Insight: Cambodia Journal of Basic and Applied Research

An Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Science has won the 2nd prize at the 2nd National Science, Technology & Innovation in 2024.

2024-08-06T08:06:12-06:00

The Outstanding Cambodian Scientists Awards has been initiated by the National Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (NCSTI) and the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation (MISTI), coordinated by the General Department of Science. The initiative aims to highlight the value of knowledge generated through scientific research aligned with the eight priority areas outlined in the National Research Agenda 2025. The eight priority areas are local food, reliable energy supply, quality education, electronic and mechanical spare parts, cloud-based services, electricity and potable water, carbon neutrality, and digitally enhanced health. The application was open for one month, from February 14, 2024, to March 13, 2024. The selection committee would have selected the best based on the set criteria. According to a guideline of the Outstanding Cambodian Scientists Awards, some basic criteria for eligibility and evaluation for the award included degree holders with at least a Master’s degree, having publications (research papers, textbooks) in recognized publishers, conference presentations, thesis supervisions, grants received, recommendations from a researcher in the field, and a clean record regarding professional ethics and criminality. The committees, consisting of seven members, are selecting the top three ‘Outstanding Cambodian Scientists’; they consist of the following components:

Minister of MISTI,
Representative of the Advisor Board of NCSTI,
Invited international researcher,
Dr. HUL Seingheng, USS and Head of Secretariat of 2nd National STI Day 2024;
Dr. TRY Sophal, Director General of STI, and
Invited private sector from enterprise association, industrial association, or else.

At the Gala Dinner held on March 24, 2024, the recipients of the prestigious awards were formally revealed. Dr. SOUM Veasna was one of the awardees and proudly accepted the 2nd prize at the 2nd National Science, Technology & Innovation event of 2024, focusing on the theme of ‘Electronic and Mechanical Spare Parts’. Delve into the pages ahead to explore the captivating narratives of his research endeavors and remarkable accomplishments within this domain.

Innovation and Accountability in Teacher Education: Setting Directions for New Cultures in Teacher Education. By Claire Wyatt Smith and Lenore Adie (Editors), 2018. 340 pp.

2024-06-03T19:22:20-06:00

Wyatt-Smith and Adie’s book introduction makes a strong case that teacher quality is key to better results. Three major teacher education innovations are described in this book. Many international reviews of teacher education and reform attempts have been published in the last decade. This textbook encourages governments to evaluate schools and beginning teacher education applicants (in Australia, both at intake and in national assessment before completion). Thus, this book focuses on curriculum orientation consistency since teacher opinions on curriculum orientation affect curriculum decision-making, teaching methodologies, and strategies (Cheung & Ng, 2000). Teachers are crucial to encourage and help students through varied learning and teaching methods. In a fun learning environment, teachers can help kids acquire values like acceptance and respect (Mak et al., 2018). Wyatt-Smith and Adie emphasize ‘the complex ecologies of teacher education’ (p. 13) using chapter contributors from Scotland, Norway, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, the USA, New Zealand, and Australia. Traditions and culture mediate global imperatives in teacher education. The book’s worldwide perspectives are motivated by the need to create a scholarly platform for critical teacher education concerns in the 21st century and stimulate fresh, evidence-based thinking.

The Effects of Urban Heat Island in Phnom Penh: A Case Study of Khan Boeung Keng Kang and Khan Pou Senchey

2024-05-21T08:24:23-06:00

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is one of the most rapidly urbanizing cities in the world, and this urbanization is driving an increase in the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The UHI effect is the experience of urban areas getting higher temperatures than rural areas due to the concentration of heat-absorbing materials such as concrete and asphalt. This study analyzed air temperature, wind speed and direction data from Phnom Penh in 2021 to investigate the UHI effect and its impact on human thermal discomfort. The study found that the UHI intensity is stronger in the central business district (CBD) of Khan Boeung Keng Kang than in the suburban district of Khan Pou Senchey. This is likely due to the higher built-up area and lower wind speed in Khan Boeung Keng Kang. The study also found that the UHI intensity is stronger during the dry season than during the wet season. This is likely due to the lower humidity during the dry season, which allows surfaces to absorb and retain more heat. The increased UHI intensity in Phnom Penh can create significant human thermal discomfort, especially during the daytime. This discomfort can lead to a variety of health problems, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. The study concludes that it is important to take steps to mitigate the UHI effect in Phnom Penh and other rapidly urbanizing cities. This could include measures such as increasing green space, using lighter-colored building materials, and promoting sustainable transportation options. The results of this study can enhance more understanding of the UHI effects and have practical implications on the appropriate UHI-related mitigation and adaptation measures.

Impacts of Air Pollution on Richness and Abundance of Bird Species in Phnom Penh Urban Habitats

2024-06-08T22:01:50-06:00

In Cambodia, there has been no study on the effects of air pollution on birds. Accordingly, the purpose of this study aims to assess the species richness and abundance of birds, to understand air quality status and possible sources of air pollution, as well as to investigate the relationship between the variables of air quality (PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and O3), and bird diversity in two different habitats in Phnom Penh. The study was conducted from February 21 to May 21, 2022, at two study sites: 1) the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) and 2) the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA). Both universities are located in Phnom Penh. The two areas are structured by vegetation which suitable for birds. We used a point count method to observe and record the number and species of birds in both study areas. The study recorded 18,334 observation individuals (counting), arranged in 50 species, 40 genera, 25 families, and 9 orders. At the RUPP, we recorded 11,190 individuals (counting), arranged into 34 species, 29 genera, 21 families, and 7 orders. In the RUA, we recorded 7,144 observation individuals (counting), arranged into 46 species, 38 genera, 25 families, and 9 orders. An observation of human activities can be a source of air pollution, including transportation, stationary sources, urban development, open burning, etc. The air quality parameters at both study sites were still lower than the air pollution standards set by the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGoC). Among air quality variables, only SO2 and O3 affect birds, but to a lesser degree. Factors that affect birds may be due to green areas, including the number of small and large trees, food sources, and human disturbances.

Impact of Financial Acumen and Stability Management on Investment Decision Making: A Special Reference to the IT/ITES Industry in Sri Lanka

2024-05-14T02:12:29-06:00

This research delves into the determinants influencing the decision-making processes of individual investors as they seek sustainable returns on investments. Adopting a positivist philosophical stance and employing a deductive approach, the study focuses on a sample of 15,000 professionals from the IT/ITES industry in Sri Lanka, selected through a stratified simple random sampling method. The study successfully achieves its objectives by employing a structured questionnaire, with responses analyzed primarily for validity, reliability, correlation, and regression using SPSS v27. Initially, validity and reliability are assessed using KMO, Bartlett’s, and Cronbach’s alpha, confirming the validity and reliability of the responses. Subsequently, correlation and regression analyses demonstrate the positive and moderate to strong relationships between investment risk exposure, economic stability, and financial knowledge on investment decision-making, consistent with the literature review findings. The study’s research findings provide valuable insights for investors to recognize potential biases in their investment decision-making processes, facilitating the ability to make well-informed and sound investment decisions.

Comparative Analysis of Social Enterprise Development: A Case Study of Cambodia and Indonesia

2024-08-06T08:43:15-06:00

Social enterprises have become a viable solution for tackling urgent social and environmental issues in developing economies. These organizations combine business strategies with a mission to generate positive social impact, particularly in areas that are often overlooked by traditional for-profit and government initiatives. Social entrepreneurship in the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is gaining recognition as a means to address the growing income inequality and environmental degradation and empower women and girls. This study aims to investigate the social enterprise concept in Indonesia and Cambodia, with a specific emphasis on the legislation, operational model, and societal impact of these enterprises. The study employed a qualitative secondary data analysis through the search of existing literature related to social enterprise in both countries. The comparative examination of social businesses in Cambodia and Indonesia reveals shared impacts and diverse characteristics shaped by their socioeconomic and institutional contexts. Both nations possess social businesses that tackle social and environmental issues, foster job creation, strengthen communities, enhance the status of women, and safeguard cultural heritage. Disparities in priority areas, support systems, and economic contributions underscore the necessity to adapt social enterprise models to individual country situations. The study implies that key factors

Student Evaluation of Their Postgraduate Courses: A Case Study at the Royal University of Phnom Penh

2024-05-21T20:37:04-06:00

A structured questionnaire, collected anonymously from 14 master-level online courses for six semesters to 270 students, was examined to explore students’ evaluation of their courses, their instructors’ teaching performances, the learning materials and resources, and the online learning platforms. A quota sampling was employed for selecting these participants from a large public teaching university located in the city. These students were asked to complete the structured questionnaire within a one-week period. One hundred and eighty-one questionnaires were completed and returned to the researcher. The study found that students highly satisfied their online courses. Various main aspects that students mostly preferred comprising their instructors’ personality, instructors’ in-depth knowledge of the courses, their teaching experiences, their encouragement and motivation provided to students, the conduct of the course, learning activities that encouraged students to conduct further own research, the easiness of uploading their coursework written tasks and learning materials and resources, and the employment of assessment tasks to measure their learning achievements. It was found that there were various main obstacles being identified to hinder students from fully participating in their online learning including internet connection, learning platforms, lack of physical contacts during class time, and students’ motivation and engagement with their online learning activities. It was further found that the qualitative comments were valuable to make informed decisions for improving overall courses quality including curriculum, teaching pedagogy, assessments, and resources. The study concluded that the student course evaluation instrument measured master-level online courses in the areas of course design and delivery effectively.

The Implication of Financial Literacy Education Integration for Pupils at Primary School in Cambodia

2024-08-06T08:48:24-06:00

Key Messages

The project Cha-Ching “Basic Financial Literacy” has been successful in equipping pupils at primary schools with the necessary knowledge and skills for managing money from an early age.
Integration of financial literacy into educational curricula at primary schools, ensuring students are equipped with practical financial skills emphasizing the concepts of Earn, Save, Spend, and Donate to prepare for 21st Century Skills before entering adulthood and support to local life skills needed.
Training and support for teachers and pre-service teacher to enhance their understanding of financial concepts and effective teaching methodologies, enabling them to deliver high-quality financial education for pupils at primary school in Cambodia.
The Provincial Department of Education, Youth and Sport and the District office of Education, Youth and Sport should consider promoting financial literacy to other schools (public and private schools) and continue to work with the target schools throughout the capacity building and follow-up to ensure newly enrolled pupils received the financial education.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS): 1.) should consider promoting financial literacy by developing a legal framework and guidelines adopting financial literacy into the life-skill curriculum for primary schools. 2.) Consider allocating an annual budget for capacity building and printing of teaching and learning books, and allocating the yearly budget for printing and distributing Cha-Ching’s books for pupils nationwide.
The Prudence Foundation or other donors should consider promoting financial literacy and supporting to implementation of the Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids “basic financial literacy” widely at primary schools in Cambodia.

University Students’ Perception Towards Plastic Consumption in Phnom Penh

2024-08-06T08:24:19-06:00

A three-day United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) organized in Nairobi between 28 February and 2 March 2022, endorsed a historic resolution titled “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument”. The meeting was attended by 1,500 participants online from UN Member States and 3,400 in person. Moreover, moreover, the organization of World Environment Day, the fiftieth iteration of the annual celebration of the planet, held on 05 June every year, has focused on the plastic pollution crisis. According to Llorenç Milà i Canals, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Life Cycle Initiative, “Many people aren’t aware that a material that is embedded in our daily life can have significant impacts not just on wildlife, but on the climate and on human health,”.