THE 8K FRAMEWORK AS A FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPING DESIGN COMPETENCE IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

Abstract

The rapid transformation of social, economic, and technological life in the twenty-first century has placed new demands on education systems at every level, including the earliest stages of childhood development. Among the conceptual frameworks that have emerged to describe the competencies required for success in this new environment, the so-called "8K" model – comprising creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, computer literacy, cross-cultural understanding, career and self-reliance, and citizenship and leadership – occupies a prominent place. This article examines the pedagogical foundations of the 8K framework and explores its relevance to the formation of design competence in preschool-aged children. Design competence, understood here as the integrated ability to perceive, imagine, plan, and bring into being objects, spaces, and visual solutions, is presented as a natural meeting point for several of the eight competencies. The article discusses the theoretical underpinnings of this relationship, considers the developmental characteristics of preschool children that make early design education both feasible and valuable, and proposes pedagogical conditions and approaches through which educators can integrate the 8K framework into everyday preschool practice. The discussion concludes that a deliberate, play-based, and child-centered approach to design activity can serve as an effective vehicle for cultivating the broader competencies envisioned by the 8K model.