Content Analysis of Entrepreneurship Education in Primary and Secondary School Textbooks

Textbooks are the main source of teaching-learning materials used in primary and secondary schools. This study was carried out in Bhutan to examine if the existing textbooks in primary and secondary schools contain sufficient knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship education. This descriptive study collected 96 textbooks used by students and teachers in classes Pre-Primary (PP) to XII. The reviewers identified descriptions about entrepreneurship if any in the content and the pedagogical aspects. The content included the meaning of entrepreneurship, characteristics, student activity and images on entrepreneurship. The study revealed that entrepreneurship education is not thoroughly integrated into primary and secondary school textbooks. Three (3.1%) out of 96 textbooks contained descriptions about entrepreneurship. The study, therefore, recommends existing textbook contents and images on entrepreneurship education to be improved and experiential learning opportunities be included. Ministry of Education and the Royal Education Council needs to review and revise classes PP-XII existing school textbooks at various levels. Integrate entrepreneurship education-related topics in the existing textbooks of primary and secondary schools based on the current labour market needs. However, Media Information Literacy, Environmental Science, and Agriculture for Food Security textbooks were not analyzed since many schools did not offer these elective subjects due to no or poor ability rating for higher education admission in Bhutan

Problem and Challenges Faced by Students, Parents, and Teachers in Google Classes & Television Lessons

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

The Effect of Games Simulation in Improving Secondary Students' Academic Performance

The main purpose of the study was to find out the effect of simulation games as an intervention program in teaching-learning economics to improve students' academic performance. The study adopts a mixed method. 27 (14 girls and 13 boys) grade twelve students in one higher secondary school participated in the study. The students were selected through non-probability convenient sampling techniques. The study revealed that the intervention program: and simulation games make concepts, ideas, and hypotheses easier to understand. The students have a positive opinion of simulation games used in teaching-learning. Simulation games make teaching-learning interesting, enjoyable, and fun. Through simulation games, students can score high marks on the class test. Students were engaged in self-assessment, self-awareness, self-monitoring, and reflective processes. However, the study revealed that simulation games are time-consuming and teachers need more time and effort for preparation and implementation. Simulation games are not always effective in teaching all micro and macroeconomics concepts

Concept Mapping Strategy in Teaching Learning Economic Concepts and Perception of Students on Teaching Learning Economic Concept Through Concept Mapping

This study aim to investigate the effect of using concept mapping in teaching learning process for teachers and students. The study was carried out in XI Arts at Dechencholing Higher Secondary School under Thimphu Tromde, Bhutan with 35 students. The study was a mixed method. The quantitative data collected through class (pretest and posttest) test were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics such as t-test and level of confidence and statistical significance. The qualitative data collected though observation of group works and presentation, and group reflective journal were analyzed by coding and thematic analysis was drawn to analyze the data. The findings showed concept mapping plays an important role in teaching learning process and has positive opinion towards concept mapping usage. It enhances descriptive ability, understand and help to remember concepts, build confidence and enhance active participation in the classroom. However, all concept cannot be taught through concepts mapping. It is also not always easy to construct all concept map. Teacher should encourage students to continue with concept mapping before students master the technique of concept mapping.KeywordsConcepts, Concept Mapping, Test, Teacher, Teaching Learnin

Gender Sensitivity in Textbooks in Secondary Education in Bhutan

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

Effect of using Problem-Based Learning on the Academic Achievement of Higher Secondary School Students

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

Himalayan forests: resource for rural livelihood, massive carbon sink and indicators of changing climate

The Himalayan forests are ecologically important for floral and faunal diversity. The forests provide many invaluable ecosystem services that have significant roles in the socio-economic and cultural lives of people living in these high mountains. However, these forests are facing rapid degradation due to economic growth and climate change. Adapting to these emerging challenges require a better understanding of linkages between human-environment and climate variables to manage these forests sustainably. Various aspects related to forest ecology and restoration, ecosystem services, forest growth and their response to climate are at an early stage of investigation in Bhutan Himalayas. Within this thesis, we have studied the aspects of regeneration and restoration, carbon storage and climate impacts on the high-altitude forest to provide more information relevant for forest management and sustainable utilization of resources. We investigated the socio-cultural values of high-altitude forests through the lens of ecosystem services to understand the importance of forests in the livelihood of rural communities. By assessing the priorities and values of stakeholders on a suite of ecosystem services, the research identified various gaps in the preferences of ecosystem services that can potentially lead to competing interests in forest management. The study highlighted several challenges that currently undermine sustainable forest management. This includes inadequate information on oak forest ecology and regeneration, forest biomass-carbon storage potentials, and forest’s growth response to changing climate. A nation-wide study of the old-growth oak forest of Bhutan indicated inadequate forest regeneration, particularly oaks, which is a huge concern for long-term conservation of these forests. Concentrated local experiments using exclosures and canopy gap creation indicated livestock grazing and inadequate canopy gaps as important factors leading to regeneration failure. On the other hand, forests without grazing resulted in undesirable bamboo thickets in the understory. An experiment using tree shelters and planted oak seedlings supported our findings on the adverse effect of grazing on oak regeneration. Tree shelters not only deterred seedling herbivory but also promoted the survival of seedlings and kept bamboo thickets at bay. Based on this study, we recommended tree shelter techniques as a promising avenue to regenerate oaks in the Himalayas and should be considered in the annual forest plantation programs. We quantified forest biomass and carbon storage potentials of two dominant forest types of high-altitude Himalayas––broadleaf forest and an adjacent conifer forest––to understand the role of these forest ecosystems in biomass accumulation and, subsequently, the carbon storage. The study estimated a total carbon stock of 366.7 ± 18.3 (Mean ± SE) Mg ha-1 (megagram per hectare) for broadleaf forest and 303 ± 9.3 Mg ha-1 for conifer forest indicating the importance to conserve these forests for climate change mitigation. The major challenge for the sustainability of these forests, however, lies in trees response to changing climate conditions, particularly to the ever-changing temperature and precipitation patterns in the Himalayas. We investigated this objective through a dendrochronological approach correlating tree growth of the high-altitude Himalayan larch (Larix griffithii) with climate (temperature and precipitation). The growth of trees was positively correlated with summer monsoon rainfall (May-August) and negatively correlated with the summer temperature indicating that summer precipitation and temperature were two crucial factors limiting tree growth. The study resulted in a reconstruction of 639-year (1379-2018) monsoon rainfall patterns over Bhutan Himalayas. The global weather patterns of El Nino-Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole demonstrated a strong influence on the rainfall variability and consequently tree growth over Bhutan. With global climate projections predicting high rainfall variability in the future, the response of trees to these variations may significantly impact tree growth and forest distribution, which require further investigation spanning both temporal and spatial scales. The thesis is a comprehensive dive into the ecology of temperate old-growth forests of Bhutan Himalaya and is a significant contribution to the knowledge of these forests, in how they respond to human interference, and, potentially changing climate.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, 202

Gender sensitivity in pedagogical practices in secondary education in Bhutan

The terrain of gender inequities in education has seen many changes in recent times. The purpose of the study was to find out the gender sensitivity in pedagogical practices in secondary education in Bhutan. The study was qualitative and used non-probability convenient sampling techniques. The study used classroom observations to gain the first-hand experience of a normal classroom and focus group discussions with teachers and students to get in-depth views. The classroom observation and focus group discussion data were analysed using the process of emerging themes. The study revealed that teachers were not gendered sensitive in pedagogical practices in the secondary education level. There were challenges in understanding gender in education both by teachers and students. There was neither gender awareness nor conscious effort made by teachers to address gender inequality in the classroom. A gender-responsive education that supports the realization of student full potential requires the teachers to practice gender-sensitive pedagogy. To address the issue, there is an immediate need for gender awareness and sensitization among teachers and school leaders. Teacher education colleges should introduce modules such as gender and education or gender and development so that the classroom environment is gender-sensitive and gender friendly. &nbsp

Entrepreneurship Education in Bhutan: Perception, Culture and Challenges

The present study was undertaken to determine the perception of Bhutanese students towards entrepreneurship and the influence of entrepreneurship in their career choice by a team of lecturers from Samtse College of Education and a teacher from the Samtse Higher Secondary School. It was a multifaceted research involving survey, interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis. The samples include 921 students [19 diploma, 248 undergraduate, 654 school students (460=HSS & 194=MSS)], currently studying in the schools, colleges and VTIs under Samtse, Chhukha and Thimphu Dzongkhags. The major findings include: perception of students is inclined more towards entrepreneurship second to government jobs, students and parents are aware of the increasing unemployment scenario in Bhutan, minimal focus on entrepreneurship education in the school and university level curriculum, and the pedagogical practices doesnot adequately favour entrepreneurship knowledge and skill development. Some of the recommendations are a need to include entrepreneurship education in the school curriculum right from primary education, and to disseminate information related to entrepreneurship among students in all the schools and colleges