oriented model of instruction to a professionally oriented approach that ensures the formation of applied mathematical competencies demanded in engineering practice. The aim of the study is to develop and theoretically justify ways to improve the teaching of general mathematics for students of engineering programs based on the principles of professional orientation, interdisciplinary integration, and practice-oriented learning. The study employs methods of analyzing scientific and methodological literature, generalizing pedagogical experience, modeling the educational process, and elements of a pedagogical experiment. The didactic conditions for improving learning effectiveness are examined, including the incorporation of engineering problems into course content, the use of digital modeling tools, the application of project-based and case-study methods, and the organization of professionally oriented independent student work. Special attention is given to the integration of mathematical disciplines with specialized engineering subjects, which contributes to the development of systems thinking, analytical skills, and readiness to solve real industrial problems. A structural-functional model of professionally oriented teaching of general mathematics is proposed, including target, content, procedural, and assessment-result components. The implementation of the proposed approaches contributes to increased student motivation, improved quality of mathematical training, and the formation of stable professional competencies in future engineers. The professional orientation of the general mathematics course enhances the academic motivation of engineering students by demonstrating the practical significance of mathematical methods in solving real engineering problems. Improving the teaching of general mathematics based on the principle of professional orientation is an important condition for enhancing the quality of training of future engineers and their competitiveness in modern socio-economic conditions.