var textForPages =["INTERNATIONAL \u000d\u000a2023-2024\u000d\u000aEDUCATION","","","","","","","Contents\u000d\u000aThe New Normal Permanently 12 \u000d\u000aA Brave New World of Virtual Wonders 14\u000d\u000aShould smartphones be allowed in schools? 20\u000d\u000aEmbracing the Future 23\u000d\u000aQuestions of Choice 28\u000d\u000aCurricula Aplenty 36\u000d\u000aCosmopolitans in the Making 38\u000d\u000aYou\u2019ve graduated from high school. Now what? 40\u000d\u000aIn Pursuit of Excellence 43\u000d\u000aProduced by Creative & Special Publications \u000d\u000aText: Darunee Sukanan I Photographs: Supplied/POST I Design: Cheerawath Khruasukhon I Editor: Simon Kind I Deputy Managing Editor: Ratch Lunchaprasit \u000d\u000aSpecial Publications Advertising +66 (0) 2616 4440 \u2022 Fax +66 (0) 2616 4560 \u000d\u000aFirst Vice President \u2013 Advertising Sales: Nanthana Singkamala\u000d\u000aBangkok Post is edited by Soonruth Bunyamanee for Bangkok Post Public Company Limited, Printer, Publisher and Owner. \u000d\u000aOffice Bangkok Post Building, 136 Sunthorn Kosa Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110. Tel +66 (0) 2616 4000 \u2022 www.bangkokpost.com \u2022 0923\u000d\u000a12 14\u000d\u000a20\u000d\u000a40 23\u000d\u000a36\u000d\u000a28\u000d\u000a38\u000d\u000a43","","","","hen the COVID-19 pandemic \u000d\u000aswept through the world \u000d\u000ain 2020, it seemed life \u000d\u000awould come to a halt for \u000d\u000athe foreseeable future. During a large\u0002scale lockdown, international schools in \u000d\u000aThailand closed and the education of their \u000d\u000astudents suddenly remained in suspended \u000d\u000aanimation. Yet soon schools adopted to \u000d\u000athis New Normal and resumed teaching. \u000d\u000aThis they did by help of online means, \u000d\u000awhich enabled teachers and students to \u000d\u000areconnect remotely on a daily basis. The \u000d\u000apandemic is winding down, thankfully, \u000d\u000ayet the shift towards blended learning has \u000d\u000abecome an integral part of tuition with \u000d\u000aschools now having a variety of strategies \u000d\u000ato ensure continuity of learning through \u000d\u000avarious technologies. \u000d\u000aThese tools include online learning \u000d\u000aplatforms and video-conferencing \u000d\u000atools, allowing students and teachers \u000d\u000ato hold classes virtually via interactive \u000d\u000ameans. They have brought some great \u000d\u000abenefits to students at many schools in \u000d\u000aThailand. The live streaming of classes and \u000d\u000arecorded lectures, for instance, facilitate \u000d\u000aincreased flexibility and accessibility, \u000d\u000aallowing students to access these classes \u000d\u000aand lectures whenever it best suits their \u000d\u000aschedules and learning styles. \u000d\u000aNot surprisingly, blended learning \u000d\u000amodels, which combine in-person and \u000d\u000aonline instruction, are becoming more and \u000d\u000amore popular in international schools and \u000d\u000aat Thai universities. The reason is that the \u000d\u000aapproach combines the benefits of face\u0002to-face interaction with the flexibility of \u000d\u000aonline learning, thereby taking advantage \u000d\u000athe best of both learning environments. \u000d\u000aStudents can participate in discussions, \u000d\u000aprojects, and group activities in physical \u000d\u000aclassrooms; they can then access digital \u000d\u000alearning resources and complete their \u000d\u000aassignments online. As a result, blended \u000d\u000alearning not only boosts their engagement \u000d\u000abut also prepares them for careers in \u000d\u000awhich remote work and face-to-face \u000d\u000acollaboration often go hand in hand.\u000d\u000a\u201cStudies have shown that blended \u000d\u000alearning increases engagement by \u000d\u000aproviding different opportunities for \u000d\u000astudent engagement using digital \u000d\u000aengagement tools,\u201d notes the online \u000d\u000aeducational platform CourseKey. \u000d\u000a\u201cBy providing digital opportunities for \u000d\u000aengagement, educators may see more \u000d\u000aengagement online from those students \u000d\u000awho aren\u2019t as comfortable sharing in front \u000d\u000aof their peers in person.\u201d \u000d\u000aIn order to keep all students engaged, \u000d\u000a\u201cvariety in delivery and reinforcement \u000d\u000aof course material is key. Through \u000d\u000adigital learning and engagement tools, \u000d\u000aeducators can create a more fun and \u000d\u000aengaging learning environment rather \u000d\u000athan simply reading text off a slide over \u000d\u000avideo software,\u201d the educational website \u000d\u000aexplains.\u000d\u000aPositive outcomes can be \u000d\u000aconsiderable. When a technical school in \u000d\u000athe United States implemented blended \u000d\u000aThe\u000d\u000aNew Normal \u000d\u000aPermanently\u000d\u000aBlended learning models\u000d\u000aare becoming the norm at\u000d\u000amany schools in Thailand\u000d\u000aand for good reason\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 12 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","Blended learning \u000d\u000acan foster students\u2019 \u000d\u000aautonomy, enabling \u000d\u000athem to study better on \u000d\u000atheir own and become \u000d\u000abetter independent \u000d\u000athinkers in the process.\u000d\u000alearning, student attendance rates \u000d\u000aimproved by 11 per cent and on-time \u000d\u000agraduation rates by 23 per cent. The \u000d\u000aschool\u2019s director put such demonstrable \u000d\u000aimprovements down to the benefits of this \u000d\u000anew teaching method, the reason being \u000d\u000athat students who did not feel like going to \u000d\u000aschool at times could still log in to classes \u000d\u000avia Zoom and other video-conferencing \u000d\u000atools to follow the course content and \u000d\u000aengage with instructors. \u201cPhysically going \u000d\u000ato class becomes more exciting and \u000d\u000aspecial rather than something they have to \u000d\u000ado every day,\u201d CourseKey argues.\u000d\u000aJust as importantly, blended learning \u000d\u000acan foster students\u2019 autonomy, enabling \u000d\u000athem to study better on their own and \u000d\u000abecome better independent thinkers in \u000d\u000athe process, which is an invaluable skill in \u000d\u000aand of itself. Such self-regulated learning \u000d\u000ais a constructive process that, with proper \u000d\u000ahelp from teachers, can develop students\u2019 \u000d\u000amotivation to learn on their own. That \u000d\u000awill serve them well later in life as well. \u000d\u000aAccording to many experts, such so-called \u000d\u000aself-regulated learners, including children, \u000d\u000alecturer at Northumbria University in the \u000d\u000aUnited Kingdom. \u201cSelf-regulation is a skill \u000d\u000athat can be taught and learnt through \u000d\u000a\u2018goal directed engagement.\u2019 Learners who \u000d\u000aare taught self-regulatory skills and who \u000d\u000aare encouraged to evaluate their work \u000d\u000athrough reflection and set learning goals \u000d\u000acan develop individual strategies that will \u000d\u000aprove to be successful in furthering their \u000d\u000alearning.\u201d\u000d\u000aBetter still, teachers and instructors \u000d\u000acan themselves benefit from blended \u000d\u000alearning models. \u000d\u000a\u201cTraditional in-person courses require \u000d\u000ainstructors to spend time outside of \u000d\u000aclass completing administrative tasks \u000d\u000alike printing out handouts, uploading \u000d\u000aattendance data, hand-grading \u000d\u000aassignments, etc.,\u201d CourseKey observes. \u000d\u000a\u201cThrough the use of technology in \u000d\u000ablended learning, many of those tasks \u000d\u000acan be automated, allowing instructors \u000d\u000ato spend more time helping students \u000d\u000acomprehend material and develop \u000d\u000atheir skills, in addition to creating more \u000d\u000abandwidth to prepare strong lessons,\u201d \u000d\u000ait adds.\u000d\u000aare more likely to succeed academically. \u000d\u000a\u201cLearners with superior self-regulatory \u000d\u000askills tend to be more motivated \u000d\u000aacademically and demonstrate effective \u000d\u000alearning ability,\u201d writes Sue Oates, a senior \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 13","","","ack in the day when the parents \u000d\u000aof today\u2019s high school students \u000d\u000awere themselves in high school, \u000d\u000atechnology in classrooms \u000d\u000awas largely limited to projectors and \u000d\u000arudimentary websites on antediluvian \u000d\u000acomputers. That is no longer the case. \u000d\u000aThese days technology is becoming \u000d\u000aincreasingly part of education across \u000d\u000aBangkok from primary school all the \u000d\u000away to university in a transformative shift \u000d\u000atowards modernisation. \u000d\u000aInternational schools and universities \u000d\u000aalike are employing innovative approaches, \u000d\u000aeducational technologies and more \u000d\u000aadvanced instructional models to enhance \u000d\u000alearning outcomes and prepare students \u000d\u000afor the challenges of the Information \u000d\u000aA Brave New World of\u000d\u000aVirtual Wonders\u000d\u000aCutting-edge technologies are \u000d\u000arevolutionising how students learn\u000d\u000aAge where brand-new technologies \u000d\u000asuch as Artificial Intelligence are bringing \u000d\u000aunprecedented changes not only to how \u000d\u000awe learn but also how we work, socialise \u000d\u000aand access myriad forms of entertainment.\u000d\u000aAmong the latest tools being \u000d\u000aintroduced into classrooms in Thailand \u000d\u000aare interactive smartboards, which are \u000d\u000areplacing traditional whiteboards and \u000d\u000ablackboards with the help of touch \u000d\u000adetection for user input whereby these \u000d\u000aboards function as smartphone screens to \u000d\u000afacilitate personalised and more engaging \u000d\u000alearning experiences for students of all \u000d\u000aages.\u000d\u000aOther revolutionary new tools include \u000d\u000aonline learning platforms, which provide \u000d\u000astudents with the opportunity to access \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 16 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","course materials anywhere at any time \u000d\u000awhile also making it easier to engage \u000d\u000ain interactive lessons and collaborative \u000d\u000aprojects. At the same time, virtual reality \u000d\u000aand augmented reality technologies \u000d\u000acan be used to create immersive and \u000d\u000aexperiential learning environments, \u000d\u000aallowing students to explore historical \u000d\u000asites, simulate scientific experiments, \u000d\u000aand travel to distant lands virtually \u000d\u000awithout leaving the classroom. \u000d\u000a\u201cAugmented reality is when you \u000d\u000atake something that you can already \u000d\u000asee in the world and add an interactive \u000d\u000aor experiential layer on top. So it\u2019s not \u000d\u000areplacing what you see. We\u2019re not taking \u000d\u000aVirtual reality and \u000d\u000aaugmented reality \u000d\u000atechnologies can \u000d\u000abe used to create \u000d\u000aimmersive and \u000d\u000aexperiential learning \u000d\u000aenvironments, \u000d\u000aallowing students to \u000d\u000aexplore historical sites, \u000d\u000asimulate scientific \u000d\u000aexperiments, and \u000d\u000atravel to distant lands \u000d\u000avirtually without \u000d\u000aleaving the classroom.\u000d\u000ayou to some magical fantasy world. \u000d\u000aWe\u2019re staying in our world and giving \u000d\u000ayou superpowers in it,\u201d explains Robert \u000d\u000aSpierenburg, the chief executive officer at \u000d\u000aa US-based company that specialises in \u000d\u000aimmersive digital experiences. \u000d\u000aThis technology can prove especially \u000d\u000abeneficial to students, according to Renee \u000d\u000aDawson, an educational technology \u000d\u000aspecialist at Atlanta Public Schools in the \u000d\u000aUnited States. \u201cAR engages students who \u000d\u000aare usually the least engaged. It serves as \u000d\u000aa bridge for students to connect in the \u000d\u000aclassroom,\u201d Dawson says. \u000d\u000aAmong its many benefits, AR allows \u000d\u000alearners to observe the topic of study up \u000d\u000aclose, which \u201cpromotes deeper learning\u201d \u000d\u000aas it \u201cgives access to everybody in the \u000d\u000aclassroom for anything that you can think \u000d\u000aof, in any sandbox environment and in a \u000d\u000avariety of ways.\u201d Better yet, the technology \u000d\u000acan easily be integrated into classrooms \u000d\u000aas it requires no special hardware and \u000d\u000asmartphones can be used to take \u000d\u000aadvantage of AR-based learning tools.\u000d\u000aBy contrast, virtual reality is a more \u000d\u000acomplex technology but its advantage is \u000d\u000athat it directly draws users into a wholly \u000d\u000aimmersive digital environment that \u000d\u000areplaces the real world with a virtual one. \u000d\u000aMany gamers are already familiar with this \u000d\u000atechnology, but its educational uses have \u000d\u000ayet to be tapped. \u000d\u000a\u201cVirtual Reality creates a unique \u000d\u000alearning experience that engages and \u000d\u000astimulates multiple senses. With VR, \u000d\u000astudents are no longer observers of the \u000d\u000asubject material \u2014 they can now become \u000d\u000apart of it by virtually exploring underwater \u000d\u000awith whales in 3D graphics or becoming a \u000d\u000awhale itself through sight, touch, hearing \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 17","and even smell! This immersive approach \u000d\u000ato education increases student interest \u000d\u000alevels while providing an enhanced level of \u000d\u000aunderstanding for concept mastery,\u201d says \u000d\u000aSimona Johnes, a school principal, writing \u000d\u000afor the Science and Literacy website.\u000d\u000aVirtual reality can come in handy \u000d\u000ain classrooms in a myriad of ways: in \u000d\u000ageography, biology, language learning, \u000d\u000aarts and crafts, skills training and \u000d\u000aphysical education. When it comes to \u000d\u000alanguage learning, for instance, a study \u000d\u000acommissioned by the World Bank, which \u000d\u000aassessed 72 experiments, found that virtual \u000d\u000areality could effectively complement \u000d\u000atraditional teaching methods, resulting \u000d\u000ain much-improved learning outcomes. \u000d\u000aStudents exposed to this technology \u000d\u000ashowed 20 per cent greater confidence \u000d\u000aand were 30 per cent faster at completing \u000d\u000atasks than students who received \u000d\u000aconventional instruction.\u000d\u000aIn science classes these radical new \u000d\u000ateaching methods could also work \u000d\u000awonders, Johnes says. \u201cWith virtual reality \u000d\u000aand augmented technology, teachers can \u000d\u000anow help students engage tangibly with \u000d\u000athese topics in ways they never thought \u000d\u000apossible. Take, for example, an elementary \u000d\u000aschool student who is traditionally having \u000d\u000adifficulty understanding cells: by utilising \u000d\u000aVR/AR, they could actually feel like they\u2019re \u000d\u000aexploring this complex concept first-hand \u000d\u000a\u2014 no textbooks or diagrams required,\u201d \u000d\u000athe educator elucidates. \u000d\u000aSimilarly, virtual reality can help \u000d\u000astudents get immersed in the world of \u000d\u000aart by getting up close and personal \u000d\u000awith artworks. \u201cWith this revolutionary \u000d\u000atechnology, classes can become \u000d\u000ainteractive experiences where one \u000d\u000ahas a chance to virtually hold objects \u000d\u000asuch as the Mona Lisa or study famous \u000d\u000apaintings up close in a way that was once \u000d\u000aunimaginable,\u201d Johnes says. \u000d\u000a\u201cWith virtual reality you can not only \u000d\u000astudy the world of painting, but also \u000d\u000aplunge into the world of cinema with \u000d\u000ayour students. VR provides exciting new \u000d\u000aopportunities and potential applications \u000d\u000awithin educational art programmes,\u201d \u000d\u000ashe adds.\u000d\u000aIn physical education, meanwhile, \u000d\u000avirtual reality can give classes a whole new \u000d\u000adimension. \u201cImagine playing sports like \u000d\u000atennis, volleyball, baseball, and golf with \u000d\u000aan immersive VR experience \u2014 engaging \u000d\u000astudents in exhilarating lessons that could \u000d\u000arevolutionise their understanding of \u000d\u000aathletics,\u201d Johnes observes.\u000d\u000aBut there is more. Artificial intelligence \u000d\u000acan likewise be leveraged to personalise \u000d\u000alearning pathways for individual students. \u000d\u000aAdaptive learning platforms employ AI \u000d\u000aalgorithms to analyse the performance of \u000d\u000aeach student and provide individualised \u000d\u000arecommendations for improvement so \u000d\u000athat they each receive optimal support. \u000d\u000aThat way they can take advantage of \u000d\u000alearning opportunities to the fullest and \u000d\u000amaximise their potentials.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 18 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","","ast a glance around many a \u000d\u000aschool campus in Bangkok \u000d\u000aduring breaks and you will \u000d\u000aencounter a familiar sight: \u000d\u000astudents engrossed in their mobile \u000d\u000aphones. After classes they return their \u000d\u000aattention to their devices, watching TikTok \u000d\u000avideos, social media posts and other \u000d\u000aamusing content for hours on end. \u000d\u000aOn average Thai children spend 35 \u000d\u000ahours a week on their mobile phones \u000d\u000aand other screens, according to a recent \u000d\u000awide-ranging survey by the Public Health \u000d\u000aFoundation. If anything, this rate may well \u000d\u000abe an underestimate; even so, it is well \u000d\u000aover the recommended maximum of 16 \u000d\u000ahours per week. Alarmingly, even children \u000d\u000aas young as one and two years old are \u000d\u000aalready getting hooked on these devices, \u000d\u000athe agency says. \u000d\u000aShould smartphones\u000d\u000abe allowed in schools?\u000d\u000aExperts argue\u000d\u000athat excessive use \u000d\u000aof phones harms \u000d\u000athe mental and \u000d\u000asocial health of \u000d\u000ayoung people\u000d\u000aPart of the reason is that many schools \u000d\u000acontinue to condone this practice, which \u000d\u000acan be harmful for the healthy mental \u000d\u000aand social development of children and \u000d\u000ateenagers. In a newly issued warning \u000d\u000aUNESCO has advised schools worldwide \u000d\u000ato allow the use of \u201conly technology \u000d\u000athat supports learning\u201d on their \u000d\u000agrounds because mobile \u000d\u000aphones can cause their \u000d\u000apupils to pay less attention \u000d\u000ato their studies and can \u000d\u000aalso expose them to \u000d\u000avarious forms of cyber\u0002bullying. \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 20 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","The use of smartphones in school \u000d\u000a\u201cis distracting students from learning and \u000d\u000aincreasing risks to their privacy at the same \u000d\u000atime,\u201d says Manos Antoninis, the author \u000d\u000aof the United Nations agency\u2019s 2023 \u000d\u000aGlobal Education Monitor report. \u201cOnly \u000d\u000atechnology that supports learning has a \u000d\u000aplace in school,\u201d the expert stresses.\u000d\u000aAlbeit smartphones can have a useful \u000d\u000arole in developing students\u2019 skills, their \u000d\u000aextended use can have numerous harmful \u000d\u000aand long-lasting consequences on \u000d\u000ayoungsters\u2019 mental health and educational \u000d\u000adevelopment. In fact, studies worldwide \u000d\u000ahave shown that banning mobile phones \u000d\u000afrom school grounds improves the \u000d\u000aacademic performance of students, \u000d\u000aaccording to UNESCO. \u000d\u000aAt the same time, the excessive \u000d\u000ause of social media can harm young \u000d\u000apeople\u2019s mental health, triggering feelings \u000d\u000aof insecurity, depression and other \u000d\u000aconditions, experts have found. Worse still, \u000d\u000asocial media can easily result in addictive \u000d\u000abehaviours.\u000d\u000a\u201cAs an introverted, socially awkward \u000d\u000ateenager whose in-person interactions \u000d\u000anever seemed to go right, I liked the way \u000d\u000aFacebook allowed me to portray \u000d\u000amyself as I wanted. I created \u000d\u000aa profile that showcased my \u000d\u000afavourite quotes from classic \u000d\u000amovies and the music I had \u000d\u000aon repeat. In the digital \u000d\u000aworld, I was more open \u000d\u000aand candid. I got to know \u000d\u000aAlbeit smartphones \u000d\u000acan have a useful \u000d\u000arole in developing \u000d\u000astudents\u2019 skills, \u000d\u000atheir extended use \u000d\u000acan have numerous \u000d\u000aharmful and long\u0002lasting consequences \u000d\u000aon youngsters\u2019 mental \u000d\u000ahealth and educational \u000d\u000adevelopment.\u000d\u000apeople that I wouldn\u2019t talk to face-to\u0002face \u2014 and I often used the platform to \u000d\u000avent about my classes,\u201d writes Kelsey \u000d\u000aGripenstraw, the senior associate editor for \u000d\u000aaudience engagement at Harvard Business \u000d\u000aReview.\u000d\u000a\u201cMy social media use seemed \u000d\u000aharmless. But I soon noticed that my \u000d\u000aattention span and mental capacity \u000d\u000awere suffering. When trying to finish \u000d\u000aschool assignments, I\u2019d check Facebook \u000d\u000arepeatedly. Each day I spent hours \u000d\u000ascrolling through its pages. It got so \u000d\u000abad that I had to temporarily deactivate \u000d\u000amy profile ahead of my final exams to \u000d\u000aeliminate temptation,\u201d the author recalls. \u000d\u000aSuch obsessive behaviours are actively \u000d\u000aencouraged by advertisement-driven \u000d\u000asocial media platforms despite mounting \u000d\u000aevidence that they pose grave threats \u000d\u000ato users\u2019 mental health. These platforms \u000d\u000aprey on their users by providing them in \u000d\u000athe form of so-called dopamine hits by \u000d\u000away of likes and comments by other users \u000d\u000aon their posts. Endless notifications from \u000d\u000athese apps, meanwhile, keep demanding \u000d\u000ausers\u2019 attention throughout the day.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 21","\u201cDopamine creates a positive \u000d\u000aassociation with whatever behaviours \u000d\u000aprompted its release, training you to \u000d\u000arepeat them,\u201d Max Fisher explains in his \u000d\u000abook The Chaos Machine. \u201cWhen that \u000d\u000adopamine reward system gets hijacked, \u000d\u000ait can compel you to repeat self-destructive \u000d\u000abehaviours. To place one more bet, binge \u000d\u000aon alcohol \u2014 or spend hours on apps even \u000d\u000awhen they make you unhappy.\u201d \u000d\u000aIn a recent study it was found that \u000d\u000auniversity students who used social media \u000d\u000afor more than three hours each day ended \u000d\u000aup developing poorer sleep patterns while \u000d\u000atheir academic performance also suffered \u000d\u000anoticeably. In addition, many of them \u000d\u000acame to develop poorer self-image, which \u000d\u000acaused them to become depressed and \u000d\u000achronically stressed. One likely reason for \u000d\u000athis was that on social media they kept \u000d\u000aencountering ideals to which they or \u000d\u000atheir lives could not measure up. Children \u000d\u000awithout a well-developed sense of self \u000d\u000aare especially vulnerable to developing \u000d\u000aan inferiority complex and other mental \u000d\u000ahealth conditions as a result, experts say. \u000d\u000aIn response to this scourge of social \u000d\u000amedia on young minds, more and more \u000d\u000aeducational experts and authorities have \u000d\u000abeen calling for a total or partial ban on \u000d\u000asmartphones in schools. In 2021, for \u000d\u000ainstance, Gavin Williamson, who was then \u000d\u000aEducation Secretary in England, called \u000d\u000afor a ban on the use of mobile phones in \u000d\u000aschools, although current guidelines in the \u000d\u000acountry leave it up to schools themselves \u000d\u000ato decide whether smartphones can be \u000d\u000aused by their pupils on their campuses. \u000d\u000aThe guidelines add a caveat, however: \u000d\u000a\u201cHead teachers should consider restricting \u000d\u000aor prohibiting mobile phones to reduce \u000d\u000athese risks.\u201d\u000d\u000aIn France there is already a ban in place \u000d\u000aon smartphone use, but exceptions are \u000d\u000amade for certain groups of students such \u000d\u000aas those with disabilities. Smartphones \u000d\u000aare also allowed as a teaching aid. The \u000d\u000aNetherlands is planning to follow suit by \u000d\u000awidely banning mobile phones, tablets \u000d\u000aand smartwatches from secondary school \u000d\u000aclassrooms. The move aims to enable \u000d\u000aschools to help wean their students off \u000d\u000adigital devices and learn to interact with \u000d\u000atheir peers offline. \u000d\u000aIn Thailand, many international schools \u000d\u000aalready have such bans in place, thereby \u000d\u000arestricting the use of smartphones and \u000d\u000aother devices for non-study purposes on \u000d\u000acampus. Yet bans alone are unlikely to \u000d\u000achange young minds. Educators will also \u000d\u000aneed to explain to students why using \u000d\u000asmartphones, especially social media, too \u000d\u000amuch might be detrimental to their mental \u000d\u000ahealth and educational outcomes. It is \u000d\u000athrough such measures that young people \u000d\u000acan wean themselves off devices that can \u000d\u000aoften do more harm than good.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 22 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","ven as international schools \u000d\u000aand universities in Thailand \u000d\u000aare prioritising technological \u000d\u000aadvancements and new \u000d\u000ainstructional models, they are also placing \u000d\u000amore of an emphasis on the development \u000d\u000aof future-oriented skills. In recognition \u000d\u000aof the fact that traditional education and \u000d\u000athe skills they provide are increasingly \u000d\u000ainsufficient in a rapidly changing world, \u000d\u000aeducational institutions are emphasising \u000d\u000askills such as critical thinking, creativity and \u000d\u000adigital literacy.\u000d\u000aIn this regard, project-based learning \u000d\u000a(PBL) is gaining traction as a powerful \u000d\u000ainstructional approach that fosters \u000d\u000athese skills by encouraging students to \u000d\u000ainvestigate real-world problems, work \u000d\u000acollaboratively, and develop solutions \u000d\u000athrough hands-on projects. By engaging in \u000d\u000aEmbracing\u000d\u000athe Future\u000d\u000aInternational \u000d\u000aschools are \u000d\u000aseeking to create \u000d\u000aa new generation \u000d\u000aof thought \u000d\u000aleaders and \u000d\u000aentrepreneurs\u000d\u000aauthentic, interdisciplinary tasks, students \u000d\u000aacquire practical skills while deepening \u000d\u000atheir understanding of core subjects.\u000d\u000a\u201cThe old-school model of passively \u000d\u000alearning facts and reciting them out of \u000d\u000acontext is no longer sufficient to prepare \u000d\u000astudents to survive in today\u2019s world. \u000d\u000aSolving highly complex problems requires \u000d\u000athat students have both fundamental \u000d\u000askills (reading, writing, and math) and 21st\u000d\u000acentury skills (teamwork, problem solving, \u000d\u000aresearch gathering, time management, \u000d\u000ainformation synthesising, utilising high \u000d\u000atech tools). With this combination of \u000d\u000askills, students become directors and \u000d\u000amanagers of their learning process, \u000d\u000aguided and mentored by a skilled \u000d\u000ateacher,\u201d stresses Edutopia, an online \u000d\u000aproject by the George Lucas Educational \u000d\u000aFoundation.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 23","\u201cBy bringing real-life context and \u000d\u000atechnology to the curriculum through a \u000d\u000aPBL approach, students are encouraged \u000d\u000ato become independent workers, critical \u000d\u000athinkers, and lifelong learners,\u201d the website \u000d\u000aelucidates. \u201cPBL is not just a way of \u000d\u000alearning; it\u2019s a way of working together. \u000d\u000aIf students learn to take responsibility for \u000d\u000atheir own learning, they will form the basis \u000d\u000afor the way they will work with others in \u000d\u000atheir adult lives.\u201d\u000d\u000aAnother emerging trend is the \u000d\u000aintegration of entrepreneurship \u000d\u000aeducation into school curricula aimed \u000d\u000aat empowering students to think \u000d\u000aentrepreneurially while engaging in \u000d\u000ainnovative thinking, problem solving, and \u000d\u000arisk-taking. Entrepreneurship education \u000d\u000anurtures a mind-set of creativity, \u000d\u000aadaptability, and resilience, preparing \u000d\u000astudents to thrive in an ever-changing \u000d\u000aglobal landscape.\u000d\u000a\u201cThe importance of teaching \u000d\u000aentrepreneurship in schools cannot be \u000d\u000aoverstated. Entrepreneurship education \u000d\u000ahelps students develop a range of skills \u000d\u000aand competencies that are valuable in \u000d\u000aboth their personal and professional lives,\u201d \u000d\u000awrites Shweta Sastri, managing director \u000d\u000aof Canadian International School in \u000d\u000aBangalore, the famed IT capital of India. \u000d\u000a\u201cIt teaches them how to think \u000d\u000acreatively and critically, how to \u000d\u000aidentify and solve problems, \u000d\u000aand how to take calculated \u000d\u000arisks. It also helps students \u000d\u000adevelop a growth mind-set, \u000d\u000awhich is the belief that they \u000d\u000acan improve and succeed \u000d\u000athrough hard work, effort \u000d\u000aand learning. In addition, \u000d\u000aan education that \u000d\u000afocuses on building \u000d\u000aentrepreneurship \u000d\u000askills can help \u000d\u000astudents learn to \u000d\u000abe resilient and \u000d\u000aadaptable and can provide them with the \u000d\u000aknowledge and skills they need to start \u000d\u000aand grow their own businesses,\u201d Sastri \u000d\u000aexplains.\u000d\u000aBut there is more. \u000d\u000a\u201cEntrepreneurship education fosters \u000d\u000aa growth mind-set which makes them \u000d\u000aresilient and view failures as challenges \u000d\u000arather than obstacles. On the other hand, \u000d\u000aa fixed mind-set leads students to believe \u000d\u000athat one\u2019s abilities and intelligence are \u000d\u000afixed and cannot be changed. Research \u000d\u000ahas shown that individuals with a holistic \u000d\u000aoutlook are more likely to be successful \u000d\u000aand to achieve their goals, because they \u000d\u000aare more open to learning, be tougher in \u000d\u000athe face of challenges, and more willing \u000d\u000ato take risks. These skill sets help students \u000d\u000awith valuable knowledge by encouraging \u000d\u000athem to learn from their mistakes, and to \u000d\u000apersevere in the face of challenges,\u201d \u000d\u000athe school director notes.\u000d\u000a\u201cFurthermore, entrepreneurship \u000d\u000aeducation can help students become \u000d\u000aresponsible and ethical citizens along with \u000d\u000aemphasising the importance of ethical \u000d\u000adecision-making, social responsibility, \u000d\u000aand environmental sustainability,\u201d she \u000d\u000aconcludes. \u201cThis is particularly important \u000d\u000ain today\u2019s world, where there are many \u000d\u000apressing social and environmental \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 24 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","Project-based \u000d\u000alearning is gaining \u000d\u000atraction as a powerful \u000d\u000ainstructional \u000d\u000aapproach that \u000d\u000afosters these skills by \u000d\u000aencouraging students \u000d\u000ato investigate real\u0002world problems, work \u000d\u000acollaboratively, and \u000d\u000adevelop solutions \u000d\u000athrough hands-on \u000d\u000aprojects.\u000d\u000achallenges that need to be addressed and \u000d\u000ato make a positive difference in the world.\u201d\u000d\u000aIn this vein, international schools \u000d\u000aand universities in Thailand are \u000d\u000aembracing global citizenship and cultural \u000d\u000acompetence as part of their teaching \u000d\u000acontent. Through international exchange \u000d\u000aprogrammes, cultural immersion activities, \u000d\u000aand language learning opportunities, \u000d\u000astudents can develop a broader worldview, \u000d\u000acultivate empathy, and come to appreciate \u000d\u000adiversity. These experiences equip them \u000d\u000awith the skills needed to navigate the \u000d\u000ainterconnected world and become \u000d\u000aresponsible global citizens.\u000d\u000aThe importance of this cannot be \u000d\u000aoverstated. \u000d\u000a\u201cGlobal citizenship is the umbrella \u000d\u000aterm for social, political, environmental, \u000d\u000aand economic actions of globally \u000d\u000aminded individuals and communities \u000d\u000aon a worldwide scale. The term can \u000d\u000arefer to the belief that individuals are \u000d\u000amembers of multiple, diverse, local \u000d\u000aand non-local networks rather than \u000d\u000asingle actors affecting isolated societies. \u000d\u000aPromoting global citizenship in sustainable \u000d\u000adevelopment will allow individuals to \u000d\u000aembrace their social responsibility to act \u000d\u000afor the benefit of all societies, not just their \u000d\u000aown,\u201d says the United Nations.\u000d\u000a\u201cThe concept of global citizenship \u000d\u000ais embedded in the Sustainable \u000d\u000aDevelopment Goals though SDG 4: \u000d\u000aInsuring Inclusive and Quality Education \u000d\u000afor All and Promote Life-Long Learning, \u000d\u000awhich includes global citizenship as one \u000d\u000aof its targets. By 2030, the international \u000d\u000acommunity has agreed to ensure that \u000d\u000aall learners acquire the knowledge and \u000d\u000askills needed to promote sustainable \u000d\u000adevelopment, including global citizenship. \u000d\u000aUniversities have a responsibility to \u000d\u000apromote global citizenship by teaching \u000d\u000atheir students that they are members of a \u000d\u000alarge global community and can use their \u000d\u000askills and education to contribute to that \u000d\u000acommunity,\u201d the UN adds.\u000d\u000aIt is to the credit of international \u000d\u000aschools and institutions of higher \u000d\u000aeducation in Thailand that education on \u000d\u000aglobal citizenship is increasingly being \u000d\u000aintegrated into their curricula. As we all \u000d\u000ashare the same planet with all its problems \u000d\u000aand advantages, we will all need to work \u000d\u000atogether to mitigate the effects of climate \u000d\u000achange, protect the environment and \u000d\u000acreate just and equitable societies across \u000d\u000athe planet. \u000d\u000aAs Thailand\u2019s educational institutions \u000d\u000acontinue to embrace all the aims \u000d\u000aand advantages of modern teaching \u000d\u000apractices and learning tools, students are \u000d\u000abenefiting from a more holistic, dynamic, \u000d\u000aand globally competitive education. By \u000d\u000aleveraging technology, embracing new \u000d\u000ainstructional models, and incorporating \u000d\u000aemerging trends, international schools \u000d\u000aand universities are equipping students \u000d\u000awith the skills and mind-set needed to \u000d\u000athrive in the rapidly evolving world of \u000d\u000athe 21st century.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 25","","","hailand boasts a wide range of \u000d\u000aexcellent international schools. \u000d\u000aIn Bangkok alone there are \u000d\u000amore than 90 such educational \u000d\u000ainstitutions. This multitude of choices \u000d\u000aprovides parents with plenty of options, \u000d\u000abut it can also be a bit of a challenge to \u000d\u000adecide which one of them will be an ideal \u000d\u000aone for their child. \u000d\u000aIn making a decision parents will do \u000d\u000awell to consider several factors to ensure \u000d\u000athey select a school that aligns with their \u000d\u000achild\u2019s unique needs, talents, interests \u000d\u000aand aspirations. This is especially the case \u000d\u000abecause even for parents who can afford \u000d\u000athe hefty tuition fees of some of the most \u000d\u000aprestigious international schools, picking \u000d\u000athe right school may not always be a \u000d\u000astraightforward decision. \u000d\u000aIn general, international schools can \u000d\u000abe classified into three broad categories. \u000d\u000aThe first type comprises schools that have \u000d\u000abeen set up specifically to cater to the \u000d\u000aQuestions of Choice\u000d\u000aSelecting the \u000d\u000aideal international \u000d\u000aschool for a child \u000d\u000ais a significant \u000d\u000adecision that can \u000d\u000agreatly influence \u000d\u000atheir development\u000d\u000achildren of foreign expatriates who have \u000d\u000acome to work and live in the Kingdom. \u000d\u000aThe second type of schools includes the \u000d\u000alocal branches of prominent British and \u000d\u000aAmerican franchise schools. The third \u000d\u000atype in turn comprises relatively new \u000d\u000ainternational schools that provide tuition \u000d\u000aat internationally accepted standards to \u000d\u000aboth Thai and foreign students. \u000d\u000aMost international schools specialise \u000d\u000ain helping their students acquire high\u0002standard education with special emphasis \u000d\u000aon the mastering of key subjects as well \u000d\u000aas foreign languages, especially English, \u000d\u000aFrench, German, Chinese, Japanese and \u000d\u000aother dominant languages widely in use \u000d\u000ain professional environments around \u000d\u000athe planet. International schools and \u000d\u000aeducational programmes are also available \u000d\u000afor students of all ages from pre-school \u000d\u000aall the way to university-level education \u000d\u000ain the international programmes of some \u000d\u000aThai higher educational institutions where \u000d\u000asubjects are taught in English, at least in \u000d\u000apart.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 28 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","","A good rule of \u000d\u000athumb in selecting \u000d\u000aan appropriate \u000d\u000aschool for \u000d\u000ayoungsters is \u000d\u000ato try and gauge \u000d\u000ahow well its teaching \u000d\u000aenvironment \u000d\u000abenefits its students.\u000d\u000aIn many of the better international \u000d\u000aschools there is an emphasis on bilingual \u000d\u000aeducation with Thai and a foreign \u000d\u000alanguage serving as the languages of \u000d\u000ainstruction. Such bilingual environments \u000d\u000aare especially highly prized by many \u000d\u000awell-off Thais who prefer to send their \u000d\u000achildren to international schools to help \u000d\u000athem acquire high-standard education \u000d\u000awith special emphasis on the mastering of \u000d\u000aforeign languages, especially English. \u000d\u000aAlthough international schools \u000d\u000agenerally bill themselves as inclusive \u000d\u000aand diverse, students may be required \u000d\u000ato demonstrate an acceptable level of \u000d\u000afluency in English or another selected \u000d\u000alanguage to be accepted. The most \u000d\u000aprestigious schools may well have waiting \u000d\u000alists to deal with the large number of \u000d\u000apotential applicants. \u000d\u000aThe answer to the question of \u000d\u000awhich international school is the right \u000d\u000aone for a child depends on a number \u000d\u000aof other variables beyond the language \u000d\u000aof instruction: these factors are worth \u000d\u000aconsidering as well before making \u000d\u000aa decision. Helpfully, most schools \u000d\u000athemselves offer guidelines to parents and \u000d\u000aprospective students for selecting them \u000d\u000abased on various advertised criteria. \u000d\u000aIndividual schools routinely highlight \u000d\u000atheir strengths, including the sizes of \u000d\u000aclasses: the smaller the better, it is \u000d\u000agenerally assumed. Smaller classes \u000d\u000aallow for individualised attention and \u000d\u000agreater interaction, fostering a supportive \u000d\u000aenvironment that promotes academic \u000d\u000aperformance and personal growth. It can \u000d\u000ahelp to inquire about learning support \u000d\u000aservices for students with diverse needs \u000d\u000ato ensure a child receives appropriate \u000d\u000aassistance.\u000d\u000aAmong other strengths of a school are \u000d\u000athe qualifications of its teachers as well as \u000d\u000athe usual teacher-student ratio at school, \u000d\u000athe make-up of their student body, the \u000d\u000aavailable learning and recreational facilities \u000d\u000aon campus, and the range of in-class and \u000d\u000aextracurricular activities on offer to help \u000d\u000astudents get ahead in their studies while \u000d\u000aalso helping them have a good time with \u000d\u000atheir schoolmates. \u000d\u000aIn addition, several schools offer \u000d\u000aservices in individual counselling, \u000d\u000asubstance abuse prevention, and study \u000d\u000asupport. Others emphasise the safety of \u000d\u000atheir school environment and the security \u000d\u000aarrangements of the school grounds, \u000d\u000awhich can be an important factor for \u000d\u000aforeign diplomats. \u000d\u000aThe quality of facilities and resources \u000d\u000asignificantly impacts education, which \u000d\u000ais why parents should visit campuses or \u000d\u000aexplore schools\u2019 websites to assess their \u000d\u000ainfrastructure, libraries, laboratories, sports \u000d\u000afacilities, and technology resources. \u000d\u000aWell-equipped schools provide \u000d\u000aopportunities for hands-on learning, \u000d\u000aexploration, and skills development.\u000d\u000aAlso among important considerations \u000d\u000ain selecting a school should be its \u000d\u000acurriculum, teaching methods and \u000d\u000aavailable learning tools. The best schools \u000d\u000aboast student-centred teaching methods \u000d\u000athat are aimed at engaging learners while \u000d\u000asimultaneously challenging them to do \u000d\u000atheir best in their studies and acquire \u000d\u000aa love of learning. These schools seek \u000d\u000ato actively engage all their students \u000d\u000ain learning activities and regularly \u000d\u000acommunicate with parents about their \u000d\u000achildren\u2019s progress. A school\u2019s curriculum \u000d\u000ashould ideally incorporate the most \u000d\u000aadvanced learning tools and techniques, \u000d\u000aincluding hi-tech tools and innovative \u000d\u000atesting methods. \u000d\u000aSome schools prioritise inquiry\u0002based learning while others take a more \u000d\u000atraditional approach. Which one suits a \u000d\u000achild\u2019s learning style and preferences is an \u000d\u000aimportant decision to make; in general, \u000d\u000ahowever, student-centred approaches \u000d\u000afoster active learning, critical thinking, \u000d\u000aand creativity, striking a balance between \u000d\u000atheory and practice.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 30 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","","A wider range of courses on offer \u000d\u000asuitable for different age groups, including \u000d\u000ascience classes and courses in various \u000d\u000alanguages, serves as a good indicator of \u000d\u000aa school\u2019s dedication to a more holistic \u000d\u000aapproach to learning and teaching. So \u000d\u000ais the ready availability of co-curricular \u000d\u000aand extracurricular activities and projects, \u000d\u000aincluding sporting events, arts initiatives, \u000d\u000adrama clubs, science clubs, and hobby \u000d\u000aclubs. \u000d\u000aA school should ideally have state\u0002of-the-art, well-maintained facilities, \u000d\u000aincluding the availability of wireless \u000d\u000atechnology on campus. A well-stocked \u000d\u000alibrary, sport areas (preferably with a \u000d\u000aswimming pool), and a cafeteria with \u000d\u000ahealthy food are also inviting sights. \u000d\u000aExtracurricular activities also play a vital \u000d\u000arole in a child\u2019s holistic development \u000d\u000aand the range of such activities on offer \u000d\u000a\u2014 sports, arts, music, drama, clubs, and \u000d\u000acommunity service \u2014 are all useful signs \u000d\u000aof a school\u2019s quality. These activities will \u000d\u000aallow children to explore their interests, \u000d\u000adevelop their leadership skills, and acquire \u000d\u000aa well-rounded personality.\u000d\u000aWhen it comes down to it, however, \u000d\u000aa school \u2014 no matter how well-equipped \u000d\u000a\u2014 is only as good as its teachers. Parents \u000d\u000ashould pay attention to teachers\u2019 \u000d\u000acredentials as well as what expectations \u000d\u000aa school sets on its instructors. In some \u000d\u000alarger international schools teachers \u000d\u000amay come from as many as two dozen \u000d\u000acountries, adding to a truly multicultural \u000d\u000aenvironment on campus. \u000d\u000a\u201cOne of the most common \u000d\u000amisconceptions about teaching is that \u000d\u000aanyone can do it, particularly if they have \u000d\u000aexpertise in a particular subject,\u201d explains \u000d\u000aJared Kuruzovich, who was until recently \u000d\u000adirector of communications at NIST \u000d\u000aInternational School in Bangkok. \u201cWhile \u000d\u000athere may be naturally gifted teachers, just \u000d\u000aas there are naturally gifted athletes and \u000d\u000ascientists, the reality \u2014 backed by decades \u000d\u000aof research \u2014 is that teachers who are \u000d\u000atrained in pedagogy and continually \u000d\u000aundergo professional development are \u000d\u000abest positioned to help students succeed.\u201d\u000d\u000aA good rule of thumb in selecting \u000d\u000aan appropriate school for youngsters is \u000d\u000ato try and gauge how well its teaching \u000d\u000aenvironment benefits its students. \u201cIf \u000d\u000ayou want your child to receive a good \u000d\u000aeducation that will help them flourish, \u000d\u000achoose a school that invests in their \u000d\u000ateachers, that encourages children to \u000d\u000apursue their interests and passions, and \u000d\u000aviews education as a process rather than \u000d\u000aan end in itself,\u201d Kuruzovich says. \u000d\u000aIt is no secret that many schools in \u000d\u000aThailand regularly employ foreign teachers \u000d\u000abased simply on superficial criteria such \u000d\u000aas that they are native speakers of a \u000d\u000aforeign language like English rather than \u000d\u000aon the merits of their overall qualifications \u000d\u000aand experience. Often in such schools \u000d\u000ateachers come and go on a regular basis, \u000d\u000awhich can lead to an episodic quality in \u000d\u000athe course work of classes with haphazard \u000d\u000ateaching methods. That rarely benefits \u000d\u000astudents. \u000d\u000aBetter schools place a strong \u000d\u000aemphasis on attracting the best available \u000d\u000ateachers with proper qualifications and \u000d\u000aretaining them for longer periods. The \u000d\u000apercentage of teachers with advanced \u000d\u000adegrees at a school is a tell-tale sign of \u000d\u000athat dedication. Such schools also often \u000d\u000aencourage their faculty to keep abreast of \u000d\u000athe latest developments in their fields and \u000d\u000ain educational trends in general. The sight \u000d\u000aof teachers who evidence a professional \u000d\u000amanner in their conduct and seem \u000d\u000arespected and well-adjusted at a school is \u000d\u000aa revealing sign of its efficiency. \u000d\u000aNeedless to say, the expertise and \u000d\u000adedication of a school\u2019s faculty are crucial \u000d\u000afor a child\u2019s educational experience. \u000d\u000aInquiring about the qualifications and \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 32 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","experience of the teaching staff can \u000d\u000ahelp parents make an informed decision. \u000d\u000aOf similar importance is the presence \u000d\u000aof educators with relevant degrees, \u000d\u000ateaching certifications, and experience \u000d\u000ato deliver international curricula in line \u000d\u000awith the highest educational standards. \u000d\u000aA committed and well-qualified faculty \u000d\u000acreates a positive learning environment \u000d\u000aand inspires students to reach their full \u000d\u000apotential.\u000d\u000aEffective communication between \u000d\u000aparents and teachers is likewise crucial. \u000d\u000aThat is why it could help to try and \u000d\u000aassess ahead of a child\u2019s enrolment a \u000d\u000aschool\u2019s approach to parent-teacher \u000d\u000acommunication, including updates, \u000d\u000aconferences, and online platforms. \u000d\u000aParents can do this by inquiring about \u000d\u000aopportunities for parental involvement, \u000d\u000asuch as volunteering and parent-teacher \u000d\u000aassociations. A strong parent-school \u000d\u000apartnership contributes to a supportive \u000d\u000aand enriching educational experience.\u000d\u000aA school\u2019s educational track record \u000d\u000acan also be a good indicator. This record \u000d\u000aincludes such indicators as the rate of its \u000d\u000agraduates that have gone on to higher \u000d\u000aeducational institutions (and which ones) \u000d\u000aand the composition of its alumni. \u000d\u000aA school\u2019s reputation also benefits \u000d\u000astudents. Graduating from a more \u000d\u000aprestigious school often lends young \u000d\u000apeople a leg-up as they apply for higher \u000d\u000aeducational institutions and, later on, \u000d\u000aduring their job search as they embark on \u000d\u000aa professional career. \u000d\u000aMany international schools are known \u000d\u000afor their diverse student population and \u000d\u000ait might be worth considering how well a \u000d\u000aschool embraces and celebrates cultural \u000d\u000adiversity. Parents should look for an \u000d\u000ainclusive environment where students \u000d\u000afrom different backgrounds are equally \u000d\u000avalued and respected. A multicultural \u000d\u000aatmosphere enhances global awareness, \u000d\u000afosters intercultural understanding, and \u000d\u000aprepares students for a diverse world of \u000d\u000awork.\u000d\u000aA climate of diversity on campus also \u000d\u000areflects a school\u2019s own culture and values \u000d\u000ain alignment with its mission, vision, and \u000d\u000aguiding principles. Parents can ensure that \u000d\u000athese are in line with their own values and \u000d\u000aeducational expectations. In the same \u000d\u000avein, schools should also place a marked \u000d\u000aemphasis on character development, \u000d\u000aethics, and social responsibility. A school \u000d\u000awith a positive and inclusive culture \u000d\u000anurtures a supportive environment for \u000d\u000apersonal growth and the development of \u000d\u000astrong moral values in children, which is \u000d\u000aan invaluable trait that will serve them well \u000d\u000ain their chosen careers.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 33","","","hailand is fast becoming an \u000d\u000aeducational hub in the region with \u000d\u000aa great number of international \u000d\u000aschools offering learning \u000d\u000aopportunities for students from preschool \u000d\u000aall the way to university. Albeit these \u000d\u000aschools have many things in common, \u000d\u000athey also offer different teaching methods \u000d\u000aand syllabuses, thereby catering to the \u000d\u000adiverse needs of their students. \u000d\u000aOne of the most widely respected \u000d\u000acurricula on offer is the British curriculum \u000d\u000awith its globally recognised General \u000d\u000aCertificate of Secondary Education \u000d\u000a(GCSE) and A-Level qualifications, offering \u000d\u000astudents a solid educational foundation. \u000d\u000aIn Thailand, international schools often \u000d\u000aprovide GCSE courses for high school\u0002aged students with courses covering a \u000d\u000awide array of subjects, including English, \u000d\u000amathematics, science, social sciences, and \u000d\u000ahumanities. \u000d\u000aCurricula Aplenty\u000d\u000aDeciding what study programmes to follow can be tricky, \u000d\u000abut international schools invite students with various options\u000d\u000aStudents frequently have the flexibility \u000d\u000ato choose subjects based on their interests \u000d\u000aand preferred educational pathways in \u000d\u000afuture. After completing GCSEs, students \u000d\u000acan progress to the A-Level programme, \u000d\u000awhich offers in-depth study in specific \u000d\u000asubjects and prepares them for university \u000d\u000aadmission. The A-Level programme is \u000d\u000arenowned for its academic rigor and \u000d\u000aequips students with critical thinking and \u000d\u000aresearch acumen, among other vital skills.\u000d\u000aAnother highly sought and valued \u000d\u000acurriculum on offer at international \u000d\u000aschools is the International Baccalaureate \u000d\u000a(IB) Diploma Programme. This two-year \u000d\u000aprogramme, typically taken by students \u000d\u000aaged 16 to 19, provides a well-rounded \u000d\u000aeducation with a focus on developing \u000d\u000acritical thinking, research skills, and \u000d\u000acultural awareness. The IB Diploma \u000d\u000aProgramme encompasses subjects such \u000d\u000aas language and literature, mathematics, \u000d\u000asciences, social studies, and the arts. \u000d\u000aStudents also engage in a Theory \u000d\u000aof Knowledge course, undertake to \u000d\u000acompose extended essays, and complete \u000d\u000acreativity, activity, and service (CAS) \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 36 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","By customising \u000d\u000athe curriculum, \u000d\u000aschools create an \u000d\u000aenvironment that \u000d\u000afosters student \u000d\u000agrowth, academic \u000d\u000aexcellence, \u000d\u000aand personal \u000d\u000adevelopment.\u000d\u000arequirements. The programme nurtures \u000d\u000astudents\u2019 intellectual curiosity, intercultural \u000d\u000aunderstanding, and social responsibility, \u000d\u000apreparing them for global citizenship and \u000d\u000athriving careers in competitive workplaces.\u000d\u000aA third option offered in English at \u000d\u000ainternational schools is the American \u000d\u000acurriculum, which leads to the attainment \u000d\u000aof the American High School Diploma. \u000d\u000aThis curriculum offers a comprehensive \u000d\u000arange of subjects, providing students \u000d\u000awith well-rounded education. Students \u000d\u000acan take Advanced Placement courses, \u000d\u000awhich are college-level courses that allow \u000d\u000athem to earn college credits or advanced \u000d\u000astanding based on their performance in \u000d\u000aAP exams. \u000d\u000aThese courses cover a range of \u000d\u000asubjects: English, mathematics, sciences, \u000d\u000asocial sciences, and foreign languages. \u000d\u000aThe American curriculum emphasises a \u000d\u000acombination of core subjects, elective \u000d\u000acourses, and extracurricular activities, \u000d\u000aallowing students to explore their passions \u000d\u000aand develop a diverse set of essential \u000d\u000askills. The American High School Diploma \u000d\u000ais widely recognised by universities and \u000d\u000acolleges globally, opening doors for \u000d\u000astudents to a range of prestigious higher \u000d\u000aeducation opportunities.\u000d\u000aSome international schools in Thailand \u000d\u000ahave adopted a dual-track or blended \u000d\u000asyllabus approach, combining elements \u000d\u000aof both the British and American curricula. \u000d\u000aThis way they provide students with \u000d\u000aadded flexibility in choosing subjects and \u000d\u000apreferred educational pathways that align \u000d\u000awith their interests and aspirations. By \u000d\u000ablending the strengths of both systems, \u000d\u000ainternational schools create unique \u000d\u000alearning experiences that cater to the \u000d\u000adiverse needs of their students.\u000d\u000aIn a similar vein, many international \u000d\u000aschools use the standard British and \u000d\u000aAmerican curricula as a foundation while \u000d\u000atailoring their syllabuses to the unique \u000d\u000aneeds of their students in alignment with \u000d\u000athese schools\u2019 educational philosophy. \u000d\u000aBy customising the curriculum, schools \u000d\u000acreate an environment that fosters \u000d\u000astudent growth, academic excellence, and \u000d\u000apersonal development.\u000d\u000aBefore enlisting in a school students \u000d\u000aand parents are well advised to do a bit \u000d\u000aof research on the curriculum on offer \u000d\u000aat schools and consult with their staff to \u000d\u000aunderstand the various merits of syllabuses \u000d\u000aand programmes on offer. By doing so \u000d\u000ayoung learners can be sure to find the best \u000d\u000afit for their chosen educational journeys \u000d\u000aduring a decisive period in their studies.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 37","ven in a teeming cosmopolitan \u000d\u000acity like Bangkok, many Thai \u000d\u000achildren are largely insulated \u000d\u000afrom the kaleidoscope of foreign \u000d\u000acultures and ways of life around them. \u000d\u000aAs a result, upon enrolling in an \u000d\u000ainternational school they may find \u000d\u000athemselves at a loss when they now need \u000d\u000ato communicate with foreign children \u000d\u000aand teachers in a language other than \u000d\u000atheir own. This transition can be especially \u000d\u000ajarring if they transfer from Thai schools or \u000d\u000apreschools. Parents can help their children \u000d\u000aadjust to their new learning environments \u000d\u000aby following simple techniques. \u000d\u000aCosmopolitans\u000d\u000ain the Making\u000d\u000aHow to help Thai children ease into a \u000d\u000anew life of cultural and ethnic diversity \u000d\u000aat an international school In a new learning environment, \u000d\u000aespecially in one with children from \u000d\u000adifferent cultures and backgrounds, \u000d\u000aoccasional misunderstandings are \u000d\u000ainevitable. A child accustomed \u000d\u000ato the mores of one culture may \u000d\u000aget puzzled or even offended by \u000d\u000acustoms in another. \u000d\u000aWhile international schools \u000d\u000agenerally make an effort to help \u000d\u000astudents learn about foreign \u000d\u000acultures, they may run up against \u000d\u000asome problems: they may \u000d\u000amisinterpret gestures or facial \u000d\u000aexpressions or may be surprised by \u000d\u000aunusual religious customs or foreign \u000d\u000aclothing items. \u000d\u000aParents should teach children \u000d\u000ato respect others regardless of \u000d\u000atheir looks, skin colour or beliefs. In \u000d\u000athe end, learning in a multi-ethnic \u000d\u000aand multicultural environment \u000d\u000awill greatly benefit children by \u000d\u000abroadening their cultural horizons \u000d\u000aand acquainting them with new \u000d\u000aways of looking at the world. \u000d\u000aNo matter how busy, parents \u000d\u000ashould find time daily for a 10-to\u000215-minute chat with their children. \u000d\u000aThey should ask the youngsters \u000d\u000aabout their day at school and listen \u000d\u000ato their answers. As they recount the \u000d\u000aday\u2019s events, children will signal with \u000d\u000atheir facial expressions and gestures \u000d\u000awhether they enjoy being in school \u000d\u000aor feel out of place there. \u000d\u000aParents should talk things over \u000d\u000awith their kids, offering them bits \u000d\u000aof advice about how to overcome \u000d\u000adifficulties and telling stories from \u000d\u000atheir own childhood experiences in \u000d\u000aschool.\u000d\u000a1\u000d\u000a2\u000d\u000aLET THEM TELL \u000d\u000aYOU THEIR STORY\u000d\u000aAPPRECIATE \u000d\u000aCULTURAL \u000d\u000aDIFFERENCES \u000d\u000aIN A SCHOOL\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 38 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","Thai children \u000d\u000aare largely \u000d\u000ainsulated from the \u000d\u000akaleidoscope of \u000d\u000aforeign cultures \u000d\u000aand ways of life \u000d\u000aaround them.\u000d\u000aThai students and those from \u000d\u000aa non-native English speaking \u000d\u000abackground may well encounter \u000d\u000acommunication problems at an \u000d\u000ainternational school where the \u000d\u000alanguage of tuition is English. The \u000d\u000asooner they can adapt to the new \u000d\u000alanguage environment, the better it \u000d\u000awill be for their academic progress \u000d\u000aand social life in school. \u000d\u000aIf children are facing language \u000d\u000acomprehension problems in school, \u000d\u000aparents should seek out extra English \u000d\u000acourses for them either at the school \u000d\u000aor outside it. Becoming conversant \u000d\u000ain a foreign tongue takes lots of \u000d\u000apractice, but children are especially \u000d\u000aadept at learning new languages. \u000d\u000aParents should also encourage their \u000d\u000achildren to watch cartoons and \u000d\u000amovies in English, read children\u2019s \u000d\u000abooks in the language, and listen to \u000d\u000aEnglish-language songs. \u000d\u000aHaving foreign friends at \u000d\u000aschool with whom they have to \u000d\u000acommunicate in English will also \u000d\u000ahelp Thai youngsters become fluent \u000d\u000ain the foreign vernacular a lot faster.\u000d\u000aParents should encourage their \u000d\u000achildren to participate both in \u000d\u000ain-class activities and extracurricular \u000d\u000aones in school. That way, they \u000d\u000acan develop stronger bonds with \u000d\u000atheir peers and come to make \u000d\u000anew friends.\u000d\u000aWhile many parents are naturally \u000d\u000avery protective of their children, they \u000d\u000ashould let them attend afterschool \u000d\u000aevents, sport days and field trips. \u000d\u000aParents should also let their children \u000d\u000aplay or hang out with their friends \u000d\u000aunder appropriate supervision, if \u000d\u000aneed be. In addition, parents may \u000d\u000aconsider attending school events \u000d\u000ato socialise with teachers and other \u000d\u000aparents.\u000d\u000aThai children tend to be shy \u000d\u000aand withdrawn, especially among \u000d\u000astrangers. They may feel less \u000d\u000aconfident in class and less willing to \u000d\u000aask questions and speak up. \u000d\u000aTeachers at international schools \u000d\u000ashould make an effort to reach \u000d\u000aout to less confident students, \u000d\u000abut parents, too, have a role to \u000d\u000aplay. They should encourage their \u000d\u000achildren to speak up freely both in \u000d\u000aschool and at home. They should be \u000d\u000aencouraged to ask questions. \u000d\u000aBy the same token, parents \u000d\u000ashould teach their children proper \u000d\u000amanners to ensure they do not \u000d\u000abecome overbearing with other \u000d\u000achildren and disrespectful with \u000d\u000atheir teachers. \u000d\u000a3 4\u000d\u000a5\u000d\u000aENCOURAGE \u000d\u000aTHEM TO \u000d\u000aSPEAK UP\u000d\u000aENCOURAGE \u000d\u000aTHEM TO \u000d\u000aPARTICIPATE IN \u000d\u000aACTIVITIES\u000d\u000aENROL THEM \u000d\u000aIN EXTRA \u000d\u000aLANGUAGE \u000d\u000aSTUDY\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 39","hose of us who have graduated \u000d\u000afrom high school can still recall, \u000d\u000amany years and decades later, \u000d\u000athe thrill of receiving our well\u0002earned diplomas. We may also remember \u000d\u000aa sense of trepidation at the new \u000d\u000alearning challenges ahead at university. \u000d\u000aIt is at institutions of higher education \u000d\u000athat we would go on to acquire further \u000d\u000auseful skills while honing those already \u000d\u000aacquired in secondary school: critical \u000d\u000athinking, problem solving, digital literacy, \u000d\u000acommunications, professionalism, \u000d\u000ain-depth research, independent thinking \u000d\u000aand scientific analysis, to name a few.\u000d\u000aTake critical thinking and problem\u0002solving. These are essential skills that \u000d\u000arequire constant honing and fine-tuning, \u000d\u000aespecially in fields of study where they \u000d\u000aare of primary importance such as \u000d\u000aengineering, biochemistry, medicine and \u000d\u000aother fields. Many students of international \u000d\u000aschools already possess such skills in \u000d\u000aspades, but improving their skillsets will \u000d\u000aYou\u2019ve graduated from \u000d\u000ahigh school. Now what?\u000d\u000aFinishing secondary education marks the beginning of a \u000d\u000anew chapter of honing existing skills and acquiring new ones \u000d\u000abe critical as they continue to pursue their \u000d\u000achosen courses of study. \u000d\u000a\u201cCritical thinking is like a muscle that \u000d\u000acan be exercised and built over time. \u000d\u000aIt is a skill that can help propel your \u000d\u000acareer to new heights. You\u2019ll be able to \u000d\u000asolve workplace issues, use trial and error \u000d\u000ato troubleshoot ideas, and more,\u201d the \u000d\u000aeducational website Coursera notes.\u000d\u000aCritical thinking will enable students \u000d\u000ato weigh the merits of various arguments, \u000d\u000aanalyse available data, evaluate evidence, \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 40 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","and make informed decisions. Problem\u0002solving skills will in turn allow them to \u000d\u000atackle challenges, adapt to new situations, \u000d\u000aand propose innovative solutions. \u000d\u000aThe origins of critical thinking reaches \u000d\u000aall the way back to antiquity when Greek \u000d\u000aphilosophers began to ponder the nature \u000d\u000aof the world and in so doing set about \u000d\u000aquestioning received wisdom. Their \u000d\u000ainsights would prove revolutionary for the \u000d\u000adevelopment of ideas and societies and \u000d\u000atheir contributions are still with us today, \u000d\u000ahaving played a critical role in fostering the \u000d\u000aAge of Enlightenment. \u000d\u000a\u201cMore than just being curious about \u000d\u000athe world around [them], critical thinkers \u000d\u000amake connections between logical ideas \u000d\u000ato see the bigger picture. Building your \u000d\u000acritical thinking skills means being able to \u000d\u000aadvocate your ideas and opinions, present \u000d\u000athem in a logical fashion, and make \u000d\u000adecisions for improvement,\u201d Coursera \u000d\u000aobserves.\u000d\u000aNo less important are effective \u000d\u000acommunication skills, especially in today\u2019s \u000d\u000ainterconnected world of social media \u000d\u000aand instant news. Developing these \u000d\u000askills must start early on \u2014 preferably in \u000d\u000aprimary school. Both verbal and written \u000d\u000acommunication skills must be cultivated \u000d\u000aso as to enable learners to speak well in \u000d\u000apublic confidently and articulate their \u000d\u000aideas clearly. \u000d\u000aGenerally, effective communication \u000d\u000aboils down to the 5 C\u2019s: clear, correct, \u000d\u000acomplete, concise, and compassionate. \u000d\u000aIn other words, be clear and concise \u000d\u000awhile making sure you relay your ideas \u000d\u000ain a correct and complete manner. \u000d\u000aIt also helps to be compassionate in your \u000d\u000acommunication as people appreciate \u000d\u000athose with empathy. \u000d\u000a\u201cBefore engaging in any form of \u000d\u000acommunication, define your goals and \u000d\u000ayour audience. Outlining carefully and \u000d\u000aexplicitly what you want to convey and \u000d\u000awhy will help ensure that you include all \u000d\u000anecessary information. It will also help you \u000d\u000aeliminate irrelevant details,\u201d explains the \u000d\u000aHarvard Division of Continuing Education.\u000d\u000a\u201cAvoid unnecessary words and overly \u000d\u000aflowery language, which can distract from \u000d\u000ayour message. And while repetition may \u000d\u000abe necessary in some cases, be sure to use \u000d\u000ait carefully and sparingly. Repeating your \u000d\u000amessage can ensure that your audience \u000d\u000areceives it, but too much repetition can \u000d\u000acause them to tune you out entirely,\u201d \u000d\u000ait adds.\u000d\u000aAt the same time, paying attention \u000d\u000ato nonverbal clues is also of great \u000d\u000aimportance. \u201cNonverbal cues can have \u000d\u000abetween 65 and 93 per cent more \u000d\u000aimpact than the spoken word. And we \u000d\u000aare more likely to believe the nonverbal \u000d\u000asignals over spoken words if the two are \u000d\u000ain disagreement,\u201d the Harvard University \u000d\u000adepartment points out. \u201cIf you are aware \u000d\u000aof others\u2019 body language, you may be \u000d\u000aable to adjust your communication tactics \u000d\u000aappropriately.\u201d\u000d\u000aHowever, as most communication \u000d\u000atakes place in the more impersonal \u000d\u000aenvironment of online platforms, having \u000d\u000aadequate levels of digital literacy is also \u000d\u000aa must. Navigating the digital landscape \u000d\u000aallows users not only to communicate \u000d\u000awith other anywhere in the world \u000d\u000ainstantaneously but also to access the \u000d\u000aaccumulated knowledge of humanity \u000d\u000astored online.\u000d\u000a\u201cEver since the innovation of \u000d\u000acomputers and the internet, literacy has \u000d\u000agained new meanings as opposed to\u000d\u000athe traditional one of being able to read, \u000d\u000awrite and comprehend written text. \u000d\u000aThese last few decades, we\u2019ve been \u000d\u000aintroduced to literacy concepts such \u000d\u000aas computer literacy, media literacy, \u000d\u000ainformation literacy, and digital literacy. \u000d\u000aAlthough these concepts overlap, digital \u000d\u000aliteracy takes elements from each of them \u000d\u000aand sums them into a broad concept,\u201d \u000d\u000aexplains the University of the Potomac in \u000d\u000aWashington, DC.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 41","\u201cBecause of the overflowing \u000d\u000aabundance of media and information \u000d\u000ain the digital world, digital literacy has \u000d\u000abecome more than necessary. It ensures \u000d\u000ausers protect their privacy, critically \u000d\u000aanalyse digital data and information, \u000d\u000aethically use digital platforms, and \u000d\u000acommunicate with others eloquently,\u201d \u000d\u000athe university elucidates. \u201cDigital literacy \u000d\u000aencompasses a vast collection of skills that \u000d\u000ahelp users utilise digital tools to the fullest \u000d\u000athrough finding, creating, sharing, and \u000d\u000aevaluating information.\u201d\u000d\u000aUnderlying all these skills, however, is \u000d\u000aa mind-set that helps learners accomplish \u000d\u000atheir goals and do so in a professional \u000d\u000amanner. That mind-set is work ethic, \u000d\u000awhich is why educators must seek to instil \u000d\u000aa sense of professionalism and a strong \u000d\u000awork ethic in their students. That way \u000d\u000astudents can internalise the importance \u000d\u000aof punctuality, reliability and personal \u000d\u000aaccountability. They should learn how \u000d\u000ato work well in teams, demonstrate \u000d\u000arespect for colleagues, and handle \u000d\u000aconstructive feedback in a collegiate spirit. \u000d\u000aBuilding a strong work ethic early on will \u000d\u000aenable learners to excel in their chosen \u000d\u000aprofessions and contribute positively to \u000d\u000asociety.\u000d\u000aProfessionalism also entails cultural \u000d\u000acompetence and awareness of the \u000d\u000aimportance of diversity of viewpoints \u000d\u000aand cultural expressions in society in \u000d\u000atoday\u2019s interconnected world. This will \u000d\u000aenable students to understand different \u000d\u000aperspectives, beliefs and traditions. \u000d\u000aPromoting diversity awareness in school \u000d\u000acan also foster empathy in students \u000d\u000atowards people less fortunate than them, \u000d\u000awhich is key to eliminating persistent \u000d\u000aeconomic and social inequalities. \u000d\u000aFinally, students should be encouraged \u000d\u000ato understand the importance of \u000d\u000acontinuous learning so as to keep \u000d\u000aimproving their knowledge and skills \u000d\u000awhile also acquiring new ones. \u201cIn today\u2019s \u000d\u000aquickly evolving job landscape, staying \u000d\u000acompetitive requires dedication,\u201d Forbes\u000d\u000amagazine notes. \u201cRapid advancements in \u000d\u000atechnology, changing industry dynamics, \u000d\u000aand increasing demands for specialised \u000d\u000askills have all made upskilling a necessary \u000d\u000acomponent of career success.\u201d\u000d\u000aTo ensure they are successful in their \u000d\u000afuture careers, young professionals \u201cwill \u000d\u000aneed to be proactive and adaptable to \u000d\u000astay relevant,\u201d Forbes argues. \u201cAnother \u000d\u000ashifting job market dynamic is recruitment \u000d\u000aand what employers are increasingly \u000d\u000aCritical thinking and \u000d\u000aproblem-solving are \u000d\u000aessential skills that \u000d\u000arequire constant \u000d\u000ahoning and\u000d\u000afine-tuning.\u000d\u000alooking for in their candidates: specialised \u000d\u000askills that align with the specific needs of \u000d\u000atheir organisations. The pool is now too \u000d\u000alarge for general skills to garner notice; \u000d\u000aidentifying the critical in-demand skills \u000d\u000awithin particular industries, and investing in \u000d\u000aupskilling in those areas, can give hopeful \u000d\u000acandidates an advantage in a competitive \u000d\u000amarket.\u201d\u000d\u000aImportantly, continuous learning \u000d\u000ais a process that requires patience and \u000d\u000adedication, yet this investment in time and \u000d\u000aenergy is bound to pay great dividends in \u000d\u000athe end. \u201c[I]t\u2019s vital to see career success \u000d\u000aas an ongoing process, something to \u000d\u000aalways work toward, even when you \u000d\u000athink success has been achieved,\u201d \u000d\u000aForbes stresses.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 42 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","xcellence is never an accident,\u201d \u000d\u000aargued Aristotle, the ancient \u000d\u000aGreek philosopher from the \u000d\u000a4th century BCE who is widely \u000d\u000aregarded as one of the greatest thinkers \u000d\u000aof all time. \u201cIt is always the result of high \u000d\u000aintention, sincere effort, and intelligent \u000d\u000aexecution,\u201d he elucidated.\u000d\u000aWe can take his word for it. Known \u000d\u000afor his restless curiosity, Aristotle had a \u000d\u000aformative influence in numerous fields of \u000d\u000aphilosophy and science, having invented \u000d\u000aformal logic and pioneered a variety of \u000d\u000ascientific disciplines from biology, botany \u000d\u000aand zoology to chemistry and physics to \u000d\u000aethics, rhetoric, poetics, political theory \u000d\u000aand psychology. His near-contemporary \u000d\u000athe Chinese philosopher Confucius, \u000d\u000aanother oft-cited authority on the value \u000d\u000aof learning, echoed Aristotle\u2019s sentiment \u000d\u000ain a similar dictum: \u201cThe will to win, the \u000d\u000adesire to succeed, the urge to reach your \u000d\u000afull potential \u2014 these are the keys that will \u000d\u000aunlock the door to personal excellence.\u201d\u000d\u000aYet education in Thailand is anything \u000d\u000abut excellent. In recent PISA examinations \u000d\u000aby the Organisation for Economic \u000d\u000aCo-operation and Development, which \u000d\u000asurveyed 600,000 students of 15 years \u000d\u000aof age from 79 nations, Thai students \u000d\u000awere found to be also-runs in reading, \u000d\u000amathematics and science. The country \u000d\u000aranked 66th for reading, 56th for math, and \u000d\u000a52nd for sciences.\u000d\u000aThai pupils recorded a score of \u000d\u000a393 points in reading, far below the \u000d\u000aOECD average of 487 points. They did \u000d\u000aslightly better in sciences, scoring 426 \u000d\u000apoints, but this too was much worse \u000d\u000athan the international average of 489. In \u000d\u000amathematics, meanwhile, they registered \u000d\u000aa score of 419 points, falling considerably \u000d\u000aIn Pursuit of Excellence\u000d\u000aThai schools and colleges should help their students \u000d\u000acultivate the joys of learning for learning\u2019s sake\u000d\u000abelow the OECD average of 489 points. \u000d\u000aThailand did worse than that it had done \u000d\u000aduring a previous PISA test three years \u000d\u000aprior. \u000d\u000aThis came as no surprise to several \u000d\u000ainformed observers, who pointed out that \u000d\u000athe government\u2019s much-vaunted plan to \u000d\u000aturn the country into a regional hub of \u000d\u000alearning and technology will fail unless \u000d\u000adrastic changes are implemented in its \u000d\u000aeducational system, including colleges \u000d\u000aand universities. \u000d\u000a\u201cAs the government is enthusiastic \u000d\u000aabout promoting a transformation from \u000d\u000athe conventional economy which relies \u000d\u000aon manufacturing and commodity \u000d\u000aproduction to the digital economy, \u000d\u000ahow can such goal materialise and be \u000d\u000amade sustainable without the support \u000d\u000aof an efficient education system? More \u000d\u000aimportantly, Thailand needs policymakers \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 43","who acknowledge shortcomings in our \u000d\u000aeducation system and are capable of \u000d\u000amaking change,\u201d the Bangkok Post noted \u000d\u000ain an editorial. \u000d\u000aWhile problems start at primary school \u000d\u000alevel, they hardly end there. Even the most \u000d\u000aprestigious Thai universities tend to do \u000d\u000apoorly on global rankings, indicating that \u000d\u000anot all is well in higher education, either. \u000d\u000a\u201cDespite recent efforts to \u000d\u000ainternationalise curriculum, for \u000d\u000acountless university students a four\u0002year undergraduate degree is hardly \u000d\u000aan enlightening experience that will \u000d\u000aenhance their employability. With \u000d\u000aoutdated curriculum, an institutional \u000d\u000aculture that again discourages questioning \u000d\u000aor independence \u2013 together with \u000d\u000acompulsory uniforms, it is little different \u000d\u000afrom high school,\u201d explains Ian Bushell, a \u000d\u000asenior consultant at Mentor International, \u000d\u000aa leading nonprofit working globally to \u000d\u000aempower youth.\u000d\u000aDespite a proliferation of high-quality \u000d\u000ainternational schools in Thailand, the \u000d\u000acountry\u2019s overall educational system \u000d\u000ais \u201cstuck in a 1960\u2019s time warp, with a \u000d\u000ateaching style and ethos apparently \u000d\u000aconstrained by cultural, social and political \u000d\u000anorms,\u201d he argues.\u000d\u000a\u201cThailand has to break this impasse \u000d\u000aif it is to meet the economic challenges \u000d\u000aof the 21st Century. Perhaps one solution \u000d\u000ato the current educational malaise is to \u000d\u000aharness the resourcefulness shown in the \u000d\u000ainternational school sector to the needs \u000d\u000aand challenges faced by the government \u000d\u000ain national education,\u201d Bushell adds. \u000d\u000aHe refers to the World Bank, which has \u000d\u000astressed that \u201cpublic-private education \u000d\u000apartnerships specifically tailored to \u000d\u000aThailand\u2019s circumstances could be an \u000d\u000aimportant tool in meeting the nation\u2019s \u000d\u000aeducational challenges.\u201d\u000d\u000aPolicymakers should not have to \u000d\u000alook too far to find an educational \u000d\u000amodel that works well. That model is \u000d\u000aVietnam\u2019s. A country still behind Thailand \u000d\u000ain economic development but well on \u000d\u000aits way of catching up, Vietnam boasts \u000d\u000a\u201cone of the best schooling systems in the \u000d\u000aworld, a status reflected in outstanding \u000d\u000aperformances in international assessments \u000d\u000aof reading, maths and science,\u201d \u000d\u000aThe Economist notes. \u000d\u000a\u201cThe latest data from the World Bank \u000d\u000ashow that, on aggregate learning scores, \u000d\u000aVietnamese students outperform not only \u000d\u000atheir counterparts in Malaysia and Thailand \u000d\u000abut also those in Britain and Canada, \u000d\u000acountries more than six times richer. Even \u000d\u000ain Vietnam itself, student scores do not \u000d\u000aexhibit the scale of inequality so common\u000d\u000aelsewhere between the genders and \u000d\u000adifferent regions,\u201d the British magazine \u000d\u000aexplains.\u000d\u000aFrom an early age Vietnamese children \u000d\u000astart to be taught well in the country\u2019s \u000d\u000aschools, which lay a solid educational \u000d\u000afoundation upon which the pupils can \u000d\u000aThe government\u2019s \u000d\u000amuch-vaunted plan \u000d\u000ato turn the country \u000d\u000ainto a regional \u000d\u000ahub of learning \u000d\u000aand technology \u000d\u000awill fail unless \u000d\u000adrastic changes are \u000d\u000aimplemented in its \u000d\u000aeducational system, \u000d\u000aincluding colleges \u000d\u000aand universities.\u000d\u000athen continue to build. This is based not \u000d\u000aon mere anecdotal evidence; rather, \u000d\u000aAbhijeet Singh, a micro-economist at \u000d\u000athe Stockholm School of Economics, \u000d\u000aexamined the productivity of Vietnam\u2019s \u000d\u000aschools according to data obtained \u000d\u000afrom identical tests taken by students \u000d\u000ain Ethiopia, India and Peru as well as \u000d\u000aVietnam. Singh found that between the \u000d\u000aages of five and eight Vietnamese children \u000d\u000aalready show marked progress over their \u000d\u000apeers in these other nations. \u201cOne more \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 44 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","year of education in Vietnam increases the \u000d\u000aprobability that a child can solve a simple \u000d\u000amultiplication problem by 21 percentage \u000d\u000apoints; in India the uplift is six points,\u201d \u000d\u000aThe Economist says.\u000d\u000aA main reason for such robust showing \u000d\u000aby local students in early education is the \u000d\u000ahigh quality of teachers in Vietnam. It is \u000d\u000anot that Vietnamese teachers are better \u000d\u000aqualified than those elsewhere but rather \u000d\u000athat they are more effective at teaching, \u000d\u000athe magazine observes. It cites a study \u000d\u000athat compared Indian students with their \u000d\u000aVietnamese counterparts and showed that \u000d\u000athe difference in scores on mathematical \u000d\u000atests between pupils in the two nations is \u000d\u000adue largely to a difference in the quality of \u000d\u000ateaching they receive.\u000d\u000a\u201cVietnam\u2019s teachers do their job well \u000d\u000abecause they are well-managed. They \u000d\u000areceive frequent training and are given the \u000d\u000afreedom to make classes more engaging. \u000d\u000aTo tackle regional inequality, those posted \u000d\u000ato remote areas are paid more. Most \u000d\u000aimportant, teacher assessment is based \u000d\u000aon the performance of their students. \u000d\u000aThose whose pupils do well are rewarded \u000d\u000athrough prestigious \u2018teacher excellence\u2019 \u000d\u000atitles,\u201d The Economist writes.\u000d\u000aIt also helps that an emphasis on \u000d\u000alearning starts at home. Vietnamese \u000d\u000aparents are committed to educating their \u000d\u000achildren as best as they can because of \u000d\u000atheir embrace Confucianism, which has \u000d\u000atraditionally placed a very high value on \u000d\u000aerudition. Confucius\u2019 insight that it is \u000d\u000aonly through sustained, dedicated effort \u000d\u000athat one can succeed in any worthwhile \u000d\u000aendeavour remains as valid as ever. That \u000d\u000aprinciple, of course, applies as much to \u000d\u000ateaching as it does to learning. It is only \u000d\u000athrough dedicated effort by both teachers \u000d\u000aand their students that learning becomes a \u000d\u000aserious enterprise worthy of its name.\u000d\u000aYet many educational institutions in \u000d\u000aThailand have yet to embrace the goal \u000d\u000aof expecting students to do their best \u000d\u000ain their studies. Instead, these schools, \u000d\u000aincluding universities, seem to have opted \u000d\u000afor the lowest common denominator \u000d\u000aof expectations whereby the overriding \u000d\u000apurpose appears to be this: to teach \u000d\u000astudents just enough to enable them to \u000d\u000apass the requisite exams with no further \u000d\u000aexpectations of them to truly master the \u000d\u000asubject according to strict and specific \u000d\u000aguidelines and requirements.\u000d\u000aHence we have the curious \u000d\u000aphenomenon of scores of graduates \u000d\u000awith bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in \u000d\u000aBusiness English from well-regarded Thai \u000d\u000auniversities who can barely communicate \u000d\u000acolloquially in the foreign tongue, let \u000d\u000aalone use it effectively in an international \u000d\u000abusiness environment. Yet just as surely \u000d\u000aas we would not want to be attended to \u000d\u000aby dentists or physicians who are only \u000d\u000apassably competent in their chosen \u000d\u000aprofession, we should likewise not expect \u000d\u000agraduates with diplomas in the humanities \u000d\u000ato be anything less than well-grounded \u000d\u000ain and knowledgeable of their chosen \u000d\u000adisciplines.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024 45","Motivating\u000d\u000athe Unmotivated\u000d\u000ao a large extent, we are all \u000d\u000aproducts of our environment: \u000d\u000acultural, social, parental and \u000d\u000aeducational. In Thailand, let\u2019s be \u000d\u000ahonest, that environment, at its various \u000d\u000alevels, tends to neglect a culture of \u000d\u000aintellectualism, if not outright ignore \u000d\u000ait. While teachers are certainly well\u0002respected in the Kingdom, it is ultimately \u000d\u000asocial status and financial wherewithal, \u000d\u000anot learning and intelligence, that are \u000d\u000aseen as the most impressive markers \u000d\u000aof personal accomplishment. A shady \u000d\u000anumbskull with bags of gold can pretty \u000d\u000amuch lord it over a scholar on a modest \u000d\u000asalary. \u000d\u000aMeanwhile, in the West and elsewhere \u000d\u000athings aren\u2019t all that rosy, either. A rampant \u000d\u000aconsumerist culture of instant gratification \u000d\u000ahas led to ever-shrinking attention \u000d\u000aspans across the developed world. \u000d\u000aWe live in an age where a 15-minute \u000d\u000aYouTube video, never mind an hour-long \u000d\u000aNational Geographic or History Channel \u000d\u000adocumentary, is often regarded, especially \u000d\u000aby younger people, as excessively \u000d\u000alongwinded and scarcely worth one\u2019s time.\u000d\u000aSo what are long-suffering teachers to \u000d\u000ado? Shrug their shoulders and leave things \u000d\u000abe? That would, of course, be a regrettable \u000d\u000acop-out. Instead, they could employ some \u000d\u000atried-and-tested techniques that have \u000d\u000along been used by educators to foster a \u000d\u000alove of learning in students. \u000d\u000aExcellence, and an expectation of it, \u000d\u000ashould be on the top of that list. Teachers \u000d\u000atalks, and handing out awards. As social \u000d\u000ascientists well know, people of all ages \u000d\u000arespond to incentives and young people \u000d\u000arespond exceedingly well to them. Yet \u000d\u000aa recent trend in the West has seen the \u000d\u000aabolishment of all such competitions in \u000d\u000athe name of protecting those who finish \u000d\u000alower in the rankings from \u201cpsychological \u000d\u000aharm.\u201d \u000d\u000aIt is undeniable that some students \u000d\u000awill necessarily be more enthusiastic \u000d\u000aabout their studies than others. The trick is \u000d\u000ato spread their enthusiasm to the laggards. \u000d\u000aTeachers can do this by setting up study \u000d\u000agroups comprised of both kinds of \u000d\u000astudents. The great Aristotle himself came \u000d\u000aof age in such an environment \u2014 \u000d\u000ahis teacher Plato\u2019s Academy, or Akademia. \u000d\u000aThe precursor of all modern academies, \u000d\u000aPlato\u2019s school provided a venue for \u000d\u000ainquisitive minds to discuss matters of the \u000d\u000acurriculum and mull over waxing problems \u000d\u000ain a collegial atmosphere. Modern \u000d\u000aeducator could do worse than to try and \u000d\u000areplicate that old learning experiment in \u000d\u000atheir own classrooms. \u000d\u000ashould expect excellence from students \u000d\u000ain the vein of Aristotle\u2019s and Confucius\u2019 \u000d\u000acounsel. They should set high and clearly \u000d\u000adefined goals for students and articulate \u000d\u000athose goals from the start. To be sure, \u000d\u000athe goals should be realistic and reflect \u000d\u000astudents\u2019 abilities and level of learning. \u000d\u000aEqually, however, they should serve to \u000d\u000achallenge learners to exert themselves \u000d\u000awith the aim of reaching them. \u000d\u000aTo help learners stay motivated, \u000d\u000ateachers should reward progress regularly \u000d\u000aby complementing students\u2019 on their \u000d\u000awork, recognising the more exemplary \u000d\u000aaccomplishments of some students \u000d\u000ain front of the others, staging light\u0002hearted competitions, organising prep \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 46 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","","Learning \u000d\u000aHolistically\u000d\u000ahile teachers should remain \u000d\u000ain control, they should also \u000d\u000alearn to delegate. They might \u000d\u000aquiz their students about \u000d\u000awhat activities they enjoy doing most \u000d\u000aand find most useful in order to adjust \u000d\u000athe teaching plan accordingly. As long as \u000d\u000astudents\u2019 suggestions relate to the subject \u000d\u000amatter and tie in with the course\u2019s ultimate \u000d\u000apurpose, they can go a long way towards \u000d\u000ahelping students take ownership of their \u000d\u000aacademic studies and have a meaningful \u000d\u000asay in their outcome.\u000d\u000aLecturers could also give students self\u0002evaluation forms to let them gauge their \u000d\u000aown progress. Teachers can then contrast \u000d\u000athese with other forms of evaluation like \u000d\u000apeer reviews by other students in class as \u000d\u000awell as assessments by the instructor. \u000d\u000aThat way, learners can gain a more \u000d\u000asubjective view of their progress by \u000d\u000acomparing their evaluation of themselves \u000d\u000awith that of others and seeing how \u000d\u000awide the discrepancy is. We all like \u000d\u000ato overestimate our own abilities and \u000d\u000asuccesses, after all.\u000d\u000aLast but not least, educators should \u000d\u000amotivate students to find good uses for \u000d\u000atheir newly acquired learning outside \u000d\u000athe classroom. They can do so by \u000d\u000atying extracurricular activities, social \u000d\u000ainitiatives and cultural programmes to \u000d\u000athe curriculum. These could serve as \u000d\u000aalternative options for assignments and \u000d\u000aencourage students to take a more holistic \u000d\u000aapproach to their studies. \u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 48 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","","Field trips \u2014 to museums, artistic \u000d\u000aexhibitions, athletic events, company \u000d\u000aheadquarters, or any one of a variety of \u000d\u000acourse-appropriate venues \u2014 can serve a \u000d\u000asimilar purpose in broadening the scope \u000d\u000aof the learning experience. These could \u000d\u000alast from a few hours to a whole weekend \u000d\u000aspent at a fun getaway upcountry with \u000d\u000awell-suited educational facilities. A \u000d\u000anaturally blessed country and a regional \u000d\u000aeconomic powerhouse, Thailand offers a \u000d\u000awhole host of such getaways from marine \u000d\u000aparks to elephant camps, from rice fields \u000d\u000ato dairy farms. \u000d\u000aMeanwhile, many specialist law \u000d\u000afirms, private and public museums, and \u000d\u000agovernment offices are happy to welcome \u000d\u000astudents for shorter day trips. Learning, \u000d\u000aboth from books and a rich trove of \u000d\u000avaluable experiences, should be not just \u000d\u000aa means to an end (a qualification or a \u000d\u000adiploma), but an end in itself. \u000d\u000aFor the ancient Greek philosophers, \u000d\u000athe progenitors of a quest for reason \u000d\u000aand empiricism, knowledge \u2014 and a \u000d\u000arelentless pursuit in search of it \u2014 was the \u000d\u000abe all and end all of human existence. \u000d\u000a\u201cAn unexamined life,\u201d insisted Socrates, \u000d\u000athe mentor of Plato, who in turn became a \u000d\u000amentor for Aristotle, \u201cis not worth living.\u201d\u000d\u000aStudents and teachers alike would do \u000d\u000awell to take this wise bit of advice to heart \u000d\u000aas they go about rediscovering the passion \u000d\u000afor learning to get to know the world \u000d\u000aaround them and their place in it.\u000d\u000aBANGKOK POST 50 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2023-2024","",""]