Education reform in Kazakhstan: Ways of teacher assessment literacy development

Abstract

Introduction. The reform of many national education systems is associated with a growing focus on assessment as the dominant aspect of the modern educational process. One of the directions of the reform of the Kazakh school system is focused on the transition to criteria-based assessment of the educational achievements of schoolchildren. In this regard, for Kazakhstan, as well as for many countries of the world, the problem of developing evaluative literacy of both practising teachers and today’s students studying in pedagogical educational programmes has become especially acute.Aim. The aim of the current research is to reveal the essential characteristics of assessment literacy as an important quality of a modern teacher, to actualise the problem of its development in the situation of reforming the school education system, to outline possible directions for solving this problem.Methodology and research methods. The present research is based on the complex use of theoretical and empirical methods. The theoretical research was carried out using a comparative aspect analysis of scientific and methodological sources and normative documents on the problem of the formation of teacher assessment literacy. Empirical data were obtained when conducting a survey of school teachers, systematising and summarising its results.Results and scientific novelty. In the course of theoretical analysis, the authors identified the factors, which actualise the problem of teacher assessment literacy development; its main characteristics are summarised, which made it possible for the authors to formulate the definition of this concept. The results of the survey of school teachers demonstrated that shortterm professional development courses for teachers provide a knowledge component of their assessment literacy, but do not solve the problem of developing practical skills, which are in demand in the course of assessment activities. The development of teacher assessment literacy to the behavioural level is a multi-stage and complex process that involves not only theoretical training, but also the independent design of one’s own assessment activity, taking into account the subject characteristics and other contexts accompanying educational practice. Particular attention should be paid to the formation and development of assessment literacy of future teachers during their studies at the university. An integrated approach to solving this problem should provide: the formation of deep knowledge in the chosen subject area, participation in various assessment practices within the framework of methodological courses and pedagogical practices, interaction with practising teachers.The practical significance of the study lies in the recommendations that determine possible directions for solving the problem of developing school teacher assessment literacy in the context of reforming the educational assessment system.