Abstract:
The purposes of this study were:1) to analyze problems and find out the training needs for developing a new training model of non-formal education to enhance functional competencies of personnel in the Royal Thai Air Force, 2) to develop a training model of Non-formal education based on the concepts of Constructionism and Self-directed learning to enhance competencies of personnel officers in the Royal Thai Air Force, 3) to implement a training model of Non-formal education based on the concepts of Constructionism and Self-directed learning to enhance functional competencies of personnel officers in the Royal Thai Air Force, and 4) to study factors and conditions of using a training model of Non-formal Education based on the concepts of Constructionism and Self-directed learning to enhance functional competencies of personnel in the Royal Thai Air Force. This study based on the design of Research and Development and a quasi-experiment via purposive sampling techniques in personnel officers in the Royal Thai Air Force.
The major findings were as follows: 1) Training need for functional competencies
development were self-directed learning, communication skill and decision making. 2) The training model of non-formal education was N-GRaDE with ITALIC Model consisted of 5 steps 1. Need analysis 2. Goal setting 3. Resources 4. Decision method and 5. Evaluation. 3) The attendees in the experimental group that were using the training model now have higher functional competencies of personnel officers than before training at level .01 and have higher functional competencies than personnel officers in the control group at level .01, also. 4) The main supported factors were organizational culture and learning style, the main condition were training model and the learners the main problem were how to use training model such as questionnaires, duration in training and extended knowledge.