“BILIM SOURCE": WEB-BASED K-12 DIGITAL RESOURCE LIBRARY

Abstract

Kazakhstan has a substantial portion of its population composed of children, with approximately 31% of the populace under the age of 17 (Eurasia Expert, 2023). There is a consistent annual rise in its birth rate, which emphasizes the need to promote the focus on the education system as a crucial factor in the country's development. Currently, the educational sector faces challenges, and one of these issues is the quality of teacher training (Abishev, 2020). To address this concern, several governmental programs have been initiated. Notably, the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools educational project was established, introducing a new teaching format. Teachers selected to work in these schools enhance their knowledge through continuous professional development such as training sessions and workshops. As a result, 90% of NIS students receive scholarships at further educational institutions. Many of them participate in international competitions and apply to foreign universities (Eldesov, 2022). However, the NIS program does not fully resolve the issue of quality education for Kazakhstani children, as only 2% of children in Kazakhstan attend NIS schools. These schools are not available in rural areas, with only 21 schools across the country, leading to limited enrollment (Wikipedia contributors, 2023). Additionally, the budget allocated to them faces criticism, as there is a considerable difference compared to the average school budget - in 2020-2021, the NIS school got 23 times more financial budget than the average school (Wikipedia contributors, 2023). Digitalization of resources, including platforms like BILIM Land, Online Mektep, and others, helps address limited access to educational materials. However, despite numerous online resources for children, there is a lack of services designed for teachers. As part of the government program "Digital Kazakhstan," digitalization is expected to continue assisting educators in their jobs. To bridge this gap, we propose the "Bilim Source" project, an online portal facilitating collaboration and sharing of high-quality educational materials among teachers. This platform aims to connect educators with various teaching methodologies gained through special training, workshops, or experience, enabling them to share their materials with others.