c.ph.m.s. Sexenbayeva A.K.
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian national University c. Astana
c.ph.m.s. Aitenova M.S.
Karaganda Economical University ef Kazpotrebsoyuz c.
Karaganda
Involvement of Kazakhstan in critical thinking
movement.
In this article we will describe the status of the
teaching and learning of critical thinking in Kazakhstan today and try to
explain why this theme is so important to us.
We are teaching computer sciences and our
students must very wide use internet in their studies, also they must check all
information, which they have got and find of what of the information they can
use in their job and how. Our students often must specify and classify
information, choose more relevant or appropriate one. To perform these tasks
they must be very critical thinking. But before we had always thought that
critical thinking skills are given to students by nature and we can only
improve their research skills. After reviewing the literature we found out that
the theoretical basis of our question is very relevant and well developed. Also we were convinced that we really can
help our students to up the level of critical thinking in class and that this
problem now is very relevant in Kazakhstan and that we can really work on
improving critical thinking as our personal efforts and in the scale of our
country.
One of the first-wave Bolashak scholars Dr.
Maganat Shegebayev in collective articles [1- 3] with Nancy Burkhalter,
linguist, journalist and researcher on everything about writing, especially how
writing aids critical thinking from USA [4], “explored the question of whether
critical thinking can eventually become part of the cultural fabric in
Kazakhstan, reviewed literature and presented qualitative data gathered through
interviews with Soviet-trained teachers.” [3].
After
their and other authors’ articles we can imagine the situation of critical thinking
in our country until 2012.
” the Ministry’s website presents a draft proposal of
curriculum standards for secondary general education, asking teachers to
include in their classrooms ‘‘skills of analytical and critical assessment of
different situations to make the right decision’’ (Ministry of Education,
Republic of Kazakhstan 2004, p. 1).” [3].
But no specific directions or materials to accomplish
those goals are provided.[3]. This creates what Irena Zogla [5] refers to as
the ‘‘empty space’’ (p. 151), where choice and options are given to teachers
but with little support or training to handle the new responsibility. [3].
The situation with the advancement of the theory and
practice of critical thinking in educational space of Kazakhstan has changed
significantly since 2012.
The President of Kazakhstan N. A. Nazarbayev in his
address to the people of Kazakhstan "Kazakhstan's way - 2050: common goal,
common interests, common future" in January 17, 2014 said “The learning
outcomes of students should be mastering the skills of critical thinking,
independent research and thorough analysis of the information.” “Kazakhstan took part in
PISA in 2009 and 2012. The results in 2012 showed progress in mathematics and
the natural Sciences. However, the results for reading (understanding) of the
text, the ability to interpret and work with information has not improved
significantly. Indicators of mathematics (the study involved 8-graders)
Kazakhstan ranked 49th, science of Nature- 52 place, and reading - 60.” [6].
During the
press conference on the results of participation in PISA 2012 and analysis of
the World Bank on the state of secondary education in the Republic of
Kazakhstan consultant and expert evaluation and monitoring of student
achievement, the world Bank representative Mark Zelman called 3 main skill that
will be in demand in the 21st century. [6]
"This is, firstly, "Communication"
(communication), which will take according to the OECD (Organisation for
economic cooperation and development - approx. author) 81% in importance,
"Creative" (creativity) will occupy approximately 75% of the
importance of skills, and Ñritical thinking (critical thinking) will
occupy 58%", - said M. Zelman. [5].
In 2015 about 6 thousand students from approximately
200 schools and 18 colleges of Kazakhstan will participate in PISA. 5800 children of Kazakhstan took part in
PISA2012.
M. Zelman also noted that Kazakhstan when taking on
the work of graduates of higher educational institutions marked deficiency in
80% of communication, deficiency of 70% in creativity and critical thinking.
In the state program of education development in the
Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011-2020 planned participation of Kazakhstan in the
international study (PIRLS) in 2016.
In March 27, 2014 in Astana took a place an
informal conference "Critical thinking in education of Kazakhstan".
The event was organized by the National movement "Kazakhstan-2050"
[7]. At the conference, the participants
were acquainted with the term "critical thinking", were witnesses
expert discussion on the perspectives of critical thinking in education of
Kazakhstan and were able to ask the speakers questions. The movement of the
"Kazakhstan-2050" presented their own project on the development of
critical thinking on the conference. Gabit Bakhmetev and Aigerim Argumbaeva,
activists of the movement, showed a summary of the tutorial on the basics of
critical thinking, the work on which they plan to complete by the summer of
this year. It contains the best international practices and is based on
practical examples from Kazakhstan practice. For example, the tutorial will
contain the methods of objective evaluation of media materials. After writing
the tutorial, the movement of the "Kazakhstan-2050" plans free to
distribute it to schools across the country and to conduct training for
students of pedagogical universities. [7]. In the National academic library of
the Republic of Kazakhstan in the framework of the project national movement
"Kazakhstan-2050" was held the presentation of the textbook
"Fundamentals of critical thinking" with the participation of
representatives of the ministries of education and science, culture and sports,
the expert community. [8]
The advantage
of this book is that it is not translated, and there are written two books, one
Kazakh, and the other in Russian .
"This is the first tutorial, adapted for our
country, which, I hope, will be required reading for every citizen of
Kazakhstan, - said the Gabit Bakhmutov. - I think that our humble work will
improve the competitiveness of everyone who will read it".
"Critical thinking is an essential skill in the
21st century and we want our citizens, they skill fully mastered. About the
importance of critical thinking we need to talk, he needs to teach. And we must
begin with children and youth. I am sure that the textbook, write activists of
our Movement will help," said the Chairman of the Movement
"Kazakhstan-2050" Danat
Jumin. [9]. Currently in Kazakhstan there is a sufficient number of
webinars and companies that help to develop critical thinking skills. In this
webinar, the presenters first define the problem and then discuss why critical
thinking skills are so important in the workforce.
In Nazarbayev University on the faculty of the School
of Humanities and social Sciences introduced a special pre - exams in
mathematics and critical thinking. In the framework of the project "Future
for youth work" from October 12 to November 25, 2014, with the goal of
increasing productive innovation activities of young people, the Association of
Bolashak international scholarship of the President of Kazakhstan
"Bolashak" planning a series of meetings and educational seminars
throughout the country.[10].
The educational program also includes modules on skills functional
presentation and promotion of innovative projects, development of critical
thinking and analytical writing, orientation in information flows, advice on
career and personal growth. [10].
On the basis of
intellectual schools the training centre will be created, with the aim of
improvement of professional skill of pedagogical workers in a special program.
Such it is plans
by 2016 to reach 21 950 teachers of the highest and first categories. [11].
They will also create the mini-centers in regions same the one, teachers
of secondary schools will be able to pass the multi-level training modules
[10]:
1) New pedagogical technologies in education;
2) Critical
thinking;
3) Criteria-based
assessment of student learning;
4) Management in
secondary education and training in the transition to 12 - year education.
Also now the Ministry of Education has mandated that critical thinking
be incorporated into all levels.
All these events show that at present the movement on the involvement of
Kazakhstan in the sphere of critical thinking is actively developing both upper
and lower sides. And we very much hope that this initiative will not be
exhausted and our education reaches new heights.
During the research of this topic we
had a lot of discussions with both domestic and foreign teachers and students.
From the surveys I came to the conclusion that this question is important for
all parties. Saule, associated professor from ENU, Astana: “The problem of
development of critical thinking affects also students of economic
specialties.”
Tamara Platteel, ICLON Leiden University Graduate School of Teaching:
“For me critical thinking is a skill that you use in your whole life. It is a
way of living.”
Anar, English
teacher from KazGUA, Astana: “as any teacher, who is more or less interested in
the results of their teaching, I have same problem in your class with the
students enter my course with a lack of critical thinking levels”.
But I found one difference. For our fellow citizens, this problem was
their own they'd do it in class and on their own. Often intuitively. For
foreign respondents (from, for example,
the Netherlands) the term “critical thinking” is familiar from
school, they undergo training courses on critical thinking in school and later
in the Institute.
So naturally they are more prepared
to solve problems and often solve the problem in a systematic manner.
We visited to a professor and a researcher at the University of Leiden
Prof.dr.ir. T.H. Oosterkamp (Tjerk) and ask him why does he need his students
to be very critical thinking, how does he find out whether or not his students
enter his course with a lack of critical thinking levels and how does he raise
the levels of the students to required level of critical thinking in his
lessons and what skills for students does he expect at last. Mr. Oosterkamp
told to us that our question is very valuable for him, he always cares to
improve skills of critical thinking of the students.
For this he gives individual tasks to his students provided with very
general theoretical information, mostly solution of task is not impossible to
be find by internet. Every time he provides discussions with separate student
or in group. Also his students must every day describe research progress in
writing form. Mr Oosterkamp gives his students tasks to solve which they must be very creative and unordinary,
must find off their own thinking
way. Such kind of tasks involve the
students in the in abstract and critical thinking . Mr Oosterkamp also told about the scheme of work, preferred
by him and recommended to his students : understood, what the
question means,then find out how solve the problem, the it folloes expectation process,and at
last, Q.e.d. ( quod etat demonstratum,
experiment and comparison of the expectation with the result. On my question
about how you assess the students he told he never compares students and have 4
estimation criteria with including here criteria for estimation of the level of
critical thinking.The students receive their assessment for the approach to the preparation, laboratory skills,
critical thinking and skills to properly conduct diary researches.
To our mind, we really need
to systematize our approach in solving of the problem, include in our
curriculum discipline of critical thinking and organize the systematic ways for
general checking of level of critical thinking of first-step students. We need
to find out the pre-request skills and knowledge on the subject and how we will
assess on students’ critical skills.
We must also consider one feature of
the mentality of our society, namely authoritarianism. To overcome this
obstacle we need wider to include dialogues, discussions in our lives, maybe
even by the example of professor Oosterkamp include discussion on a given topic
to the class schedule.
References:
1.
Burkhalter,
N. & Shegebayev, M. Critical
Thinking in Kazakhstan: an Update. In the
proceedings of the 6th KIMEP Research Conference. 2009.
2.
Burkhalter,
N. & Shegebayev, M. The Critical Thinking Movement in Kazakhstan: A
Progress Report. Research in Comparative and International Education (RCIE)).
In the proceedings of the 7th KIMEP Research Conference. December, 2010.
3.
Burkhalter, N. & Shegebayev, M. Critical
Thinking as Culture: Teaching Post-Soviet Teachers in Kazakhstan. International Review of Education (Vol. 58,
1). Critical Thinking: A Statement of
Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational. 2012.
4.
http://critthinknow.com/author/nancyburkhalter/
5.
Zogla,
I. Democratisation in Latvian education: Teachers’ attitudinal change. European Journal of Teacher Education, 24(2), 43–156. - 2001.
6.
http://Strategy2050.kz.
7.
http://kz2050.kz/ru/news/939
8.
http://www.kazpravda.kz/news/view/25900
9.
http://www.zakon.kz/4612224-dvizhenie-kazakhstan-2050-stimuliruet.html