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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 18, Issue 2, Article 3 (Dec., 2017) |
Confirmation of the study’s results can also be found in the World Economic Forum’s 2015-2016 Global Competitiveness Report (Schwab, 2015), which ranked Thailand 32nd out of 140 countries total, with an overall score of 4.6 (Figure 4). (For comparison purposes, Singapore ranked 2nd, with a score of 5.7). What is interesting to note from Figure 4’s data is the scores on innovation, higher education and training, and labor market efficiency shown in Figure 4, all seeming to support the analysis and results of this study.
Figure 4. Thailand’s global competitiveness ranking
Note: Sourced from the Global Competitiveness Report 2015–2016 (Schwab, 2015).
Furthermore, according to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Charter’s Article 1, paragraph 10, the role of education is human resource development which can be achieved through life-long learning, and in science and technology, for the empowerment of the people and to strengthen the ASEAN community (Roy, 2009). However, the journey of concept to reality in Thailand can be a long and bumpy road, with readiness and knowledge in integrated scientific process skills needing an urgent improvement.
1. Research should be developed for courses and activities that promote the skills of the mixed science process. These include experimental skills, hypothesis skills, interpretation skills and conclusion skills, and skills to define and control the variables. Also, further efforts should be given for defining the definitions of the action sequences.
2. Create a curriculum that can help with the development of teachers’ ability in content development. Also, thought needs to be given in helping organize teaching activities using multi-media. Furthermore, teachers should make available the measurements and assessments to students with advanced scientific process skills.
3. Future development of teaching activities in integrated science process skills should also be focused on integration with all subjects.
Pongsuwat Sermsirikarnjana is a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Industrial Education at the King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Bangkok, Thailand. He received both his BA degree in Science-Chemistry and a MS in Science Education from Naresuan University in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand.
Krissana Kiddee presently teaches graduate level students in measurement and evaluation. She received both her Master of Education and her PhD in Measurement and Evaluation of Education from Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University. Prior to this, she studied for her BA in mathematics at Srinakharinwirot University.
Phadungchai Pupat presently teaches graduate level students in measurement and evaluation. He received both his BA degree in Mathematics – Physics and Master of Education in Measurement and Evaluation of Education from Khon Kaen University, which was followed by a PhD in Measurement and Evaluation from Chulalongkorn University.
