Education

Teaching and Learning Aspect
Framework for developing the quality of graduates from the Office of General
Education
                The Office of General Education recognizes that Khon Kaen University students
should be able to master 5 major qualifications, as follows:
                1. Communication and learning skills
                2. Analytical and critical thinking skills
                3. Adherence to morals, etiquette, and life values in the context of social awareness
                4. Understanding of native culture and local wisdom
                5. Ability to learn and self adjust in the context of globalization

Course Structures of General Education

1. General courses based on the 2010 revised curriculum
The five qualifications of Khon Kaen University graduates were used as guidelines in allocating a number of credits for general education courses. The general education courses count for 30 credits, including both compulsory courses and elective courses, as detailed in table 1.  

Table 1: General education courses based on the general education curriculum

Note: The Language Institute is responsible for teaching the courses 000 101, 000 102, 000 103. The Office of Teaching and Learning Innovation is responsible for the teaching of the course 000 160.

2. Tentative courses by faculties

Table 2: Courses proposed by different faculties

The objectives of a pedagogy that aims to produce 21st century graduates qualified for ASEAN

  Based on the Framework for Quality in Higher Education issued in 2009, the Office of General Education in Khon Kaen University has proposed 5 core learning achievements among its students as detailed in the list below.    

1. Moral achievement  

Students are:
1.1 Punctual   
1.2 Responsible in doing assignments
1.3 Honest: they do not copy other people’s work or sign into the classroom for absent friends
1.4 Devoted and helpful to other friends while studying
1.5 Role models in wearing proper uniforms and in being generous to classmates  
1.6 Able to reduce problems related to morality and solve problems at hand
2. Knowledge achievement
Students are:
2.1 Able to explain scientific details observed in daily encounters
2.2 Able to interpret the meaning of basic mathematic formulas
2.3 Able to apply basic statistics to daily life
2.4 Able to explain the meaning of various types of communication  
2.5 Able to identify parts and functions of the computer
2.6 Able to tell the meaning of technology information  
2.7 Able to explain relationships between cultures in a society
2.8 Able to manage and solve problems that occur in everyday life
2.9 Aware of the value of local wisdom
3. Intellectual achievement
Students are:
3.1 Able to obtain, analyze, and synthesize data using information technology in its daily application
3.2 Able to use various types of knowledge to solve complicated problems  
4. Inter-personal and responsible achievement
Students are:
4.1 Effective leaders as well as followers
4.2 Able to live harmoniously in a society with cultural diversities  
4.3 Emotionally adaptive when working with others
4.4 Responsible for both individual and group assignments
4.5 Positive thinkers  
4.6 Able to develop themselves in accordance with social needs
4.7 Portrayers of love, making an impression on the institutions and local communities of which they are a part
4.8 Possessors of a strong public mind and a willingness to help
5. Numeric analysis and information technology communication achievement
Students are:
5.1 Able to do numeric analysis
5.2 Able to communicate effectively using Thai and English
5.3 Able to apply information technology appropriately for learning

Course amendment and revision

 The Office of General Education has incorporated content related to ASEAN into the teaching of general education courses. Recently, fourteen of its general courses, or 82.35 percent, were revised towards using community bases as learning resources. This has provided opportunity for our students to obtain real-life experience with the history, culture, and occupations dispersed in local communities.

Projects for the development of teaching and learning

  In addition to regularly refining courses, the Office of General Education is also committed to implementing development projects in alignment with our policy of moving towards becoming an office of excellence. Below are projects we have capitalized on for this purpose.

This program involved brainstorming and dialoguing among the general education teaching staff to generate ideas on managing general education courses that would enhance a sense of sharing and caring in Khon Kaen University students.

It was hoped that this project would cultivate team work and communication skills for Khon Kaen University students. After the completion of this project, the teaching processes of sixteen general education courses were able to be merged with Project Based Learning.

Teacher professional development project: This project aimed to broaden teachers’ understanding of teaching etiquette. It helped the teachers to understand the office payment system, instructional loads, and the working principles of general education. The project also scrutinized processes that could lead to the 5 core learning achievements, the course administration report (form MorKorOr 5), techniques for the integration of teaching towards the ASEAN community, knowledge evaluation and the conducting of action research. The project involved two phases of operation. Phase 1, from 28th-29th March 2013, was a brushing up on the general education philosophy, teaching techniques for reaching the 5 core learning achievements, teaching etiquette and responsibility, cultivating the internal culture of the office, the flipped classroom method, and action research.  Phase 2, from 29th-30th April 2013, was a workshop about evaluating learnt knowledge. This involved the teachers in conducting a test to assess the learners’ knowledge. 45.30 percent of the teachers showed signs of development from this project.
The general education course’s action research project: This project was conducted to help the teachers to deepen their action research methodology, incorporate research findings into teaching development, and encourage innovation as a result of classroom research. The project was beneficial in helping the teachers to define 3 research topics, namely: 1) Retrospective research, 2) Learning achievements of Project Based Learning, and 3) Learning achievements from teaching that emphasizes caring. A working committee team was appointed to support the development of the teachers in conducting action which was related to preparing the learners  to be 21st century graduates under ASEAN who have mastered occupational readiness.  As a result of this project, twelve teachers proposed thirteen research topics covering content from ten general education courses. The topics were reported to the research division who would later conduct a research seminar to help the teachers in meeting the standard research methodology prescribed by the research division. 

Teacher evaluation project: This project was conducted in the second semester of 2012 (16th Nov. 2012-11th Jan. 2013). Thirty-two of the general education teachers (26.7 percent) from twelve courses were evaluated. The evaluation showed that 82.68 percent of the teachers employed the learner-centered method, and 87.50 percent were mindful of cultivating morals while teaching. The average evaluation score was 83.75 percent.     

Instructional supervision project: This project was conducted to provide a standard monitoring system for general education course instruction carried out by faculties or organizations and to report the results to the university. The project resulted in instructional supervision being performed within four bodies: the Faculties of Associated Medical Sciences and Engineering, the Local Administration College, and the Nong Khai campus. Instructional supervision was conducted from 7th-31st May 2013 by a committee appointed by the faculties. One component of this project was the general education course instructional supervision handout, issued by the Office of General Education.

Classrooms
2.1 Pornpimol Golakit Building, 2nd floor, 4 classrooms.
2.1.1 Room B213, capacity of 50 students
2.1.2 Room B214, capacity of 60 students
2.1.3 Room B215, capacity of 80 students
2.1.4  Room B216, capacity of 50 students
2.2  Poj Sarasin Building, 2nd and 3rd floors, 12 classrooms                
2.2.1 Room GL 212, capacity of 120 students
2.2.2 Room GL213, capacity of 120 students
2.2.3 Room GL214, capacity of 120 students
2.2.4 Room GL215, capacity of 120 students
2.2.5 Room GL216, capacity of 120 students
2.2.6 Room GL217, capacity of 120 students
2.2.7 Room GL218, capacity of 120 students
2.2.8 Room GL219, capacity of 120 students
2.2.9 Room GL312, capacity of 300 students          
2.2.10 Room GL313, capacity of 300 students
2.2.11 Room GL314, able to carry 300 students
2.2.12 Room GL315, able to carry 300 students