Innovations initiated by the knowledge
Almagul Kanagatova, Doctor of philosophical Sciences, Professor, Rector of Almaty Management University. Training seminar "Management in education", Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore.
Innovative learning environment occurs in educational institutions, where incentives are created for innovation: competence, motivation, creativity. "Bolashak" International program provides an opportunity for heads of educational institutions of the country to build the correct system of training of employees, top management of universities and teaching staff. Moreover, the joint studies in the learning environment allows to change the values and adjust development plans. In 2013 33 employees of our University set a new bar for development of the market of business education in Kazakhstan, made an educational breakthrough, passed scientific internship in the specialty "Management in education" at the world's top universities: Singapore Management University (Singapore) and University of Berkeley, California.
The internship became a sort of trendsetter in the sphere of Kazakh business education and a new stage of "knowledge design" of the University. Changing in the components of educational services in modern universities is realized through the model of education, where the dominant trends are new competencies, needs of students and trainees, the quality of services. Accordingly, universities always need new mechanisms and technologies to determine the development strategy.
Traditional model of education in Kazakhstan has passed, technological, information changes and changes in secondary schools happened quickly. In Kazakhstan there are a hundred specialized schools for gifted children. Among them: 20 are Nazarbayev Intellectual schools, grounds, where a "subject education" is not accepted as the basis of the program content. At these schools, Integrated Educational Program has been developed and implemented together with the International Examination Board. This program clearly formulates expected learning outcomes, presented in the form of a wide range of skills: critical thinking, ability to apply knowledge, research skills, ability to speak fluently in three languages (Kazakh, Russian and English), ability to work individually and in a team with classmates to solve responsible tasks and their own problems. A criteria-based assessment system, aimed at students’ development, motivation to grow and further improvement of competencies was implemented. Since 2013, schools in Kazakhstan are taught as per a diploma program of International Baccalaureate. To get International Baccalaureate diploma, students must successfully pass independent examinations in six subjects selected from six subject groups and fulfill the requirements in the three compulsory components: "Extended essay" (EE) "Theory of knowledge" (TOK), "Creativity, action and society service" (CAS). In addition to these schools, in Kazakhstan 30 Kazakh-Turkish high schools successfully operate, which educate gifted students with the skills of mathematic and natural sciences.
The given examples of successful and innovative development of secondary education enable universities, business schools to review programs, improve the quality of teaching, select the best teachers, teach employees and teachers English.
Almaty Management University (AlmaU) has a 27-year history of its development. Today: we have a new name and a new status, but values remained the same: continuous development, responsibility, leadership, integrity, proactivity, cooperation for the good of society, synergy.
Achievements: international and national accreditation – IQA CEEMAN (international quality accreditation of the global Association of management development in dynamic societies), 2010; AMBA (Association of MBA's), Great Britain, 2013; IQAA (Independent Kazakhstan Agency for quality assurance in education), 2014.
Definitely, this is not the limit, all universities, including Almaty Management University are required to build up forecasting and understanding the future. The modern world has never faced such a complex set of social, political, economic, environmental challenges, globalization is not just economic theory, today is a postulate of time activities. Traditional thinking, old patterns of professional activity left in the past. Universities need to change programs; teaching and learning must be activity of knowledge exchange, promote a culture of cooperation, but at the same time, the working environment must be result-oriented.
In George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion” Professor of phonetics Higgins, a scholar and a wealthy man makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he will undertake the education of Eliza, a flower girl from the slums, and by teaching her manners and correct speech will be able to present her in the highest circles of London as a duchess. After his experiment was a success, Eliza suddenly said that the only difference between a flower girl and a lady "is not the way of behavior but how people around behave with you".
Definitely, today in the educational sphere, there is a spirit of change and according to it particular behaviour and culture are produced, every time when there are changes, we banish fears and look into the future, we can share knowledge and get pleasure from what we do and implement.
Source: "Bolashak" magazine, № 3/38/16
