The Critical Thinking Movement in Kazakhstan: A Progress Report

Abstract

Having gained independence in 1991, Kazakhstan is making major adjustments in its educational system to meet the demands of its changing workplace. To that end, the Ministry of Education has mandated that critical thinking be incorporated into all levels. Given the importance of this goal, the authors surveyed teachers' understanding and use of critical thinking in their classrooms. This article reports the survey results, which provide a brief overview of the status of the teaching and learning of critical thinking in Kazakhstan today. The results point to a growing understanding of critical thinking among Kazakhstani teachers in this region. That said, 10 per cent of respondents plagiarized their surveys, suggesting that many feared looking incompetent, despite assurances of anonymity. The authors recommend the survey be conducted in other regions in Kazakhstan and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to assess the status of critical thinking.