Learning for the New Century
By Dr. Rung Kaewdang
Secretary-General
Office of the National Education Commission

    Introduction

    Back in 1997, at the Third UNESCO-ACEID International Conference held in Bangkok, I declared to the participating friends that, as the national education policy-making organization, the Office of National Education Commission (ONEC), would encourage the government of Thailand to revolutionize education for the 21st Century. The elements of the reform should include teaching-learning reform, revitalization of Thai wisdom, empowerment of teachers, and decentralization.
    In the following year, 1998, at the Fourth UNESCO-ACEID International Conference held in Bangkok again, I told the participants that we were in the process of drafting the National Education Bill in order to lay the foundation for the sustainable education reform.
    This year, I am very happy to report to the same international conference that we have satisfactorily completed that mission. Finally, the National Education Act has been promulgated and enforced since August 20, 1999, a few months before the 21st century arrives.

    Education Reform for the New Century

    After the first education reform in the reign of King Chulalongkorn one hundred years ago, there have been several attempts to reform Thai education to cope with the changing situation. However, none of them was successful while defence and politics were given priorities during the cold war period and when the nation enjoyed wealth during the economic boom in the last decade. It was not until the economic recession crisis in the past few years that Thai society came to realize that something should be done with the education system in order to speed up Thailand's economic recovery and competitiveness.
    As educators, we cannot deny the responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and political ill effects since people who caused all these problems are the products of our current education system. Thailand has no other alternatives but education reform, and the heart of education reform is the reform of learning.
    Our education system has long emphasized on "chalk and talk" pedagogy, rote learning, placed an importance on school education with teachers as the center of teaching-learning activities. Even worse, the knowledge provided is not relevant to the needs of learners and community.
    Of course, the old education system is not entirely bad. But in the age of information technology advance and the world competition, education should not be restrained only to the classroom and teachers are not the sole knowledge source. Education must aim at cultivating within students the skills of searching knowledge through self-learning so that they can learn continually at any time and any place throughout lives.

    A Vision of Thai People in the Year 2000

    Education in the year 2000 should aim at the full development of the Thai people in all aspects: physical and mental health; intellect; knowledge; morality; integrity; and desirable way of life so as to be able to live in harmony with other people. This is the objective of our education. We do not want citizens to be equipped with knowledge but lack morality, and we do not want our citizens who know "what" but not "how" and "why." We do not want a machine-like human beings or a walking dictionary, and we should not compel our children to learn the things that do not suit their needs and aptitudes. We do need our children to learn happily, to achieve a balanced integration of intelligence and integrity.
    To be an intelligent person, they must know not only modern or western knowledge but also Thai wisdom. Also in the world of competition, our children must know how to acquire information, how to think and how to solve the problems.
    To be a person of integrity, they must sympathize with other people, be equipped with morality, discipline, and be a responsible citizen. They must be able to balance their lives well while extend help to other people, .

    The National Education Act, 1999

    With the new Constitution as the foundation, we have achieved in proposing the National Education Act, 1999, which has been eventually approved and become effective since August 20, 1999. The Act is expected by all concerned to be an apparatus of education reform for a better Thailand.
    The National Education Act is composed of 9 chapters, namely Chapter 1 General Provisions: Objectives and Principles, Chapter 2 Educational Rights and Duties, Chapter 3 Educational System, Chapter 4 National Education Guidelines, Chapter 5 Educational Administration and Management, Chapter 6 Educational Standards and Quality Assurance, Chapter 7 Teachers, Faculty Staff, and Educational Personnel, Chapter 8 Resources and Investment for Education, Chapter 9 Technologies for Education, and Transitory Provisions.

    Learning Reform According to the Act

    Under the jurisdiction of the Education Reform Committee to be established in compliance with the Act, the reform required by provisions in Chapter 5 Educational Administration and Management, Chapter 7 Teachers, Faculty Staff, and Educational Personnel, and Chapter 8 Resources and Investment for Education will need the drafting and amendment of various related laws.
    Nevertheless, what can be implemented without regulations required is the learning reform as stipulated in Chapter 4. ONEC, in collaboration with the nation's leading scholars and researchers have conducted research on learning theories in parallel with the drafting of the National Education Act. The research yielded the findings of five theories - Happy Learning, Participatory Learning, Thinking Process Development Learning, Moral Value Development Learning, and Aesthetic Value Development Learning. These learning theories have been adopted for implementation in the classrooms by a large number of teachers and administrators in the past few years, causing change in teaching-learning activities to a great extent.

    Learners as the Center of Learning

    In order to have the child-centered learning provided by law, we have provided in Section 22 which stated that: "Education shall be based on the principle that all learners are capable of learning and self-development, and are regarded as being most important. The teaching-learning process shall aim at enabling the learners to develop themselves at their own pace and to the best of their potentiality."
    The statement above assures that each individual has potentiality for learning and is regarded as the center of teaching-learning activities, which is relevant to what Jean Jacques Rousseau has said before about child-centered education. Several researches in medical science also indicated that every individual has learning potentiality since human brain contains as many as 1011 nerve cells linked together by nerve cell fibers. The environment and learning can develop the child's intelligence. The more they learn, the more these nerve cell fibers grow and expand.
    The research implies that rote learning and multiple-choice type of test are not the right methodology of learning for intelligence development. To reform the teaching-learning, both teachers and learners must change their roles. Teachers must change from a "teller" to a "facilitator", while learners can learn by themselves, provided that they are assisted by teachers how to learn, where to get information, and how to make use of it.
    Comparison of teaching process between teacher-centered and student-centered can be summarized as follows:
    Issues
    Teacher-centered
    Student-centered
    Unit of learning
    Individual
    Individual/group
    Emphasis
    Contents
    Learning process
    Learner's role
    Listen, memorize, passive, silent
    Participate, interact, experiment, analyze
    Teacher's role
    Teach, tell, lecture, direct, evaluate
    Facilitate, guide, plan, advise
    Atmosphere
    Formal, closed, distant, stressful
    Informal, fun, inspiring, friendly

    Integration of Contents

    In the new century, learning should be the integration of subject matters. According to Section 23, education through formal, non-formal, and informal approaches shall give emphases to knowledge, morality, learning process, and integration of the following, depending on the appropriateness of each level of education :
      (1) Knowledge about oneself and the relationship between oneself and society, namely: family, community, nation, and world community; as well as knowledge about the historical development of the Thai society and matters relating to politics and democratic system of government under a constitutional monarchy,
      (2) Scientific and technological knowledge and skills, as well as knowledge, understanding and experience in management, conservation, and utilization of natural resources and the environment in a balanced and sustainable manner;
      (3) Knowledge about religion, art, culture, sports, Thai wisdom, and the application of wisdom;
      (4) Knowledge and skills in mathematics and languages, with emphasis on proper use of the Thai language;
      (5) Knowledge and skills in pursuing one's career and capability of leading a happy life.

    Learning Process

    Contents and process of learning must go hand in hand in order to reform the learning. Therefore, Section 24 stipulates that in organizing the learning process, educational institutions and agencies concerned shall:
      (1) provide substance and arrange activities in line with the learners' interests and aptitudes, bearing in mind individual differences;
      (2) provide training in thinking process, management, how to face various situations and application of knowledge for obviating and solving problems;
      (3) organize activities for learners to draw from authentic experience; drill in practical work for complete mastery; enable learners to think critically and acquire the reading habit and continuous thirst for knowledge;
      (4) achieve, in all subjects, a balanced integration of subject matter, integrity, values, and desirable attributes;
      (5) enable instructors to create the ambiance, environment, instructional media, and facilities for learners to learn and be all-round persons, able to benefit from research as part of the learning process. In so doing, both learners and teachers may learn together from different types of teaching-learning media and other sources of knowledge;
      (6) enable individuals to learn at all times and in all places. Co-operation with parents, guardians, and all parties concerned in the community shall be sought to develop jointly the learners in accord with their potentiality.

    Authentic Assessment

    The assessment is the key factor that can affect the learning behavior. Without the reform of assessment, it is rather difficult to reform learning. In order to expand the scope of evaluation and assessment beyond the multiple-choice type of tests, Section 26 states that educational institutions shall assess learners' performance through observation of their development; personal conduct; learning behavior; participation in activities and results of the tests accompanying the teaching-learning process commensurate with the different levels and types of education.
    In summary, learning reform is concerned with many factors, the reform of contents, learning process, assessment, teachers' and learners' roles. That is to say, the success of the learning reform stems from the "Holistic Learning Reform."

    Back to the Basics

    Thailand is a Buddhist country, where more than 90% of population profess in Buddhism. According to Buddhism, learning has three purposes: learn to know oneself, learn to know the surrounding world, and learn to know the relation between oneself and the surrounding world.
    Pra Dhammapitaka, (Ven. P.A. Payutto) the famous scholar monk, explains that there are two factors of learning: hearing or learning from others, and analytical reflection. In order to develop a person, he must develop his behavior, his mind and his wisdom.
    Professor Sumon Amornvivat, Thailand's leading scholar, has written a book entitled "Learning Development: Buddhist Perspective." According to Buddhism, learning is a process of receiving knowledge by the coming in contact of sense organs, namely eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind; each comes in contact with its appropriate sense objects. The result is knowing and reaction to it, by training oneself until one achieves knowledge and goodness, capability, happiness and freedom (free from suffering and enslavement). Professor Sumon concludes that the learning process according to the Buddha Dhamma is a human development so that a person can lead a life mindfully, with knowledge and wisdom. Searching and evaluation of oneself is the culmination of the training with wisdom coupled with practice.
    Professor Sumon also cites some learning principles according to Buddhism such as: (1) Buddhism perceives a human being both as an individual and as a member of society living with others, (2) Human being can be trained and can be developed, (3) Human beings are different but each one is born with intellect or wisdom to be further developed, (4) The learning principle occurs through the whole life process in a holistic manner.
    It can be said that Buddhism is the religion of human development which emphasizes on learning of each individual. Thus, learning reform in Thailand is likely to be successful for the concept of learning adopted from western educators goes hand in hand with our own Buddhist concept of learning.

    Learning Reform Sub-committee

    Since early this year, the National Education Commission has appointed the sub-committee on learning reform headed by Professor Dr. Prawase Wasi, the Magsaysay Award winner who is well known as the medical doctor who cures the illness of Thai society. Dr. Laeka Piya-Ajariya, the consultant of ONEC also acts as the secretary of this committee. The committee has formulated the learning reform plan, drawn the concept and vision of learning in the next century. From time to time they visit various educational agencies to follow up the learning reform progress, suggest and encourage them on related matters.
    Teachers as Agents of Learning Reform
    Meanwhile, to support the Learning Reform Sub-committee, ONEC has initiated two major projects: National Teacher Award, and Master Teacher Award. We believe that there are a large number of capable and hardworking teachers, but they may not be able to emerge to wider public due to the lack of opportunity. We have to sort them out, reward them and set them as samples for other teachers in terms of teaching-learning reform.
    Who are the National Teachers? The National Teacher Award was designed to be the highest award ever presented to teachers. It aims at honoring the teachers who have accumulated an excellent record in the past performance and who can demonstrate their future research project beneficial to the improvement of teaching and learning. For the first phase of 5 years, emphasis will be placed on teachers in 4 subject areas - Thai, English, Mathematics, and Science. The award winners will receive a financial allocation for their research.
    In 1998 four teachers were declared the National Teachers and in 1999 six more teachers were given the prestige. While carrying their teaching function as usual, these excellent teachers conduct their research and are visited by teachers from other schools to observe their classroom and exchange opinions on the learning reform.
    Who are the Master Teachers? The Master teachers are those who, by following the child-centered concept, organize their outstanding classroom activities which can be a good sample for other teachers. These master teachers are required to form a teacher network of at least 10 persons and expand their teaching methods through the "Kalayanamitr Nites" (friendship-based supervision) to the network members. ONEC also give them financial support for the supervisory activities. In 1998 thirty teachers were chosen to be master teachers and ninety-six more were selected in 1999.

    Learning Physics with the National Teacher Award Winner

    Thongdee Yaemsuan, the National Teacher in 1998 has been teaching physics in a secondary school for over 20 years. With the love and faith in his teaching career, Thongdee has devoted wholeheartedly to the preparation of lessons and teaching media. He realizes that students in many schools in his province, Pathumthani, have negative attitude towards physics. "The rote learning and tests cause them stress and hatred for learning physics", Thongdee told visiting observers. To reform the learning, he organizes his class in such a lively, warm and happy atmosphere. His class starts with an attractive introduction. Sometimes he has a representative student review the already learnt theory. Thongdee reduces the amount of time for explanation while expanding the time for students' self- learning. As a facilitator, he helps students gather information, encourage them to search the answers by experimenting, presenting, discussing, and summarizing through peer group learning process. While conducting the class, he evaluates the students' progress on their participation, experimental achievement and expression. Finally, he helps students relate what they have learned to what they usually experience in the surrounding environment, making physics an easy subject concerning what exists in everyone's daily life. Today his students enjoy his class and learn happily.

    Learning Thai with the Master Teacher Award Winner

    Sriamporn Prathummanant, the 1998 Master Teacher of a primary school in Suphanburi found that her students are bored with learning Thai by rote memorization of grammars and vocabulary. Realizing that young kids love art, she created a new teaching style of teaching Thai by integrating these two subjects together. Her students start with drawing what appeals to them and later write down some words under it for the explanation. Little by little, the children improve their drawing and writing ability. Some drew a picture of an old man and wrote a simple poem like "My grandpa is very kind, often tells stories to his grandchild. I love my grandpa, with all my heart." Some drew a scenery of the sea, river, mountain, forest and write down what they think should be done to protect the environment. Later, in their third grade, Sriamporn's students could draw more artistic pictures with more complicated lyrics. From the portfolio she could see each individual child's developmental progress and it is no longer a difficult task for evaluation. Sometimes, she uses folk songs and games to help her students learn difficult terms. Her classes are always filled with fun and laughter. Students and parents express their satisfaction with her teaching. Most of all, she could turn the most boring subject to an interesting one and draw students back to it with good attitude.

    Next Steps of the Learning Reform

    By highly selective and competitive screening process through a high standard and careful selection, we have differentiated outstanding teachers from ordinary ones. And through their hard work, these teachers have been highly recognized by scholars, teachers and all concerned. Finally, the Ministry of Education, with the approval of His excellency Minister Somsak Prisananantakul, has accepted the idea of learning reform through national teachers and master teachers. Teachers who are likely to change their teaching behavior under the child-centered concept will be selected as the so-called "Spearhead Teachers." They will attend the workshop on child-centered learning, under the supervision of national teachers and master teachers. It is expected that in 1999 about 30,000 teachers will participate in the workshop. While implementing their teaching style, these spearhead teachers will also expand their methodology to their network of ten teachers. Thus, within two years, all 600,000 teachers will be completely transformed to be "Teachers of the new Millennium." These teachers will be agents of change for the learning reform in schools all over the country.

    Learning Reform Clinic

    To spread the samples of national teachers and master teachers to all teachers, we have mobilized the mass media, namely radio, television, newspapers, newsletters, and other publications. One of our popular programs is "Learning Clinic" which allows teachers an opportunity to exchange opinions and share experience with national teachers and master teachers. Moreover, ONEC, in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, has organized a workshop on "Learning Reform: New Dimension of Human Resource Development" during 15-17 September 1999, which teachers and researchers met to share their experience on research and teaching methodology. We will continue cooperating with other universities to organize this type of workshop so that learning reform movement occurs across the country.

    R&D Centers of Learning Reform

    With the support by ONEC, the Research and Development Center for Learning Reform will be established in schools, faculties of education, and other educational institutes. At present there are a few R&D Centers already established. For example, the Faculty of Education, Srinakarinwiroth University, has been working closely with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for learning reform in 430 schools under the BMA. The Thai Rath Wittaya Foundation is also cooperating with the Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, for learning reform in over 100 schools established by the Foundation. The Suksapat Foundation has launched the Lighthouse Project in Vajiravudh College and Non-formal Education Center in Lampang for the learning reform with emphasis on "Constructionism." These institutes are working on the research and development for learning reform. ONEC hopes this type of R&D centers will increase in a large number in the future.

    Learning Reform Fund

    Some of the above R&D centers have been financially supported by ONEC. However, the sub-committee is considering the establishment of "Learning Reform Fund" to support these R&D centers in order to encourage teachers to change their teaching method from "teacher-centered" to "students-centered."
    Furthermore, ONEC will establish the "Teacher Promotion Fund" to systematically sort out and honor the National Teachers and Master Teachers. The promotion of teachers will be tied with the system of teachers' license, and the monetary incentives to be provided by the new salary scale especially designed for teachers. We hope these measures will play a key role in changing teachers' pedagogy and concurrently heighten the standard of the teaching profession.

    Learning to be Thais

    In compliance with the Constitution and the National Education Act, learning of Thai wisdom is one of the learning reform. ONEC has selected 30 Thai wisdom experts to be honored as the "Thai Wisdom Teachers", and support them in operating out-of-school "Learning Centers" where community people can learn Thai wisdom such as traditional medical science, Thai medical herbs, handicrafts, folk arts etc. These teachers will also expand their methodology to their network members. This alternative learning will contribute greatly to strengthening the communities by learning in the communities themselves. As schools will have more autonomy to decide the local curriculum they deem necessary for local children, there is a possibility that Thai wisdom will enjoy the same status as modern knowledge. Our children and adults will learn to be Thais in parallel with the internationalization.

    Infrastructure of Lifelong Learning

    According to the National Education Act, there shall be three types of education: formal, non-formal, and informal. Educational institutions are authorized to provide any one or all of the three types of education. The Act also provides that the State shall promote the running and establishment of all types of lifelong learning resources, such as public libraries, museums, art galleries, zoological gardens, public parks, botanical gardens, science and technology parks, sport and recreation centers, data bases and other sources of learning. The concept of lifelong learning will be actualized through these educational infrastructures. With these infrastructures, we hope that school children and community people will have more access to knowledge, which will turn our society into a learning society.

    Conclusion

    As stated above, the learning reform is the heart of education reform. The future of the nation is left with our young generation. Thailand is in the process of learning reform to have our students achieve, through happy learning, in life equipped with intelligence and integrity. There will be a regular assessment of students' achievement, the teachers' performance and the progress of education reform as a whole. The report of the reform can be acquired on our web page, "www.onec.go.th." We hope the success of education reform in Thailand will set a standard of its kind in the region. Though many tasks still remain undone, ONEC will step further as the leading organization in implementing Thailand's education reform to attain the national goals and competitive position in the international community. This is our vision and our commitment.