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TOWARDS BECOMING IDEAL MULTILINGUAL SELF: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO LANGUAGE LEARNING, PERSONAL INVESTMENT AND IDENTITY FORMATION
No full textThe present narrative study focuses on the journey towards constructing an ideal multilingual self through an in-depth analysis of the relationship between the notion of language learning being intertwined with personal investment and the development of identity. As multilingualism is increasingly valued in our globalized world, it is recognized as a critical asset that develops the individual both culturally and intellectually. Despite the large amount of research on multilingualism, the specific processes of acquiring skills that incorporate both linguistic and cultural diversity are poorly understood. This research is directed to reveal the hidden motives, challenges, and changes experienced by the language learners. Using qualitative methods, particularly narrative essays and semi-structured interviews, the research explores the detailed, unique and rich personal stories of the participants, their personal career, emotion and time based personal investments and their identity transformations
THESIS WRITING CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES OF MASTER’S STUDENTS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AT AN ENGLISH MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION (EMI) UNIVERSITY IN KAZAKHSTAN
No full textMaster’s theses are important because they communicate students’ research skills and signify their key contributions to the field. However, thesis writing poses challenges for many students, particularly non-native English graduates. Evidence from a Kazakhstani EMI University’s 2023 exit survey supports this by revealing that 40% of graduate students struggled with thesis writing (Graduate Exit Survey Reports, n.d.). This study is significant because identifying and addressing students’ challenges can help to introduce and improve effective practices and policies in EMI HEIs. Another significance is that few studies have been conducted in Kazakhstan on students’ thesis writing challenges and little is known about the causes of these challenges. Thus, the present study aims to explore the challenges faced by second-year master’s students with thesis writing at an EMI university, the causes of these challenges, and their coping strategies. Drawing on prior theories, this study used a qualitative phenomenological research design and conducted one-to-one semi-structured interviews with 11 master’s students. The findings revealed that graduate students encountered rhetorical, emotional, behavioral, and social challenges while writing their theses. They attributed these challenges to competing commitments and poor time management skills, lack of prior knowledge and experience, language-related causes, and
cultural differences. The findings also revealed that students employed cognitive, affective, metacognitive, and social strategies to overcome these challenges. The findings suggest that administrators, supervisors, and English instructors should play a more active role in supporting master’s students in the thesis writing process. These findings also highlight the need for systematic pedagogical and psychological support for students studying in EMI programs throughout their thesis writing process
Genetic manipulations with the AXL gene in bladder cancer cells using CRISPR-Cas9 system
No full textThe TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), composed of AXL, TYRO3, and MER, substantially influences various biological processes during tissue homeostasis (Lemke, 2013). A growing focus within cancer research is centred around the AXL RTK and its ligand GAS6, as abnormal activations and overexpression of the former appear to be linked to cancer progression, poor prognosis, metastasis, and lesser sensitivity to anti-cancer therapies (Lemke, 2013; Wieman et al., 2005). Mediated in a concentration-dependent manner, GAS6 is a ligand not only for AXL but for TYRO3 and MER as well, although its binding affinity is 3- to 10-fold stronger for AXL specifically (Weinger et al., 2009; Wu et al., 2014). AXL is critical in conferring resistance to conventional and targeted cancer treatment (Auyez et al., 2021). It accomplishes this by activating multiple downstream intracellular signalling routes, including AKT, MEK/ERK, and NF-κB, when it binds to GAS6 (Antony & Huang, 2017; Ekman et al., 2010). These pathways collectively create an anti-apoptotic environment, enhancing cellular survival and tumour invasiveness. Additionally, AXL has been implicated in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process essential for cancer metastasis and progression (Antony & Huang, 2017). AXL undergoes a series of post-translational modifications involving proteolytic enzymes like ADAM10 and ADAM17 (Miller et al., 2016; Lu et al., 2017). These enzymes cleave AXL to create its soluble form (sAXL), which can dampen AXL activation by interacting with GAS6 and an intracellular domain (Lu et al., 2017). This mechanism also presents how cancer cells evade therapies targeting the BRAF/MAPK pathway (Rankin & Giaccia, 2016). Elevated sAXL levels in plasma have been correlated with cancer progression to advanced stages in different tumour types, suggesting its potential utility as a biomarker (Martínez- Bosch et al., 2022; Flem-Karlsen et al., 2020). However, a significant gap exists in our understanding, particularly concerning the effect of the inactivation of AXL on its downstream effectors in urinary bladder cancer cell lines . This thesis aims to fill this gap using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, a novel approach in this field, and inactivating the AXL gene. This will allow us to generate bladder cancer cell lines without AXL, providing a unique opportunity to study its role. This study will also explore the influence of AXL expression on mesenchymal cells. We plan to quantify the expression levels of sAXL in conditioned media obtained from our genetically engineered bladder cancer cell lines. Subsequent analyses will assess the influence of the deactivation on the expression of AXL's nuclear and soluble forms and further AXL's phosphorylation through Western blotting techniques. This thesis aims to shed new light on the complexity of AXL signalling in urinary bladder cancer by employing cutting-edge genome editing technologies. The experience and knowledge gained from this could significantly improve our understanding of cancer biology and potentially guide the development of more effective therapeutic strategies
ANALYSIS OF MAXIMUM MEAN DISCREPANCY GENERATIVE ADVERSARIAL NETWORKS (MMD GAN)
No full textDeep neural networks can be used to generate new data by sampling from the data distribution without explicitly defining the distribution. These nets heavy rely on optimization for efficient learning, and hence, they need mathematical guarantees for feasibility of learning. Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) were proposed to generate images by the use of a mini-max objective function that is ”played” among two agents - a generator and a discriminator network. Later, Generative Moment Matching Networks (GMMN) were proposed to use a two-sample test instead of a discriminator network. GMMN uses Maximum Mean Discrepancy metric for distinguishing between real and generated images, but it only trains the generator network, and was implemented inefficiently. Lastly, Maximum Mean Discrepancy Generative Adversarial Networks (MMD GAN) were introduced that use adversarial kernel learning that has a mini-max objective function, efficient learning and mathematical guarantees that justify its improved performance. In this work, the mathematical reasoning behind the idea of MMD GAN was analyzed and experiments were made to tweak the parameters of the network. The loss function of MMD GAN is said to enjoy a weak topology - that MMD should tend to zero as two probability distributions converge to each other - and it will be shown empirically. Also, since the network has a loss function that is locally Lipschitz and continuous everywhere, and almost everywhere differentiable, the network was able to learn efficiently. Finally, MMD GAN with changed bandwidth parameters will be introduced that showed improved convergence with less MMD loss during training, although the loss was less smooth over epochs
INTEGRATING AI AND EDTECH SOLUTIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: FACULTY EXPERIENCES AT NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY
No full textThis research study investigates the landscape of educational technology (EdTech) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools usage among faculty at Nazarbayev University. The primary objectives are to assess the current utilization of EdTech tools, explore faculty experiences and familiarity with AI technologies in education, and understand the perceived benefits and challenges associated with integrating these technologies into their teaching practices. Furthermore, the study aims to identify key factors that influence faculty decisions to adopt or reject these technological innovations and to determine the types of support needed for their effective integration into educational contexts.
This study employs a predominantly quantitative approach, analyzing survey data to provide a comprehensive overview of how EdTech and AI tools are utilized in higher education. The analysis is supplemented by qualitative insights derived from an open-ended question, which serves to enrich the narrative and support the quantitative findings.
Ultimately, this thesis offers recommendations for administrators and policy makers to enhance the support structures in the universities, thereby fostering a more robust integration of EdTech and AI tools in higher education teaching. The insights gained from this study not only contribute to academic discourse but also serve as a practical guide for enhancing educational practices through technology
Қазақстандық жоғары оқу орындарының бірінде сыни ойлауды зерттеу: оқытушылардың көзқарастары, практикасы және мәселелері
No full textCritical thinking is recognized globally and locally as an essential skill to be nurtured in higher education. The acquisition of skills contributes to human capital, particularly the workforce’s competitiveness. However, there is limited research on the challenges of teaching critical thinking faced by Kazakhstani educators. This study explores the pedagogical approaches, practices, and challenges of teaching critical thinking through the faculty perspective by conducting interviews in one state university in Kazakhstan. Findings show that faculty members encounter challenges in teaching critical thinking related to the students’ unpreparedness, critical thinking hindering characteristics, and lack of digital tools. Despite these challenges, educators use a variety of critical thinking-fostering strategies such as group work, questioning, writing, and discussion. The result of this study reveals the necessity for a more holistic approach to teaching critical thinking that comprises both skills and dispositions. In order to address this, it is suggested that the skills be taught explicitly and systematically which requires the support of the administration of higher education institutions and decision-makers
MOVABLE ALIPBI
No full textMovable Alipbi is an iPad application designed to address the handwriting difficulties faced by children with dysgraphia syndrome, enhancing their cognitive development and handwriting skills. This project, targeting children aged 5-12, provides engaging, gamified exercises tailored to individual learning needs in handwriting. The application is a user-friendly, effective solution that includes interactive gaming elements to promote handwriting improvement in kids
THE PERSISTENCE OF SUN-HORSE IMAGERY IN KAZAKHSTAN, A CASE STUDY OF ROCK ART AT TAMGALY VALLEY
No full textThis research project examines the persistence of sun-horse imagery in Kazakhstan and chooses the Tamgaly Valley petroglyphs as the primary focus. This research tries to answer how has the sun-horse imagery in Kazakhstan changed over time and which symbolic meanings it held before and now. The research uses the concepts of animism, shamanism, Tengrism, and doxa, as well as contextual and symbolic approaches, as theoretical frameworks. The methodology is the visual analysis of scanned images taken from Rozwadowski (2001), Hermann (2011), UNESCO photographs and Tanbaly Museum photographs. This capstone project suggests that the sun-horse imagery at Tamgaly Valley portrayed the ancient spiritual symbolism, in which horned horses and ‘solar-headed’ figures had sacred meanings. The interpretation is that shamanism and Tengrism practiced at the site impacted the imagery of horned horses and ‘solar-headed’ figures. Thus, the research concludes that modern symbolism of sun-horse imagery in the country forms a national doxa, in which two elements are specifically chosen to be portrayed as historical, political and national figures
SELF-PERCEPTION AND MOTIVATIONS OF FEMALE BURYAT BUDDHIST ACTIVISTS
No full textA rich scholarship exists on Buryat Buddhism and its history; however, it mostly provides the reader with socio-historical context, leaving a gap in understanding the role of women within the religious community. This gap is observable in Buryatia, a region with a significant Buddhist population. This research project attempts to fill this gap by studying the agency of laywomen within the Buryat Buddhist sangha by exploring their roles, contributions, and motivations. Studies on female religiosity and opportunities for women in Buddhism, such as nun ordination and Tantric practices, used to overlook the experiences and voices of secular women. Employing theories of desecularization and faith-based activism, this study aims to understand how female Buryat Buddhist activists locate themselves within the modern Buddhist sangha. Their projects can be religious or secular, yet still religiously motivated, as many activists see their efforts as a Buddhist duty or a way to collect good karma. The main research question of this study is how female Buryat Buddhist activists see themselves as Buddhist sangha members. A case study method allows us to get insights into the diverse roles and motivations of lay female religious activists in Buryatia
SIGNAL ATTENUATION MODEL FOR EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS
No full textThis project aims to assess the signal attenuation of various radio communication technologies in extreme weather conditions, particularly when buried in the snow. The primary objective is to evaluate signal strength and data reception success rates in different distances under such conditions.
The outcome involves the development of a Machine Learning (ML) model utilizing Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data to identify snowy conditions.
Potential applications include enhancing the reliability of IoT systems in environments like railway systems or smart cities, where the signal strength can indicate the extent to which a device is buried under snow