The Implementation of Environmental Science (ES) in Secondary Schools in Samste, Bhutan: Student, Teacher and Principal Perspectives
While aspiring to balance socio-economic development with conservation of the natural environment, and achieve Gross National Happiness (GNH), Bhutan is facing environmental sustainability challenges. Education is recognised as a key tool for responding to these challenges and, to this end, an Environmental Science (ES) subject was introduced to secondary schools in 2015 based on an Environmental Science Curriculum Framework (ESCF).
In this research project I investigate the question: How is Environmental Science (ES) being implemented and experienced in schools in the Samste District of Bhutan? Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was adopted as a key referent for this study, because of its relevance both to Bhutan as a developing country and the objectives of the ESCF. The study was framed within a pragmatic paradigm and I employed mixed-methods, comprising document analysis, classroom observations, interviews and surveys, involving students, teachers and principals. The qualitative data were analysed inductively and deductively using NVivo, and quantitative data were analysed descriptively using SPSS and Excel.
Climate change was identified as an environmental problem for Bhutan by relatively few participants, despite its predicted negative impact on the nation. The collective agency towards solving environmental problems expressed by students, reflecting cultural mores of working in unity and harmony towards common goals, provides potential scope and leverage for collective action towards addressing climate change and other environmental issues, starting from actions in ES.
Anthropocentric worldviews were more evident than eco- or biocentrism in the textbooks and interviews. This reflects the anthropocentrism of GNH, which, although emphasising harmony with nature and conservation, subsumes these considerations under the ultimate goal of addressing human happiness. Navigating Bhutan’s Middle Path between competing priorities of socio-economic development and environmental conservation may be aided by some exploration of eco- or biocentrism in ES materials, together with critical eco-pedagogy.
Some misalignment within and between elements of ES and related educational policies was evident through analysis of texts, examinations and classroom pedagogy.
A strong knowledge focus in texts and exams, and the finding that high-stakes exams did not assess students’ dispositions and competencies, may restrict student achievement of the more transformative objectives of the ESCF. Relatively frequent transmissive pedagogies were apparent, together with limited community participation, experiential or action-oriented pedagogy. These findings were at odds with constructivist approaches to teaching advocated by the Ministry of Education, experiential learning advocated in the ESCF, and the competencies and actionoriented tenets of ESD. Other findings revealed some duplication of content within ES, and between ES and other science and geography subjects, and limited interdisciplinarity within ES.
As a consequence of these misalignments, some modifications to the ES subject are indicated. Future review of ES might consider increasing the complexity of content in higher grades, reducing the volume of factual content knowledge to enable integration of action-oriented, participatory activities, and fostering greater interdisciplinarity. Assessment of students’ dispositions, skills and action may reposition teaching and learning towards the ESCF objectives. Within the ESCF, greater definitional clarity about the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary nature of ES, and the meaning of the term “action” could be beneficial.
Students’ intrinsic motivations to study ES, their enjoyment of the subject and their apparent development of optimism, agency and stewardship from ES suggest that ES is a valuable curriculum offering, a view shared by teachers. Constructivist, experiential and action-oriented pedagogies in ES, potentially connecting with existing school-wide environmental activities, might further capitalise on students’ existing engagement with the subject in achieving the ESCF objectives. Critical pedagogy might build on students’ stewardship agency and optimism to enhance their critical thinking competency and capacity to challenge their own practices and thinking. These potential pedagogical changes require adequate curriculum time and financial resources (including for field trips), availability of necessary ICT and support for teachers through preservice training in ESD and relevant collaborative in-service professional learning and development. Finally, ES stakeholders generally valued the idea of taking action to solve environmental problems in ES. These potential changes to what is already a valuable subject could contribute even further to the achievement of the visions and aspirations of Bhutan towards sustainable environmental conservation and GNH.
Bhutanese Teachers' and Students' Perspectives on Approaches to Teaching ESD Through Environmental Science
This study investigated the teaching pedagogies deployed in teaching environmental science (ES) to adequately prepare Bhutanese youth with the knowledge, values, attitudes and skills to engage in sustainable environmental conservation that supports the country's pursuit of Gross National Happiness. A mixed-method research strategy was employed that collected data in the form of surveys and interviews with 14 teachers, surveys with 563 students, interviews with 194 students through (46) focus groups and six classroom observations. The data indicated that the transmissive approach (teacher talk), discursive activities (presentation and group discussions), and textbook-based activities of reading and solving problems from ES textbooks are the most predominant teaching approaches implemented in teaching ES. Students are engaged in critical thinking, empirical real-world and book-based research and maintaining an environmental profile; however, there is a lack of hands-on activities of projects, experiments, fieldwork, exhibitions and surveying and interviewing people. Teachers identified that lack of time, examination-based assessments, the large syllabus and a lack of resources are the factors that impede learning activities in ES. Therefore, there is a need for more emphasis on teachers' professional development on transformative teaching pedagogies for effective implementation of ES that will prepare students for the pursuit of environmental sustainability.
The impacts of environmental science on Bhutanese students' environmental sustainability competences
The subject of environmental science (ES) was introduced into Bhutanese schools to educate students about sustainable environmental conservation. This study aims to answer the research question: What are the impacts of studying ES on Bhutanese students for environmental sustainability? The study employed mixed methods to draw data from interviews with six principals, 14 teachers and 189 students, and surveys with 14 teachers and 563 students from six secondary schools. Participants indicated the development of students' Gross National Happiness value of sustainable environmental and socioeconomic development. However, an anthropocentric perspective appeared to be dominant among participants, suggesting a need to develop ecocentric worldviews to support sustainability. Most students noted their changed behaviours, development of optimism, stewardship and agency towards ecological sustainability from studying ES. To prepare students to take action to address sustainability issues, teachers could leverage students' optimism, agency and stewardship through action-oriented approaches to teaching ES.
Action-oriented approaches to teaching environmental science in Bhutanese secondary schools: Stakeholder perceptions
Bhutan aspires to balance sustainable socioeconomic development with environmental conservation to achieve Gross National happiness (GNH). There are apparent alignments between GNH and the principles of education for Sustainable Development (ESD), but we recognize the role of the Bhutanese socio-cultural context for critically examining any alignments or misalignments with pervasive Western action-oriented ESD approaches. We present one aspect of a PhD study by the lead author that explored the implementation of environmental science (ES) in Bhutanese secondary schools. He examined stakeholders' perceptions about action-oriented approaches to teaching, drawing on qualitative and quantitative data from interviews with six principals, surveys and interviews with 14 teachers, surveys with 563 students and focus groups with 194 students. Findings indicated that students participated in school-based activities such as waste management and cleaning, in compliance with school-based directives to alleviate problems, rather than as a consequence of their own agentic decisions. Principals, teachers and students valued the idea of taking environmental action in ES, especially waste management, primarily for solving ecological issues and promoting intergenerational equity rather than for developing of action-competence. There is potential for leveraging existing school practices to enhance action-oriented approaches and, consequently, foster action-competence for the enhancement of GNH in Bhutan.
Bhutanese Teachers' and Students' Perceptions about Environmental Issues in Bhutan
Bhutan aspires to achieve Gross National Happiness (GNH) through sustainable environmental conservation and socioeconomic development. However, the country is facing increasing environmental challenges. Education is considered to be a key component in a range of efforts to remediate current environmental threats in Bhutan. As part of this agenda, the optional school subject of Environmental Science was introduced in 2015 for Classes IX-XII with the aim of equipping young people with the knowledge and values to protect the environment and promote sustainable and equitable use of natural resources in the pursuit of GNH. This paper focuses on the qualitative aspect of a broader mixed-method research project that explored the effective implementation of Environmental Science in secondary schools in the Samtse region of Bhutan. This study answers the research question: "What are teachers' and students' views about environmental problems in Bhutan?" Drawing on interviews of 14 teachers and 194 students engaged in Environmental Science, the results showed that participants were aware of various environmental problems; however, they lacked knowledge and awareness about climate change issues in Bhutan. The results suggest the need for more emphasis on climate change education in Bhutan. The student participants believed in collectivism to address the environmental challenges, indicating a strong cultural influence that schools could leverage to address sustainability issues through community participation.
Teachers' preparedness to teach environmental science in Bhutan
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.
Alignment of the Environmental Science Textbooks, Examinations, and Curriculum Framework to Achieve the Teaching Objectives
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.