Regional Forum “Geographic education: modern views and approaches”

On April 29, 2022, Shygys Regional Center of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region held a Regional Forum entitled “Geographic education: modern views and approaches”, as part of implementing the issues addressed at the Republican Congress of Geography Teachers of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The goal of the Forum is in information sharing from the Republican Congress of Geography Teachers, to discuss it with teachers, disseminate the experience of teachers, and increase the pedagogical potential of teachers.

The Forum started with panel sessions. The delegates of the Republican Congress shared their news, qualified teachers of the region shared their experience on the sites of the Forum organized by the topics: Content of teaching Geography, Assessment of learners’ educational progress: state, problems, recommendations, Organization of tourist and local history, environmental and scientific-project activities at school, Professional development, assessment of teachers of Geography: state, problems, recommendations. As part of the panel sessions, the participants also discussed the issues of increasing the functional literacy of school students, the transformation of geographical education.

In the second part of the Forum, during the plenary session, the Head of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region Sairangul A. Zhumadilova spoke about the work of the education system of the region in Geography: the qualitative composition of teachers of Geography, teachers’ achievements, students’ progress in Olympiads and Competitions, the quality of knowledge in the subject, invited teachers to solve these issues.

The speaker of the Republican Congress Asiya K. Zhumabayeva, a teacher of Geography, a teacher-master of Secondary School No. 39 of Pavlodar city and Sayat B. Bodombayev, a winner of Best Teacher Award-2019, a teacher of Geography, a teacher-master of N. Ostrovsky Secondary School of Education Department of Borodulikha district of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region spoke about the state, current problems and prospects of teaching Geography in a modern school;

Gulzhan T. Zainoldina, a senior manager of the Center for Teaching Excellence, a trainer made a presentation on professional development of teachers of Geography and Natural Science.

Svetlana S. Ospanova, deputy headmaster of Secondary School No. 3 of Education Department of Semey city of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region, who received a grant “Best Institution of Environmental Education in Kazakhstan”, a winner of the Eco-School of My Life Contest, shared her experience on the topic “Environmental education as a priority direction in the development of modern schools in Kazakhstan”.

Professor of the Ecology and Geography Department of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, Candidate of Geographical Sciences Anatoly S. Chursin briefed on the state and problems in the system of training of Geography teachers in higher educational institutions.

During the event, the speakers answered teachers’ questions.

The panel sessions were summed up after the Forum, the participants expressed their thoughts and suggestions with the help of the Free Microphone. According to the proposals voiced, the Head of Education Administration of East Kazakhstan region Sairangul A. Zhumadilova instructed Shygys Regional Center: to hold a joint regional workshop with Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, an onsite workshop in Katon-Karagai district. All suggestions of the Forum participants are recommended to send to Y.Altynsarin National Academy of Education.

For the participants, the Forum became not only an event, but also a training platform for improving subject knowledge and methods of teaching Geography.

The event was attended by 120 teachers of Geography of the region, the materials of the Forum were sent to the District and City Education Departments.