Abstract: Educational management for local development course code 050180 is an MBA graduate course within the board of education of Mahasarakham university. The courses aim is to review the learning process and best practices to meet the context of Thai society, which is consistent with educational reforms and the national education act of 1999. The program applied Action learning process of facilitating student centered learning to 148 MBA students from the provinces of Mahasarakham, Udonthani and Nakon Ratchasima education service centers. The outcome of the program was according to the projected results, where overall satisfaction was at 93.99/80.79. The course was highly effective because during the training program all 9 steps or stages of activities needed to achieve action learning process facilitating student-centered learning were applied, creation of agreements to determine plans for learning in different courses in both single work and group work, presentations, organizing learning according to the plans with emphasis on analysis and synthesis from case studies of instructors and students, daily and monthly note-taking on learning outcomes in the notebook after action review to be utilized as portfolios, conduct tests, while learning by having students think analytically, presenting group work study results, post testing, evaluating satisfaction with teaching and manifestation of learning-teaching outcomes to show single/group work outcomes.

INTRODUCTION

The world today is rapidly changing in economic, society and technological advancements. Competitiveness in the modern world doesn’t only require capital or labor, but must also have efficient use of natural resources and raw materials to produce value. Another important factor that nations must have is the knowledge to create added value to intellectual property, which is gained by developments in learning, knowledge management skills and innovation. The development of creative knowledge will greatly effect the competitiveness and increase the strength of the community, organization and institutions. The strength of these organizations private and government are extremely important to the development of a nation (Patthamasiriwat, 2006). The application of Action Learning is the best method in management and organization development (Ian McGill, 1992).

The aim of this research is to; development of a management action learning process of facilitating student-centered learning. Management education courses for local development with an effective standard of 80/80. To evaluate the effectiveness index management plan continue to learn the practice-oriented learning is important. Management education courses for local development. To study the satisfaction of graduate students to the teaching of management education courses for local development.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research was conducted during the academic year 2007 (2550) from June 14th to October 5th, 2007. The sampling group used in this study consisted of 148 MBA students at Mahasarakham university who enrolled the course in education management for local development in first semester of the academic year 2007. They were classified into 38 MBA students from Mahasarakham education service center, 54 MBA students from Udonthani education service center and 56 MBA students from Nakhon Ratchasima education service center. The instruments used in this study include, documents in supplement to teaching the course in education management for local development course 0501803, a learning achievement test with discriminating powers ranging 0.20-1.00 and a reliability of 0.86, an After Action Record (AAR) form and a questionnaire on student’s satisfaction. The statistics used were percentage mean, standard deviation and effectiveness index.

Technical studies included in this research
Chapter 1: Social and cultural community.

Chapter 2: Social development groups and community organizations.

Chapter 3: Development of community involvement.

Chapter 4: Study and exploration of community issues.

Chapter 5: Learning reforms and management of education to the public.

Chapter 6: The key of learning approaches and processes.

Chapter 7: Education and lifelong education as a disposition.

Chapter 8: Education to develop guidelines for local communities.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The aim of the national education act in 1999 is concerned with management education and school education to develop, manage and promote quality and efficiency. Intentions also included the development of teaching and learning of facilitating student centered learning.

Educational management in schools, effective and adaptive to changing conditions with time. Government policy is urgent to establish the development of rural villages, medium and Small (SML) size industries and sufficient economy, which promotes the creation of social learning, lifelong education, knowledge management and competitiveness. The philosophy is to create awareness and future development within local communities and villages. It also promotes local communities to manage and appreciate their own indigenous knowledge. The opportunity to help underdeveloped communities, linking learning process between government, private, civil society community and community organizations to collaborate to resolve problematic issues. Working together and learning to adapt and meet the changing circumstances.

The ministry of education has conducted performance management improvement projects to develop community knowledge and local indigenous knowledge and has assigned institutions through graduate courses to help research, operational agency, educational institutions, administration/municipal networking groups and other community organizations and participate with research institutions that can increase the value of intellectual property. The focus of these programs is to learn to study and understand local problems.

Educational management for local development course code 0501803 is an MBA graduate course within The board of education of Mahasarakham University. The courses aim is to review the learning process and best practices to meet the context of Thai society, which is consistent with educational reforms and the national education act of 1999. The aim of the course is that community’s must be committed to lifelong learning to match the current state of the world and adapt to the changes in society with happiness have balance with nature have self knowledge, know the outside world, effective management of resources, create added value, creating jobs to generate income and reduce dependency, which will lead to sustainable development.

Developing Action Learning (AL): Action Learning (AL) is a process of inquiry, beginning with the experience of not knowing ‘what to do next’ and finding that answers are not available through current expertise. When expertise fails to provide an answer, collaborative inquiry with fellow learners who are undergoing the same questioning experience is always available. To be effective, this partnership in learning needs to be both supportive and at the same time challenging, deeply caring yet questioning. Such partnerships actually create themselves when different people with different ideas engage wholeheartedly with each other to resolve each others problems (The Leader Ship Alliance Inc., 2009).

The 9 main stages of activities needed to achieve action learning process facilitating student-centered learning consists of: creation of agreements to determine plans for learning in different courses in both single work and group work, presentations, organizing learning according to the plans with emphasis on analysis and synthesis from case studies of instructors and students, daily and monthly note-taking on learning outcomes in the notebook after action review to be utilized as portfolios, conduct tests while, learning by having students think analytically, presenting group-work study results, post testing, evaluating satisfaction with teaching and manifestation of learning-teaching outcomes to show single/group work outcomes. Only when teachers apply these 9 processes will they truly achieve action learning by focusing on the student (Ragnabtuk, 1999). The overall success rate of the local development program is averaged at 93.99/80.79, which is in accordance to the standard 80/80. Individually, MBA graduate students from Mahasarakham Province center is at 93.5/80.36, MBA graduate students at Udontani Province is at 94.04/81.31. MBA graduate students of the Nakhon Ratchasima province center is at 94.26/80.57. Performance of a process value is equal to 93.99 and the overall cost efficiency of 80.79, which is equal to the standard 80/80, shows that students gained knowledge by following the 9 activities and processes. Points are measured from the study by using test scores to the single group of students and their research and the scores from the measurement after learning from a test is measured by the criteria. The effectiveness of the plan is contributed to the facts that the content is not complicated and involves familiar subjects.

Evaluation: The overall effective index is equal 0.5742, which indicates that students have knowledge increased from 57.42% from the previous study. MBA graduate students from the Mahasarakham University center is at 0.6059, which indicates that students have increased from prior knowledge at 60.59%. MBA graduates at the center at Udonthani province is at 0.5983, which indicates that students have knowledge increased from 59.83% the previous study. MBA graduates at the center in Nakhon Ratchasima province is at 0.5214, which indicates that students have increased from prior knowledge at 52.14%. The study found that knowledge levels were increased from previous learning’s because the learning activities included a variety of activities, which originated from the needs of the learner. Students gained knowledge, participated in activities and enjoyed the program while, receiving the happiness of learning. In addition, group activities focused on teamwork, learning to work with others, work discipline and continual improvements to the processes and activities.

Satisfaction: Overall, students showed their satisfaction with teaching in the course in education management for local development as a whole at the highest level. The effectiveness index of the plan for organization of learning together with learner-centered action learning in the course in education management for local development as a whole was 0.5742, showing that the students increased their knowledge at 57.42%.

Contributing factors to the students, satisfaction include; management educational program for local development by facilitating student-centered learning focused on the student with the highest priority, the content of the courses are well-known subjects that students are familiar with, instructors had good temperament, paid attention to students well, had good intentions to transfer knowledge to students, encouraged students to be alert all the times, explained different contents clearly, always sought the new body of knowledge for presentations, utilized various methods of learning by integration practices and exercises and had learning-teaching flexibility. The students learned joyfully and were always kept interested. They participated in many learning-teaching activities through action learning, which generated skills. They had field trips, practices and they could apply the gained knowledge in practical daily use.

CONCLUSION

Action Learning (AL) is a win/win individual and company approach to learning and development, which at the same time is capable of resolving significant business, organizational and social problems. It is a form of learning through experience, by doing, where the job environment is the classroom (Smith and Peters, 1997). Teachers are responsible for developing action learning process facilitating student-centered learning. The use of Action Learning (AL) by focusing on the students is a set of goals planned and agreed upon by both the teacher and the student.

The results are reflected in the exchange of knowledge from both sides help develop guidelines or examples for students to learn with happiness. Bringing knowledge and experience to practical use in everyday life. The process will also, guide instructors and educators in all fields to improve the quality and efficiency of the learning process. The processes that are needed to achieve active learning by facilitating student-centered learning are construction of agreements to determine plans for learning of learning essences in different courses in both single work and group work, presetting, organizing learning according to the plans for learning with emphases on analysis and synthesis from case studies of instructors and students, daily and monthly note-taking on learning outcomes in the notebook after action review to be portfolios, testing while, learning by having students think analytically, presenting group-work study results, post testing, evaluating satisfaction with teaching and reflection of leaning-teaching outcomes to show single/group work outcomes, when the quantitative data were analyzed, the following were found: the plans for organization of learning as a whole had an efficiency of 93.99/80.79, which was consistent with the projected target.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Implementing the management plan: the teaching and learning together with learner-centered action learning is the key. To be effective, teachers should study ways to manage learning so that all processes are thoroughly understood. This will enable effective management and will also describe the details and processes so that students have a good understanding before courses start. The documents on the subjects and practices should be improved and match the amount of courses within the program.

SUGGESTIONS

Future research: Management educational courses for local development should be supported for further studies by mixing teaching techniques and should be repeated and improved with updates in the context of research with the study. The development of learning practices by emphasizing the learner in other courses or classes should be undertaken and the results improved and compared to improve learning practices as appropriate.