Abstract
The study examined the effects of teaching activities, including Kazakh Epics and mythopoetic images, on the participants’ national value achievements and attitudes towards the course in literature courses in Kazakhstan. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and a control group. The dependent variables were the national value achievement scale and literature course attitudes. The independent variable was the teaching activities based on Kazakh Epics and mythopoetic images in the second-year courses of the literature department of a university in Almaty. The national value achievement and attitude scales were used to collect data, which were analyzed with covariance analysis. The results showed a statistically significant improvement in students’ national value achievement scores in the experimental group exposed to Kazakh Epics and mythopoetic images. The study’s findings pave the way for recommendations for integrating culturally meaningful narratives into education. First, culturally rich content such as Kazakh Epics should be included in Kazakhstan’s literature departments’ curriculum, and policymakers and curriculum developers should prioritize the creation of teaching materials that emphasize these epics’ historical, ethical, and literary aspects. Second, the accessibility of these materials should be increased, and their compatibility with contemporary educational goals should be ensured. Third, teacher training programs should be reorganized to emphasize culturally sensitive pedagogical approaches. Though this study was localized, the research results can be applied to education systems in different geographies to develop cultural identity and values.