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Transformative Education for Gross National Happiness: A Teacher Action Research Project in Bhutan

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The Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research

Abstract

This chapter describes a web-assisted transformative action research approach to foster teacher empowerment for personal and school change based on Gross National Happiness (GNH) principles. Bhutan’s unique GNH development paradigm has four pillars: sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, conservation of the environment, preservation and promotion of culture, and good governance. The Transformative Education for GNH project developed the capacity of teachers from seven schools in Bhutan to collaboratively acquire skills in planning, implementing, and disseminating examples of good practice of Education for GNH. The teachers attended two Transformative Education for GNH Leadership Training Courses and subsequently produced GNH action research plans to implement in their schools. The teachers’ action research demonstrated the effectiveness of placing transformative teachers at the center of educational change.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Rosalind Cooper

  2. Oulun Lyseo Upper Secondary School & Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Timothy Bedford

Authors
  1. Rosalind Cooper
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  2. Timothy Bedford
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Leadership & Education Sciences, University of San Diego, San Diego, California, USA

    Lonnie L. Rowell

  2. School of Education, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

    Catherine D. Bruce

  3. Education Department, Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

    Joseph M. Shosh

  4. Center for Collaborative Action Research, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Margaret M. Riel

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© 2017 The Author(s)

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Cooper, R., Bedford, T. (2017). Transformative Education for Gross National Happiness: A Teacher Action Research Project in Bhutan. In: Rowell, L., Bruce, C., Shosh, J., Riel, M. (eds) The Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-40523-4_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-40523-4_17

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-44108-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-40523-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

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