Challenges in Developing Research-Based Teacher Education in Kazakhstan

Pre-service research training is widely recognized as a crucial component of teacher education, preparing teachers who are critical, reflective, and inquiry-driven. Aligning with this global trend, Kazakhstan has also adopted a research turn in teacher education to enhance the quality of schooling. This research examined the gap between policy intervention and institutional practices by exploring the barriers and challenges Kazakhstani universities encounter in implementing research-based teacher education. The study employed a qualitative multiple-case study research design. 45 academic staff and administration working at four teacher training universities were interviewed. Drawing on social practice theory, our study revealed that meaningful and sustainable implementation of research-based teacher education in Kazakhstan is hindered by a range of factors categorized into three intersubjective spaces: semantic, material, and social. We argue that the true transformation of teacher education into a more research-based field is impossible without concurrent remodeling of the arrangements that shape it.