FAIRifying STEM Data Ecosystem to Enhance Data Reuse

In the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) community, academic and research workflows and work practices are increasingly mediated and informed by data. However, making digital materials and resources findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) for teaching, learning, and research is an under-researched area. Thus, it is vital to examine the current data practices of STEM students and faculties and acquaint them with the FAIR data concept. FAIR Data Principles is a set of guidelines that underscore metadata, vocabularies, licences, and standards to enhance data reuse. A study was conducted among students and faculties in the STEM community of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) to unpack their current data practices and explore areas for improvement using the FAIR Data Principles. The STEM students and faculties of the RUB share and reuse digital materials and resources for teaching, learning, and research. Nevertheless, their data practice is not as widespread or desired in the literature on optimum data reuse. Moreover, the compliance of current data practices to the tenets of FAIR Data Principles is not satisfactory. A pragmatic solution is complementing data practices with policies and infrastructural systems that underscore FAIR Data Principles. A sensitisation programme such as seminars and hands-on exercises on data FAIRification is crucial to familiarise people with the essentialness of FAIR data, and doing so will provide a platform to develop their repertoire for FAIRifying data and encourage systematic sharing and reuse of data. An in-depth account of the FAIRifying STEM data ecosystem in the study contributes to the growing knowledge base on adopting FAIR Data Principles in other areas of data-informed work and life

FAIRifying STEM Data Ecosystem to Enhance Data Reuse

In the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) community, academic and research workflows and work practices are increasingly mediated and informed by data. However, making digital materials and resources findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) for teaching, learning, and research is an under-researched area. Thus, it is vital to examine the current data practices of STEM students and faculties and acquaint them with the FAIR data concept. FAIR Data Principles is a set of guidelines that underscore metadata, vocabularies, licences, and standards to enhance data reuse. A study was conducted among students and faculties in the STEM community of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) to unpack their current data practices and explore areas for improvement using the FAIR Data Principles. The STEM students and faculties of the RUB share and reuse digital materials and resources for teaching, learning, and research. Nevertheless, their data practice is not as widespread or desired in the literature on optimum data reuse. Moreover, the compliance of current data practices to the tenets of FAIR Data Principles is not satisfactory. A pragmatic solution is complementing data practices with policies and infrastructural systems that underscore FAIR Data Principles. A sensitisation programme such as seminars and hands-on exercises on data FAIRification is crucial to familiarise people with the essentialness of FAIR data, and doing so will provide a platform to develop their repertoire for FAIRifying data and encourage systematic sharing and reuse of data. An in-depth account of the FAIRifying STEM data ecosystem in the study contributes to the growing knowledge base on adopting FAIR Data Principles in other areas of data-informed work and life

Intended and Taught GNH-Infused Curriculum in Secondary Schools of Thimphu and Samtse Districts, Bhutan: A Mixed Methods School Effectiveness Research

Quantitative data were gathered using a 6-point Likert-scale questionnaire from 22 government secondary schools of Thimphu and Samtse districts, Bhutan comprising 202 teachers. From the original sample of teachers (N=202) 12 volunteered for inclusion in semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from the secondary school teachers using tools such as survey and interviews

Intended and Taught GNH-Infused Curricula in Secondary Schools of Thimphu and Samtse Districts, Bhutan: A Mixed Methods School Effectiveness Research

This study investigated the case of the intended and taught Gross National Happiness-Infused Curriculum (GNHIC) in secondary schools of Thimphu and Samtse districts of Bhutan. A mixed methods approach was adopted to investigate if the existing GNH curriculum has met the requirements for achieving the stated GNH values and principles. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the school effectiveness characteristics proposed by UNICEF (2000), UNESCO (2005), Scheerens (2000), Creemers and Kyriakides (2006), Reynolds et al. (2014), Tshering (2014) and Windham (1990). The outcome of executing the Educating for Gross National Happiness (EGNH) plans via a GNH-Infused Curriculum (GNHIC) in the sample secondary schools may be contingent on the level of input characteristics introduced by the school policy planners. A 6-point Likert-scale questionnaire (which was subsequently modified) was used to gather quantitative data from 22 government secondary schools comprising 202 teachers, and the data were analysed using the Rasch modelled statistical software, Winsteps Version 3.92.1. Both item and case estimates from Rasch were employed to ascertain the level of effective implementation of the teaching of GNHIC in the sample schools, which was founded on the independent variable (IV) and dependent variable (DV) of GNHIC. ANOVA and MANOVA tests on both teacher and school characteristics (age, gender, qualification, number of years of teaching, district, location, school category and day/boarding school) were undertaken based on the case input data generated from Winsteps. Correlation and regression tests ascertained the relationship between the survey scales and their predictability for identifying the effective implementation of GNHIC, which is determined by the GNHVITAL scale. From the original sample of teachers (N=202), 12 volunteered for inclusion in semi-structured interviews. Transcribed interview data were analysed using Leximancer's text-mining software Version 2.25. The analyses were conducted under four separate themes: approaches, school resources, interpersonal supports and attitudes of teachers. For each theme, the top ten ranked concepts generated by Leximancer were reported. A synthesis of findings from both the QUAN and QUAL phases of analysis revealed that the overall implementation of the GNH-Infused Curriculum in the sample schools is meeting expected standards, based on the criteria from the Department of Curriculum and Research Development (2011), now known as the Royal Education Council. However, in some cases, gaps between the intended and taught curricula were noted. In the analysis of QUAN, the two main independent variables that explained and predicted the effective implementation of GNHIC via GNHVITAL approaches were school resources (SR) and internal support system (ISS). This finding was supported by the QUAL data analysis, which identified gaps in implementing the GNHIC created by factors including lack of appropriate professional support from the school principals, absence of school policy on the GNHIC and inadequate school resources. Recommendations for future implications of GNHIC and a way forward to strengthen the effective implementation of GNHIC, such as GNHVITAL approaches, are provided to strengthen the current practices of EGNH via GNHIC in the schools. This study adds to the existing claim that input characteristics such as appropriate teacher development programmes, relevant curricula, relevant resources and vigorous professional support from both internal and external school leaders are imperative for the effective implementation of any educational innovations in schools

High relative abundance of wild ungulates near agricultural croplands in a livestock-dominated landscape in Western Bhutan: Implications for crop damage and protection

There is little information on the underlying causes of wildlife crop damage, especially in agro-pastoralist communities situated close to, or inside, protected areas that are frequented by domestic livestock. Knowledge on wild ungulate distribution near crop field boundaries, and how it is affected by cattle that dominate the landscape, may offer insights into methods for reducing wildlife damage. In 2012, we investigated the distribution of three wild ungulates, sambar (Rusa unicolor), muntjac (Muntiacus muntjac), and wild pig (Sus scrofa), and domestic cattle (Bos taurus) in Jigme Dorji National Park, western Bhutan, at varying distances from croplands. At each of the 20 study villages, three transects were laid parallel to cropland boundaries at 500 m intervals. Transects were seasonally surveyed for wild ungulate and cattle scats, and scat frequency was used as a relative abundance index of wild ungulates and cattle. We also interviewed 111 household members from the 20 villages with crop fields situated near a forest edge, and recorded the seasonal frequency of crop damage. We used a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to evaluate how relative abundance of each ungulate species differed across transects and seasons. We also performed a one-way ANOVA to compare seasonal differences in frequency of crop damage, along with a simple linear regression to determine if there were significant relationships between crop damage frequency and relative ungulate abundance at transects situated closest to croplands. The relative abundance of wild herbivores was significantly higher in transects closest to croplands, and lower for transects located farther away in deep forests. An increased concentration of wild herbivores near agricultural fields during spring, which is the crop-growing period, explained the observed persistent damage to crops. Because of their very low overall densities in Bhutan, culling of wild herbivores is not recommended. Alternatively, cost-effective fencing methods for crop protection during spring are needed in the short term. In the long term, interdisciplinary solutions should involve enhancing the populations of natural predators, or habitat enrichment programs for ungulates, in concert with livestock intensification programs

The ecological benefit of tigers (Panthera tigris) to farmers in reducing crop and livestock losses in the eastern Himalayas: Implications for conservation of large apex predators

Ecologists have primarily focused their attention on how predator loss influences ecosystem structure and function in intact ecosystems, but rarely tested these ecological concepts in agricultural landscapes. We conducted a study in western Bhutan on the inter-specific dynamics between tigers, leopards, and dholes, and their subsequent impact on livestock and crop losses faced by agro-pastoralists. We found that when a tiger was present in forests surrounding villages, leopards and dholes occupied areas closer to village croplands and preyed on a higher relative abundance of wild herbivore crop raiders, thereby significantly reducing crop (β = −2.25, p

Corrigendum to “The ecological benefit of tigers (Panthera tigris) to farmers in reducing crop and livestock losses in the eastern Himalayas: Implications for conservation of large apex predators.” [Biological Conservation, 219,119-125]

Thinley et al. while acknowledging and giving due credence to the following study conducted in the same area: Wangchuk, T., 2004. Predator-prey dynamics: the role of predators in the control of problem species. J. Bhutan Stud. 10, 68-89., they inadvertently omitted further reference to the study which had similar findings. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused

INVESTIGATION OF SUSPECTED PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY OUTBREAK IN DECHENTSEMO CENTRAL SCHOOL, THINLEYGANG, PUNAKHA

Background: A suspected peripheral neuropathy outbreak was reported from Dechentsemo Central School, Thinleygang, Punakha, following which the investigation team was immediately dispatched in the field. Objective: The aim of investigation was to ascertain the cause and risk factor for the outbreak in order to implement control measures. Methods: A case control study was devised for the investigation to study about the past exposure or deficiencies in order to find out the suspected cause and risk factors. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was administered to both cases and controls to collect information on the type of food they have consumed. The information garnered was analyzed using Chi-Square or Fischer Exact test for categorical variables and Man-Whitney U-test for quantitative variables. Results: All 17 cases were females with mean age of 13 years (SD 2.7 years). The average daily amount of thiamine intake was 0.6 mg/day for case and 0.8 mg/day for controls against the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 1.2 mg/day. Case and control patients differed significantly with respect to fat intake (p-value = 0.02), more strongly with folate and iron intake (p-value < 0.01). Conclusion: The outbreak of peripheral neuropathy in Dechentsemo Central School appears to be linked to reduced dietary intake rich in vitamin B1 coupled with low intake of folate and iron in their diet

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Additional file 6. Feedback of BFMIS users at study sites