Instructional Model for the Development of Students' Characteristics Relating to the Responsibility of Rajamangala Institute of Technology Students

Sutthiporn Boonsong
Thailand

The purposes of this research are to develop and study the result of the implementation of the instructional model, which was prepared for the enhancement of students' characteristics relating to the responsibility of students in Rajamangala Institute of Technology. The researchers used one group pretest-posttest research design and action research methodology also for the study. The sample were consisted of 145 diploma and bachelor degree students who study Life and Social Skill course in the first and second semester of academic year 2001. The main tools of this research were the lesson plan, instructor's handbook, instructional evaluation forms, responsibility measured forms, and moral reasoning measured form. The results of study have shown the effectiveness of instructional model in high level. In comparing the level of students' responsibility and moral reasoning between pretest and postest, there were the statistically significant differences. From the qualitative data analysis, the researchers found the most of students were very enthusiastic and interested in the instructional activities. But there are some instructional tools and some steps of activities have to be improved. The contract couples which most of them are students' parents also pointed that there are more higher responsibility in their students.

Rajamangala Institute of Technology (RIT) provided the education for the certificate to graduate degree students since 1975. The graduate students of RIT have got intelligence and ability to support the development of nation, society and economic. RIT had provided the direction for the institute developing follow the RIT development plan 8 (1997 - 2001) continuously, which this plan had focussed on the development of personal characteristics (RIT, 1997).

Paopoksatit, S. (1999: 1-2) studied about the expected characteristics of RIT graduates. She studied the opinion of graduates, lecturers, and graduates' boss, and found that the most important characteristics were about the character of moral or professional ethics. Kirima, V. (2000) studied the opinions of 116 RIT lecturers who taught about ethics in RIT during academic year 1998 -1999, and found that:

1) almost lecturers agreed that ethic and character development in student were important at highest level,
2) the characteristics and ethic should focus on the responsibility, honesty, and disciplinary, and
3) 3) there were problems at high level in very much issues.

Thus, the policies and necessity above are cause of the instructions about characteristics should be improved. The researchers were very interest in the instructional model development for this aspect, and used the way of Character Education to the main idea of student center instructions. The ideas of instructional techniques were Cooperative Discipline, Contract System, Value Clarification, Behavioral Modification, Cooperative Learning, and Concept Mapping. Some of the ways in action research had been used for seeking the efficient instruction focus on the students characteristics relating responsibility, which the researchers expected that it could be used for the students' goal in education.

The purposes of this research were:
Develop the instructional model for the enhancement of students characteristics relating responsibility for RIT students
Study the result of the implementation of this instructional model, which effect to the student's responsibility level and moral reasoning developments.

The results of study found that the instructional model were satisfied at high level, and can be used for the instruction effectively in the opinions of several experts. From the comparing between pretest and posttest, found the enhancement of students responsibility and moral reasoning. All of results can be explained that:

1. From quantitative data analysis:
Responsibility level after learning was higher than before learning at significant .05.
Moral Reasoning level after learning was higher than before learning at significant .05.

2. From quantitative data analysis
Most of students were enthusiastic and very interested in the instructional model. But some instructional activities and time using should be improved also to motivation and reinforcements should be improved also to motivate students continuously. The students' tasks that prepare for students should be more clearly, and some wording in activity papers should be improved.

Most of students also found them have higher responsibility, and they could have their performances for both themselves and society responsibility. But most of them still told that there was some more personality should be improved.

The students' contract couple of the most students argued that they found that their students have higher responsibility especially in studying. Some of then also felt proudly in their students, when they know that their children do something for society.

All research participants agree that the instructional model can be used for teaching appropriately. Most of students were interested and collaborate in the instructional activities fairly. But everyone believes that students could get more experiences to develop themselves.