Dr. Sonam Rinchen, Assoc. Professor

Philosophy of work:

Sonam Rinchen, PhD is a teacher educator at Samtse College of Education, Royal University of Bhutan. He has taught chemistry, chemistry education, research methods and other educational modules to the pre-service and in-service teachers. He is a passionate teacher and keen researcher. His research interests include teacher education and women studies. He is also interested in the study of emotions and emotional climate of science classrooms both at the school and university level.Besides teaching and research, he has designed a number of courses for Bachelor in Education, Diploma in Science laboratory Management, Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and Masters in Science Education at Samtse College of Education, Royal University of Bhutan.

Academic/Educational Qualification:

  •  Ph. D(Emotional Climate in science education class), QUT, Brisbane, Australia (2014).
  • Ed (Curriclum and Instruction, Sc Education), University of New Brunswick, Canada (2001).
  • B.Ed (Education), National Institute of Education, Samtse, Bhutan (1992).

Professional experience:

  • Reviewer of journal article. RABSEL: The CERD Journal, PCE, RUB, Paro Bhutan since 2015
  • Managing Editor of Rig-Gter: Academic Journal of NIE Samtse (from 2007 to 2012).
  • Managing Editor of EIP-A Biannual Journal of SCE Samtse (from 2015 to 2017).
  • Member of International Society for Teacher Education (ISTE), since 2008
  • Member of Australian Teachers Education Association (ATEA), since 2009
  • Resourced induction programme for Assistant lecturers of RUB, at SCE, Samtse, 2014.
  • Ran action research sessions for lecturers from RUB as part of CULT programme in 2011 at SCE.
  • Resourced workshop on Action Research for Schools teachers at Samtse Dzongkhag, Samtse, 2018.
  • Resourced workshop on Action Research for Schools Principals from the Eastern region at Trashigang Dzongkhag, Trashigang, 2019.

Current responsibilities:

  • Dean of Research and Industrial Linkages
  • Module tutor for M.Ed, B.Ed and PgDE
  • Ed research supervisor – 5 students, 2019

Publications (If any):

Book chapters

Jamtsho, S., & Rinchen, S. (2010). The emergence of distance education in South Asia. In J

Baggaley & T Belawati (Eds.), Distance education technology in Asia (pp. 1-32).Singapore: Routledge.

Jamtsho, S., & Rinchen, S. (2010). Accessibility, acceptance and effects of distance education

in South Asia. In J Baggaley & T Belawati (Eds.), Distance education technology in Asia (pp. 33-56). Singapore: Routledge.

Dekar, S., Lhamo, J., & Rinchen, S. (2016). Meditation: A jewel for reflective teaching. In M      Powietrzynska  & K Tobin  (Eds.), Mindfulness and educating citizens for everyday life.

Boston: Sense Publishers.

Lhamo, J., Gayphel, K., Rinchen, S., & Dekar, S. (2017). Dynamics of Mindfulness for

Purposeful Living. In M Powietrzynska & K Tobin  (Eds.), Weaving Complementary Knowledge Systems and Mindfulness to Educate a Literate Citizenry for Sustainable and Healthy Lives. Boston: Sense Publishers.

 Journal articles 

Rinchen, S., Ritchie, S., & Bellocchi, A. (2015). Emotional climate of a pre-service science teacher

education class in Bhutan. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 10 (4), 22-43. doi 10.1007/s11422-014-9658-0

Rinchen, S. (2009). Developing reflective thinking: Encouraging pre-service teachers to

be responsible for their own learning. http://atea.edu.au/ConfPapers/2009/Non-Refereed/ Rinchen.pdf

Rinchen, S. (1999). Why do Children fare better in English than Dzongkha in the schools of Bhutan?,

ERIC, USA. ED 433 703.

Rinchen, S. (2007). Environmental Sustainability and Teacher Education. RABSEL: The

CERD Journal, PCE, RUB, Paro Bhutan, 10, 124-154.

Powdel, T.S., Graham, W., Rinchen, S., & Others (2007). The State of Our Nation’s Teachers: An

Enquiry into Teaching Profession. The CERD Journal, PCE, RUB, Paro Bhutan.

Rinchen, S. (2012). Student-teachers’ perceptions of the B. Ed programmes offered at SCE and its

impact on the teaching-learning in the schools. Rig-Gter: The College Journal SCE, Samtse,6, 1-32.

Rinchen, S. (2012). Emotional climate of B. Ed I science class in Samtse College of Education. Rig-

Gter: The College Journal SCE, Samtse,6, 62-84.

Rinchen, S. (2007). Culture and environmental sustainability. Rig-Gter: The College Journal SCE,

Samtse,2, 39-49.

Rinchen, S. (2006). Issue related to teaching practice and its implementation in the schools. Rig-

Gter: The College Journal SCE, Samtse,1, 50-75.

Rinchen, S. (2016). Cogenerative dialogue to transform classroom practices of pre-service science

teachers. Educational Innovation and Practice: A biannual journal of Samtse College of Education, 1(1), 19-28.

Jatsho, S. & Rinchen, S. (2016). Strategies for Teaching Physics: An Action Research. Educational

Innovation and Practice: A Biannual Journal of Samtse College of Education, 1(1), 53-66.

Rinchen, S. (2006). Effectiveness of Strategies in Teaching Chemistry: View from the

Front. RABSEL: The CERD Journal, PCE, RUB, Paro Bhutan, 9, 79-102.

Rinchen, S. (2003). Bhutanese Girl’s Attitude to Science and the Impact of Science on

Career Choice. RABSEL: The CERD Journal, PCE, RUB, Paro Bhutan, 3, 21-70.

Seden, K., Maxwell, T., & Rinchen, S. (2016). Enhancing reflective writing skills of pre-

service B.Ed secondary science student-teachers: An action research study in Bhutan. International Journal of Education Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 1-16.

Utha, K., Rinchen, S., Gurung, B., Gurung, G., Rabgay, T., & Dorji, C. (2016).

Entrepreneurship Education in Bhutan: Perception, Culture and Challenges. World Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 460.

Awards:

National Order of Merit Gold for Excellence in Teaching, 2014.

Interest:

  • Teaching both at the school and university level
  • Research interests in the areas of teacher education, women studies, study of emotions, emotional climate of classrooms, and action research.
  • Research supervision.
  • Programme development

Email address: srinchen.sce@rub.edu.bt