RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A PROCESS BASED ON POPULAR EDUCATION TO ENHANCE THE SUFFICIENCY WAY OF LIFE FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS IN AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES
Abstract:
This research and development study aimed to: 1. develop the indicators of sufficiency way of life for community leaders in agricultural and industrial societies; 2. study the results of sufficiency way of life enhancement process based on popular education for community leaders in agricultural and industrial societies; and 3. propose a guideline for implementing the sufficiency way of life enhancement process based on popular education for community leaders in agricultural and industrial societies. Samplings in the research were 30 community leaders in Krathum Baen District, Samut Sakhon Province, who were pleased to continuously join the research process. Questionnaires were used as a tool to ask for the comments and opinions concerning the sufficiency way of life for community leaders in agricultural and industrial societies. The community leaders were interviewed to evaluate the performance based on the learning process. Data obtained were analyzed by arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test, and data analysis. Findings from the research are as follows: 1. There were 8 aspects of indicators of sufficiency way of life for community leaders in agricultural and industrial societies, namely, living according to the middle path, sufficiency living, life security, self-dependence, living according to the way of Thai society, knowing how to use resources efficiently, ability to logically use knowledge, and satisfactory self-adaptation. 2. A process based on popular education to enhance the sufficiency way of life for community leaders in agricultural industrial societies comprised 6 components: (1) establishment of an atmosphere of friendship, trust, and harmony; (2) establishment of understanding about a process and the use of a meeting as an area for knowledge sharing; (3) reflection activities for unbiased self-understanding; (4) unprejudiced connection of self-understanding with sufficiency way of life; (5) identification of guidelines for self-improvement in line of sufficiency way of life; and (6) discussion on the solution for appropriate performance into sufficiency way of life. 3. Guidelines for the implementation of a process based on popular education to enhance the sufficiency way of life for community leaders in agricultural industrial societies included 4 steps: (1) using group process and democracy; (2) encouraging leaders participation in learning activities; (3) developing and applying learning activities to promote thinking skill; and (4) learning by doing.