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Graphic Organizers are visual and graphic display that illustrates the correlations between facts, terms, and ideas with a learning task. Integrating Graphic Organizers can enhance the efficiency of the teacher's delivery of lessons and students' learning. However, no study had been conducted in using graphic organizers in the process of teaching and learning. Therefore, this explanatory mixed-method study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Graphic Organizers in teaching Chemical Bonding to grade nine (n=98) students in Samtse Dzongkhag, Bhutan. The study's main objective was to compare the academic achievement of the control group (n=53) and experimental group (n=45) and also to investigate students' and teachers' (n=6) perceptions of using Graphic Organizers in teaching and learning Chemistry over four weeks. Learning achievement tests (pre-test and post-test), semi structured interviews, and survey questionnaires were used to collect the quantitative data and qualitative data. The independent sample t-test analysis of the post-test scores revealed a statistically significant difference between the control group and the experimental group with a mean difference value of 1.17 (p=0.017), indicating that the use of Graphic Organizers improved the students' learning achievement which was also reflected in the qualitative data gathered through interview and survey questionnaire. As a result, this study strongly suggests the use of graphic Organizers as a teaching and learning tool to improve students' academic performance in Chemistry.

This study investigated the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) on the professional development of Bhutanese Physics teachers. Collaborating with partner institutions in Tanzania, Nigeria and India, Samtse College of Education developed and implemented three physics modules: Force and Motion; Work, Power and Energy; and Electromagnetism. These OER incorporate activity-based learning, technology integration, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and design thinking principles. A mixed-methods approach, including pre-test and post-test scores, lesson plans, reflections, and interviews were used to assess the impact of OER on teacher's Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and General Pedagogy Knowledge (GPK). Additionally, the study examined a Community of Practice (CoP) on Telegram to understand knowledge sharing within the community. The findings revealed that most teachers demonstrated improved proficiency level after using OER, thus positively impacting their professional development by enhancing content knowledge, technological skills, and pedagogical practices. However, some teachers require further enhancement in SMK and PCK especially in Work, Energy and Power and Electromagnetism modules. The use of CoP proved valuable for knowledge sharing and collaboration. The study recommends educational institutions support the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) of Physics teachers by providing access to OER for their use and additional resources to enhance their SMK and PCK.

The study was aimed to examine the use of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) through Cake application in improving speaking skill of grade 6 Bhutanese ESL students and to find out students' learning satisfaction about the use of MALL through Cake. A quasi-experimental research design was incorporated by selecting one section of 30 participants from two sections through a simple random sampling. The quantitative data gathered using pretest, posttest and questionnaire were analyzed and interpreted applying inferential statistics t-test with p < 0.05 level of significance, mean, and standard deviation. Likewise, qualitative data through focus group interview were condensed, coded and analyzed by a theme-based approach. The results based on the pretest and posttest showed that the students' posttest mean score of 13.50 was higher than the pretest mean score of 7.77 with a mean score difference of 5.73. Further, the significant p value was 0.01 which indicated that MALL through Cake was effective in teaching English Speaking. Besides, the findings of questionnaire and focus group interview showed that the students developed much better in speaking skill which was interpreted as a high level of satisfaction; therefore, the use of MALL through Cake application was an effective tool to teach English speaking skill.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal functions of schools globally. Online learning is a new concept in Bhutan. Nonetheless, classes have begun using various online learning platforms to continue their operations during the pandemic. This study examined primary school teachers' perceived information technology knowledge and proficiency. The participants of this study consisted of 124 primary teachers from two western districts of Bhutan. Data were collected using an online survey. The study's findings suggested that although the majority of participants (98.2%) had access to personal digital devices, slow internet connection and high internet data subscription charges (60.7%) were cited as significant challenges. Findings also revealed that a small percentage of the participants, less than 12 (9.7%) teachers in this study preferred to teach entirely in an online learning environment. The results of multiple linear regression suggested that only technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) [t = 2.68, p = 0.008, [beta] = 0.236] and perceived information technology proficiency of teachers (PITP) [t = 3.55, p = 0.001, [beta] = 0.306] were statistically significant predictors of technological knowledge (TK).

Despite numerous studies advocating for metacognitive interventions in day-to-day language instruction, little is known about teachers' awareness of their metacognition and how they process their cognition while teaching. This study aimed to examine English language teachers' metacognitive awareness in the Bhutanese context and their use of metacognition by adopting a mixed-method approach. Two phases of data collection were employed. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 42 English language teachers from ten schools in Thimphu, Bhutan. Subsequently, qualitative data were collected through one classroom observation and two semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers selected purposively. The findings revealed that the teachers were highly aware of their metacognition, and the interplay of their metacognition facets was observed. However, teachers' thought processes and actions exhibited both metacognitive and not metacognitive properties. This suggests room for professional development programs to enhance Bhutanese English language teachers' existing metacognitive knowledge and skills.

Mobile shopping (m-shopping) adoption has been significantly touted in the contemporary era; however, the adoption of m-shopping is still under shadow in many developing countries. The aim of this study is to discover the impact of device system quality on m-shopping adoption among university students with the support of UTAUT and UTAUT2 theories. The study employed PLS-SEM (symmetric) and fsQCA (asymmetric) analysis simultaneously using survey data from 530 respondents who are primarily university students. PLS-SEM results found positive significant relation between device system quality and m-shopping adoption. The study contributes with an extension of earlier studies that combine PLS-SEM (symmetric methods) and fsQCA (asymmetric methods). The study is limited among the university students that may affect the generalizability of the study. The casual recipes in this research aid policymakers to achieve their strategic objectives in implementing positive m-shopping behavior among the university students.

Implementation of Bhutan Professional Standards for Teachers in Bhutan is a key impetus for teachers across the country to enhance impeccable teacher competency. Studies on teachers' attitudes towards professional standards show a positive as there was a significant correlation between teachers' competencies, learners' academic achievement, and the quality of education. However, Bhutan Professional Standards for Teachers is relatively new and there is little study exists relative to Bhutan. The study on Teachers' Attitudes to the Implementation of Bhutan Professional Standards for Teachers in Bhutan aimed to explore and get a snapshot view of teachers on Bhutan Professional Standards for Teachers. Through a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 155 participants using the Five-Pointed Likert Scale and two open-ended questionnaires. The descriptive analysis revealed that teachers have fairly positive attitudes toward the implementation of Bhutan Professional Standards for Teachers. Associated challenges, the implication of the findings, and recommendations are also discussed.

The present study aimed at investigating the Bhutanese rural and urban secondary students' English vocabulary size, vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) in practice, and the relationship between the two. The participants were 200 students (110 males and 90 females) from 11 to 16 years old from two different schools in Bhutan, 100 from each school. Adopting the quantitative approach, a comparative design in particular, a previously used vocabulary size test and questionnaire were modified to collect the data. The results revealed that the student-participants on average were medium VLS users and achieved 83.16% vocabulary coverage of the 3000 most frequently used English words. However, there existed a significant difference in both vocabulary size and VLS in practice between rural and urban participants. As for the choice of VLS, although participants' responses to items on VLS showed slightly different mean values, the general pattern of the responses revealed students in the selected context most frequently used the cognitive strategies and least often the determination strategies which showed the best correlations.

This study is presented in two sections. A total of 436 students from five different colleges under the Royal University of Bhutan participated in this study. The first part involved validating the E-Learning Acceptance Measure (ELAM) proposed by Teo (2010) for its applicability in the context of the study by using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), which involved 230 students. This was followed by an investigation of Bhutanese HEI students' acceptance level of the e-learning system, which involved 206 students. In the first section, the findings of the CFA revealed that the ELAM model was a bad fit for the participants and modification indices disclosed that a better fit would be obtained if some items were correlated and removed. After doing this, the findings supported only 17 of 21 items from the ELAM model. As for the second section of the study, the findings showed that the participants held an above-average acceptance level of the e-learning system used in the context. This study concludes with theoretical and practical implications of the findings, together with directions for future research.

The present quantitative study explored parents' engagement in children's online learning, considering parents' readiness to engage in their child's online learning and aligned those with a discussion of parents' education qualifications. The sample of the study was 374 primary school students' parents. The data was gathered through survey questionnaires which were checked for reliability before being administered. Descriptive analysis was employed to study parents' engagement and readiness levels in their child's online learning, and to study the difference in parents' engagement and readiness levels based on parents' education level. One-way ANOVA was employed. In addition, correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between parents' readiness level and their engagement in children's online learning. The findings from the study revealed that parents were engaged in their children's online learning and confirmed the high readiness level towards involvement in their child's online learning. However, parents' engagement and readiness level differed by parents' educational level so that there was a positive relationship noted between engagement in children's online learning and their readiness towards online learning. Therefore, the study suggests that parental education level and their readiness towards online learning needs to be considered when schools move teaching and learning online.

The research aimed to assess the English reading comprehension skills of fifth-grade Bhutanese students through a comparison before and after implementing the audio-assisted reading strategy. Additionally, it aimed to investigate the extent of their learning satisfaction towards the use of this strategy. The research was carried out in one of the primary schools in Bhutan for a period of one month. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Lesson plans were used as the interventional tools while reading comprehension tests and semistructured interviews were used for the collection of quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The quantitative data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test, and the qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The analysis of the pretest and posttest scores revealed that the mean score of the posttest was greater than the mean score of the pretest. The data collected from the interviews revealed that the participants were motivated and satisfied with the use of audio-assisted reading strategy. The study recommends incorporating the audio-assisted reading strategy as an effective reading strategy to enhance the reading comprehension skills of the students.

The purpose of this action research was to study the potential of block time lesson planning (BTLP) as a viable alternative to detailed daily lesson planning in managing teachers' workloads. The study delved into primary responsibilities of a teacher such as resourcing lessons, carrying out assessments and daily lesson planning as workloads. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was carried out with 40 teachers of Dagapela Middle Secondary School, in Dagana district of Bhutan. Quantitative data was gathered through online survey questionnaires while qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and participant observations. Results demonstrate that BTLP addressed teachers' workload by creating time to resourcing lessons with teaching learning materials (TLM) and for assessment of student works. We conclude that the BTLP as an alternative to detailed daily lesson planning can help in managing teachers' workload while creating time to concentrate on teaching learning materials (TLM) and assessment routines.

Education in Bhutan aims to provide holistic education focused on developing Head, Hand and Heart aspects of human development. Currently, the school programs are mainly focused on head development with a heavy emphasis on cognitive skills and testing. To help students maximise their individual potential, schools in one area (n=18) implemented an intervention program called, "One Child Seven Skills" to provide each student opportunity to learn at least seven skills. Through written interviews with key stakeholders from a primary school (teachers=5 & students=50), and a high school (teachers=14 & students=217), this study examines perceptions of the effectiveness of the intervention program. The findings revealed that the program helped students develop multiple skills, realize their innate potential, enhance self-confidence, and prepare for an uncertain future. The study suggests that adopting "One Child Seven Skills" program could be a much-needed alternative to the prevailing exam driven education in Bhutan.

Primary education plays a critical role in any country's education system, and it is essential to review its effectiveness periodically. To draw accurate conclusions from the review, it is crucial to develop a framework that will effectually and efficiently guide educators and others in comprehending the complexities of primary education and aid in devising practical strategies to improve its quality. This article describes the process of designing a comprehensive framework for reviewing primary education in Bhutan. The authors aim to help other teacher educators and their partners devise frameworks to improve education programs in their areas.

This study explored attitudes toward English as a lingua franca (ELF) among in-service English teachers in Bhutan. Employing a mixed-method design, we collected data from 191 participants through surveys and interviews. The findings revealed that the majority of teachers held positive attitudes toward ELF. They identified English as a communicative lingua franca in Bhutan and suggested a shift in English teaching priorities toward enhancing learners' communicative skills, increasing exposure to English varieties, and moving away from the native speaker-centric model. Additionally, the participants were inclined to believe that imitating native-like accents and pronunciation is not essential for Bhutanese English speakers/learners. However, concerns were raised about potential adverse effects on Bhutanese English learners' English proficiency test scores, such as IELTS and TOEFL, which play a crucial role in determining the educational and career opportunities for most of them both within and outside the country, if ELF was to be prioritised in the context. The study concludes with suggestions on the potential integration of ELF-informed materials in the Bhutanese context and beyond.

This study explored if Google Classroom (GC) can be used as an alternative for classroom teaching. 316 students (M:120 & F:196), classes ranging from nine to twelve from Phuentsholing HSS in Bhutan responded to the survey. The survey contained quantitative part with close ended questions with the Likert scale and the qualitative questions which was open ended questions. The descriptive analysis was done for quantitative response and simple thematic analysis was done for the qualitative data. The findings indicated that the students had problem with access to Internet and affordability in terms of purchasing the gadgets and paying for the Internet bills. The students were found to be adaptive to this new tool with exploration as they kept using it. Moreover, students agreed that the GC was very much applicable for online teaching and learning as it enabled the continuation of education even when the school remained closed. The study showed that teachers were using different styles to engage the students online for meaningful learning. Some challenges were identified such as high cost of Internet, poor network, students not focusing on their learning, students simply copying assignments without learning anything, time management, teachers simply sending the videos and materials without clear explanation, and no face-to-face interaction for discussion.

Science education and scientific literacy has gained enormous attention in the global educational scenario. In many cases, however, the holistic intent of science education is largely affected due to the lack of adequate understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS). This cross-sectional study was carried out to establish Bhutanese pre-service science teachers' conceptions of the NOS. One hundred and seven pre-service science teachers from one of the education colleges in Bhutan took part in the study based on convenient sampling design. The Myths of Science Questionnaire (MOSQ) adapted from Bauraphan (2009) was administered through online survey mode. The descriptive statistics in terms of frequency supported by written responses were employed to analyse the data. Findings showed that the Bhutanese pre-service science teachers do not possess matured and informed view of the NOS in many areas of scientific knowledge, scientific methods, scientists' practices, and scientific enterprise. Implications of the findings related to teacher preparation courses are discussed.

This study was done to find out the correlation between the number of students in the school and the academic achievement; and correlation between school location and academic achievement. For the quantitative analysis, the national result of 110 middle and higher secondary schools (class 10 and 12) from 2015 to 2019 was taken from Bhutan Council of School Examination and Assessment (BCSEA). For the qualitative analysis, feedback was collected from 25 teachers who had an experience of teaching in both rural and urban school. For quantitative, the correlation analysis, descriptive analysis and t-test was done; for qualitative, thematic analysis was done. The study found that there is negative correlation between the number of students and the school achievement. The correlation coefficient was -0.2, -0.3 and -0.4 for the year 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively. However, it showed moderately negative correlation in all the years except for 2015 which was 0.02, a positive correlation. The comparison of academic achievement of rural and urban schools showed that rural schools have done slightly better than the urban schools in all the years. The average pass percent difference was 0.5, 0.3 and 3.6 in 2017, 2018 and 2019 but in 2015 urban school did better by 2.3 percent more than remote schools.

Environmental science (ES) was introduced in Bhutan as an optional school subject for classes IX-XII to equip young people with the knowledge, values, and skills to protect the environment and promote sustainable and equitable use of natural resources in the pursuit of gross national happiness. Teachers are believed to play a crucial role in the effective implementation of ES, and this paper analyses Bhutanese teachers' views on how well they have been prepared to implement ES. The interview data from 14 teachers and six principals showed that limited qualifications and professional development in teaching ES have resulted in lack of confidence in teaching ES, lack of pedagogical content knowledge, and lack of clarity about the ES objectives. These results suggest integrating more knowledge about education for sustainable development (ESD) into teacher education program to adequately prepare teachers to teach ES if required and integrate ESD principles into other subjects.

The Australian Government's Endeavour international scholarship program had strategic interests in international education at its core, but uneven and strategically incompatible outcomes emerged over the 16 years of its existence. An unexpected outcome was the dominance of the small Himalayan nation of Bhutan as a substantial beneficiary of the program. This research draws on official Endeavour recipient data for the years 2007 to 2019; on qualitative interviews with scholarship program stakeholders in Australia, and on two unpublished reviews of the program obtained under Freedom of Information (FOI). Combined, they reveal the workings of an ambitious scholarship program into which significant public monies were invested, but which was hampered by its adherence to a poorly-defined concept of 'merit', inadequate consultation with stakeholders and a failure to connect with international education priorities in a way which might have resulted in more valuable outcomes for Australian international education providers.

Teaching Science innovatively has become a key motivation in educational parlance to uplift the academic achievement of the learners. There are numerous teaching strategies and skills developed by educationists, researchers and teachers to teach the subject creatively in the classroom. Thinking Maps is one such teaching strategy that enables the learner to make their thought processes visible during the learning processes. Although there are several studies indicating the positive impacts of using Thinking Maps as a teaching-learning strategy, there is no established study conducted in the Bhutanese context to investigate its effectiveness. The study on learners' perception and academic achievement on the use of Thinking Maps as a learning strategy in class nine chemistry was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using Thinking Maps as a teaching strategy in Damphu Middle Secondary School (DMSS). The pre-test and post-test were administered for both control and experimental groups to examine the performance level in chemistry before and after the intervention. Similarly, five-pointed Likert-type item survey questionnaires were administered for the experimental group to examine the influence of learners' perceptions. In addition, anecdotal records were maintained throughout the treatment for qualitative information. Results were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Document analysis was done for the anecdotal records. While pre-test and post-test showed a change in mean test scores, rating scores from survey questionnaires indicated a positive impression towards Thinking Maps as a learning strategy. The overall findings indicated that the use of Thinking Maps as a teaching-learning strategy improves learners' achievement scores. It is recommended that teachers incorporate Thinking Maps as an alternative strategy into their lesson delivery.

Education is considered to be one of the key tools for addressing sustainable environmental conservation while balancing sustainable socio-economic development to achieve Gross National Happiness in Bhutan. The Environmental Science subject was introduced to prepare students with knowledge, values, and skills to address sustainability. This study aimed to investigate the alignment of Environmental Science textbooks, examinations, and the Environmental Science Curriculum Framework with each other and with Education for Sustainable Development. Four environmental textbooks, five examination sample papers, and the curriculum framework were used for the document analysis. The method involved the analysis of selected chapters from the four textbooks for classes IX to XII, followed by an analysis of the examination sample papers and finally skimming the content in all four textbooks. The textbooks and examinations were well aligned in knowledge focus, and the values related to utilization were more evident than the values on conservation. The textbooks were also well aligned with the principles and strands of the curriculum framework. However, the textbooks and assessments lacked information on students' community participation and the action-oriented content required to develop students' action competence in solving environmental problems, which is the tenet of Education for Sustainable Development.

This study explores the extent to which pre-service teachers are able to implement contemporary practices in teaching mathematics during their practicum. The main focus of the study is on the importance of prior engagement of students in learning mathematical concepts. The total population of 150 student teachers from both the Colleges of Education, Paro College of Education (PCE) and Samtse College of Education (SCE), was targeted for this study. However, only 60 participants could actually return the questionnaires. A mixed-method comprising of both quantitative and qualitive methodologies was used. Research tools such as survey questionnaires (quantitative) along with a few open-ended questions, followed by lesson plans and interviews (qualitative) were used to collect the data. The findings from this study tend to reveal that although the student teachers are in favour of the contemporary ideas/approach of teaching and learning of mathematics, they do not seem to have practiced it while they were in a teaching practicum. The findings cast doubt on whether preservice teachers are able to drive changes for improvement in the teaching and learning of mathematics in mathematics classrooms. The benefit of this study was expected to be very relevant not only for the authorities to consider the effectiveness of the contemporary practices of teaching and learning of mathematics education in those two colleges of education, but also in Bhutanese schools using the current mathematics curriculum.

Tertiary education in Bhutan has changed with the establishment of the Royal University of Bhutan in 2003, and the two constituent colleges of education have brought many developments in the education system in Bhutan. As the majority of the faculty members in the education colleges are Australian alumni, this case study was focused on how their Australian educational experiences have influenced professional practice in teacher education. This focus was part of a qualitative study which revealed influences in teacher education, research, and leadership as three critical changes that were attributed to the Australian educated faculty members of the education colleges. Inculcating international best practices in teaching pedagogy, curriculum development taking into account the Bhutanese context, and development of Early Childhood Care and Development curriculum are reported in this paper along with discussion of the implications for the Bhutanese education system.

Education systems are complex social systems. This article argues that it in order to analyze educational values, attributes, and outcomes within a complex system, greater attention must be paid towards understanding the utility of education and the contexts, discourses, and narratives surrounding the purpose of schooling in society. An Educational Values Evaluation and Design (EVED) Framework is put forward as a means to effectively understand the alignment -- or misalignment -- of educational values within a complex system. This is particularly relevant for inclusion and diversity in education, in that various elements must be in place beyond legal frameworks promoting access for inclusion to be meaningful and effective. This article presents the case study of Bhutan to support the EVED Framework that was a result of two years of qualitative field research. The results of the research demonstrate that there are multiple and various actors and elements operating with a variety of intentional and unintentional goals within a complex system. Through an exploration of the value of inclusivity in Bhutanese education, we show that an application of the EVED framework can expose the alignments and misalignments that contribute towards the realization of educational values in schools and in society.

This quasi experimental study examined the effect of technology based teaching approaches on the 6th grade students' learning in social studies subject. The participants of the study included two classes of 6th grade students: control group (n=25) and experimental group (n=24) in one of the middle schools in Bhutan. The research instruments consisted of experimental group treatment, survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview questions. The result suggested that there is an affirmative effect of technology based teaching approaches on the 6th grade students' social studies learning achievement test. It was found that mean test scores of the experimental group were higher than the control group on pretest and post test analysis. Further, the findings from the study established that students had a positive perception of learning through technology based instructions, as learners enjoyed, and were better able to understand, what has been taught. The findings from the study concluded that teaching through technology based approaches enhanced students' learning in the classroom, so, it is recommended that teachers apply technology based instructions as a tool to maximize student learning. In addition, building of smart classrooms through digitalization could support students with learning difficulties in different subjects.

The paradigm shift from traditional didactic instruction to technology-enriched teaching and learning environments significantly benefits learners. Educational technology can visualize abstract mathematical concepts contextually and graphically and allow learners to actively construct this knowledge. This study aims to ascertain the efficacy of a computer-assisted instruction method using GeoGebra in further developing the concept of the function limit for grade XI students. This study employed a quasi-experiment static-group comparison design with 60 students from Gongzim Ugyen Dorji Central School at Haa in Bhutan. The students were divided into two equal groups. Group 'A' used the GeoGebra software, while group 'B' used the conventional method to learn the limit of the function. The data was collected through a Conceptual Knowledge Test of Limit Function. In addition, an independent sample t-test was employed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0). This study demonstrated that students who were taught using GeoGebra outperformed those who learned through conventional methods. The results confirmed that GeoGebra software could enhance and significantly improve students' conceptual understanding of the limit of the function.

This study aims to identify the hindrances to online education students in schools and colleges during the lockdown. The online survey through Google Forms with a structured questionnaire with both restricted and unrestricted responses was designed to identify the hindrance to online education during the third lockdown. Total of 425 responses of students who attend online classes during lockdown from Phuentsholing Higher Secondary, Phuentsholing Middle Secondary, Sonamgang Middle Secondary Schools, and College of Science and Technology in Phuentsholing, Bhutan. The result indicates that socio-economic, technological, and psychological situations hinder effective online teaching and learning. Household chores, large family members, data packages, and poor internet connectivity are other difficulties students face making online education ineffective. Some of the measures to support economically disadvantaged students and provide personal computers/laptops to teachers for preparing and developing teaching-learning materials are suggested. Other recommendations and viable measures based on surveys are suggested to overcome such challenges for students and support providers to make online education effective and focused.

University students need to find a balance between their physical, mental, social, and emotional state to do well in their academics. Student's well-being should be one of the top priorities for any academic institute. The present study employed a sequential mixed methods approach to provide insights into students' perceptions of well-being and academic workload. An online survey (n = 385) was conducted in the first phase, followed by collection of qualitative data through course assignments (n = 119) in the second phase for in-depth information. The findings showed that the students are not satisfied with college life, particularly in terms of academic workload as well as basic facilities and services. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that students have issues coping with negative emotions, which is likely to impact their overall well-being and health. Therefore, it is crucial that the colleges implement strategic interventions to address these issues.

This study was carried out to understand gender stereotype in the curriculum framework and textbooks which form the main curricular materials in schools in Bhutan. The curriculum framework for Accountancy, Economics, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History and English were reviewed by the researchers. Except for science curriculum framework which states that science curriculum should be gender-sensitive in terms of materials used, language used and ensuring the equal participation of boys and girls in activities, other frameworks were all silent on gender. Textbook reviews were carried out by teachers (22 female and 54 male) teaching classes IX to XII in the form of clustered workshops using the Blumberg model of textbook analysis which was employed to analyse gender biases in Vietnamese primary school textbooks. The findings revealed a presence of imbalance of gender among the authors, reviewers, editors and designer as well as the presence of gender biases, gender stereotyping in the content, illustrations and student activity. It calls for curriculum developers and textbooks authors to integrate gender in the curriculum framework which will then guide the development of gender-sensitive textbooks.

The quasi-experimental study examines the effect of the Problem-based Learning (PBL) teaching strategy on one higher secondary school student's academic achievement under Thimphu Thromde, Bhutan. The student participants were selected through non-probability convenient sampling techniques. All students of XI Arts (N=30) and XI Commerce (N=38) participated in the study. Class XI Arts students were used as a controlled group and XI Commerce students as an experimental group. The experimental group was taught using PBL, and the control group was taught using the traditional lecture method. The pre-test data were collected through class test 1, and post-test data were collected through class test 2 and 5 points Likert scale survey questionnaire. The results revealed that the experimental group scored higher marks in the class test than the control group. The mean score of the pre-test of the XI Arts and XI Commerce (both controlled group) were 40.75 and 38.81 initially. The mean score of the experiment group's post-test showed 44.73, while the controlled group managed only 43.00. Further, the experimental group had a favorable opinion on the effectiveness of the PBL strategy. The study recommends the implementation of the PBL teaching strategy despite PBL being time-consuming and resource-intensive.

This research explored the perception towards chemistry of class ten students of Phuentsholing Higher Secondary School in Bhutan. It was also to find out the factors that influenced the perception of students towards chemistry. For this research, 90 students were chosen as sample from a population of 95 students through convenience sampling technique to maintain 95% confidence level and 0.025 margin of error. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to be 0.89 during reliability test. A survey questionnaire comprised of 41 items categorized as classroom environment, teaching pedagogy, resources, students' level of interest, and curriculum was used to collect data. A descriptive analysis was done using excel/SPSS. The study concluded that chemistry is the least favourite subject of the students known through survey questionnaire. The classroom environment in the school is found to be conducive and interactive. It was found that chemistry teachers used different teaching strategies but less practical work. The study found that students learned more through practical work. It was known that students don't find chemistry practical fun and enjoyable. The findings also indicated that not much multimedia was used in teaching. Besides, the study revealed that students see chemistry subjects containing more abstract ideas and chemical formulas which make learning difficult. Surprisingly, only 30% (27) students were willing to take up jobs that require knowledge of chemistry.

The qualitative study was carried out under Thimphu Thromde, Bhutan, to assess the use of Google class and Television lessons during the emergence of COVID-19 in the 2020 academic year. The study used Google class & Television lesson observations to gain the first-hand experience and face-to-face interviews with students, parents, and teachers to get in-depth views. The Google class and television lesson observation and interview data were analyzed using emerging themes. The findings revealed that Google class and Television lessons played an essential role in making up lessons lost during schools' closure. However, the study further revealed some pertinent issues related to the Google class and Television lessons, including students resorting to copying assignments and homework directly from friends or copying directly from textbooks and the internet. Students were overburden by the heavy load of assignments assigned by different subject teachers, among many others. More preparedness and training for teachers in ICT based pedagogy was required. The study might draw policy attention to consider the problem and challenges before implementing Google class and Television lessons shortly to avoid pitfalls. The study was limited to the Thimphu Thromde, Bhutan, using a small sample size of students, parents, and teachers. A future mixed-method research approach uses surveys with students, parents, and teachers; focus group discussions with students, parents, and teachers; and policymakers' interviews are recommended.

In this article, we look at three teacher education programs across three countries--Australia, Bhutan, and Canada--to examine how reflection is cultivated in pre-service teachers (also referred to as teacher candidates) through a pedagogy of self-assessment. We begin from the premise that a cornerstone of effective teaching is the capacity of an educator to reflect on their practice and to use their reflections for professional growth and development. Qualitative data were collected from teacher candidates from one teacher education program in each country to obtain the views and reflections of teacher candidates about the power and pedagogy of self-assessment to inform their learning and development. Analysis of results led to three overarching themes: (a) consistent learning priorities of pre-service teachers as they engage with reflection; (b) pedagogical features that leverage self-assessment strategies to enhance reflective practice; and (c) the possibilities for reflection to facilitate a professional stance towards learning. Each theme is discussed with consideration for teacher education practices and theory.

An action research was conducted with class 12 science students (n=15) for three months with an aim of helping students improve their academic writing skill through mini revision lessons and feedback. The study was conducted based on pre-test-intervention-post-test design using mixed method. Test scores and interview were two main data collection tools. Data collected from test scores were analysed descriptively in percentage and average. Answers to interview questions were analysed thematically. Finding from the study revealed that students' quality of writing improved proving the effectiveness of mini revision lessons and feedback.

Students preferentially absorb and process information in diverse ways. Pedagogy should vary accordingly. The knowledge of teachers on the learners' preferred learning styles plays a pivotal role in better teaching and learning processes, contributing to a better-quality education. Still, little is known about the preferred learning style of learners. In the present study, the VARK (visual, aural, read or write, kinaesthetic) model version 8.01 survey questionnaire was adapted and given to 215 middle and higher secondary students. Using descriptive analysis of correlation, frequency and percentage, the study revealed that the preferred learning styles of students are aural (A) and kinaesthetic (K) with the smallest preference given to visual (V). The findings showed that male and female participants' preferences were the same, and that high-achiever learners prefer K. Recommendations from the findings apply to both the classroom and teacher training opportunities.

Bhutan is a country known for happiness. In the 1970s, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo [Dragon King] of Bhutan established the development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH). However, using 'happiness' as a measurement of social and economic development does not mean that all Bhutanese are 'happy' themselves. Schools -- including higher education -- can be stressful places in Bhutan, and there is little support or resources for the mental health and wellbeing needs of students. In this article, we explore the experiences and perceptions of both students and staff across the Royal University of Bhutan in regard to wellbeing and mental health. In all, there were over 1,700 respondents to our survey. We explore the results of the survey through an Educational Values Evaluation and Design (EVED) framework to understand the complex factors that both enable and challenge GNH as a value in higher education. The results show that while many students view their happiness and wellbeing as positive overall, there are still a significant amount that experience depression, stress, social difficulties, and other forms of distress. In comparison to college staff perception of student's mental health and wellbeing, the students are more positive about their own wellbeing than the staff.

This study investigated the effect of direct and indirect written corrective feedback (WCF) on the grammatical accuracy in the use of past tense and articles by grade eight learners (n = 45). The study also explored the extent to which the use of WCF may affect the syntactic complexity in the learners' writing. The learners were selected and purposively divided into three levels of English language proficiency (high, average, and low), from which they were randomly assigned into two treatment groups and one control group. Participants wrote narrative essays on a given topic, each for the pretest, followed by three treatment sessions, posttest, and delayed posttest. One treatment group received direct WCF while the other received indirect WCF. The control group did not receive WCF. The findings of this experiment show that the indirect WCF group (M = 75.26, SD = 12.83) outperformed the direct WCF group (M = 60.98, SD = 13.14) and the control group (M = 56.64, SD = 20.42) significantly on the grammatical accuracy measures taken at posttest. It was found that WCF did not affect the syntactic complexity of the learners' writing. It is surmised that a sustained and extensive use of indirect WCF may improve Bhutanese learners' written grammatical accuracy.

The study was conducted to explore the existence of relationship between the academic learning of college students and their nutritional diets receive from the college mess. The data was collected through a Student Food Survey (SFS) (N =135) and structured interview (N = 6) among college students who had the lived experience of having meals from the college mess. The survey data was analyzed for descriptive and correlational analysis using SPSS. Similarly, the interviews were transcribed and analyzed into three major themes: food quality, eating practices, and recommendations. The data revealed that food quality and nutritional diets served in the mess affect students' eating habits and their academic learning. Further, the findings from survey indicate a significant positive correlation between food quality and academic learning of students. The study concluded by stating that nutritional deficiencies contribute to lack of academic concentration and therefore, recommends the college management devise strategic interventions to improve food quality in the mess.

The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) was formed by an amalgamation of teaching institutions in 2003. RUB policy requires research; however, studies have shown that RUB faculty are variable in their response to the requirement to add research to their workload. While improvements have been made, challenges to research output have been identified. This article sets out recent developments in research at RUB. Data were gathered through an online survey of RUB faculty (n = 206) and semi-structured interviews with the college Presidents (n = 5) and Deans of Research and Industrial Linkages (n = 8). Findings show that improvement continues, but many challenges remain including some that were identified in prior research. Suggestions for ways to improve research processes and some future research projects are presented.

Oral corrective feedback (OCF) plays an important role in language teaching and learning, but little research has examined Bhutanese teachers' practices of OCF on students' speaking performance and uptake. This paper reports on a mixed-method approach to investigate the rate of students' uptake on teachers' OCF within an ESL setting in Bhutanese grade six primary classrooms. Convenience sampling was applied to gather data from observations of two teachers and fifty-seven students in a primary school. The results of content analysis from classroom observations indicate that the teachers used four types of OCF: explicit correction, recast, metalinguistic feedback, and repetition, with recast being the highest used. The results showed a high degree of student participation, which resulted in error correction following the teachers' OCF. It is suggested that different classes be studied to see if there are differences in the effects of OCF on students.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) implementation in education is a national priority in Bhutan, particularly as it relates to the STEM disciplines. Researchers at Samtse College of Education introduced 19 experienced secondary school mathematics and physics teachers to The Geometers' Sketchpad and GeoGebra in two workshops. At the end of each, participants reported their impressions of the featured technology and its potential value in Bhutanese secondary schools. After the last session, participants were asked which technology is better suited for use in their classrooms and why. A crossover research design was used to mediate the small sample size. Data were analyzed using Frequentist and Bayesian statistical analysis methods. Findings support implementation of The Geometer's Sketchpad at both lower and higher secondary levels and GeoGebra at the higher secondary level. Overall, the participants favored The Geometer's Sketchpad, while also recommending use of GeoGebra in higher level mathematics and physics courses. This study recommends development and evaluation of technology assisted mathematics and physics curricular materials at the secondary level and professional development opportunities for teachers focused on implementation of these technologies in their classrooms.

Many theoretical models of action research depict its process as cycles that include several sequential phases. In Bhutan, teachers use Kemmis and McTaggart's spiral model which has four phases of: "plan," "act," "observe" and "reflect" to conduct action research for their professional learning. As a growing practice, the way Bhutanese teachers carry out action research is an emerging field of inquiry. This study explored how three Bhutanese secondary science teachers in a case study school conducted their first action research project using Kemmis and McTaggart's model to improve student interaction in the class. Data were collected using diaries, interviews and observations. The analysis employed a three-step coding procedure of grounded theory. The findings showed that the science teachers conducted multiple iterations by moving back-and-forth between the four phases of Kemmis and McTaggart's model. It demonstrated a messy and non-linear process of action research conducted through continuous reflection which was inconsistent with the neat cycles of Kemmis and McTaggart's model. Despite a few challenges, the multiple iterations and continuous reflection helped the teachers to make progress in their action research and develop an interactive teaching strategy. Given the absence of multiple iterations and messiness in the action research knowledge disseminated to teachers in Bhutan, the study highlights the requirement for the Ministry of Education and teachers to consider mess and multiple iterations as a normal process of action research.

This study examined the effectiveness of cooperative learning (CL) in enhancing the English communicative abilities (ECA) of 4th grade students in a remote Bhutanese school in South-west Bhutan. Traditionally, teaching in Bhutan has been by the rote method where students learn the material primarily to pass tests and have limited opportunities or follow through with application of language skills in real life. Although Bhutan has been using English as the medium of instruction for more than 5 decades, most Bhutanese students are found to have a very low ECA. CL is an accepted strategy in other countries for teaching with the application of skills. The study involved teaching the modalities of listening, reading, writing, and speaking with CL techniques to students not familiar with the CL approach. The study was conducted with 19 grade four students at a school located in a remote and scarcely populated area which is common for all rural schools in Bhutan. Pre and post testing (one group pretest-posttest design) was administered to assess increases in skills. The study revealed that the CL teaching style was effective in enhancing ECA. Therefore, cooperative learning may well be an effective teaching strategy to increase ECA in Bhutan.

Genetics can be a difficult topic to teach and learn in a traditional classroom. The objective of this qualitative classroom action research was to examine the effectiveness of a blend of problem-based learning (PBL) with scientific argumentation to improve student understanding of basic genetics. The research participants were grade 9 Bhutanese students accustomed to rote learning placed in small groups to competitively achieve a solution utilizing PBL and scientific argumentation. The six-week teaching intervention process was teacher evaluated daily and at the end of each unit followed by strategy and lesson adjustments by applying the cycles of action research: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting while considering the pre- and post-genetic tests, lesson plans, semi-structured observations, pre- and post-semi structured interviews, reflective journals, and, student learning tasks. Content analysis and method triangulation were used to confirm that the blending approach was effective in helping students to acquire basic knowledge and to eliminate most misconceptions about five central subtopics in the study of genetics: inheritance, variation, genetic engineering, cloning and evolution. An assessment of teacher journals and outsider evaluations of teacher lessons and presentations revealed an increasing teacher appreciation for the blended method. This intervention helped students become independent and active learners.