International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 16, No. 3 (2020)

Point, Read, Think, Click: Expanding New Literacies in Kazakhstan and Mongolia

Kate Maloney Williams, University of Maryland, College Park

Abstract
One of the most common indicators of a country’s development is its literacy rate. However, beyond traditional conceptions of reading, writing, and arithmetic, literacies in the 21st Century require additional skills geared towards the saturated and constantly changing digital environments in which we live. These competencies are not yet universally – or still, in many cases, regionally -- defined. This comparative study uses secondary desk research to investigate the education systems of two countries – Kazakhstan and Mongolia – to better understand the historical and social contexts in which they have approached ICTs in Education and teacher development. From this view, it then outlines different strategies and theoretical frameworks that officials and educators may take to improve teacher instruction and student learning with technology. The resulting recommendations hold the potential to assist any country with redefining national benchmarks, student scorecards, and global literacy indicators; flattening transmission models and applying digital pedagogy; redesigning in-service for teachers; and doing more to launch blended learning environments.

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