Amid COVID-19, the ministry of education (MoE) launched e-learning platforms to engage students and teachers in 2020.
The launch of e-learning played a vital role in establishing a digital platform for Bhutanese students and teachers to continue teaching and learning, establishing the new normal.
Though it was challenging to adopt the new normal, with time it has blended with the conventional form of face-to-face teaching and learning.
Blended forms of education have become a meaningful way to educate students in Bhutan.
Recognizing the importance of e-learning, the MoE has launched a Learning Management System (LMS) website to assist students across the country.
The ministry of education is developing a learning management system as an application that can be used both online and offline. Their goal is to let the students learn with technology.
“Learning with technology is to allow students a platform for collaborative learning among students and teachers and statistics on student learning for intervention and decision-making,” said an official from MoE.
Many schools across the country have adopted a blended form of teaching and learning and continued with the essence of e-learning. This blended form of education allows students and teachers to interact and at the same time continue with face-to-face teaching and learning.
Jigme Losel primary school (JLPS) in Thimphu is one of the many schools in the country that have incorporated blended education. It has had a significant impact on the means of teaching and learning.
JLPS uses social media platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and WeChat to interact with students. Tandin Wangchuk, an ICT teacher, stated that when students are unable to complete their work in class, the teachers will post it to social media groups so that the student can complete the task at home.
The use of these social media platforms in schools is not only limited to interaction with students. These social media forums are used to share important announcements and discuss issues related to teaching and learning.
It is also used to follow up with a parent-teacher collaboration meeting.
Similarly, the teachers use Google Classroom to design activities for students to keep them engaged. The teachers are happy with the functioning of blended teaching and learning. With the rapid progress in technology and advancement in learning systems, many of them find it relevant and useful.
The Class 1 teacher said, “I prefer blended learning as well as classroom teaching.” She said that she sends information through social media forums and sometimes sends incomplete classwork of the students followed by the sharing of relevant materials for the parents to look at and keep them engaged in their children’s learning.
Despite the effectiveness of e-learning in schools, poor internet connectivity remains an issue in remote schools in Bhutan. However, MoE is working its way to solving this issue.
An official with MoE said, “Almost all the schools in the country have good internet connectivity, yet there are a few schools that have poor internet connectivity, and we are looking at how to solve the issue.”
There are relevant stakeholders ready to help the MoE with the digitalization of education in Bhutan.
Tashi Cell, as the nationwide internet service provider, said that the company can also contribute to advancing the education system by setting cheaper rates for educational materials if the contents are hosted locally.
Tashi Cell can also collaborate with MOE and do needs assessments if required. A certain percentage of our young people are at risk if everything becomes virtual, so we have plans to expand the existing network in both rural and urban areas.
Despite the challenges, the start of e-learning has paved the way for the Bhutanese education system to digitalize.
Bhutanese students, teachers, and parents have become accepting of the digitalization of education in Bhutan. The class of six students claimed that learning code monkey is fun and easy.
Similarly, a class 12 student said, “Having social media forums to interact with the teachers and classmates makes it easier to get in touch with the teachers and classmates to discuss problems related to classwork or homework.”
The launch of e-learning played a vital role in establishing a digital platform for Bhutanese students and teachers to continue teaching and learning, establishing the new normal.
Though it was challenging to adopt the new normal, with time it has blended with the conventional form of face-to-face teaching and learning.
Blended forms of education have become a meaningful way to educate students in Bhutan.
Recognizing the importance of e-learning, the MoE has launched a Learning Management System (LMS) website to assist students across the country.
The ministry of education is developing a learning management system as an application that can be used both online and offline. Their goal is to let the students learn with technology.
“Learning with technology is to allow students a platform for collaborative learning among students and teachers and statistics on student learning for intervention and decision-making,” said an official from MoE.
Many schools across the country have adopted a blended form of teaching and learning and continued with the essence of e-learning. This blended form of education allows students and teachers to interact and at the same time continue with face-to-face teaching and learning.
Jigme Losel primary school (JLPS) in Thimphu is one of the many schools in the country that have incorporated blended education. It has had a significant impact on the means of teaching and learning.
JLPS uses social media platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and WeChat to interact with students. Tandin Wangchuk, an ICT teacher, stated that when students are unable to complete their work in class, the teachers will post it to social media groups so that the student can complete the task at home.
The use of these social media platforms in schools is not only limited to interaction with students. These social media forums are used to share important announcements and discuss issues related to teaching and learning.
It is also used to follow up with a parent-teacher collaboration meeting.
Similarly, the teachers use Google Classroom to design activities for students to keep them engaged. The teachers are happy with the functioning of blended teaching and learning. With the rapid progress in technology and advancement in learning systems, many of them find it relevant and useful.
The Class 1 teacher said, “I prefer blended learning as well as classroom teaching.” She said that she sends information through social media forums and sometimes sends incomplete classwork of the students followed by the sharing of relevant materials for the parents to look at and keep them engaged in their children’s learning.
Despite the effectiveness of e-learning in schools, poor internet connectivity remains an issue in remote schools in Bhutan. However, MoE is working its way to solving this issue.
An official with MoE said, “Almost all the schools in the country have good internet connectivity, yet there are a few schools that have poor internet connectivity, and we are looking at how to solve the issue.”
There are relevant stakeholders ready to help the MoE with the digitalization of education in Bhutan.
Tashi Cell, as the nationwide internet service provider, said that the company can also contribute to advancing the education system by setting cheaper rates for educational materials if the contents are hosted locally.
Tashi Cell can also collaborate with MOE and do needs assessments if required. A certain percentage of our young people are at risk if everything becomes virtual, so we have plans to expand the existing network in both rural and urban areas.
Despite the challenges, the start of e-learning has paved the way for the Bhutanese education system to digitalize.
Bhutanese students, teachers, and parents have become accepting of the digitalization of education in Bhutan. The class of six students claimed that learning code monkey is fun and easy.
Similarly, a class 12 student said, “Having social media forums to interact with the teachers and classmates makes it easier to get in touch with the teachers and classmates to discuss problems related to classwork or homework.”
