The usage of ICT for teaching at a Bhutanese college

Students today are connected through computers, instant messaging, intranet, internet, and cell phones. In order to cater to the students' experience with technology, corresponding changes in pedagogy and curriculum should happen. Students in Bhutan are also exposed to technologies like any other students in the world. The number of internet users has been on the rise in Bhutan, and is recognized by the country's political leadership. In line with this development, Bhutan is embarking on a comprehensive process of education reform with teachers and teacher education at the centre. Samtse College of Education (SCE) as one of the teacher education colleges under Royal University of Bhutan is a key player in the reform process. The college has introduced learning management systems, ICT support for administration, and blended online distance education.
In order to examine the usage of ICT in teaching by the lecturers of SCE, a preliminary investigation was carried out. The study consists of a survey and a focus group interview dealing with the broad themes skills and competence, attitude and motivation, and access to resources and internet. The findings from this investigation reveal a general agreement on the use of ICT as an enabling factor for effective delivery of lessons. However, the motivation level among faculty is found to be low, which was related to resource constraints, lack of IT support, and poor and unstable internet connection. There are also variations amongst the lecturers in terms of competences, professional training, skill level and in their individual use of ICT for teaching. We conclude by discussing the general relevance of these findings, as well as outlining future research.