COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STEM EDUCATION PRACTICES IN TURKISH AND KAZAKH HIGHER EDUCATION

Аннотация

The introduction of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) knowledge into the modern higher education system is one of the most pressing areas for the development of critical thinking, research skills, and functional literacy among students. The application of STEM-oriented approaches, especially in the teaching of geography, contributes to improving the quality of education through comprehensive analysis of natural processes, modeling, and the use of digital technologies. In this context, a comparative analysis of the experience of introducing STEM education in the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Kazakhstan is of significant scientific and practical value. The aim of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the experience of introducing STEM knowledge into the higher education systems of Turkey and Kazakhstan in the context of developing students' critical thinking and research skills, as well as to identify current challenges and pedagogical opportunities in teaching geography. The study is based on qualitative methodology using documentary and comparative analysis methods. The sources used were official reports from the Department of Innovation and Educational Technologies of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Turkey, as well as academic and practical experience accumulated at the universities of Istanbul, Aydin, Hacettepe, and Ankara. In addition, the results of experimental studies conducted in Istanbul were analyzed. The results of the study showed that STEM education plays an important role in the development of functional literacy, critical thinking, modeling skills, and research skills in the teaching of geography. It was found that the international Scientix project implemented in Turkey, as well as initiatives to create STEM laboratories at universities, contributed to the systematic development of STEM education. In addition, cooperation between universities and general secondary education institutions was identified as a significant factor in the effective implementation of STEM approaches. It was found that STEM education practices are developing in both countries, but there are differences in the goals and methods of teaching. The results confirm that the rational use of modern digital devices, virtual interactive maps, and three-dimensional models in geography teaching contributes to increasing students' cognitive activity and the formation of subject-specific and meta-subject competencies. The findings of the study can be used to improve STEM education in the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as to develop educational practices focused on the formation of critical thinking, research skills, and functional literacy among students.