This proposal is for two symposia from an innovative project currently underway in Kazakhstan. The aim is to develop a sustainable structure and activity to use action research to lead national school and teacher development. The symposia focus on two different aspects - school development and enabling conditions and the development of pedagogy through action research. The papers share practice, thinking, rationale and current research on and in the network entitled the NIS/SHARE project. The detail is in the attachments.I have called them Symposium1 and 2.
the aim is to use action research in schools as a tool for national transformation in the education system. The NIS schools were charged with this over a decade ago.
Title: Creating the conditions for educational transformation through action research
Chair: Professor Colleen McLaughlin, Professor Emeritus, University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.
Key words: action research: schools; collaborative; : §building conditions for school and teaching and learning change
Paper 1: Building for sustainable transformation – using action research.
Presenter: Colleen McLaughlin
This paper forms an introduction to the evidence-based conceptual and contextual framework used. The project builds on two other projects one in the capital’s schools and one in the NIS schools over the last 13 years. The aim is to create schools that use action research for school development and to build, prepare and train schools and teachers to work with other schools. Networks are built through this pathway. The aim is to prepare approximately 60 such schools over three years. The key concepts are these:
Teacher/school action research as a vehicle for school development and the development of teaching and learning
Teaching and learning – students and teachers
Collaboration + leadership for learning
Understanding change, learning and teaching – this includes creating the enabling conditions
The paper will explore how these concepts arose from practice and the learnings about the facilitation and resources needs to try to build a sustainable network; the factors that facilitate and impede and the importance of the historical context.
References
McLaughlin, C., Winter, l. and Yakavets, N. (2024) Mapping Educational Change in Kazakhstan. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press.
McLaughlin, C. and Ayubayeva, N. (2021). ‘The Teacher and Educational Change In Kazakhstan.’ In Fielding, N. (Ed.) Kazakhstan at 30: The Awakening Great Steppe. London: The Embassy of Kazakhstan in London.
There follow three papers exemplifying the work in the schools.
Paper 2: Title: Empowering Teachers through Reflective Practice: Using Gibbs’ Cycle to Address Challenges in Differentiation
Presenter: Buzhanov E.K.,
Authors: Buzhanov E.K., Kanybekov K.G., Boranbayeva Zh.A., Karatayeva A.M., Kenzheeva G.S. NIS School, Atyrau, Kazakhstan
In the face of growing educational diversity and the demand for inclusive teaching, this action research project investigates how reflective practice can support teachers in addressing one of the most persistent pedagogical challenges: effective classroom differentiation.
The central research question is: How does applying Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to post-lesson analysis contribute to the development of differentiated teaching strategies? Despite ongoing professional development efforts, previous observations and teacher feedback indicated that differentiation remained inconsistently applied and often overwhelming in practice. To address this, a team of teachers, administrators, and support staff collaboratively developed a digital ‘Teacher Reflection Journal’ using Gibbs' six-phase model. The tool aimed to help teachers reflect on their planning and teaching, with a particular focus on differentiation strategies and student outcomes.
This journal was piloted by a volunteer focus group of teachers over one month. Although formal data collection is ongoing, early reflections suggest that the structured nature of Gibbs’ model fosters greater awareness of student needs, stronger lesson planning, and more thoughtful teacher-student interaction. Teachers reported that the digital format made reflection more accessible, efficient, and meaningful, fitting naturally into their practice without additional workload.
This study responds directly to CARN 2025’s call to explore participative and reflective research in transforming professional practice. It offers an example of how school-wide collaboration and teacher-led inquiry can enable change from within. The implications suggest that embedding structured reflection into regular teaching routines can be a sustainable pathway to more equitable and responsive pedagogy. Engaging in reflective journal writing significantly enhanced teachers’ sense of responsibility and shifted their attitudes and perspectives on differentiation. Further exploration of this model may support long-term development in schools aiming to adapt to the complex realities of 21st-century classrooms.
References
Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.
Paper 3. Researching together – building a culture of collaborative enquiry.
Presenter: Balzhan Amandzholova, School 90 Astana, Kazakhstan.
This paper explores the transformative journey of the 90th Gymnasium through its engagement in the SHARE/NIS Project, shifting teacher professional development from a compliance-driven model to one grounded in reflective practice and collaborative enquiry. Central to this transformation was the role of lesson-based reflection in shaping a strong professional culture among teachers. this took the form of pre-lesson reflection where teachers collaboratively discussed upcoming topics, analyzed preliminary data, and anticipated potential student difficulties. This process supports the selection of differentiated tasks aligned with learning goals and encourages intentional, responsive planning. It also encouraged professional dialogue.
At the school, structured action research further deepened this culture. Teachers posed classroom-based questions, collected evidence, experimented with pedagogical strategies, and reflected collectively. One team, investigating communication skills, introduced role-play strategies informed by scholars such as Zh. Aymauytov, M. M. Andreeva, and I. I. Ivanets. Despite initial low engagement, assigning purposeful roles during group tasks improved motivation and confidence, especially for low self-esteem learners.
This transition had challenges. Teachers initially faced skepticism, rigid hierarchical norms, and time constraints. Leadership played a vital role in addressing these barriers through trust-building, modelling vulnerability, and offering consistent support. Ultimately, embedding reflective practices significantly contributed to the development of a professional culture, showing the potential of enquiry-based learning to drive lasting educational change.
References
Aymauytov, Zh. (n.d.). Тәрбие туралы ойлар.
Andreeva, M. M. (1981). Педагогикалық шеберлік және кәсіби даму.
Ivanets, I. I. (1997). Педагогикалық рефлексия және кәсіби даму.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books.
Stoll, L., Bolam, R., McMahon, A., Wallace, M., & Thomas, S. (2006). Professional Learning Communities: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Educational Change, 7(4), 221-258.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.
Paper 4. Title: From Insight to Action: Advancing School Development Through Enquiry and Evidence.
Presenter: Issakhanova Saniya Serikovna, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics in Semey, Kazakhstan
This paper explores the school's engagement in action research arising from a desire to enhance teaching and learning by embedding enquiry into school development processes.
The project aimed to support school readiness for transformation through action research and data-informed decision-making. Specifically, it sought to understand how involvement in structured professional enquiry can support change readiness according to Lewin’s model of change.
The research adopted a collaborative action research model involving cycles of observing, planning, acting, and reflecting. Data collection included surveys and interviews with both teachers and students, alongside lesson observations. The process was grounded in reflective practice and ongoing peer dialogue within the school.
Key findings revealed that participation in the project helped the school prepare for transformational change by strengthening its culture of research-based practice. Teachers reported increased confidence in using data to inform practice. Student feedback highlighted areas where differentiation could be enhanced, aligning with our goal of “Challenge for All Students.” These insights have informed new initiatives to support tailored instruction and more inclusive classroom strategies. Another direction of school enquiry identified three key criteria for high-quality teaching: interaction, student expectations, and teaching strategies. The survey helped clarify participants’ perceptions of these elements, which formed the basis for further steps to improve teaching quality.
This project illustrates how school-based inquiry can bridge the gap between insight and action, enabling schools to move beyond reflection toward meaningful transformation. The research will be continued by developing a booklet with methodological recommendations informing what the high-quality teaching and learning are, thus moving to the next stage of change cycle.
References
Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method and reality in social science; social equilibria and social change. Human Relations, 1(1), 5–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872674700100103
Paper 5. Title: Rebooting Schools: Transformation and Action Research as a Foundation for Quality Education for Each Student.
Presenter: Saule Askarova, English teacher of school-Lyceum #50 Astana, Kazakhstan, Sauleaskarova75@mail.ru with Zhumabekova, Z., Imankulova, ZR, Kezembayeva, R. and Askarbekova, B.
The main aim of this paper is to show how Action Research can help make education fairer and more effective for all students. Our school has been participating in the SHARE project since 2019. The project involves representatives of all levels of the educational community — the headmaster, the deputy teacher, teachers and students.
In 2024-2025, four collaborative studies were conducted at our school. They included the following topics:
1. The impact of the development of emotional intelligence in English lessons for 5th grades. The inclusion of strategies mood measurement, games, storytelling, reflection, art exercises contribute to better memorization, concentration and assimilation of material.
2. The Student's Voice project. The study was conducted in 9th grade for students with low academic motivation by math teachers.
3. Teacher's reflection for effective learning teachers of 10 grades of the Kazakh language participated in the study.
4. Reading better. The study was conducted by teachers in 2 grades to improve reading speed and comprehension using adaptive strategies.
A total of 126 students and 14 teachers participated in the projects. The methodology included collaborative planning, lesson observations, questionnaires, focus group interviews, and teacher reflection journals. The thematic analysis showed that students felt more involved when their voices influenced the learning process. 5th grade students demonstrated better memorization of the material when emotional tools such as a mood thermometer based on Plutchik’s wheel of emotion were used in the lessons. The teachers emphasized that reflexive practice had changed their planning towards a student-centered approach.
