In 2016, the Government of Kazakhstan (GoK) introduced a five-level system for teacher certification (GoK2016) based on the experience of Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS). The rationale behind the introduction of the new teacher certification system is to encourage the teaching cadre to engage in classroom research, share the findings and collaborate at the school, region and system levels (GoK, 2016). At each certification level, teachers are required to provide evidence of reflective practice through portfolios (Schon, 1987).  Lesson Study (Lewis et al., 2006; Takahashi et al., 2016; Takahashi & Yoshida, 2004) and Action Research (Corey, 1954; Elliot, 1991; May, 1993; Gibbs, 2014 Schon, 1987) are viewed as two key approaches to developing teachers’ reflective practice in mainstream public schools. As the idea of teacher-as-reseacher has been scaled up from NIS to mainstream schools, engagement in classroom research has become a part of the new system of teacher qualification requirements  (Ministry of Education, 2022). While much has been written about the idea of teacher-as-researcher in Western contexts (Elliott, 1988), there is a dearth of empirical research on the role of teachers’ beliefs about teacher research in non-Western contexts, including post-socialist education systems. 

This study examines how school teachers, as key reform stakeholders, view and react to this new teacher certification system, as their engagement and interpretation of the new teacher certification policy are critical to its effective implementation (Mills & Earl Rinehart, 2019). Identifying gaps between the reform's objectives and actual achievements will provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for improving the effectiveness of education policies in Kazakhstan because the existing studies highlight the challenges connected with motivating school teachers to conduct research without understanding their perception of it (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999; Fox & Poultney, 2020; Singh et al., 2019). It is worth highlighting the importance of understanding teacher attitudes toward teacher research, which is introduced as a new and centrally mandated strategy for continuous professional development (CPD).

The demographic profile of Kazakhstani teachers indicates a significant connection to the Soviet-era educational system. Most teachers, 54%, fall within the 36–49 age bracket (OECD, 2019). This suggests that the training and early teaching experiences of a substantial proportion were deeply influenced by Soviet pedagogical principles, which continue to shape attitudes towards teaching and professional development in Kazakhstan, reinforcing traditional views and presenting challenges for integrating contemporary research-based approaches into the educational system (Fimyar & Kurakbayev, 2016; Sharplin et al., 2023).

The current study adapted Borg’s (2009) research design in the Kazakhstani context as he explored English teachers’ conceptions of research and, more specifically, perceptions of evidence-based practice in the Chinese context. I used a more analytical approach to critically examine the connection between teacher beliefs, practices, and systemic reforms within Kazakhstan's socio-cultural and educational framework. 

The study pursues the following overarching research question “What are the perceptions of teachers of urban and rural schools in the Aktobe region, Kazakhstan, about teacher research?” and the following sub-questions:

1. How do teachers in urban and rural public mainstream schools define teacher research? 
2. To what extent do teachers say they are engaged in and with research? 
3. What do teachers think about the culture of their institution regarding research? (Borg, 2009)

Bandura’s idea of self-efficacy offers a valuable framework for understanding the role of teachers as researchers (Zimmerman & Bandura, 1995). It highlights how educators' beliefs in their abilities can significantly impact student learning and instructional practices. Self-efficacy, as defined by Bandura (1997), is the confidence an individual has in their ability to perform tasks effectively. This concept is particularly relevant for teacher-researchers who engage in inquiry-based practices aimed at improving educational outcomes.

The study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods design “in which the researcher first conducted quantitative research, analyzed the results and then built on the results to explain them in more detail with qualitative research” (Creswell, 2014, p. 44). The study was conducted in two rural and two urban secondary state schools in the Aktobe region. For the quantitative part of the data collection, non-probabilistic convenience sampling (Creswell, 2014) was used as the rural schools were selected from the list of 12 schools which NIS in Aktobe collaborates with. The same sampling was applied to select urban schools based on the collaborative work between NIS Aktobe and selected public schools. Further, for the qualitative part of the research, nested sampling (Creswell & Plano Clarke, 2017) was used as the sample of participants was embedded within a larger quantitative sample. First, a quantitative survey approach (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017) was used to understand the viewpoints of a large group of participants. The cross-sectional online survey (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017) was appropriate for the current study because it helps to keep the participant anonymity and confidentiality (Sue & Ritter, 2012). The survey was created through Qualtrics. The anonymous link to the survey was shared through WhatsApp application with an invitation to participate in the study. The questionnaire items were provided in Kazakh, Russian and English for the participants’ convenience. The questionnaire asked the participants whether they were willing to participate in an interview. When they decided to do so, they were asked to leave their email addresses or other means of communication if they did not have access to emails so that I could contact them. For statistical analysis, I used the software called Jamovi, which is a free and open-source statistical software (Navarro & Foxcroft, 2022). Second, a qualitative semi-structured interview was conducted one-on-one because it allows the participants to answer questions comfortably (Creswell, 2012). The interview was conducted online via the Zoom platform being effective for facilitating qualitative data collection (Oliffe et al., 2021). Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview transcripts (Braun and Clarke, 2006; 2012), Data analysis strategy combined the logic of deductive (theory-driven) and inductive approaches to coding and identifying categories and themes.

The breakdown of survey responses shows that a total of 126 responses were valid. All scales demonstrated strong reliability level, with Cronbach’s α values ranging from 0.84 to 0.90. Qualitative data collection involved six teachers, four rural and two urban, with different teacher qualification levels. Question 1. The quantitative analysis revealed no significant disparities in teachers’ understanding of teacher research by geographical locations. However, descriptive analysis results indicate that teachers had varying understandings of research based on different scenarios. The qualitative part revealed that teachers confuse teacher research practice with supervising their students’ research-related activities, except for two teachers who shared their experience of conducting classroom-based research. Generally, all participant teachers highlighted the importance of teacher research practice to improve students’ academic performance and the quality of education. Question 2. Most rural and urban school teachers said that they rarely or sometimes do research. However, there is a slight difference between the lower and higher teacher qualification levels: the higher the qualification, the more they are engaged in and with research. The correlation analysis indicates a moderate positive correlation between how often teachers conduct research and how frequently they read research (Spearman’s ρ = 0.56, p < .001). This suggests that teachers who engage in research more frequently also tend to read research articles more often. Teachers tend to read web-based sources of research rather than books or journal articles. Those who do not read research highlighted the lack of time and the impracticality of published research for classrooms. Question 3. The analysis showed that teachers find doing research an important part of their job, highlighting factors such as opportunities to learn about the current research and teachers talking about it. However, they found it difficult to answer the question about time for doing research being built into teachers’ workloads.

Borg, S. (2009). English language teachers’ conceptions of research. Applied Linguistics, 30(3), 358–388. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amp007 Corey, S. M. (1954). Action research in education. The Journal of Educational Research, 47(5), 375–380. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27529611 Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design (4th ed.). Sage. Creswell, J., & Plano Clark, V. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (Third Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc. Elliott, J. (1988). Teachers as researchers: Implications for supervision and teacher education. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association Elliott, J. (1991). Action research for educational change. Open University Press. Fimyar, O., & Kurakbayev, K. (2016). “Soviet” in teachers’ memories and professional beliefs in Kazakhstan: Points for reflection for reformers, international consultants and practitioners. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 29(1), 86–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2015.1017850 Fox, A., & Poultney, V. (2020). Teacher professional learning through lesson study: teachers’ reflections. International Journal for Lesson & Learning Studies, 9(4), 397–412. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijlls-03-2020-0011 Gibbs, P. (2014). Deliberation, capability and action research: knowledge and becoming. Educational Action Research, 22(3), 428–440. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2013.874955 Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2019). Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan. “On the status of a teacher”. Unofficial translation, Law No. 293-VI, December 27, 2019). Adilet Legal Information System. https://adilet.zan.kz/eng/docs/Z1900000293 May, W. T. (1993). “Teachers-as-researchers” or action research: What is it, and what good is it for art education? Studies in Art Education, 34(2), 114–126. https://doi.org/10.2307/1320448 Mills, J. P., & Earl Rinehart, S. K. (2019). Teachers as researchers. Teachers and Curriculum, 19(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.15663/tandc.v19i1.338 Ministry of Education in Kazakhstan. (2022). On approval of the professional standard “Teacher”. Retrieved February 8, 2024, from https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V2200031149 OECD. (2019, June 19). TALIS 2018 results (volume I). https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/talis-2018-results-volume-i_1d0bc92a-en.html Schon, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. Jossey-Bass. Sharplin, E., Karabassova, L., & Bekova, M. (2023). Educational practitioners’ conceptualizations of the nature, impact and challenges of educational research in Kazakhstan. Asia Pacific Education Review/Asia Pacific Education Review, 25, 213–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-023-09900-x Singh, P., Rowan, L., & Allen, J. (2019). Reflection, research and teacher education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 47(5), 455–459. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2019.1665300 Takahashi, A., Kwon, O. N., Leong, Y. H., Kaur, B., Kwon, O. N., Kaur, B., & Leong, Y. H. (2016). Lesson Study: The Fundamental Driver for Mathematics Teacher Development in Japan. In Professional Development of Mathematics Teachers (pp. 47–61). Springer Singapore Pte. Limited. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2598-3_4 Zimmerman, B. J., & Bandura, A. (1995). Self-efficacy and educational development. In Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies (pp. 202–231). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527692.009