In the article, an analytical review of teaching methods on the example of teaching engraving in art education isconsidered with the emphasis on the integration of Kazakh mythology and Design Thinking. It examines how a synthesis of cultural heritage with contemporary pedagogical powercan influence technical competency, narrative competence and cultural consciousness of art students. A 14-week intervention was designed and implemented with undergraduate students in Kazakhstan deploying traditional Kazakhsmyths to an engraving assignment through the established phases of Design Thinking: empathize, define, ideate, prototype,test employing a multi-method approach.
Quantitative measures of pre-and post-test scoresdemonstrated positive gains when regarding students’ technical technique, creative composition, narrative structure, and cultural incorporation. Verbal feedback during interviews and crits revealed that students found they established stronger personal connections with their work and gained a greater understanding of culturalsymbols. The mythological contents and designlogic were combined to create new visualities through which students could interpret national narratives, using visual language to move beyond cultural reference in a passive way and express themselves actively.
Chipaumire’s case study suggests that culturally responsive pedagogical practices which are bound by an iterative design framework can not only generate higher artistic products but also contribute to identity development andcritical thinking. The method is found to be adaptable and transferable and to have implications fordecolonizing art education and for enhancing cultural continuity in post-Soviet contexts. The results indicate that creative innovation through localized narrative can transform art educationbased on national identity. It is recommended for future research to investigate the long-term effects of the method,its inter-disciplinary possibilities, as well as the integration of the method at the policy level in arts and design education.