Challenges of the Successful Homeschooling in Phuket Province

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the status of educational management regarding homeschooling;                       reasons for enrolling in homeschooling of families; factors affecting successful homeschooling; obstacles and needs for assistance of Phuket homeschooling. The target groups consisted of 33 Phuket families comprising of students, parents and homeschoolers, and 15 representatives from Phuket educational agencies. The research instruments were in-depth interviews, open-ended questions for focus group discussions, and observation and document analysis forms. A content analysis was employed. The results revealed that 1) Phuket homeschooling was a single-family system which one family would do activities with others occasionally and create a learning plan to suitably develop their children based on everyday practices, self-study, and authentic assessment; 2) the families enrolled in homeschooling because of a desire to meet learners’ needs and aptitudes, an inability to promote real learning of formal education, health problems, a need to monitor the learning progress of their children closely, opportunities of unschooled children to return formal education afterwards and grow up in a religious environment; 3) the factors contributing to successful homeschooling were knowledge, determination, cooperation, and economic readiness of homeschoolers, a strong connection with other homeschoolers and supervisors, an assistance from Phuket Primary Educational Service Area Office, and guidance from lecturers of Faculty of Education, Phuket Rajabhat University; and 4) obstacles and needs of help included a lack of chances to group and arrange activities of learners, parents, education managers, and undereducated children. Furthermore, people had less understanding on homeschooling and budget to support the comprehensive education management. In terms of assistance, Phuket Primary Educational Service Area Office should coordinate with schools and ask them to allow homeschooling learners to co-study or access their learning resources. In addition, the office should connect homeschooling families, form activity groups and educate them to better understand homeschooling.