Changing the English language curriculum in Brunei Darussalam

This paper describes the development of a language project in Brunei Darussalam, a project aimed at improving English language learning and fostering positive reading interests. In-service teachers were trained to change from traditional textbook-based techniques to an activity-based approach integrating the practice of aural-oral and writing skills. The major components of project implementation will be discussed to demonstrate the optimization of available resources, particularly available expertise in teacher skill and language competence. This project provides an interesting example of an attempt to satisfy the practical demands of policy-makers while adhering to research standards of evaluation studies.     

文莱大学办学特点研究——基于文莱高等教育发展的视角

文莱大学作为文莱高等教育系统的领头羊,引领文莱高等教育的发展.因受其本国历史、经济、宗教文化影响深刻,呈现出异于它国大学的办学特点.在文莱高等教育发展历史的大背景下,通过对文莱大学办学特点的反思与理性认识,挖掘其可资借鉴的办学经验,为我国高等教育改革和发展提供参考和借鉴效用.     

Action Research,the State and Legitimation in Brunei Darussalam

The introduction of postgraduate programmes at the Institute of Education, Universiti Brunei Darussalam indicates that educational research will play a central role in teacher education. While there is widespread agreement on the appropriateness of action research, little consideration has been given to the degree to which it is compatible with cultural and political expectations of the teacher's role. This paper argues that rather than improve educational practice as envisioned by constructivists, action research may be used by the state to legitimize existing educational policies. Since schools are a major socialization agency in this small, Malay-Islamic state, it will be difficult for teachers to modify their traditional teaching and problem-solving strategies, let alone question educational policies. The paper suggests that when interpreted within a broader political framework, action research is likely to be appropriated by the state to delimit research and legitimize existing policies and social arrangements of the school, thereby strengthening the status quo.     

English Language Teaching in Brunei Darussalam: Continuity and Change

In this paper, the authors trace the development of education and the issue of language in education in Brunei Darussalam from 1906 to the present. They look at some of the planned and unplanned language programmes and initiatives, and discuss the problems encountered in implementing some of these initiatives.     

Caught between tradition and modernity: technical-vocational education in Brunei Darussalam

In the Seventh National Development Plan 1996–2000, the government of Brunei Darussalam has stressed the need to diversify the economy in an attempt to render the country less dependent on oil and gas revenues. Technical-vocational education (TVE) is part of the government's human capital approach to manpower development and is thought to be essential to achieving economic diversification as well as a means to engage more Brunei citizens in the development process. However, judging from recent information divulged by the government, the investment in TVE has yielded low returns. Many Bruneians reject employment in the private and commercial sectors of the economy thus raising questions about the long term viability of government policy. The paper examines the relationship between Brunei's rentier economy and Malay-Islamic values as plausible explanations for the limited success of TVE. The paper concludes by recommending policy options in the education and economic sectors that could conceivably enhance the role of TVE during this period of economic transition.     

Accomplishing lessons in postcolonial classrooms: comparative perspectives from Botswana and Brunei Darussalam

Drawing on observations and audio‐recordings of classroom language use in two postcolonial societies, the Republic of Botswana in Africa and the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam in south‐east Asia, this study seeks to explore how teachers and pupils face the challenge of accomplishing teaching and learning using a language which is not their own. In both Botswana and Brunei Darussalam, English is the official language of instruction for some subjects from mid‐primary school level. Unlike many comparative studies which concentrate on the macro or national level, the focus of this study is the micro‐level of classroom interaction. The study shows that there are both similarities and differences across the two contexts in the ways teachers and pupils engage with language(s) through a range of monolingual and bilingual strategies. In comparing the discourses of primary‐level classrooms in Botswana and Brunei Darussalam, the study demonstrates the tensions in the language policies and practices in the two postcolonial countries. The pressure of globalisation has resulted in the privileging of imported over indigenous languages and the study shows the pragmatic responses of the classroom participants in the two contexts.     

Learning Environment and its Association with Student Satisfaction Among Mathematics Students in Brunei Darussalam

This article reports a study of lower secondary mathematics classroom learning environment in Brunei Darussalam and its association with students' satisfaction with learning mathematics among a sample of 1565 students from 81 classes in 15 government secondary schools. Students' perceptions of the classroom learning environments were assessed with a version of the My Class Inventory (MCI) that had been modified for the Brunei context. The study revealed a satisfactory factor structure for a refined three-scale version of the MCI assessing cohesiveness, difficulty and competition. This finding is noteworthy because the factorial validity of the MCI has not previously been established in past research in other countries. Also each scale displayed satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity and was able to differentiate between the perceptions of students in different classes. A one-way MANOVA revealed that students generally perceived a positive learning environment in mathematics classes. Also the study supported earlier research suggesting that boys and girls hold different perceptions of the same classroom learning environments. Relationships between student satisfaction and classroom environment were investigated using simple and multiple correlation analyses, using both the individual student and class mean as units of analysis. Associations between satisfaction and the learning environment were statistically significant both at student and class levels for most MCI scales. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

文莱华教之现状

本文从文莱的教育背景、华校与学生的基本情况、华校的办学特色与学制情况等方面对文莱的华文教育进行了相关分析，在此基础上，对文莱华文教育的未来发展趋势作了展望。     

全纳教育、全纳学校、全纳社会

全纳教育是一个全新的教育理念 ,也是国际教育研究的一个新领域。全纳教育的理念需要全纳学校来实践 ,因而全纳学校是不同于以往的普通学校和特殊学校、也不同于后来的一体化学校 ,它是一种新型的教育模式 ,在教育、社会、经济方面均具有极大意义。全纳教育理念和全纳学校实践的目的是要促进形成一种追求社会公正、机会平等和民主参与的全纳社会。为此 ,在现存社会中对阻碍这种追求的任何障碍都应该加以确认、质疑和消除。全纳教育的理念指导我们实施全纳学校 ,全纳学校的实践促使我们走向全纳社会。     

文莱教育简介

文莱国全名为文莱达鲁萨兰国（Brunei Darusalam）。旧译“婆罗乃”,中国古籍称之为“渤泥国”,已有1400多年的历史。自古为酋长统治。15世纪伊斯兰教传人,建立苏丹国。16世纪中叶,葡萄牙、西班牙、荷兰、英国等相继入侵,1888年沦为英国的保护国,1941年被日本占领,1946年再守沦为英国保护国。1984年1月1日,文莱宣布完全独立。独立以后．     

Causes of Educational Failure among Elementary School Students in Brunei Darussalam as Perceived by Mathematics and Science Teachers

This study investigated causes of school failure among elementary school students in Brunei Darussalam. Fifty-two specialist mathematics and science teachers were involved in the investigation using a questionnaire. The student factor identified to be the most important was related to students' poor command of the English language. Lack of interest in learning was another important influencing factor in students' failure. Parental factors perceived to be the most important were lack of supervision of their children's activities at home and reluctance to make school visits to see teachers about their children's academic progress. The influence of teacher factors on educational failure was perceived to be less important.     

文莱高等教育述评

文莱的高等教育由于历史的原因起步较晚,1985年才有属于自己的第一所大学。不过文莱政府高度重视教育的发展,采取开放式办教育的策略．积极汲取国际先进办学经验．使得高等教育自开始就得到了较快较好的发展。     

全纳教育哲学与教育民主

全纳教育的哲学是让所有公民享受平等的教育机会 ,在全面参与与合作中 ,让每个人达到充分发展。这种教育哲学体现了受教育机会的民主、教学与管理的民主以及师生关系的民主等教育民主化思想。我国要通过发展全纳教育、改革教育制度、提高教师素质等途径促进教育民主化进程     

全纳教育的具体落实:全纳学校

自1994年“全纳教育”理念提出以来,本着实现全民教育、形成全纳社会的目的,不少国家都进行了全纳教育的研究和实践。学校参与全纳教育计划是发展全纳教育、具体落实全纳教育的重要途径,如何选择实验学校、引导和帮助学校实现全纳的转变,是全纳教育研究的重要课题。     

智力障碍儿童全纳教育的多元教学模式

将智力障碍儿童安置在普通学校中 ,使他们接受合适的教育 ,是一个目前正在探索和迫切需要解决的问题。杭州市萧山区分别从智力障碍儿童在普通学校学习的学制问题与教学组织形式问题、智力障碍儿童教育实施中如何进行有效的资源优化整合问题、智力障碍儿童教学的校本教材确定与教学以及智力障碍儿童教育中教学方法改进四个方面突破 ,形成了多元化的随班就读教育模式 ,不仅为该区特殊教育事业的发展开拓了道路 ,而且也为我国其他地区特殊教育事业的发展提供了借鉴。     

融合教育中的同伴作用策略

同伴作用是融合教育中需要予以特别重视的问题,其决定着融合教育的质量,它可以分担教师的工作压力和拓展融合教育的发展。常用的同伴作用策略有同伴指导、合作学习和反向融合。同伴作用策略的实施应着眼于满足残障儿童的特殊需要,形成系统的计划和关注全体学生的发展。     

Perspective towards Inclusive Education in Macao

Inclusive education has become one of the major concems of education policy in every part of world nowadays. This paper is written to investigate the implementation of inclusion education in Macao. Data collection is done through conducting telephone interviews and giving out questionnaires, and targets of the questionnaires include administrative staff and teachers in schools where inclusive education are implemented and parents of students with special needs. Telephone interviews are made mainly with school principals. Findings show that inclusive education in Macao is still at the developing stage and the main reasons are the inadequacy in teacher training and the lacking of professionals in particular fields. In accordance with the problems found, suggestions for reference and improvement are raised towards the end of the paper. Hope inclusive Education in Macao will have a better development in the future.