A team of 3rd year students majoring in social studies of the Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University recently won the first prize for the contest of curriculum design for creative water resource conservation. The assigned theme of the contest was “Teaching the Young Ones to Conserve Water”. The contest event was organized by the Department of Water Resource, the Department of Pollution Control, the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; with collaboration of Suntori PepsiCo Beverage Thailand Co. Ltd. The contest was aimed at enhancing awareness and participation in caring and conserving water resources among young citizens through transfer of knowledge and correct understanding of the importance of water and water conservation. The event also stimulated youths to efficiently apply the knowledge obtained in their daily life.
The team: “The Guardian of Water” from Khon Kaen University consisted of the following 3rd year students of the Faculty of Education who major in social studies: 1) Pongsakorn Promsen, 2) Watcharin Sida, 3) Suradet Kaewlao. The team was under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Angkana Tungkasamit, Ph.D., a full-time lecturer of the Department of Social Studies. The team was awarded the first prize receiving a trophy and a cash amount of 60,000 baht from Miss Sunee Lertpiantham, Head Inspector General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; Miss Wipawan Tasanapreechachai, Senior Manager for Company Relation of Suntori PepsiCo Beverage Thailand Co. Ltd.; and Mr. Pittaya Pramotworapan, Deputy General Director of the Department of Pollution Control. The prize awarding was held on January 23, 2023.
Assoc. Prof. Angkana Tungkasamit, Ph.D., a full-time lecturer of the Department of Social Studies, Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University explained that the students’ work on the “Teaching the Young Ones to Conserve Water” Curriculum for high elementary level pupils was designed for learners to know and understand the water resources in the daily life. With the knowledge and understanding, the learners will develop creative practices of water conservation and see the importance of water conservation. The curriculum was designed under the concept of active learning with the use of innovations in the 21st Century learning management. For instance, the following instructional approaches are incorporated in the program design: problem solving process (SSCS), problem-based learning (PBL), investigative instruction (5E). These are integrated with gamification and techniques of simulation games until the curriculum is an innovation of learning media with multiple interesting traits. There are, for example, educational board games related to “the value of water”. All of the innovations can be integrated into learning process for the target group to attain the expectations of the curriculum and utmost efficiency.
News: Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University
