This study provides a critical review and assessment of the problems of enhancing the research activity at a Kazakhstani pedagogical university that prepares future teachers. The aim of this study is to provide a rationale for the relevance of scientific and methodological support for increasing the research activity of teachers at pedagogical universities through the systematic integration of practitioner action research into professional practice. The value of action research is related to the change in and improvement of the professional practice of teachers based on the convergence of practice-oriented science and science-oriented practice. This work is in response to the gap in the professional preparation of future teachers, particularly in terms of developing research competencies and equipping future teachers with knowledge about action research. This is in marked contrast to in-service teachers who have been exposed to action research through the whole country’s ongoing reform of teacher education. Using a large survey of academic staff, the paper identifies the key factors influencing the research activity of university teachers. The findings from the survey and the narrative review suggest a willingness and openness to new ways of working among staff, which would make it possible to increase the research activity of university teachers themselves by integrating non-formal forms of research such as action research into their practice.

The article is devoted to the problem of developing the research activity of University teachers based on the integration of the Action Research into their professional practice. The article presents the substantiation of methodological approaches and principles of Action Research implementation as non-formal method of developing research activity of university teachers. The analysis of the results of foreign and domestic studies revealing modern technologies for the formation of research competencies of teachers is given. The possibilities and advantages of non-formal forms of research as Action Research as an effective mechanism for personal and professional growth of university teachers are considered. The substantiation of Action Research methodology and conceptual foundations of the method in relation to the educational system of the Republic of Kazakhstan are given. The principles for the development of research activity (proactivity, self-reflection, creativity, self-development and self-realization, continuity, integration of all types of educational activities, actualization of learning resources, synergy of efforts of the subjects of the educational process) are determined. There are shown prospects for integrating Action Research approach into the educational practice of Universities. The article reveals the intermediate results of a study conducted within the scientific project on Grant of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan IRN: АR14872311 “Theory and technology for the development of research activity of University teachers based on the integration into practice of non-formal forms of research as Action Research”. Keywords: methodology, methodological approaches, principles, scientific research methods, research activity, Action Research, research culture, research competencies, proactivity, self-reflection.