DSpace Repository :: Browsing 01. PhD Thesis by Issue Date

01. PhD Thesis

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STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR FIRST-YEAR UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE: CASE STUDY OF NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY
(Graduate School of Education, 2016) Saniyazova, Aray
This mixed-method study examines and develops in-depth understanding of first-year university experience of undergraduate students at Nazarbayev University, an elite international university, located in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The study is based on the investigation of students’ perceptions of their first-year experience with a focus on challenges and opportunities that students encounter during their first year in university and the ways they address them. The students’ perceptions have been investigated through an online survey as an initial stage of the study that identified preliminary themes and categories to build on further through in-depth focus groups and individual interviews that eventually comprised the main body of the study. The study has revealed that first-year experience is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon which is shaped by a number of various aspects and factors. According to students’ perspectives the success of their university experience, which they largely define as feeling comfortable academically and socially, and remaining motivated and confident in own abilities to progress in studies, greatly depends on such factors as early communication of information and orientation of prospective student, comprehensive new student orientation, quality of curriculum and classroom instruction, and good campus facilities. On the top of it appears to be interactions with peers and faculty, and academic and social support that students receive at the university from peers, faculty and staff. The study suggests some important areas that higher education institutions in Kazakhstan may find useful to focus on when addressing challenging and promoting opportunities that students face during their first-year in university. Those areas include clear communication of information, continuous support and encouragement, and every effort to integrate students into an institution both academically and socially in order to ensure enriching and rewarding first-year experience.
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TRILINGUAL EDUCATION POLICY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN: TEACHERS’ BELIEFS AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES
(Graduate School of Education, 2016-05) Iyldyz, Leila
The purpose of this qualitative PhD study is to explore how secondary school teachers in Kazakhstan interpret and appropriate trilingual education policy. The goal of the new policy is that future generations will be at least trilingual (Kazakh, Russian, and English). However, there is not yet an explicit written trilingual education policy or clear guidance for implementation in schools. This study examined three research questions: 1) How do teachers understand the language policy and trilingual education policy in particular in the context of Kazakhstan? 2) What do teachers think the policy means for their classroom practices? and 3) How do teachers appropriate the trilingual language policy in their own classrooms? The sample included ten teachers who teach Sciences and Mathematics in English and five History of Kazakhstan teachers who teach in Kazakh in five schools located in historically Russian- speaking areas. The conceptual framework draws upon a language policy and planning “onion” (Ricento & Hornberger, 1996), internal and external supports and hindrances pertinent to teacher beliefs and practices (Buehl & Beck, 2015), a policy interpretation and policy appropriation lens (D. C. Johnson, 2013), teacher agency (Biesta, Priestley, & Robinson, 2015), and linguistic culture (Schiffman, 1996, 2006). The findings stem from the data collected through interviews with teachers and observations of classes they teach. It was found that teachers perceive their roles as appropriators of trilingual policy and exercise agency through the lens of their own beliefs. Teachers’ personal qualities fuelled by the ideology of patriotism and the national competitiveness agenda serve as a foundation for their agency. Their explicit aim is helping students to learn new subject content and acquire linguistic competences. Against the difficulties teachers face, including lack of ready-for-use textbooks and adequate training in L2 methodologies as well as limited linguistic proficiency, they find ways and spaces for making modifications in teaching for the benefit of their students. In the context of Kazakhstan, it is critical to recognise teacher agency in policy processes. Their beliefs about policy and the ways they affect their classroom practices should be taken into account at other policy levels and research.
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EXPECTATIONS OF GRADUATES’ EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS: THE CASE OF NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY FIRST COHORT
(Graduate School of Education, 2016-05) Mukhametzhanova, Assel
“Education for employment or education for employability?” is the question raised by many researchers and stakeholders worldwide. On the one hand, there is a lack of specialists with relevant skills in the labor market, which results in challenges with recruitment and the need for additional investment in retraining employees and challenges with recruitment. On the other hand, educators argue that the “true” purpose of education goes beyond preparing students for jobs, and that shifts in educational policies around the world are gearing towards meeting labor market needs more than they should. This study explores expectations of graduates’ employability skills from the perspectives of stakeholders, using the case of Nazarbayev University, a newly-established flagship university in Kazakhstan. The context of a new international university with top ranking partners and its talented students is analyzed in this research in order to shed light on the experiences of these students in regards to their employability. Kazakhstan’s historical transition from Soviet planned economy (education for employment) towards market and knowledge-based economy (education for employability) in the last 25 years of independence also provides an interesting context to analyze both sides of employability. This research was conducted at Nazarbayev University, through a survey of Nazarbayev University students as well as conducting semi-structured interviews with employers, Nazarbayev University faculty and focus group interviews with NU students. This empirical study found that stakeholders recognize the increasing importance of soft skills in the changing labor market conditions, especially in the context of elite university. Skills for lifelong and life-wide learning are considered essential by stakeholders. The study found that international environment serves both as a benefit (positive signal to employers) and a challenge (international faculty unawareness of the local context) for graduate employability skills. The study also reveals that stakeholders need to work in collaboration in order to accommodate a smoother education-to-labor-market transition.
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A GROUNDED THEORY APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT PRACTICES OF TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Graduate School of Education, 2016-07) Tynybayeva, Madina
Nowadays Kazakhstan is in the process of reforming secondary education. Reforms include the transition from 11-year to 12-year schooling, implementation of new curriculum, trilingual education, and new assessment system. However, the current situation in secondary schools, in terms of teachers’ classroom teaching and assessment practices, is understudied. The aim of the present research is to study teachers’ classroom assessment practices in grades six to eight of secondary schools in Kazakhstan. There are two research questions in this study: RQ1: What are teachers’ classroom assessment practices in secondary schools in Kazakhstan? RQ2: How do teachers understand the assessment practices they use in the classrooms? For the study a qualitative grounded theory design is employed. Data-driven theory formation approach is used throughout the data collection, data analysis, and discussion of the results of the analysis. Document study, lesson observation, individual interviews and focus group interviews are used as the research methods. Participants in the study were twenty-five teachers in two schools with Kazakh medium of instruction and two schools with Russian medium of instruction. Two of these schools were situated in the urban area and two in the rural. The main findings were built from empirical data analyzed using NVivo software. In total, sixty sources of data were collated and thirty-four were used for analysis: official documents, audio files with interviews, word files with transcribed interviews, protocols with lesson observations. The research resulted in the emergence of four main categories around which the theory was built. First, the answer to the research questions was sought through the prism of the professional development of the participating teachers and how professional development impacts the practices in the classroom. Second, the link between classroom assessment and teachers’ individual pedagogical style was identified. Third, the external factors that put pressure on teachers and their classroom assessment practices were revealed. Finally, in the framework of current reform of secondary education, teachers’ different reactions to the changes and reforms in the education were discussed. The study has a significant role in contributing to international empirically-based theory on assessment practices and perceptions of school teachers, and should be of particular interest to researchers interested in school education reform in post-Soviet and Central Asian contexts. It may also provide insights for those involved in proposed reforms of the education system in Kazakhstan.
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THE EXPLORATION OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Graduate School of Education, 2016-07) Khoroshash, Aidar
Despite the vast amount of research about educational leadership found in international literature, Kazakhstan has not yet developed an extensive discussion about leadership in education, including teacher leadership. This study explores teacher leadership at secondary schools in Kazakhstan, looking specifically at how important it is for Kazakhstani education to promote its teachers as leaders. Various stakeholders from two local schools such as principals, vice-principals, teachers and students were surveyed and interviewed to identify their perceptions of teacher leadership in both theory and practice, and also to understand what either facilitates or challenges teacher leadership in this country. Because Kazakhstani education is still connected to its Soviet Union heritage, the interviewed administrators and teachers were questioned about whether a typical Soviet school would have any elements of leadership, in order to relate them to the current situation in independent Kazakhstan. An analysis of the main findings yielded the stakeholders‘ own explanations that teacher leadership is a rare case in schools, since teachers lack the chance to extend their understanding of leadership. As a result of such a poor level of knowledge, teachers miss an opportunity to develop leaderful practices in and outside their schools because of the topdown tradition and highly hierarchical relationships still inherent in the system. The `Soviet` leadership, often associated with `high moral values` by veteran teachers, remains deeply embedded in the minds of many, while others blame Communism for its false proclamations and ideology in education. The findings ultimately suggested that re-orienting the current system from top-down to shared governance should both reconcile the schools with the Ministry of Education and empower teachers in Kazakhstan to actively participate and voluntarily commit themselves to change and reform in the country. With such major implications drawn from the findings, this project will contribute to current and future research on teacher leadership in Kazakhstan.
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FACULTY PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF CURRICULUM RENEWAL OF MASTER’S PROGRAMMES IN ONE KAZAKHSTANI UNIVERSITY
(Graduate School of Education, 2016-09) Akhmetova, Guldana
The aim of the study is to explore faculty members’ perceptions and transitioning experience from State Standards control to greater academic freedom of curriculum renewal of Master’s programmes in one Kazakhstani university. After the dissolution of the USSR, Kazakhstan changed its economic direction to a market-oriented economy. One of the impacts of a market-oriented economy was reforms in education because with fluctuations in the labour market, it was no longer appropriate for the government to control the content of university programmes. As a result, the government incrementally expanded academic freedom in the university curricula by providing of elective courses in line with the General State Standards of Compulsory Education. However, this transition to greater academic freedom raised the question of how faculty members who were experienced in delivering prescribed courses addressed the new role of designing elective courses. Within this context, this study aimed to examine faculty members’ perceptions and experiences of curriculum renewal in Master’s programmes in one Kazakhstani university, focusing on the implementation of elective courses. This qualitative research is premised on an ethnographic design. A grounded theory approach was employed to collect and analyse the data. Data collection was conducted over three-month period in 2015. A total of 42 faculty members engaged in semi-structured interviews; 17 faculty members were involved in focus group discussions; observations of setting and meetings, documentary analysis, and informal talks were undertaken as well. The findings from the study suggest that the expansion of academic freedom has caused uncertainty in faculty members due to the predominance of the previous education paradigms, in particular, the findings reveal a lack of relevant professional knowledge, a lack of support in course design, late adoption of the legal regulations that underpin course design, and ingrained reliance of relying on previous State Standards. The faculty members perceived that the previous Soviet mentality was impeding them from practicing the new education paradigm. The study indicates that these challenges need to be addressed in order to strengthen the education reforms aimed at educating qualified specialists. This study contributes to knowledge of education change in post-Soviet countries by exploring the transition of faculty members from State Standards control to greater academic freedom in curriculum design in Kazakhstan. The research suggests that faculty members feel uncertain about transitioning to greater academic freedom due to the predominance of previous education paradigms in their practice, attitude and mindset.
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TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY IN ACCOUNTABILITY RELATIONSHIPS IN HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM: THE CASE OF DATA WAREHOUSE PROJECT IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Graduate School of Education, 2016-10) Abeldinova, Saule
The study investigates the connection between data reliability and trust in accountability relationships between participants of the higher education system in Kazakhstan. Institutional data in Kazakhstan has a great potential to become an important source of information both for the government and universities to make effective decisions and conduct accurate research. In order to get that the Kazakhstani higher education system’s participants should be able to transform the existing internal data into a transparent and 3 reliable national data warehouse system. The success of this initiative depends on capabilities of the process’ participants to openly interact and to take shared responsibility for the quality of the provided data. Are Kazakhstani university leaders ready today to share internal strategic data for common benefits of the education system? Are university leaders ready to be accountable and take shared responsibility for the quality of data? The overarching question of the research is: What are the main factors influencing willingness of the education system’s participants to share the reliable internal information? The main hypothesis of the research is that the phenomenon of trust/distrust is the leading factor influencing the participants’ willingness to share/not share the internal information and predetermining the quality of the data provided. The research was held on basis of the case of the Kazakhstani Higher Education Data Warehouse Project (DWP). The project was jointly developed by the Learning Alliance for Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania (USA), the Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education’s Research Institute (Kazakhstan), and the Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Kazakhstan. The Data Warehouse is a utility for collecting and storing data elements from higher education institutions allowing providing the universities with comprehensive and comparative information for analytical and planning work. Taking advantage of being among the members of the Data Warehouse project’s team I used the Data Warehouse as a case for evaluating universities’ reaction to data transparency promised by the project, analyzing the reliability of data, provided by the participating universities and exploring the reasons of university trust or distrust to this initiative. Mix methods approach was used for the purposes of the current research. The quantitative analysis of demographic data, submitted by the participating universities, allowed for making conclusions concerning the quality of the data. This analysis helped to reveal consistent patterns explaining an attitude of universities to data completion requirements. An ethnographic case study observation allowed to understand the process of interaction between experts and participants of the Data Warehouse Project and investigate factors of the trust/distrust in naturalistic settings. 16 universities that were invited to take part in the DWP project became also a sample for the current research.
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN: A NARRATIVE ENQUIRY ABOUT HUMAN AGENCY IN THE PROCESS OF ADAPTATION
(Graduate School of Education, 2017) Mukhamejanova, Dinara
Kazakhstan has taken considerable steps to improve the incoming mobility of international students; however despite these measures the number of international students studying in Kazakhstan is still very low. Research indicates that in order to attract and retain international students it is necessary to build a thorough understanding about their experiences in the host country. This narrative research was designed to gain a better understanding about international students’ experiences in Kazakhstan by exploring how they exercise their human agency while adapting to the academic and socio-cultural life in Kazakhstan. I used a purposeful criterion sampling to select six international students from Afghanistan, Great Britain, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, and the United States studying at Kazakhstani universities to participate in this research. The primary data collection was semi-structured in-depth interviews. Supportive methods included a demographic questionnaire and a researcher journal. The data was analyzed in two steps. The first step was to develop the participants’ individual accounts. These individual accounts were composed around the main foci which emerged from the interviews and manifested the complexity and interconnectedness of the international students’ experiences in Kazakhstan. The second step was to conduct a cross-account analysis of the international students’ individual accounts to compare and contrast their experiences and to contextualize them in a broader academic discourse. The cross-account analysis findings were organized according to the research questions and on the analytical categories based on the study’s conceptual framework: push and pull factors that motivated the international students to study in Kazakhstan; academic, socio-cultural, and financial-practical challenges the international students had to face in Kazakhstan; and positive aspects of studying in Kazakhstan in the form of growth and change, social support, academic support, navigating host culture, and sense of belonging. I explored the interrelation between the analytical categories and the exercise of human agency by the international students in the process of adapting to the life in Kazakhstan through the lens of Albert Bandura’s (2001) social cognitive theory. This research revealed that the international students actively employed their human agency to negotiate their studying and to adapt to their life in Kazakhstan. They did not simply adjust to the host environment, but also learned from it and attempted to transform it according to their circumstances and goals. These results suggest that to increase the number of international students and by doing this to raise the quality of their research and teaching practices and to gain socio-cultural and economic benefits in the form of diverse learning environment and revenue, the Kazakhstani host universities are implied to improve these students’ experiences in Kazakhstan. The theoretical approach employed in this study allowed me to conclude that international students’ experiences in host countries might be improved by providing them with opportunities to exercise their human agency.
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EXPLORING GIFTED SCHOOL GRADUATES’ ADJUSTMENT TO UNIVERSITIES IN KAZAKHSTAN: FEATURES, FACTORS, AND IMPLICATIONS
(Graduate School of Education, 2017) Almukhambetova, Ainur
In 2009, Kazakhstan has started a project of 20 Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) for gifted children which now operates in all regions of Kazakhstan with an aim to accelerate the development of the educational system and prepare an intellectual elite of the country. Since 2010, the graduates of these schools have been entering Kazakhstani higher educational institutions, but little is known about the university adjustment of these students. This mixed methods dissertation aimed to explore NIS school graduates’ adjustment to university life, as well as the personal and contextual factors influencing their adjustment. It also aimed to understand how the gifted students’ experiences vary across two top Kazakhstani universities with different characteristics: autonomous Nazarbayev University and Eurasian National University, both located in the capital city Astana. Based on prior research, university adjustment was conceptualized in this study as multi-faceted construct, which involves academic, social, personal-emotional dimensions and includes such dimension as institutional attachment. The study employed a mixed-methods explanatory sequential research design. A sample of 201 students participated in an online survey, while qualitative set of data was collected with the help of individual and focus group interviews. The study revealed that gifted NIS graduates in general adjusted well to the demands of university life, though some specific environmental institution-related and student-related factors were identified as influencing their adjustment to university. Also, a set of non-institutional environmental factors, such a pre-enrollment family/financial circumstances, influence of parents on students’ choices, high societal, familial and personal expectations, as well as students’ “gifted” characteristics, have considerably influenced their adjustment process. The study also revealed that students encountered a number of specific issues while adjusting to universities, such as negotiating their identities: an identity of an adult, an identity of a higher education student, and an identity of a gifted student. It was also revealed that NIS graduates experienced a “fear to fail” and “of not looking smart enough” in peers’ and professors’ eyes and a mismatch between their expectations and actual experiences at university. The study also identified that the students had different adjustment experiences in two types of universities. Finally, the study uncovered several important issues in higher education context of Kazakhstan that have become obvious through the prism of gifted students’ adjustment experiences at these different university contexts.
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UNDERSTANDING UNIVERSITY TEACHING APPROACHES IN THE CONTEXT OF HIGHER EDUCATION REFORMS IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Graduate School of Education, 2017-01) Jumabayeva, Zhanna
Despite the large amount of research on teaching approaches internationally, there is little research on Kazakhstani university teachers’ teaching approaches, especially in light of current higher education reforms. The aim of this study is, therefore, to develop an in-depth understanding of the ways teachers of two universities understand and use teaching approaches, and how these teaching approaches promote students’ learning. This research examined current higher education reform initiatives that influenced the way teachers teach. The study employed mixed methods design combining qualitative and quantitative research. For the qualitative research part, interviews at two universities in Kazakhstan were conducted to investigate university teachers’ perceptions and views on how they understand and change teaching approaches under current higher education reforms and how (or if) these changes affect students’ learning. Moreover, focus groups with students were conducted to ask their views regarding the topic. For the quantitative research part, a survey was conducted with a larger sample of students from the same universities to explore their perceptions of their teachers’ teaching approaches and the impact on their learning. The data from the findings revealed that teachers encounter a wide range of challenges in accommodating their teaching approaches to support students’ learning needs. The study also revealed that teachers need proper training, clear direction and instructional support from the Ministry to accommodate a smoother transition from traditional to new approach. Overall, this study found that university teachers recognize the importance of using new teaching approaches as it affects students rather positively. Teachers and students generally agree that these approaches have contributed to a) more in-depth knowledge, b) higher motivation and interest towards learning, c) greater appreciation for teachers’ instruction, and d) improved attendance and participation. Along with that, university teachers acknowledged that different factors, including teacher workload, paper work and bureaucracy, impeded them from the use of new teaching approaches.
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CHANGING DESIGN STUDIO TEACHING: AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY OF TEACHER’S AND STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES
(Graduate School of Education, 2017-02) Kazybayeva, Zauresh
This action research thesis presents an account of how features of constructivist learning theory were used in a Design studio at one department of architecture in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Constructivism as a paradigm for teaching and learning replaced the behaviourist perspective is widely used in conventional design studio teaching where investigation was carried out. Therefore, this study is a possible answer to the question of how to teach architectural design in a different way rather than in the post-Soviet Kazakhstan fashion where teacher-centred instruction with power relationship prevails. The study has revealed the positive outcomes and challenges of creating a constructivist learning environment in a Design studio. Through various learning activities the link between the classroom environment and students' engagement was identified. According to findings, teacher- student interaction and socio-emotional aspects of learning process influence on students' commitment to learning and on overall learning experience. The course artefacts demonstrated the effect of problem-solving on creativity of architectural students. Moreover, based on the students' current views on the Design studio pedagogy, several issues of the existing cultural context were identified during the study. In addition, action research strategy was examined as a tool for teacher learning and used with the aim to improve my teaching. Consequently, this study contributes to the growth of literature on the capacity of applying action research and self-study to teacher’s professional development in Kazakhstani higher education institutions.
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MIXED METHODS RESEARCH ON EXPERIENCES OF FOREIGN-EDUCATED KAZAKHSTANI GRADUATES IN THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET
(Graduate School of Education, 2018) Tolesh, Fariza
Study abroad is a well-researched phenomenon however the existing literature does not specifically illustrate the extent of an impact of foreign education on employment experiences of full degree graduates from developing countries such as Kazakhstan when they return to their home labour markets. The current educational policy of Kazakhstan is oriented toward internationalisation of higher education, thus, the government is actively encouraging young people to study abroad. Consequently, the number of people with international education is growing within the country’s labour force. Generally, study abroad is viewed to have a linearly positive influence on employability of individuals. However, as the recent research suggests the overall impact of such education on professional situation of graduates determined by various factors and nuances. In this study, using the mixed-methods approach I explored the employment experiences of graduates in the Kazakhstani labour market. The quantitative data were collected through a survey of 69 foreign-educated specialists working in Kazakhstan. The qualitative data were collected through the semi-structured interviews with twelve participants to inquire deeper into the effects of having foreign education in the Kazakhstani labour market, and to explore nuances related to their personal and professional labour market experiences. The employment experiences of graduates are conceptualised through the framework of human and social capitals and the signalling/screening theory. Findings illustrate that graduates view their foreign education as an advantageous endeavour in respect to the linguistic skills, transferable skills, and acquisition of useful networks. They also reported challenges in application of their international competences at work and limited options and capacity of the local labour market for professionals with international education experience. The findings of this paper have implications for policy and practice in relation to the applicability of internationally acquired knowledge and skills of graduates, the education of employers on the benefits of study abroad, and in informing prospective international students and their parents about risks and benefits of foreign education. This study contributes to our understanding of employment experiences of foreign-educated Kazakhstani graduates in the local labour market and highlights the need for further research in this area.
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CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL) IN KAZAKHSTAN: CASE STUDIES OF FIVE TEACHERS AT A NAZARBAYEV INTELLECTUAL SCHOOL (NIS)
(Graduate School of Education, 2018) Karabassova, Laura
The purpose of this multiple case study of NIS teachers was to explore, and gain a better understanding of, how they conceptualize CLIL and how they implement CLIL approach, if at all, in teaching content subjects through students` L2 or L3. In this study, I also investigated how CLIL is defined by NIS policy makers and communicated to teachers. The participants of the study were purposefully selected and included five teachers of one NIS who provide subject content instruction through students` L2 (Russian or Kazakh) or L3 (English). Two representatives of NIS administration, who were involved in the development of the trilingual education policy and the teachers` professional development programs were also part of this study. This study revealed that the teachers conceptualized CLIL as just using L2 or L3 as a medium of instruction. Interview data indicated that teachers built a boundary between content and language and prioritized content teaching. They did not see their role in explicit language instruction, but in the facilitation of students` language acquisition within their content. Classroom observations showed that participating teachers implemented CLIL strategies incidentally, although they did not always attribute them to CLIL. Policy makers defined CLIL as a core element of trilingual education, although interviews indicated that CLIL pedagogy as a significant component of trilingual education policy planning was missing in the NIS planning. I anticipate that the knowledge generated from this inquiry will contribute to, and uniquely expand, the body of research on CLIL. In particular, this study records the initial planning of CLIL towards a trilingual context, then its ongoing implementation.
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STUDENT FINANCIAL AID POLICY IN KAZAKHSTAN: ISSUES OF EQUITY AND EFFICIENCY
(Graduate School of Education, 2018) Jumagulova, Togzhan
The study focuses on evaluating objectives and outcomes of student financial aid policy in Kazakhstan in terms of equity and efficiency. Mixed-methods research design was adopted for the study, where document analysis and semi-structured interviews were used to understand the objectives of student financial aid policy, and the quantitative methods aimed at evaluating how student financial aid is distributed in Kazakhstan among different student groups based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, parents` education, family income, school type. Moreover, a set of efficiency criteria were addressed with national statistics. Drawing upon the quantitative and qualitative data, the study uncovers the status quo regarding equity and efficiency of student financial aid in Kazakhstan. Three primary objectives of student financial aid policies in Kazakhstan were identified. They are meeting the needs of the economy for human resources, rewarding and motivating merit, and maintaining an intellectual level of the nation. Equity is not identified as an objective of student financial aid policy neither in documents nor by participants of the study. The study revealed that distribution of student financial aid, namely state grants among different socioeconomic groups is equitable. Thus, none of the variables such as gender, ethnicity, urban or rural school, family income and father`s education, except for the mother's education at the postgraduate level affects the odds of receiving a grant. The finding does not exclude the possible inequities in enrolment to highly selective universities and highly desirable majors. Concerning efficiency outcomes, the study brought up the questions if steering students to specific professions is effective and if the current level of higher education funding is enough to ensure quality, accessible and efficient higher education. Based on the findings of the study, discussion of possible causes of equitable distribution of merit-based financial aid in the context of Kazakhstan and existing theories, the possible conditions for setting a student financial aid policy that is both equitable and efficient were identified. That includes such features as clarity in objectives, wide dissemination of information about the existence, conditions, requirements, eligibility criteria and timing of the student financial aid programs, transparency, and simplicity of admission process, high aspirations for higher education in the society and quality of secondary schooling.
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EFL TEACHERS’ CONCEPTUALISATION OF CRITICAL THINKING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Graduate School of Education, 2018) Tursunbayeva, Xeniya
The introduction of critical thinking into the national curriculum has recently become one of the aims of educational reforms worldwide. The international agencies present critical thinking as a 21st-century skill contributing to countries’ human capital, and policymakers agree on that, although school educators may have a different opinion. In Kazakhstan, although the current secondary education reform emphasises the importance of developing students’ critical thinking skills and dispositions, there is a discrepancy between policymakers’ expectations and teachers’ practices. The implementation of critical thinking as language pedagogy in the field of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has been an object of both interest and debate. Despite some researchers’ claims that critical thinking is a cultural concept that could be problematic to teach in the countries with long history of teacher- centred pedagogy, other scholars evidenced its efficiency and success.While the international literature on the instructional use of critical thinking in the EFL classroom is abundant, few studies have been conducted to explore how teachers understand the concept of critical thinking and how they feel about teaching for it in the post-Soviet countries. A parallel mixed methods design was adopted with questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus groups as key data collection instruments. The data collected from 217 EFL teachers of secondary schools in North Kazakhstan region, indicated that the participants’ beliefs and awareness of critical thinking pedagogy exerted considerable influence on teaching for critical thinking. The educators concurred on the benefits of teaching for critical thinking but regard it as incongruent with the requirements of tests or top- down prescribed curriculum. Besides, other factors affected the teachers’ engagement in critical thinking, such as motivation, professional identity, support from administration, lack of autonomy, quality of teaching materials, and school facilities. The findings suggest that this pedagogy was more challenging for the teachers from mainstream and rural schools or those who had not been specially trained for critical thinking instruction. The study is expected to be useful for teachers, researchers and policymakers in Kazakhstan and other post-Soviet countries who are interested in fostering critical thinking in the context of language teaching and learning.
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PARENTS’ LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES IN THE CONTEXT OF TRILINGUAL EDUCATION POLICY IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Graduate School of Education, 2020) Kambatyrova, Assel
Trilingual education policy is fomenting much debate among scholars and public intellectuals in Kazakhstan. However, parents’ ideologies in relation to trilingual education are not heard although their participation in policy discussions is important since they play a key role in their children’s education. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents’ language ideologies in the context of trilingual education policy. In order to answer the general question about what parents’ language ideologies are, the study examined six sub-questions: (1) What are parents’ political language ideologies?; (2) What are parents’ economic language ideologies?; (3) What are parents’ cultural and social language ideologies?; (4)What are parents’ educational language ideologies?; (5) How and to what extent do these language ideologies vary by macro factors (type of school and geographical location)?; (6) How and to what extent do these language ideologies vary by micro factors (age, gender, ethnicity, home language, educational attainment and family income level)? The study employed a mixed methods research design including interviews with parents from trilingual and mainstream schools in the North, Centre and South (n = 24), and an online survey of parents from the same schools (n = 356). The findings indicate that although the majority of parents support trilingual education policy, they believe that teaching in English, Kazakh and Russian should be introduced gradually to avoid negative outcomes. Parents highly value knowledge of three languages, among which Kazakh is associated with an ethnic identity and acknowledged instrumentally important for employment, communication and travelling domestically. Russian is deemed important for interethnic communication. English is associated with ample opportunities it provides for employment, education, communication, and travelling. However, studying science subjects in English is seen as problematic since not all children possess giftedness and abilities that are purportedly important for successful studying. Feasibility of use of Kazakh and Russian as media of instruction was also questioned. Parents’ language ideologies varied depending on type of school, geographical location, age, ethnicity, home language, income level and educational attainment. Overall, it can be concluded that there is a contrast between political language idoelogies and educational language ideologies that causes educational implications for policy makers.
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FACULTY PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF AUTONOMY REFORMS IN KAZAKHSTANI HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
(Graduate School of Education, 2020-05) Apergenova, Renata
The aim of this study was to explore faculty perceptions and experiences of autonomy reforms at three Kazakhstani public higher education institutions. Kazakhstan has taken great steps toward institutional autonomy since the first years of its independence since 1991. However, the official movement toward autonomy was announced only in 2010 (MoES, 2010), so it is a relatively new phenomenon and an ambitious reform for Kazakhstan. The term autonomy is not conceptualized on the national level yet. This influences the procedures and policies that play a role in implementing institutional autonomy. A national understanding of what autonomy means is required. Within this context, the study explored faculty individual perceptions (Vygotsky, 1986),) of academic autonomy at Kazakhstani public higher education institutions to explore their understanding of autonomy reforms. The study is focused particularly on understand faculty experiences of autonomy in terms of teaching, research, and service within the context of reforms in organizational structures and cultural values in Kazakhstani HEIs. The study adopted a qualitative approach to explore how faculty construct their understanding of academic autonomy and interpret their experiences of autonomy reforms. The research draws a distinction between two related terms, “academic autonomy” and “academic freedom.” Institutions and faculty have a different understanding of autonomy. Some faculty indicated support of education reforms focused on autonomy, although they believe they currently have sufficient academic autonomy. Other faculty believe their work should be guided by the ministry, even though they are granted academic autonomy. In a few instances, faculty rejected the concept of autonomy outright. Institutional culture is a mindset, framed by values from the Soviet system together with power structures such as policy and legislation that could resist academic autonomy reforms. Faculty mindset, including strong traditions and habits, also influences perceptions of academic autonomy. Thus, one of the key elements of the theoretical framework is a case of cultural beliefs and norms within the institutions considered through faculty perspectives. A strong governmental power structure exists in Kazakhstan with the Ministry of Education and Science wielding considerable influence. The interplay of culture and organizational structure is considered through the Mintzberg’s theory (1979) and Hierarchy cultural dimension of Knien, Greven, Bending and Brettel (2019). Based on the investigated case study, the research has practical implementation on how the autonomy has been implementing within the Hierarchical structure of Mintzberg (1979) and how it impacts on the cultural environment. Such interplay of the cultural and structural environments may cause the restriction of autonomy. Vygotsky’s theory of human cultural and biosocial development (Vygotsky, 1986, p. 54, 59) is considered as a tool that can be used in mediating autonomy reforms to manage the cultural and structural environment of HEIs. The considered theoretical framework is useful in providing the alternative perspective in implementing autonomy reforms at the state and institutional level. The research found five key factors: national overregulation, financial dependence, external pressure, lack of trust, and lack of shared understanding of the concept of autonomy, that restrict autonomy reforms.
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PARENTS’ LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES IN THE CONTEXT OF TRILINGUAL EDUCATION POLICY IN KAZAKHSTAN
(Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, 2020-12) Kambatyrova, Assel
Trilingual education policy is fomenting much debate among scholars and public intellectuals in Kazakhstan. However, parents’ ideologies in relation to trilingual education are not heard although their participation in policy discussions is important since they play a key role in their children’s education. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parents’ language ideologies in the context of trilingual education policy. In order to answer the general question about what parents’ language ideologies are, the study examined six sub-questions: (1) What are parents’ political language ideologies?; (2) What are parents’ economic language ideologies?; (3) What are parents’ cultural and social language ideologies?; (4)What are parents’ educational language ideologies?; (5) How and to what extent do these language ideologies vary by macro factors (type of school and geographical location)?; (6) How and to what extent do these language ideologies vary by micro factors (age, gender, ethnicity, home language, educational attainment and family income level)? The study employed a mixed methods research design including interviews with parents from trilingual and mainstream schools in the North, Centre and South (n = 24), and an online survey of parents from the same schools (n = 356). The findings indicate that although the majority of parents support trilingual education policy, they believe that teaching in English, Kazakh and Russian should be introduced gradually to avoid negative outcomes. Parents highly value knowledge of three languages, among which Kazakh is associated with an ethnic identity and acknowledged instrumentally important for employment, communication and travelling domestically. Russian is deemed important for interethnic communication. English is associated with ample opportunities it provides for employment, education, communication, and travelling. However, studying science subjects in English is seen as problematic since not all children possess giftedness and abilities that are purportedly important for successful studying. Feasibility of use of Kazakh and Russian as media of instruction was also questioned. Parents’ language ideologies varied depending on type of school, geographical location, age, ethnicity, home language, income level and educational attainment. Overall, it can be concluded that there is a contrast between political language idoelogies and educational language ideologies that causes educational implications for policy makers. Keywords: language ideology, language policy, language-in-education policy, parents’ language ideologies, trilingual education
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SECONDARY SCHOOL NOVICE TEACHERS’ UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCES OF BECOMING A TEACHER PROFESSIONAL IN KAZAKHSTAN: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
(Graduate School of Education, 2021) Namyssova, Gulnara
The role and status of teachers have been key agenda items of education reform in Kazakhstan since its independence. The evolving conceptualizations of teaching and teacher in Kazakhstan necessitate a deeper understanding of teachers’ perceptions of teacher professionalism and the concept of being a teacher professional. This is particularly important for novice teachers in the process of forming their professional identity. Therefore, this thesis explores novice teachers’ understanding of teacher professionalism, by identifying their perceptions of the attributes of teacher professionalism, by eliciting novice teacher reflections on themselves as teaching professionals, and by gaining insights on the contribution of initial teacher education to the development of their professionalism. This study employs a qualitative phenomenological methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 novice teachers of public schools of Nur-Sultan city and this constituted the main data source for this study. An analytical inductive data analysis approach was utilized to analyze the collected data. The study revealed that novice teachers of public schools of Nur-Sultan city understand professionalism as a phenomenon that implies a strong knowledge base, limited decision-making power, and grand responsibilities for human betterment. The participants perceive the development of teacher professionalism as a process that involves ongoing learning and it starts with initial teacher education. The initial teacher education is perceived as providing a foundation and basic knowledge, which is seen as insufficient, but a necessary part of the journey towards becoming a professional. The future teachers’ preparation for the profession is hindered by challenges associated with initial teacher education, i.e. insufficient provision of pedagogical knowledge, the gap between university and school, and insufficient practicum. Another important finding of the study is that none of the participants consider themselves professionals during the initial years of teaching due to a lack of experience and practical knowledge. They rather see themselves as novice teachers proceeding towards professionalism. The knowledge generated by this study will contribute to the literature by providing a conceptualization of teacher professionalism from Kazakhstani novice teachers’ perspectives, revealing the important challenges associated with initial teacher education which causes the under-preparedness of the novice teachers and identifying the specific issues faced by novice teachers during their initial years in the profession. Based on the findings of the study implications for practice and policy are made on pre-service teacher preparation and in-service teacher professional development.
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FACULTY EXPERIENCES OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN THREE KAZAKHSTANI UNIVERSITIES WITH DIFFERENT GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS
(Graduate School of Education, 2021) Rydchenko, Viktoriya
The last decades witnessed substantial changes occurring in the higher education curriculum across the world. The transition to the knowledge-based economy has become the focus of the political agenda in many countries, including Kazakhstan, as a result, the function of accumulating knowledge and its further application for the economic development of the country has increasingly been transferred to universities. In this context, the significance of curriculum provision comes into the foreground in enhancing the quality preparation of the cadres. Kazakhstani universities are currently undergoing transformations in how they approach curriculum development. The changes have been triggered by the adoption of the Bologna process framework and an increase in academic autonomy of Kazakhstani universities. As a result of these higher education transformations, the academic staff has received more freedom to decide on the educational experiences they wish to provide for their students. However, the increased faculty involvement in curriculum development comes with a multitude of challenges, as universities intend to develop new institutional structures to ensure the quality of the curriculum provision. The legacy of past practices makes the process of curriculum development complex, providing opportunities as well as presents some challenges. This dissertation research explores the curriculum development experiences of universities in Kazakhstan. Drawing on the elements of Giddens’ Structuration Theory, the multiple-case study identifies features of curriculum development in Kazakhstani universities. The study considered how academic members construct the curriculum and explore the processes that shape, enable and constrain curriculum development. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, data for this study were collected from 22 faculty members at three different universities. Findings of the research suggest that conceptions of curriculum development at two state universities can be described as a combination of content-based and competence-based, and the university with a higher degree of autonomy follows an outcomes- based model of curriculum development. The study shows that university structures support and/or hinder these curriculum development approaches of faculty members. As a result, this empirical study made contributions by producing findings that may influence curriculum development practice in Kazakhstani universities and contribute to the theoretical body of knowledge of higher education curriculum development.