Determinant of Effective

Development, Ministry of Education (1975) indicated as follows:
- The Time Teacher Talk accounted for 48% of total student-teacher interaction, while the Student Talk was 19%.
-   Content Emphasis accounted for 49% of the total time.
- Indirect Influence accounted for 0.18% while Direct Influence accounted for 1.62% of the total time.
- Comparing Teacher Question and Teacher Lecture (Teacher Question Ratio) the Teacher Question was 26% and the Teacher Lecture was 74%.
- Comparing Motivation and Control Behavior, Motivation Behavior was 55% and the Control Behavior was 45%
-  Teachers responded with Indirect Influence to students’ comments more than Direct Influence.  The Indirect Influence Response was 6% and the Direct Influence Response was 3%.
- Teachers responded to students’ comments by asking questions less than lecture, the Question Response was 47% and the Lecture Response was 53%.
-  The Student Initiation was 4% of the Student Talk
-  The Student Verbal Behavior was 67% and the Student Non-verbal Behavior was 33% of the total.
-  The Student Purposeful Silence was 29% and the Student Non-purposeful Silence was 4% of the total.

In a study conducted by Nitsaisook (1985), the results of the study revealed that most teachers used primarily total teaching.  About 10% of all classroom activities were spent on review and 30% on students’ seatwork.  Small group work was rarely undertaken.

According to the primary school teachers’ performance, the Office of Ayuthaya Provincial Primary Education (1985) revealed that the average of teaching load was 25 periods per week.  Almost all of the teachers did not perform as the curriculum required.  Especially the “teacher-centered” approach was emphasized rather than the “student-centered”.

With respect to the number of students’ days of absence, Chantavanich’s study (1982) on “The Determinants of Primary School Efficiency” indicated that the greatest figure for students’ absence from school was 92 days during one school year while the lowest figure was 0.  The average absence from school was 3.73 days.

Timphanphong (1984) carried out a study on a selected factor affecting school attendance rate of primary school students and found that the rates of school attendance were found highest in 3 educational zones (#9,10 and 11) for the Northeastern Region and 1 educational zone (#6) for the Central Region; and lowest in 1 educational zone (#2) for the Southern Region.  Furthermore, variables affecting the low rate of school attendance were parents’ occupation in agriculture and student commuting time (over 31 minutes), dialects (for the Northeastern and the Southern Regions), and other religious beliefs (for the Southern Region).

A study undertaken by Parkpoom and Ruangsa-ard (1984) showed the findings that school attendance rates were higher in very large districts than the others.  There was a tendency that students in very small districts were attending schools more regularly than those in other district sizes.

Ingkaninun (1979) studied problems and needs concerning the production and utilization of instructional media of the primary school teachers in Phitsanuloke province.  The results of the study revealed that the teachers got the instructional media by asking students or helping each other to produce the in need ones.  The instructional media commonly used in the schools were chalk boards, flash cards, charts, textbooks and songs.  And those commonly found in almost ever school were flash cards, charts, pictures and sentence cards, respectively.  In addition, the problems and obstacles the primary school teachers frequently confronted were the lack of : idea, time, school budget and amount of instructional materials, as well as the difficulty of sending for the service from the instructional media resource center.

The review of the selected 50 research abstracts on “Determinants of Effective Schools” was conducted in 5 sub-topics, namely:

1.  Efficacy of Non-traditional Instructional Methods
2. Utilization of Instructional Materials and Resources in   the Classroom
3.  Use of Instructional Time by Teachers and Students
4.  Determinants of Retention, Promotion and Transition
5.  The Impact of Necessary Physical and Educational Resources
6.  Efficacy of Non-traditional Instructional Methods

The non-traditional instructional methods were referred to the instructions which used the following materials:

1.1) Programmed Lessons, modules and instructional packages
1.2)   RIT (Reduced Instructional Time) materials
1.3)   Comic books

5.1 Programmed Lessons, Modules and Instructional Packages

The programmed lessons, modules and instructional packages are considered to be self-instructional materials which can reduce instructional time of teachers and help students to go on with their own pace in mastering educational objectives.  In Thailand, there were many studies conducted to find out the efficiency of the programmed lessons, modules and instructional packages, and to compare the scholastic achievement of students learning through there instructional materials and traditional method at both primary and secondary school levels.  For example:

Primary Education Level

Kosum (1978) compared the academic achievement in Thai language and the leadership of Grade 6 students learning through modules and conventional procedure.  The results of the study revealed that the group of students learning through modules had got achievement scores and leadership test scores higher than those learning through conventional teaching.

Sripirome (1976) conducted a study on “Production of a Slides-Tap Material for Science Programmed Lesson on “Aero plane” for the Upper Primary School Level” and found that this science slides-tape programmed lesson was an effective material for instruction.  The students’ knowledge about “Aero plane” had increased.

Pructikul (1984) carried out an experimental study on using programmed lessons for remedial teaching in mathematics to Grade students.  The result of the study revealed no significant different between the scholastic between the scholastic achievement of remedial students taught through programmed lessons and learning activities as specified in the teaching manual.  However, the achievement scores of students in both groups after being taught through programmed lessons and learning activities as specified in the teaching manual were higher than those before being taught.

In a study conducted by Chamnankit (1984), it was found that Grade 5 students’ ability in using Thai words of programmed lesson group was significantly higher than that of the learning-center packages was significantly higher than that before learning.  In addition, the programmed lessons and learning-center packages developed by the researcher were effective.

Secondary Education Level

A study conducted by Phrompraphan (1979) showed that Grade 8 students learning from the modules did not score significantly higher in the Thai language achievement than those learning through conventional method.  However, the students learning from the modules showed the positive attitude towards the modules.

Pholdee (1979) produced a Thai slides-tape programmed lesson on “Inao: War of the Kamankunin Episode” a lesson within the Thai language course for the upper secondary education level.  The results of the study revealed that this Thai slides-tape programmed lesson was effective and able to improve students’ achievement.

Yimsakul (1984), in “An Experimental Study on Using Programmed Instruction in “Thai 032” to Grade 12 Students”, found that the scholastic achievement and retention studies of the students learning through programmed instruction were of higher than those learning through the instruction as specified in the teaching manual of the Supervisory Unit.  Furthermore, the students showed positive attitude towards learning by programmed instruction.

5.2 RIT (Reduced Instructional Time) Materials

The Project RIT was undertaken to develop teaching-learning approaches and instructional materials which required the least teacher-student interaction time with the hope that the reduction of the interaction time will lead to a reduction of costs per student and the increase of students’ learning outcomes.  There were many experimental studies conducted in utilizing RIT materials at the primary school level.  For example:

Wannapong, et al. (1982) did an experimental study of RIT materials for Grade 1-4 during academic year 1981.  The study was intended to make comparisons of students’ achievement between the experimental group using RIT materials and the control group conducting regular teaching methods.  The findings had shown that the total averaged scores of the five subject areas (Thai language, mathematics, life experiences, character development, and work education) of the experimental groups were higher than the control groups.  In addition, when a comparison between rural and urban areas was made, the experimental groups in rural areas scored higher than the control groups in urban areas.

In an experimental study conducted by Muang Mai School, Lopburi (1978), the results were very encouraging and supported the RIT rationale that learning time and teacher-student interaction time could be reduced with no loss in learning effectiveness; and the time savings differed among various types of learning or subject areas, grade level, and learning strategy.

5.3 Comics

Comics or comic books are the instructional materials which can promote the effective learning and help students in attaining educational objectives.

The major source of funds for education is the national budget.  During the Fifth National Education Development Plan (1982-1986), the amount of 236,861 million Baht, or 3.5 per cent of the GDP was provided for educational development in public sector.  Regarding the proportions within the educational budget, the major share is flowed to the preprimary and primary levels about 57 per cent.  The budget for the secondary level constitutes 21 per cent, whereas that of vocational and higher levels constitutes only 7 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

3.1 Major Problems in Education

During the past decade, Thailand has achieved considerable success in quantitatively expanding primary, secondary, and higher education.  Nearly all children now have access to a primary school near their village or home and increasing number of students are able to attend secondary schools and colleges.  Also, the administrative system has become more deconcentrated.  Despite such past success, several major problems remain for the 80’s, regarding issues of quality, relevance, equality, educational resource allocation and finance.  Improving the quality of education and its relevance at all levels remains the major challenge of Thai education in the 80s.  Given Thailand’s heavy dependence on imported energy,, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to increase the share of the public sector’s financial support for education.  Thus, creative means must be found to increase private support.  To achieve more equal access to quality of education, it is important that educational resources be allocated with the greatest possible equity and efficiency.  The educational system must be developed so that it will be able to cope with the increasing demand for education and the problem of unemployment.  Moreover, it would be adapted to provide for the needs of a largely modern society in terms of economic transformation, science and technology compatible with economic growth and international advancement, and beliefs, values and ideologies that are essential for socialization and societal survival.  The duties and responsibilities assigned to education by society are quite a task, and tit needs quite an effort and investment to carry out educational improvement and reform in order to really meet the societal needs.  The efficiency and effectiveness of implementation of educational reform require not only competent management and know-how, but also the ability to accommodate the education to socio-politico-economic environments.  For the time being, the implementation of the 1977, educational reform is being followed-up and evaluated.  The outcome of the evaluation is hoped to serve as a basis for further improvement.  We have learned many lessons from the previous experiences of the educational improvement.  Still, there are more lessons to learn and many tasks to undertake in order to meet the social, political and economic needs of the country.

Thailand, meaning “Land of the Free” and formerly known as Siam, is a tropical Southeast Asian country approximately the same size as France (200,000 square miles).  The population is approximately 50 million with the rate of growth of 1.9% per year.  Bangkok is the capital city and Thai is the national language also being used as a medium of instruction.  The religion of the majority of Thai people is Buddhism.

1.1 General Aims of Education

According to the revised National Education Scheme of 1997, the aims of education are to cultivate knowledge, thinking, skills, and attitudes which will enable the Thai to know themselves and their lives, to understand their own society and environment, and to apply their knowledge and understanding to solve social problems and improve their lives and society.

1.2 General Structure of Educational System

Before 19/8, the school system was 4:3:3:2(3) class structure which primary education comprised 4 years for the lower grades and 3 years for the upper grades; secondary education consisted of 3 years at the lower level, 2 or 3 years at the upper level.  The two-year upper-secondary education was called the academic stream while the three-year upper-secondary education was called the vocational stream.

In 1978, the school system has been changed from 4:3:3:2(3) into  6:3:3 class structure which primary education requires 6 continuous years of study and secondary education consisted of 3 years at the lower level, and another 3 years at the upper level.

Currently, the major elements of the formal education system are as follows:

1. Pre-primary Education The private sector and local communities are encouraged to set up kindergartens and early childhood centers to serve local children throughout the country.
2. Primary Education Primary education is compulsory and free provided universally by the government.  It emphasizes literacy, numeracy, communication skills, and abilities relevant to future occupational roles.
3. Secondary Education Secondary education aims to provide appropriate academic and vocational knowledge consistent with the learner’s age, needs, interests, skills and aptitudes which ultimately will be beneficial to the individual’s career and the larger society.
4. Higher Education Higher education aims at the full development of human intellectual abilities, the advancement of knowledge and technology and the provision of high level academic and professional manpower needed for national development.