Abstract:

Global education is undergoing a variety of transformation: pandemic, development of innovative technologies, integration between states and subsequent humanitarian cooperation cause this process and the Republic of Kazakhstan is no exception. For instance, since the last year we have been observing positive dynamics in relations between the Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan create joint ventures and increase the number of common projects in economics. This trend becomes more and more interesting and momentous for studying at universities, if we are talking about the future economists, managers and financiers. However, since all common projects have just started, there is a lack of information that could help students analyze new level of economic relations between states within the frameworks of research. That is why students have to collect and organize all the data themselves. With the aim to facilitate the process of research for novice researchers, a team of West Kazakhstan Innovative and Technological University experts has begun introducing the elements of gamification into research: particularly, tasks were given to students in the form of a quest, an interview, work with big data, creating infographics and a short movie or a video for a blog. This article presents the results of such work with 104 students from the Department of Finance and the Department of Accounting. On the base of this information we can highlight the main trends in the gamification of the educational process in economics and its best practices and methodologies. At the same time this kind of studies organization makes the students more engaged in the learning process and improves different competencies which are significant for future managers, such as communication skills, time management, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and other soft skills. Moreover, gamifying the research gives students an opportunity to develop skills connected with another related specialties: analytics, PR, interviewing, producing, editing, work with Social Media. That is why it is especially important to use gamification in economic research because it not only raises interest to the science in the early stages, but also prepares professionals for work in the environment of ever-increasing digitalization.

Keywords:

Higher education, university, economics, gamification, research.