The Education Crisis
The Origins of the “Korkankru Project”
Educational development is one of the key factors in creating fundamental social change. Thai society has placed its hopes for the country’s future in education as the primary system for developing citizens’ potential and quality of life. Over the past decade, Thai society has made efforts to reform education in various areas, including attempts to decentralize authority and educational resources to different sectors, reduce inequality in access to quality education, introduce alternative education systems to address existing challenges, and promote Professional Learning Communities (PLC). Nevertheless, Thai education still appears to be a source of hardship for society. State mechanisms and the main administrative structures remain unable to adapt quickly enough to changes in today’s world. The mindset underlying mainstream education continues to reproduce conventional discourses and beliefs, including centralized authority, control and domination, rigid standards and indicators, and passive learning approaches. These approaches are inconsistent with the changing nature of learning among today’s younger generations. They also do not sufficiently encourage creativity and critical thinking among learners and educators, provide people with the knowledge and skills needed to keep pace with a changing world, help individuals discover their potential, or connect classroom learning with the broader social context.
Questions That Arise
How can we create:
An education system that helps reduce the suffering of Thai society,
Learning that creates the greatest possible benefit for learners,
Classrooms that are meaningful and joyful for both teachers and students
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How can we make this happen?
Through its work to date, the Korkankru Project, led by the Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education, Thammasat University, has contributed to social change through collaboration with partner organizations working in education and human development. The project recognizes that the key to transforming teacher education lies in “Change Agents”—those who shape mindsets for creating learning, cultivate leadership qualities, and develop the potential of children and young people, who will grow into important forces for the development of Thai society. Over the years, the project has developed the capacities of teacher leaders, fostering meaningful change while raising awareness and inspiring teachers and people working in education. In collaboration with partner organizations in education and human development, the Korkankru Project has developed more than 700 “Teacher Change Agents” and “Education Personnel” nationwide, supporting them in developing their psychological well-being, knowledge and understanding, and skills for facilitating new forms of learning that can be adapted for use in the classroom.
An Innovative Approach to Teacher Capacity Development for Social Change
Module 1: Teachers Are Human — Exploring the Inner Landscape of Teaching
Rediscovering ourselves and others as human beings, leading to the belief that both teachers and learners possess the potential to create and transform something new.
Module 2: Teachers as Facilitators
Developing the capacity to facilitate learning so that classroom learning can connect with learners’ real-life contexts, creating a “classroom that is joyful and meaningful” for both learners and teachers.
Module 3: Lessons Learned from Strategic Mobilization and Learning Ecosystems
Reflecting on learning and growth throughout participation in the project, as well as teachers’ next steps in advancing classroom transformation and contributing to educational change.
Module 4: Academic Marketplace for Developing Leaders in Intellectual Well-Being
Creating a learning space for exploring tools to advance social issues and skills for facilitating learning through nine tools: 1) Think, See, Visualize 2) Designing Learning Experiences through Games 3) Designing Creative Classrooms 4) Cultural Competency 5) Magic for Creating Meaningful Learning 6) Teachers Dare to Perform 7) Coaching Skills for Teachers 8) Classroom of Love: Tools for Self-Reflection and Creating Spaces of Happiness and 9) Personal Finance: Know First, Act First, Get Ahead, along with other academic offerings adapted to the needs of a new era of education.
The project has resulted in an “integrated innovation for teacher capacity development” that supports teachers across psychological, knowledge, and skills dimensions, enabling them to create change at the individual, classroom, school, and wider community levels. It has also fostered a nationwide “Korkankru Network of Supportive Communities,” providing extensive support for teachers’ personal and professional growth.
Contact Korkankru
Facebook: @Korkankru
Website: https://korkankru.com/