Welcome to KU Digital Repository

Key Features:

Manages and provides open access to digital resources
Includes theses, reports, journals, and articles
Enhances accessibility for students, scholars, and researchers
Facilitates online access to academic materials
Preserves and disseminates university's intellectual output
Promotes academic collaboration and knowledge sharing

Communities in DSpace

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 5 of 10

Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Department of STEAM Education , Disertation
Kathmandu University School of Arts
KUSOA
Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED)
KUSOED repositories stores important information from its various research departments. This includes academic journals, theses, dissertations, and other collections. If you have any queries, please contact the KUSOED Library.
Kathmandu University School of Engineering (KUSoE)
This is a community for School of Engineering, Kathmandu University for Academic writings.

Recent Submissions

Head Teachers’ Contribution to Building Culture of Trust in Public Schools in Kathmandu: An Ethnographic Study
(Kathmandu University School of Education, 2026-02) Khatri, Hare Ram; Asst. Prof. Shree Krishna Wagle, PhD
Trust is a fundamental component of a school's culture, and it influences how parents, students, teachers, head, and the community as a whole interact with each other. Scholarly publications rarely explore the pivotal role of the head teacher in building a culture of trust within Kathmandu's public schools. I aimed to explore contribution of head teachers in fostering trust within public schools by interpreting their leadership practices, commitment, strategies, problem solving and decision-making processes. Many studies on educational leadership and trust have been conducted globally; however, there is a lack of research in Nepal, particularly regarding the roles of head teachers in fostering trust within community schools. If we look at actual scenarios in Kathmandu's public schools, where social, cultural, and organizational variables are different from those in other educational systems where the gap can be seen. In my study, I have adopted ethnography as a methodological approach to understand the lived experiences of head teachers, teachers, parents, and members of the School Management Committee (SMC). I used reflective journaling, in-depth interviews, and prolonged field observation at two public schools of Budhanilkantha Municipality in Kathmandu to get the participants' points of view. For this study, I chose eight participants in total; two head teachers, two teachers, two parents, and two SMC chairpersons. Their experiences offered a helpful window into ongoing work of building and evaluating trust in public schools. I have analyzed the finding using Vygotsky’s Social-Culture Theory (1978) and Bass’s Transformational Leadership Theory (1985), as both theories highlight the role leadership plays in shaping trust and encouraging participation from the wider school community. The research identified ethical leadership, transparency in leadership, participatory decision –making, and proactive conflict resolution are important aspects in fostering trust. The findings indicate that Head teachers whose action fosters transparency, participatory decision making are ethical leaders since they promote teacher collaboration and encourage community trust. The results suggest that head teachers who maintain transparency, encourage participatory decision-making, and uphold ethical leadership contribute to stronger teacher cooperation and increased community trust. In educational institution if there is a hierarchical authority and not enough people are involved, it is very challenging for schools to keep the public's trust. The research interpretations indicated that trust-building is a dynamic and continuous process. Head teachers need to find a balance between making decisions and being responsible, having authority and being open to everyone and being a leader and being understanding. This research is concerned with how the leadership practices of head teachers would lead to the development of a culture of trust in the Kathmandu’s public schools. The understandings of this study indicate that a trust building leadership style is an effective and cost-efficient method for improving institutions. This kind of leadership slowly makes the school seem more trustworthy by improving the culture of the school, motivating teachers and getting stakeholders in the community involved. This research is explored at the problem of community losing trust in public schools, even though the government is trying to improve the quality of education. Leadership effectiveness is still inconsistent, and many head teachers don't know how to use participatory and trust-based methods correctly. So, the goals were to observe how head teachers’ leadership styles build trust and how these styles help change the culture of trust building in Kathmandu’s public schools.
Collaboration of Learners in Developing Writing Skills in English: A Narrative Inquiry
(Kathmandu University School of Education, 2026-02) Chaudhary, Binod Prasad; Prof. Hem Raj Kafle, PhD
My research study aimed to explore English language teachers' understanding and practices regarding the use of collaborative language learning in teaching and learning writing skills in their English language classroom practices in public secondary schools through their life stories. I developed my research plan based on experiences and strategies to foster writing skills. I adopted the interpretive research paradigm and Vygotsky's social constructivist theory (1978), which facilitates learners in enhancing their writing skills. Constructivist theory taught me that no child's cognitive development is exactly the same as that of children from varied social origins and backgrounds. I used narrative inquiry as a research method to generate meaning from the life stories of the teacher participants in teaching English. I purposely selected four English language teachers, one female and three males, from four public secondary schools for this research. I conducted in-depth interviews and field notes, and recorded the interviews to gather information about their teaching and learning experiences. After the interview sessions, I transcribed the participants' recorded responses into English. I coded and categorized the collected information to develop themes. Then I analyzed and interpreted the themes. Teachers' stories, vignettes, and experiences helped me generate knowledge and insights. To ensure the ethical conduct of this research, I addressed genuine issues related to quality standards and ethical considerations. I interpreted participants' stories to understand the practices of collaborative language learning in teaching writing skills. Thus, the culture of collaboration in learning supports learners in the current language-teaching and learning era. The research showed that students from all backgrounds collaborate on the given task in a relaxed setting, receive feedback from one another, share their original ideas, and develop social skills to improve their writing. The participant teachers' stories of their teaching experiences revealed that they learned to run collaborative activities through training and to participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences. Through collaborative activities, teachers inspire students to develop their knowledge and creativity in writing. This research study contributes to the discourse of collaborative practices in English language classrooms with special reference to teaching general English and writing skills in the Nepalese context. In addition, it helps explore current teaching and learning practices to enhance writing skills. Teamwork, pair work, group work, think-pair-share, and jigsaw activities facilitate and motivate students to develop creative perspectives on the assigned topic they are intended to write about.
Shifting Clay Pottery of Prajapatis towards Indigenous Entrepreneurship: An Ethnographic Study in Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal
(Kathmandu University School of Education, 2026-01) Shrestha, Biraj; Hom Prasad Rai
Prajapatis in Madhyapur Thimi have been practicing their clay pottery for a long time. However, with the changed situation, there is a shift in their clay pottery and indigenous entrepreneurship. The purpose of this study was to explore the shifting of clay pottery and the indigenous entrepreneurship of the Prajapatis of Madhyapur Thimi. To enrich the study, I have discussed the relevant literature from various journals and other empirical studies. I have conducted an ethnographic study of 9 research participants to examine their existing practices, perceptions, challenges, needs, and shifts in their clay pottery and indigenous entrepreneurship. To understand these, data and information were collected through participant observation, diary making, in-depth interviews, and informal talks. The collected data were then processed and analysed through data gathering and compiling, transcribing and codification, categorization, and interpretation, linking with the theories. Prajapatis in wards 5 and 6 of Madhyapur Thimi have been using indigenous knowledge and skills to produce various types of clay items, inherited from their parents and seniors. Collection of clay, kneading it, producing various types of clay items on a motor-driven wheel, drying them in the sunlight, baking them in the kiln, and finally selling them in the market are some of the processes involved in their clay pottery. The Prajapatis are pessimistic about transferring their indigenous knowledge and skills for producing clay pottery to their new generation because they consider clay work as tough and socially less dignified, and expect their children to engage in easy table work. Lack of clay, indifference of the new generation, lack of understanding of the need for modern education, lack of business plans and ideas, as well as reluctance to try new things, introduction of plastic and metal wares, and increased competition from imported items are the major challenges to Prajapatis’ clay pottery. Above all, they want their clay pottery and indigenous entrepreneurship to be promoted by the concerned local bodies and the government. With the changing times, Prajapatis have observed and realized many shifts in their clay pottery and indigenous entrepreneurship. Ranging from the fetching of clay, kneading of clay, producing clay items, baking them, and selling them in the market, they have observed massive changes. At present, the number of Prajapatis practicing clay pottery is declining. Collectively, the signs and symptoms indicate the degradation of clay pottery, leading towards the extinction of indigenous knowledge, skill, and entrepreneurship among the Prajapatis in Madhyapur Thimi.
Use of Geogebra in Enhancing Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Circle Theorems: An Action Research Study
(Kathmandu University School of Education, 2025-11) Kshetri, Purna Bahadur; Asst. Prof. Indra Mani Shrestha
This research study aimed to determine how GeoGebra can improve the Grade 10 students’ conceptual understanding of circle theorems. The research was motivated by the consistent decline in the mathematics performance of the students in Nepal's Secondary Education Examination (SEE) by the Ministry of Education (MOE, 2016). As a subject teacher and researcher, I created a 15-day intervention that employed one of the ICT tools, GeoGebra, to examine how the simultaneous visualization through technology helped in motivating, reasoning, and understanding the students. The study was conducted within 15 days at an Institutional English Boarding School in the Kaski District, in which 32 students were involved. I purposely selected six students as key participants who had to be very different from each other to watch carefully how each learner interacted with GeoGebra and how each one grasped the circle theorems valuation, and at the same time, to give all 32 students full intervention and an equal chance to learn. I used an interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative data approach, used pre- and post-tests, observed students in the classroom, used parts of reflective journals, and interviewed six purposefully sampled students who vary in ability level. The findings displayed specific progress in the way students improved their conceptual understanding, the ability to perform well on tests, and the way they engaged with and felt about geometry. They showed that they could argue better, and they could read a diagram more correctly about theorems of circles. When employing thematic analysis, I could interpret those changes by looking at what students did with GeoGebra: they moved objects, they tested theorems, they perceived relationships, and they developed significance as a result of their work in groups. These creation of meaning processes showed how lively settings for math helped learners to move away from just memorizing theorems to knowing in a deeper way why they work. The research found that GeoGebra helps teaching circle theorems by making the learners understand more, encouraging them to ask questions and answers, and fostering a good attitude. It also changed how I, as a teacher, used to be. I moved from being a person who only told to a person who helped learners find their own answers and allowed them to make a classroom where different ones play a part. Findings from this study reflect the importance of GeoGebra tools in mathematics classes, listening to lessons on GeoGebra pedagogy, and using GeoGebra in lessons based on the curriculum. Another research might build on this work with more detailed, extended time frames to determine the amount that persisted, in comparison with lessons that involved computers and lessons that didn't, and how useful GeoGebra is in other areas of math, such as when employing Sets, Algebra, Transformations, and Coordinate Geometry.
Employers’ Understanding and Practice on Decent Work: A Study in Hotels in Kathmandu Valley
(Kathmandu University School of Education, 2025-11) Kunwar, Pratima Kumari; Asst. Prof. Prakash Kumar Paudel, PhD
This study examines the understanding and practice of hotels employers regarding decent work in Kathmandu Valley. Decent work covers fair income, social protection, workplace safety, rights at work, and social dialogue according to ILO. In spite of comprehensive policies in Nepal, including the Labor Act 2074 and the Social Security Fund provisions, there are challenges in the effective implementation and adherence to decent work principles. The interviews conducted using qualitative research method which provides details insights into complex phenomena through participants feeling, thoughts and experiences. Total of five employers were purposively selected and interviewed from non-star and star-rated hotels who have employed 24 to 100 above staff members. The study hotels were selected considering staffs inclusion and diversity status, multiple service providing hotels. The data collection was done through guiding check list among Manager level and Owner of hotels from Kathmandu Valley. The study captures employers’ understanding of decent work, their implementation practices, and challenges they faced to provide decent work. The findings of the study show that employers generally recognize the importance of decent work for employee motivation, satisfaction, and retention but often seen these provisions as costs rather than investments. Employers highlighted issues such as unhealthy market competition, weak regulatory enforcement, lack of proper monitoring mechanisms, burden of inequitable taxation, political instability, delay in making decision and circulation of information from government regarding increment of wages, lack of practical skills and workplace performance, lack of skilled human resource and high turnover in the entry level. The employers emphasized that due to these issues some employers are not providing decent work. The study also highlights reality of decent work in practice. The study reveals differences in salary and benefits based on gender and job type, income does not support living cost of Kathmandu, lack of enabling environment, lack of inclusivity in law, informal recruitment process, duty hour is more than mentioned in law, and lack of safety and security at place. The findings of the study stress the need for government’s strong oversight, more inclusive policy and acts, and meaningful dialogue between employers and government regarding promotion of decent work. Timely addressing these challenges can contribute in creating fair, productive, and inclusive work and working environment in hotels sector in Nepal. This research fills a gap by focusing on the employers’ perspective, providing insights for researchers, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders with the aim promoting decent work and improve labor conditions in Nepali hotels sector. Regarding the status of decent work in workplace, future researcher can explore out of Kathmandu Valley to explore in depth in specific issue of decent work to understand deeply on issue of each pillar. I conducted qualitative study other researchers can apply quantitative method.