BackgroundBrunei started implementing its two main reformed teacher education programs, MTeach and MEd, in 2009. The reasons for these innovations included upgrading the standard of teacher training, increasing teaching effectiveness, and improving the quality of education in the country. The purpose of this study was to determine how student teachers coped with and sought help on the challenging programs.MethodsUsing an online survey design, 76 randomly selected recent graduate teachers responded appropriately to questionnaires administered to them by email. The obtained quantitative research information included demographic, coping, and help-seeking data, all analyzed by SPSS Version 22.ResultsParticipants endorsed both the productive and nonproductive coping strategies. In addition, they depended more on peers, teachers and internet sources for help. Four major findings were obtained. First, task-oriented coping was the most important and significant predictor of success on the MTeach and MEd programs. Second, females had a higher likelihood of success compared to males (OR = 22.760, 95 % CI for OR = 12.848–40.320). Third, students who consulted relevant internet resources had higher odds for succeeding compared to those who did not (OR = 2.237, 95 % CI 1.196–4.183). Fourth, less-able students who collaboratively worked with the more-able peers were nearly two times more likely to perform better than those who did not (OR = 1.982, 95 % CI 1.082–3.630).ConclusionsCoping and help-seeking were positively and significantly related to academic achievement on the two Brunei main teacher education programs. Evidence from the present study suggested that vulnerable and at-risk trainee teachers needed appropriate interventions (educational, counseling and psychotherapy) related to effective use of task-oriented coping and seeking help via cooperative learning, internet sources, and teacher consultations,. Further research with interview probes was recommended to gain additional information on the problem and its solutions.

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The main purpose of this study was to investigate the views of the teachers on the use of primary history textbooks in their history classroom lessons in Brunei Darussalam, and whether their views were aligned with the aims and objectives of history education at the primary levels. Interviews with five teachers were conducted and the interview data were categorised into five broad conceptual themes related to the use of textbooks; priorities of the use in the classroom, perceptions in the use for lesson preparation, interpretations of the history curriculum in the classroom, relationship with the use and aligning it with the aims and objectives of the curriculum, and finally, the views about textbook content. The findings revealed that there exists an apparent lack of knowledge of the sample interviewed in interpreting the aims and objectives of the history curriculum in their classroom practice. There may be implications on the quality of students' learning of history at the primary level if teachers do not have sufficient understanding on the needs of the curriculum.

This study investigated the effectiveness in implementing the Flipped Classroom model in teaching History and to identify the students' perceptions using this approach towards their learning. The chosen History topic was on 'James Brooke's activities in Sarawak in the 1840s'. The sample consisted of twelve students from two Year 9 classes in one of the secondary schools in Brunei Darussalam. In adopting the Flipped Classroom approach, the students were required to watch a video lesson outside the classroom setting. To measure its effectiveness, a test instrument was used, and five students were interviewed. The findings revealed that the utilisation of this instructional method was effective in teaching History, as there were improvements in the students' test results. The analyses of the students' perceptions using this approach revealed that while some students believed that it helped them improve in their communication and writing skills, others did not perceive it effective for their learning.

The topic on Inequalities is one of the main topics in