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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.

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.

Introduction of Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures as a pedagogy in the Bhutanese Education system has become a key motivation to overcome classroom management problems and enhancing the learning experiences of students. Research shows its positive impact on students' learning ability and classroom engagement. Research also indicates challenges associated with the practical implementation of Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures in classroom situations. However, studies on the perceptions of teachers and students on the effectiveness of Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures at Higher Secondary Schools in Bhutan is limited. This study aimed to explore the impact of Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures in teaching and learning processes. This study also intended to generate the baseline empirical data of Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures in Bhutanese context. The study employed a quantitative research approach with a survey research design to 614 grade 11 & 12 students and 36 teachers from 6 Higher Secondary Schools from 3 western districts. The descriptive statistics found that several impending factors that prevented the implementation of the Kagan Cooperative Learning Structure in teaching and learning processes at Bhutanese Higher Secondary Schools. The findings provide new insights to relevant stakeholders in Bhutan about how the Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures is perceived at Higher Secondary Schools. Implications of the findings and recommendations are also discussed.

Birds play a vital role in ecosystems. Studying avifaunal diversity therefore has a noteworthy role in indicating nature's ecological balance in the environment. A total of 749 bird species have so far been recorded in Bhutan. We present a comprehensive checklist of birds of Tsirang, District which largely lies outside Bhutan's protected area system. The data was collected through opportunistic encounters and with regular field visits to a range of locations in different seasons. One-fourth of the country's total avifauna and a new species recorded for Bhutan, The Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala was recorded as part of this study. In all, 285 avian species belonging to 18 orders and 65 families including one globally 'Critically Endangered', three 'Vulnerable', and a 'Near Threatened' species were recorded during the survey. The high species richness of birds in the study area reveals that it includes good habitats for birds in Bhutan. Similar studies are suggested in other areas contiguous to the protected areas in Bhutan including the current study area. This should aid in understanding of the factors driving the differences in bird diversity within and outside the protected areas so as to facilitate informed conservation actions in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]