TikTok has unveiled the Teachers of Kazakhstan contest, supported by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan. This initiative invites educators from schools, colleges, and universities to create informative TikTok videos about their subjects, QazMonitor reports.
Expanding on the success of the previous year, the contest now incorporates the participation of higher education professionals. Recognized TikTok teachers, serving as project ambassadors, will conduct live sessions from November 3 to 11 to guide users on creating educational content.
The contest, running from November 1 to December 17, invites schoolteachers and educators from colleges and universities who create or are willing to start creating educational content on TikTok. The winners will get iPhone 15 Pro smartphones to encourage quality content creation.
The jury, consisting of representatives from TikTok, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, will evaluate participants in four categories. These include “Teacher TikTok 2023” and “Professor TikTok 2023" for the most creatively explained complex ideas and concepts, as well as "Breakthrough in TikTok" and "Best Video" for the educators with the highest-viewed contest videos.
The official ambassadors for the project this year include TikTok-recognized teachers: Ulan Ussenov (@wannabeteacher), Daniar Sengirbay (@aks.dani), and last year's contest winner Bekbolat Komolov (@the_bekbolat01).
Let's delve into the profiles of teachers who have already gained traction through their TikTok videos.
Meet Ulan Ussenov, a young teacher and TikTok sensation boasting an impressive following of over 1.5 million. A winner of the 100 New Faces of Kazakhstan and a Forbes Kazakhstan 30 Under 30 awardee, Ulan imparts school chemistry knowledge through a creative blend of songs, rap, and clever references to Japanese anime.
As for his academic journey, Ulan pursued his love for chemistry at Al-Farabi KazNU in Almaty, ventured on a student exchange program in St. Petersburg, and later pursued a Master's degree, during which he got to study at the Open University of Japan. Despite an invitation to stay in Japan, he chose to take a break and work as a teacher's assistant in Taldykorgan, which led him to his current career path.
At the Digital Bridge 2023 forum in Astana, Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, commended Ulan Ussenov for his notable contributions. The TikTok CEO discussed the educational content on the platform, acknowledging the efforts of numerous teachers who create diverse videos attracting millions of views. Sharing a specific encounter with Ulan, Shoi Chew highlighted the educator's distinctive approach to sharing knowledge in the field of chemistry. He expressed genuine enthusiasm, underscoring Ulan's role as an exemplar in showcasing how the platform can positively influence the education system.
In the TikTok mathematics scene, Daniyar Sengirbay is creating a buzz with an impressive following of 174,000 enthusiasts. Embarking on his TikTok journey during the pandemic, Daniyar has seamlessly transitioned into a trusted source for school students, offering a diverse array of content that goes beyond mere equations.
Demonstrating a thoughtful approach to teaching, Daniyar explores the nuances of fractions and quadratic equations, delivering engaging lectures that span the domains of both mathematics and physics. The clarity and straightforwardness in Daniyar's TikToks have resonated with an expanding community of learners, transforming the typically daunting subjects of math and physics into more accessible and enjoyable content for his audience.
Today, his content serves as a valuable aid for students gearing up for exams and aspiring to secure spots in specialized schools.
Bekbolat Komolov, the recipient of the "Teacher Discovery" award last year, distinguishes himself through his math-solving hacks and logic problems on TikTok. With an engaging teaching style, Bekbolat goes beyond conventional methods, opting for an interactive approach in his videos. Within an authentic school environment, he invites students to tackle a diverse array of mathematical challenges, fostering an engaging and immersive learning experience that extends beyond the digital realm. This unique blend of innovation and real-world application sets Bekbolat apart as a teacher who not only imparts knowledge but also inspires a genuine curiosity for mathematics.
The educational content on TikTok continues to gain momentum and is becoming increasingly popular among social media users in Kazakhstan. Notably, videos related to literature with the hashtag #кітапток have already accumulated over 90 million views in the country. Last year, with the support of the Ministry of Education of Kazakhstan, TikTok launched the Teachers of Kazakhstan project for the first time. This initiative allowed educators to explore new creative possibilities and share knowledge about their subjects in a simple format of short videos. The project was highly successful, and its hashtags became among the most popular in the Kazakh segment of TikTok for the year 2022: videos created under the hashtags #УчителяКазахстана and #ҚазақстанМұғалімдері have already garnered over 800 million views.
