AUTHOR=Kabysheva Mariya 

TITLE=Fostering critical thinking in learning outcomes of Kazakhstan initial teacher education

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Education

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1554713

DOI=10.3389/feduc.2025.1554713

ISSN=2504-284X

ABSTRACT=The integration of critical thinking into initial teacher education programs is crucial to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4, as teachers play a pivotal role in fostering this essential competency. This study employs computer algorithms to analyze how Kazakhstani educational program developers incorporate critical thinking into learning outcomes. The data sources include Russian-language versions of all active bachelor's degree teacher education programs in Kazakhstan. A first-in-kind mapping was constructed linking Russian verbs to Bloom's Taxonomy cognitive skill levels for this analysis. The methodological approach utilizing automated verb frequency analysis offers a practical tool not only for initial evaluation but also for ongoing, repeatable assessments of curricula. The findings indicate that while direct mentions of “critical thinking” are present, and some higher-order thinking skill verbs are utilized, critical thinking remains modestly integrated into learning outcomes.