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This paper reports on research in secondary schools in Brunei to investigate how teachers and learners view the English language learning classroom. The paper reviews the literature on learner perceptions, and comparisons with those of teachers, and argues that a "researcher's agenda" frequently imposes limitations on data gathered. A research design utilising personal construct repertory grids was therefore developed to allow respondents to "speak for themselves." Respondents were asked to build repertory grids in respect of task types from their classroom, in order to establish the constructs they draw on when thinking about their language lessons. Findings show that the teachers and learners have very different views, with evidence that the learners view the classroom as a "social event" in direct contrast to the teachers, who view the classroom as "a pedagogic event." The significance of this is that the learners are unlikely to be oriented towards achievement in language learning, and that the teachers will therefore find it difficult to keep learners focussed on the learning objectives. The paper concludes that only by involving learners in establishing aims and objectives, and in determining ways of working, will teachers and learners be brought to "inhabit the same classroom world."

This paper highlights the findings of a study into the language use, identity and attitudes of some Bruneian Malay government officers and students living in London. It is found that their allegiance towards the Malay language and Bruneian culture remains strong, despite their living in a largely Anglophone metropolis which requires them to communicate predominantly in English. As highly proficient bilingual speakers, the respondents are highly aware of the importance of maintaining their vernacular Brunei Malay as a marker of their identity. Through the use of observation and semi-structured interview methods, it emerges that predicted patterns of language shift towards the global language do not occur, and there is evidence of maintenance of strong Malay identity precisely because of their requirement to use more English in out-group communication contexts. The 'zero-sum game' notion, of more English equaling less Malay, is not applicable. This paper includes vignettes which show the participants negotiating between their languages in work and study contexts. It also demonstrates the need to consider how English interconnects with the other languages that are found in the repertoire of globally mobile South-East Asians.

This paper adds to writing to learn research by reporting on empirical and conceptual studies on the subject matter but also by speculating on the learning virtues that writing offers besides its function as an assessment tool, namely that it can provide students with an adequate avenue to reflect on their learning. For this purpose, I reviewed 17 studies spanning a 17-year period (2004-2020) and representing both the L1 and L2 contexts. Reviewed studies examined writing to learn in different disciplines and grade levels across countries, including the US, Canada, Turkey, Norway, Spain etc. Later in this paper, I set out to elaborate on thematic patterns if these existed and identify areas where further research may be warranted. Findings indicated that writing to learn is an effective instructional strategy across different grade-levels and disciplines both in the L1 and L2 teaching and learning contexts. Finally, this paper overviews relevant pedagogical implications and future research directions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the traditional face-to-face forms of educational instruction and has led to increased involvement in online learning. Consequently, online learning has gained popularity and has become the norm worldwide today, because it offers a safe learning environment as well as convenience and flexibility. During the pandemic, school campuses in Brunei were closed, classes were conducted online, and parents/guardians were expected to cooperate and assist their children with home-based online learning. However, online teaching posed a different set of challenges for teachers and students, which warrant research and policy attention at the national level. This study provided a review of the literature on the policies and best practices for online teaching and learning and formulated three key objectives. The first was to identify the policy initiatives and guidelines introduced by the government of Brunei to facilitate and ensure the effectiveness of online teaching and e-learning. The second referred to obtaining the perceptions of teachers and parents on three specific dimensions, namely, the implementation of blended learning, the use of online pedagogy, and enhancement of the e-learning experiences of students. The last objective was to identify the challenges associated with these dimensions and to propose actions and policy recommendations for improvement. This study employed document analysis, interview, and data collected from public social media. The implementation of online teaching and e-learning in Brunei was met with many challenges due to the poor network infrastructure and weak knowledge and content development of ICT. Thus, this study serves as a basis for improving innovation and governance in education, which focuses not only on the enhancement of academic performance but also on the digital divide. The paper was first presented at the 21st International Conference on Education Research (ICER) at the Seoul National University, Republic of Korea on October 21, 2021, by the first author. This research is part of the research project entitled: Pandemic Policies and Governance in Small States in the Southeast Asian Region.

The paper inquired into the discourse practices in classroom teaching in a State university in Brunei Darussalam. Respondents comprised four (4), local Bruneian lecturers, from two (2) academic streams: STEM-driven and entrepreneurship programmes. Subjected to data saturation, teaching observations of each respondent were shadowed over several weeks. Data were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using the Classroom Discourse Observation Protocol (CDOP) to determine the types and frequencies of teacher-student utterances. Findings showed that the students were provided insufficient opportunities to interact meaningfully and that the lecturers who were leaning toward conventional teaching did minimal attempts to engage the students, failing to utilise appropriate prompts and basic questioning techniques believed to facilitate critical thinking and deep learning. Classroom discourse was propelled by a corresponding approach in teaching; hence continuous readiness in classroom teaching needs to be sustained, should students' quality of learning be improved.

The authors of this paper argue that to promote multicultural education, multicultural literature can be a very useful tool. Since the ultimate goal of multicultural education is to achieve a more equal and more inclusive society, the literature of Southeast Asia, regarded as the true "minority" literature, should be seriously taken into consideration. Southeast Asian literature in English has advantages in terms of its local and universal characteristics, allowing students to explore the multicultural world and enhance their understanding of it. Unfortunately, in Thailand, English literature is usually not implemented in EFL classes in which the main focus is the drilling and development of four language skills. English literature classes, on the other hand, strongly emphasize the British and American literature, without much room for non Anglo-American literature. It is therefore proposed that to promote the diversity of literary texts and to enhance students' multicultural learning experience, teachers and educators could incorporate the English literature of our neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines in their syllabi and exploit it in their pedagogical approaches. It is hoped that the inclusion of multicultural literature will help lead Thai learners and teachers alike to the ultimate goal of multicultural education.

This study aims to examine the challenges in translating Malay cultural terms into English, and to determine practical procedures to overcome these challenges. The translation challenges in translating Malay cultural terms into English raised due to some factors; sound, lexis, grammar, and style. Both English and Malay originate from different language families and systems. While the former is from a Germanic family, the latter is an Austronesian origin, therefore, this results in a wide gap between their grammatical systems which causes considerable problems for some learners. Thus, the researcher thoroughly introduces the issue and analyses the findings by collecting data from books, conversation and social media. The study targets English and Malay cultural terms, more specifically Bruneian Malay and to achieve these targets the study employs Mona Baker's equivalence typology to fulfil the research objectives. Consequently, this research paper seeks to find practical solutions for translators who are facing the similar challenges in translation.

Purpose: This paper aims to share how it was possible to change the way business was conducted in a short period in order to continue the academic semester and seek alternatives to manage the day-to-day university affairs in the midst of a pandemic crisis at a higher education setting. As a result, the authors' experiences have created new norms and opportunities for the university. Design/methodology/approach: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Brunei Darussalam is an evolving situation with extraordinary challenges for staff and students of the university. Although the campus remains open and essential services were continuously provided, the university had to implement and adapt to new norms instinctively to minimise the potential pathways for community spread of the coronavirus and at the same time minimise interruption in teaching and learning. Findings: Firstly, structured blended learning will be the basis of teaching and learning, alongside ensuring the highest quality of online education and successful achievement of the intended learning objectives. Secondly, blended learning will open more opportunities to offer programmes in a more flexible, personalised, student-centric and lifelong learning manner, with the option of taking a study hiatus at students' convenience. Thirdly, there will be more global classrooms and the exchange of online modules with international partner universities. Fourthly, short programmes such as the Global Discovery Programmes will be modified and improvised to become an online learning experience. And finally, there will also be the opportunity to understand and consider the physical and mental well-being and durability of the university community in overcoming a national crisis situation. Originality/value: This paper is intended to be a conceptual paper where the authors describe novel experiences during the pandemic. The authors' views, interventions and experiences may result into a new model for higher education that will reposition students to the new global markets and economy.

This paper looks at the role of English in Brunei and the sociocultural structure of Bahasa/language in Brunei Darussalam. The aim of this research is to critically analyse sociocultural theory from Vygotsky's "peak psychology" approach and understand depth-knowledge of sociocultural theory from other scholars' perspectives. The scholars' views on education, language and sociocultural importance-related topics have been analysed by Barry, Goode, Jones, Haji-Othman, Sharbawi and Gardiner. These scholars' ideas give a better understanding of the sociocultural importance of Bruneian's individual development. For this research, a qualitative method applies and collected data is critically analysed in detail. This research has the potential to discuss the link between language evolution and Bruneian sociocultural development. The "Citizenship Acts 1961" is relevant to discuss the theoretical concepts like, 'nationality' and 'ethnic identification' from the Bruneian context. To put it in a nutshell, the ratification of "Melayu Islam Beraja" or "Malay Islamic Monarchy" and the impact of linguistic diversity in Brunei consist of a Bruneian identity. In bilingual education policy, Bahasa Melayu and English have a major role in the child development. Although a balance of regional languages and English is essential to maintain the "Bruneian" identity. Brunei is a small country but it is diverse, multilingual and multicultural.

Many organisations invest heavily in training. However, it is argued that only a small portion of what is learnt from training is transferred to the workplace. Using an extended Training Transfer Model, the paper examines the factors that influence the transfer of training within an apprenticeship program. In-depth semi-structured interviews with participants who had undergone the apprenticeship programme were carried out. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and bibliographic analysis was performed to highlight the topic's significance and development for future research directions. The findings reveal that trainee characteristics, training design and work environment influence training transfer. Trainees with high cognitive ability, self-efficacy and motivation, who participated in a well-designed training programme and were supported by a conducive work environment, demonstrate positive transfer of training.

South Asian economies has witnessed very slow growth over the years and the gap has widened manifold between other nations of Asia particularly East Asian nations and South Asian nations. This paper examines co-integration between the economic growth and reach of higher education in South Asian nations explaining this disparity. The research employed an econometric panel co-integration investigation to analyse the long run relationship of higher education and economic growth among these nations. The research confirmed positive long run causality between the economic growth of the South Asian nations and gross enrolment ratio of higher education. So, if the South Asian nations continue with their existing pattern of paying less attention to higher education by allocating low share of investment on it, poor human capital formation would result in growing further economic disparity between developed and South Asian nations where rich nations would remain richer and poor nations would remain poor with the gap remaining unabridged. This research will serve as an aid to policy makers, educators and financers of South Asian nations to bridge the gap between high- and low-income nations. The focus on the quantum of spending on higher education by the government will help improve the reach of tertiary education and build economic prosperity in these nations.

In 2009, Brunei's Ministry of Education unveiled the National Education System for the twenty-first century, popularly termed the SPN21, to replace the 1984 bilingual education system (the "Dwibahasa"). What immediately stood out about the SPN21 is the apparent heavier emphasis placed on English over the Official language, "Bahasa Melayu," with English being introduced much earlier in the curriculum, i.e. as the medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science from Year 1 onwards. This paper aims to evaluate the efficacies of English language-in-education policies of SPN21, focusing on the interface between macro planning and micro practices. Rather than relying on evaluative measures in terms of national examination results as a benchmark of success, this paper assesses data gathered from two micro agents: the teachers and the pupils. Teachers, as implementers of language policies, collaborate with pupils in the classroom to achieve the goals articulated by the macro planners. The pupils in this study were assessed in terms of their motivation in English language learning whereas the teachers were assessed in terms of support received from the macro agents. The findings of the surveys are encouraging with indications that the English-enhancing initiatives thus far implemented will continue to produce the desired outcomes.

This paper evaluates the use of peer and self-assessments as part of the learning process of an open ended, essay-based course in a second-year degree engineering module in Brunei Darussalam. The essays were marked using a rubric by the student, a peer, and the lecturer, with students being pre-trained on the use of the rubric prior to the exercise. Comparison of the marks awarded by the different markers (student, peer, lecturer) showed that whilst there might be correlations between different markers (i.e. peer - self; or lecturer - self) for marks on certain sub-sections of the work, there was no overall correlation between marks for this open ended problem. This lack of consistency highlights the subjective nature of marking essay-based work, even with the use of a rubric. Feedback on the students' experiences was obtained using a questionnaire, and most students felt that the peer assessment exercise was a worthwhile activity which aided both their learning and students' motivation to learn. Analysis of student performance in the exam, after the exercise, identified that almost all students did better in the question linked to the exercise than in others, further reinforcing this student view. The poor mark concordance in this study indicates that both techniques are not suitable to quantitatively evaluate student performance, however they had a positive impact on student learning. It is recommended that this approach is incorporated in other open-ended assessments as a form of formative feedback with the provision of adequate tutor and student preparation.

This paper reports findings of a study that assesses the measures taken by universities in selected South East Asian countries when developing the competencies of students from other countries. This is to address the internationalization thrust of higher education (HE) that constitutes the participation of international students and academics in HE-related activities. Specifically, this study assesses whether the academic programs (a) suit students' diverse backgrounds; and (b) address the cultural background from where the international students come from. Four participants from four different countries participated in this study. Two were HE academic leaders, researcher, and university leader; one was HE researcher and academic; while another was an academic. The data were collected through online in-depth interviewing conducted via email. The results revealed that majority of them perceived that cultural background was not addressed in the academic programs. However, certain courses in the HE institutions did address the host countries' cultural beliefs and traditions. The findings are discussed in the context of higher education institution to enlighten universities and higher education authorities on the appropriate method to design curriculum in universities hosting international students.

Purpose: It is still unclear how Asian universities incorporate the theory or practice of sustainable development (SD) in their research and education programmes. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to report on a study that has examined how universities in Asian countries handle and address matters related to SD. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a bibliometric analysis and an online survey-method. The online survey data were analysed through descriptive analysis and one-sample student's "t"-test. Findings: The study indicates that there is considerable variation among the Asian countries regarding sustainability practices in higher education institutions (HEIs). The HEIs in far eastern countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are perceived to demonstrate more sustainability practices. Research limitations/implications: Even though a substantial number of participants participated in the survey, it did not cover all Asian countries. The online survey was carried out over a limited period of time, and not all HEIs in the field may have received information about the study. Practical implications: Asia is the largest continent facing a number of sustainability challenges. In this context, the contribution of HEIs is very important. The findings of the current study may serve as a baseline for Asian HEIs to take more initiatives towards SD goals, as HEIs are responsible for the education and training of hundreds of thousands of students who will be occupying key positions in industry, government or education in the coming years. Originality/value: The study contributes to the existing literature in two distinct ways. First, it was possible to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure sustainability practices in HEIs. Second, this study has filled the gap of the scarcity of studies regarding sustainability practices in HEIs in Asia.

The recent global pandemic has conveyed emergency remote teaching (ERT) specifically the blended approach, an indispensable alternative teaching and learning delivery in formal schools. In Brunei secondary schools, the blended learning approach formed the core 'Continuity Learning Plan' for instruction along with the mandated educational changes accruing to the social and economic challenges of the twenty-first century learning system. Its widespread adaptation underlies teachers' transitional initiatives and practices which must have reshaped the structural climate and relational dynamics of conventional instruction. Espousing the continuous learning model, this paper envisages to investigate the adaptive-related practices of Bruneian secondary school teachers and learners employing blended learning. Qualitative research approach with semi-structured interview was adopted in the study with respondents comprising of 18 teachers and 13 students. Thematic coding and recursive analysis of data revealed seven (7) dimensions or centre points of blended learning and teaching practices, namely: technological, interactive and effectiveness, added value, feasibility, pedagogical, institutional support and evaluation of success. In general, results suggest the "Hub-and-Spokes" model that organic support, integrated implementation and professional readiness are germane to the adaption of a functional and manageable blended delivery approach.

This paper focuses on designing a comprehensibility test and a questionnaire for spoken world Englishes in Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, and utilizing the test to investigate the comprehension of Burmese, Cambodians, Indonesians, Laotians, Thais and Vietnamese. We reviewed the demarcation of users of English based on Kachru's (1984, 1985) three concentric models within the bloc's context where two circles--Outer Circle and Expanding Circle are present. The findings established a moderate comprehensibility level of Expanding Circle listeners toward the speakers of the Outer Circle. The variations of comprehensibility scores paved way for the exploration of the comprehension scores' possible relationships with language proficiencies, attitudes toward speakers, familiarity of spoken variety, historical origins of languages, and political ambiance between and among ASEAN nations. (Contains 8 tables and 1 figure.) [Work on this paper was partly supported by Prince of Songkla University's Graduate School Grant.]

The predicted widespread use of English as a lingua franca following ASEAN's 2015 integration mushroomed intelligibility studies between and among Asean nationals including Bruneians, Burmese, Cambodians, Filipinos, Indonesians, Laotians, Malaysians, Singaporeans, Thais and Vietnamese. Previous studies regarding ASEAN nationals' intelligibility and/or comprehensibility were reviewed. This paper presents a study of five exposures that relate to the intelligibility and/or comprehensibility within world Englishes speaker-listener paradigm. They are exposures to English through education, work experiences, outside the classroom (non-educational settings), social media, and travel and stay abroad. The Comprehensibility Testing Flowchart was used as the main framework of the study and data analysis. The findings show that there are positive correlations and significances between the five variables and the comprehensibility levels Aseans gained in the comprehensibility test. Questionnaire is appended. (Contains 1 note, 1 figure, and 6 tables.) [Work on this paper was partly supported by Prince of Songkla University's Graduate School Grant.]

The School of Engineering and Design Multidisciplinary Project (MDP) at Brunel University is a one week long project based activity involving first year undergraduate students from across the School subject areas of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Design. This paper describes the main aims of the MDP and gives an overview of how it has developed over the last four years to become a key part of the engineering undergraduate programme at Brunel University. The paper then presents an in-depth evaluation of the MDP, following the collection of 114 survey responses from students across all four subject areas and all four academic years that have participated in the activity, to assess the impact of the MDP on the student learning experience throughout the period of undergraduate study. The paper also discusses feedback about the MDP obtained from the relevant professional bodies that accredit Brunel University undergraduate engineering programmes, and representatives from the Brunel Placement and Careers Centre, to assess their opinions of the usefulness of the project activity in developing key transferable skills and enhancing the employability of Brunel graduates. The findings of this study will ensure the continued success of the MDP in future academic years and also provide a case study of a large scale multidisciplinary group project teaching activity that may prove useful to those considering or currently developing such activities at other higher education institutions.

The socio-cultural settings of English-language and English-medium classrooms are intrinsically bi/multilingual and bi/multicultural as both learners and teachers bring their multiple identities and home-community languages and sociolinguistic practices into the classroom. However, more often than not in such contexts, monolingual ideologies are the guiding principle for the top-down language education policies of "one-language only" which often create conflict and tension. In a postcolonial context, this paper looks at how monolingual ideologies and policies construct L1 as "the linguistic other" in face-to-face interaction in English classrooms which are defined as "English-only". It also shows how the essentialisation of the English classroom's socio-cultural spaces as non-local is met with resistance through the use of L1 which is informed by the local/national ideologies and constructs English as "the other". Against such a conflict scenario, it finds that code-switching is employed by the participants in some classrooms to achieve pedagogical goals and to resolve the tension which also deconstructs the positioning of both English and L1 as "the linguistic other". The paper employs multilayered analyses and draws on data from ethnographic research based in the classroom and community contexts. The data includes, amongst other, transcripts of classroom interactions and opinions of teachers and students about their language choices in such interactions. The findings of the paper suggest that an appreciation of the potential of the positive power, the constructive resistance and the resource argument of L1 use in English classrooms can lead to deconstructing the essentialist meanings of "the linguistic other". (Contains 4 footnotes.)

This paper explores the role of higher education institutions in enhancing the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) ecosystem in Brunei Darussalam, particularly with regard to improving the spirit of entrepreneurship and the motivation to seek opportunities independently to propel the country's transition economy forward. A qualitative methodology was adopted for data collection, using semi-structured interviews with Bruneian and German SME owner/managers and sales representatives. The economics perspective of the institutional framework was employed to identify the formal and informal constraints faced by SMEs in Brunei Darussalam. Recommendations are offered to inform the relevant stakeholders about the key issues faced by SMEs so that appropriate forms of guidance and benchmarking can be provided to facilitate the country's economic development.

Many nations have attempted to create different language-in-education policies that would cater not only to the needs of learners but also to the demands of preserving a country's native languages. The emergence of multilingual education has led to a proliferation of research that shows the benefits of using a learner's first language. These issues have led the authors to investigate the different language-in-education policies of Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda, and how they establish students' first languages as a medium of instruction. This paper examined 30 research articles with the goal of providing an in-depth understanding of each country's policies and implementation practices. The study also explored the different challenges and pedagogical implications of these policies to better understand emerging issues and insights. An identified issue is the devaluation of one's first language due to people's negative perspectives and poor policy planning. It was also not surprising that most of these developing communities understand the importance of English as a language of globalization. Thus, emphasizing the importance of establishing one's first language and strengthening the use of the English language in educational systems are two important considerations for policy planning.

This paper presents findings on the application of Google Docs as a collaborative writing platform for a research report assignment. Based on a mixed method study, 34 first year students were put into eight groups of four to five and tasked with writing a research report. Four groups adopted Google Docs to discuss and develop the assignment whilst the other four groups adopted a more traditional face-to-face approach. Two sets of questionnaires, pre and post to the assignment, were distributed to investigate students' attitude and preference towards both approaches. Findings indicate that students shared mixed feelings towards Google Docs where students without prior experience found it a positive experience and useful for their learning. Students preferred the real-time accessibility and time-saving features of the platform as compared to face-to-face, with results indicating that a blended approach of online and face-to-face meetings is the best approach to maximise student learning.

The advent of technology has facilitated the study of language development and writing development in the form of learner corpora. While learner corpus studies have flourished in recent years, few consider evaluative language development. This paper reports on a study which examines the use of evaluative that-clauses, a linguistic structure that is regularly used to express evaluation in academic writing, in a longitudinal corpus of 304 argumentative essays written by a group of undergraduate students at a university in Brunei. Results suggest students' dynamic use of language resources over time, and support the findings of previous research on the use of evaluative that-clauses by undergraduate students in other contexts of learning. This study, based on an approach to treating learner language in its own right, contributes to the understanding of the nature of language development. Implications for language teaching, including a revised role for teacher feedback and the use of longitudinal learner corpora for students' learning, are considered.

Improving the learning experiences of student teachers in a school-university partnership has always been an agenda for those involved in initial teacher preparation (ITP) programmes. In the pursuit of this improvement, this paper presents an argument in favour of a cultural approach to understand learning at school placements and university in a school-university partnership. Drawing on data from a completed qualitative field study of a group of student teachers enrolled in a one-year teacher training programme, a learning culture approach is used to illustrate that learning through participating in the practices within the learning sites in a school-university partnership is central to becoming a teacher. Accepting this premise, the article attempts to discuss the implications of using a cultural approach for understanding the learning process involved in a school-university partnership. The article also addresses the issue of ways in which we could advance our thinking in improving valuable learning experiences of student teachers through using a cultural approach.

Research on engineering practice is scarce and sharing of qualitative research data can reduce the effort required for an aspiring researcher to obtain enough data from engineering workplaces to draw generalizable conclusions, both qualitative and quantitative. This paper describes how a large shareable qualitative data set on engineering practices was accumulated from 350 interviews and 12 field studies performed by the principal investigator and by students conducting PhD and capstone research projects. Ethical research practice required that sharing and reuse of qualitative data be considered from the start. The researchers' interests and methods were aligned to maintain sufficient consistency to support subsequent analysis and re-analysis of data. Analysis helped to answer questions of fundamental significance for engineering educators: what do engineers do, and why are the performances of engineering enterprises so different in South Asia compared with similar enterprises in Australia? Analysis also demonstrated the overwhelming significance of technical collaboration in engineering practice. Conceiving engineering practice as a series of technical collaboration performances requires a more elaborate understanding of social interactions than is currently the case in engineering schools. Another finding is that global engineering competency could be better described in terms of "working with people who collaborate differently". Research helped to demonstrate that formal treatment of technical collaboration in an engineering curriculum could help avoid student misconceptions about engineering practice that hinder their subsequent engineering performances.

This paper aims to explore how the use of lesson study approach with a constructivist framework could enhance Year 9 students' conceptions of pressure specifically on the topic of manometer reading in determining gas pressure. A diagnostic test was first administered to three Year 10 classes to help teachers identify student difficulties in learning the topic. Four cycles of lesson study was carried out on four classes, three from one school and an additional confirmatory cycle conducted in a class from a different school. Four tests of pre-, post, delayed and confirmatory were conducted in order to identify students' misconceptions and their conceptual understanding. The results of the study showed that with the use of the improved lesson design positive progress were achieved on the understanding of pressure to assist the reading of manometers to determine gas pressure.

In recent years, the discipline of Asian Studies has struggled to adapt to a changing world and has seen a decline in student interest. A discourse about this issue has emerged that attributes this "crisis" in Asian Studies to various supposed faults in its forms of knowledge production, and that looks with hope to Asia for new forms of knowledge about the region. This paper takes issue with this discourse by employing an autoethnographic narrative to examine the ways in which mobility has affected the discipline of Asian Studies. It traces a path, followed by this author and many others, from an affective fascination with a foreign society to the professional production of knowledge. It then examines how this professional knowledge production has transformed under the influence of different forms of mobility (state-sponsored, private, and global digital), transformations that have led to the current "crisis" in Asian Studies.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how web-based science curriculum materials designed to develop autonomous learners can succeed in Brunei. In this instruction, designed to prepare students to independently explore new topics, students and teachers take new roles. Students collaborate with a peer to engage in inquiry and teachers monitor progress and guide students rather than leading the class. Design/methodology/approach: The authors studied two Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) units (photosynthesis and cellular respiration) developed using the knowledge integration framework. The framework promotes autonomous learning by building on the diverse ideas that students bring to science lessons and encouraging them to distinguish among their own ideas and those they encounter when using scientific visualizations. In a study on "How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School", Bransford et al. (1999) suggest that the students' preconceptions of how the world works must be engaged, as failing to do so may hinder them from grasping new concepts and information that are taught. Two intact classes of students from two secondary schools in Brunei each studied one of the WISE units. Observations revealed that students could work in pairs to jointly engage in inquiry with encouragement from teachers. Embedded assessments and interviews were analyzed to show how students linked observable events and scientific ideas when explaining the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy in photosynthesis. Findings: Significant gains in knowledge integration show that Brunei students who collaboratively study WISE inquiry units can autonomously succeed. Specifically, students using WISE were able to construct complex ideas about photosynthesis and cellular respiration by linking observable events and scientific ideas while working autonomously with infrequent teacher monitoring. Originality/value: The paper provides invaluable insights into ways in which web-based learning supports students to become autonomous learners.

In most initial teacher preparation (ITP) programmes, learning in teaching placements is considered to be an important component for providing workplace learning experiences to develop the skills of being a teacher. This paper is based on a bigger qualitative study which explored the learning experiences of a group of in-service student vocational teachers prior to and during their one-year ITP programme in Brunei. The study examined these student teachers' dispositions to learning as revealed through their experiences on different placements during their training. The findings of this paper highlight the importance of the student vocational teachers' roles and positions relative to their teaching placements. Theoretically, the findings also extend Bourdieu's thinking, where existing cultural capital in the form of subject knowledge which is valued in one context does not necessarily help the learning of individuals in becoming a vocational teacher in another context. In addition, the paper argues for a need to reconceptualise in-service teacher education, more specifically, the workplace learning aspect. Lastly, it concludes with recommendations to support these student teachers in their placements through creating more expansive learning environments.

In a context of rapid economic growth, skills development systems have become increasingly important to countries in Southeast Asia in response to skills gaps generated by changing labour-market conditions. Countries in the region have no alternative but to invest in the development and maintenance of these systems. This paper asserts that in doing so they should recognise the importance of adopting a definition of skills that encompasses cognitive and soft skills as well as technical skills, they should regard as being essential to the development of effective labour market information systems, and they should adopt and institutional frameworks that are adequate to the task of managing complex and effective national skills development systems.

This paper reports a survey conducted with the intention of responding to recent calls for more evidence on the experiences of SENA teachers since implementation of policies around inclusive education. The data provide a tentative information about perceptions among teachers currently employed by the Ministry of Education as SENA teachers. The data were collected through the use of questionnaires distributed during a series of professional development workshops held with SENA teachers throughout the country.

In this paper, I address a perceived gap in the lifelong learning literature. There is very little research which addresses how learning should be construed, when individuals transition across a longitudinal span of their working life. This transition which could be viewed as a process of "becoming somebody", often oversimplifies the full complexity of individuals' learning experiences. Using a sociocultural perspective, the paper explores the lived experiences of individuals in the process of becoming a vocational teacher, in order to help conceptualise the individuals' learning through their working life. The study draws upon data from a completed research on a group of vocational education trainee teachers learning to teach. This paper argues that learning varies significantly from individual to individual, time to time, context to context and also in different stages of individuals' lives. This transition could be viewed as an individual learning journey, through understanding the interrelationship between individuals and the contexts, across the individuals' lives. Drawing from this understanding, the individual's agency is presented as a way that individuals construct their own lifecourse through the actions and choices they made within the opportunities and constraints of the context. The findings of the study also contribute to the understanding of changes, from the individual learner's perspective, which could be useful for policy and practice relating to lifelong learning.

The primary focus of the research study described in this paper was to assess the status quo of teachers' use of Information and Communication Technology in teaching in terms of the factors that influence their use. Using a survey questionnaire, data was collected from a total of 1,891 secondary school teachers in all government schools in Negara Brunei Darussalam. Structural equation modelling, using AMOS 5.0 software, was employed as the major statistical analytic technique for a series of data analyses and assessment of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the theoretical model that underpinned the study. Findings presented in this paper indicate that Bruneian teachers' use of ICT in teaching was influenced by their personal (attitude), social (subjective norms), and control (perceived behavioural control) factors.

This paper will discuss on how sand therapy (as one type of play therapies) can be applied as an additional technique or approach in counseling. The research questions for this study are to see what are the development, challenges faced by the therapist during the sessions given and how sand therapy can aid to the progress of the client. It is a single case design where one student from one of the secondary schools in Brunei Darussalam was involved as a client. The client was having family problems which led to various problems. Researcher used four methods of collecting data namely; interview, recording, photos and sand tray. Data was analysed through the techniques of sharing, exploring of issues through the organisation of objects in the sand tray. Results showed that the clients can be helped through several sessions of sand therapy in addition to individual counseling sessions.

This paper presents primary school teachers' conceptions of "assessment for learning" in government schools in Brunei Darussalam. The Ministry of Education in Brunei introduced a 21st century education system (codenamed SPN21) in 2007 and one of the initiatives brought by SPN21 was the implementation of School Based Assessment for Learning (SBAfL). Prior to SBAfL, assessment in primary government schools was highly examination oriented, which placed a great emphasis on "assessment of learning" rather than "assessment for learning." The current study sought to explore teachers' experiences in implementing SBAfL in government primary schools in Brunei. A qualitative approach to research using phenomenographic methodology was applied to provide in-depth insights into the ways in which these teachers applied assessment for learning in their lessons, having been teaching for many years in an education system that was highly examination oriented. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used as the main data collection instrument. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed to form categories of description depicting the qualitatively different ways in which these teachers experienced assessment for learning (SBAfL). A total of four categories of description emerged from the data analysis, and the findings suggest variations in the ways in which assessment for learning is conceptualised by the teachers, which in turn, may affect the effective implementation of SBAfL in promoting a 21st century education system in Brunei.

The central place of the learning environment and the personal characteristics of the learner in influencing whether students adopt deep or surface approaches to learning is well evidenced in the literature (for example, Marton & Saljo, 1976; Biggs, 1987; Entwhistle, 2001; Ramsden, 2003). For this reason, tertiary educators are constantly seeking opportunities to provide best practice in their university classrooms. Yet simply motivating students to participate in class does not necessarily alter overall learning styles (Herington & Weaven, 2008). Although the term "learning style" is somewhat problematic (Richardson, 2000), previous research has shown that students' tendency towards a particular learning strategy affects their learning-related performance (Heikkila & Lonka, 2006). This suggests that the process of "unlearning" previous learning styles may pose a significant problem for academics if they hope to change their students' learning processes from surface to deep learning. As a profession, teaching at the tertiary level obviously draws upon a formal knowledge base. An important step in the translation of the formal knowledge base to enlightened practice is to draw upon tertiary students' experiential and informal knowledge. What learning-related concepts, and misconceptions do they hold? What is going on in the students' minds? Specifically, this paper will provide information on how three pre-service students currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts (Primary) course at the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE), Univeristi of Brunei Daurssalam, Brunei Darussalam, approach study and how this approach can affect their concepts of learning. (Contains 2 tables.)

There is not just one mathematics taught at university level, nor is there one group of students. Mathematics is taught differently depending on the discipline and the perceived background of the student. There is engineering mathematics for the students heading towards engineering degrees, life science mathematics for those heading towards biology degrees and so on. This paper considers the phases of transitions that students experience as they embark on a course of study and then go on to professional life. We make inferences about the ways the curriculum should be designed to alleviate the difficulties of these phases as well as to take account of the capabilities that graduates will require in the workplace. It is not only where students are coming from that affects their learning but where they are heading to, in combination with their perceptions of that destination. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

A recent study has provided some indication of the types of teaching strategies that Learning Assistance Teachers and Regular Teachers in Brunei Darussalam are likely to use. This paper will describe, briefly, the background, policy and teacher education initiatives towards inclusive education, as well as some relevant aspects of the study, especially in respect of the perceived teacher efficacy, instructional adaptations and collaborative roles in inclusive classrooms. In discussing future directions, it is proposed that the thoughtful teaching paradigm is applied in developing more thoughtful strategies in inclusive education. Specific examples will be presented to illustrate how some of the proposed teaching strategies could be more creative, reflective, responsible and reciprocal in order to cater to the diverse needs of students in Brunei Darussalam.