The Trongsa Dzongkhag Education Sector is going to adopt an Action Research method in schools from this academic session. Teachers will conduct research and the findings will guide the schools to improve the quality of education. The recent research by the teachers found that teachers need to diversify teaching techniques to make students learn better.
As part of the Action Research, 11 teachers presented their research findings during an education seminar. Most of their research revealed that students lacked interest in learning mainly because a teacher used limited teaching techniques in the classroom.
“When a teacher uses only one teaching technique, it is not effective to all the students in general. After conducting my research, I knew that diversifying the teaching strategies and techniques not only encourages students to learn better but also improves their results,” said Singay Namgay, a teacher of Trongsa Primary School.
“Some of the intervention strategies that I tried throughout my action research were teaching history through media. Media like movies, videos and even stories and comics. And this makes a teaching and learning process engaging, effective as well as entertaining,” said Tshering Dendup, a teacher of Sherubling Central School.
“To make students learn, teachers need to encourage students a lot to make them learn. If we do that, they show interest and learn well,” said Kezang Choden, a teacher of Bemji Primary School.
“If all teachers conduct research and bring in new ideas and strategies. We can improve the existing practices and implement them in the classroom. I think it will enhance the quality of education,” said Pemba T Gyeltshen, Chief Education Officer of Trongsa.
“Hereafter, the teachers who had presented the research and retrieved lots of knowledge will go back to their respective schools and implant the action research culture across the district,” said Pema Tashi, another teacher of Bemji Primary School.
Likewise, co-teaching or two teachers partnering to teach together proved effective. Peer-assisted learning and self-regulated learning also was found helpful to students.
Meanwhile, the teachers say the Education Ministry should develop a journal site to publish research papers.
“Currently, when we do not have such sites, our teachers try to publish their research report in international journals and it is expensive to afford such platforms. At the same time, there are chances that we may lose our papers to predatory journals,” said Ugyen Phuntsho, a teacher of Trongsa Primary School.
There are 21 schools and nearly 300 teachers in the district. And Action Research will be an annual task for the teachers in Trongsa beginning this year.
Passang, Trongsa
