Kaye, Naranceceg, Batdelger, Chultem, and Altangoo

Impacting Mongolian Educational Reform with an Action Research Lens

Dr. Candace Kaye, New Mexico State University, NM, USA; Dr. D. Naranceceg, Dr. J. Batdelger, Dr. B. Chultem, and Dr. O. Altangoo, Mongolian State University of Education, Mongolia

Abstract

In new democratic countries, the last decade has been characterized by large-scale

reforms of public educational systems, including planning for organized and accessible

professional development of higher education faculty. Unfortunately, such efforts are

often ineffective, relying on traditional teacher-centered, didactic pedagogy that

emphasizes passive rather than active learning. Preliminary findings of an ongoing

action research study are presented involving the creation, implementation, and

sustainability of a professional development action research community in Mongolia.

The investigation examines building the professional development learning community

in the country’s only teacher training university using collaborative action research

projects to support educational reform as an agent rather than the object of change.

Based on preliminary findings, the researchers conclude that Mongolia’s teacher

education can benefit from continued action research support to inform systemic

collaborative learning processes focusing on enhancing critical knowledge and skills of

university faculty and students and connect them to international perspectives.

Keywords

Action Research; Higher Educational Reform; Mongolia Higher Education