Development of an Elderly Learning Ecosystem: A Case Study of Village Number 11 Baan Tung Pa Ka Nuea Tung Phee Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

The objective of this research was to improve the learning ecosystem for elderly in Tung Phee Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province. The research was qualitative, and the specific area of study was Village Number 11 of Tung Pa Kha Nuea, Tung Phee Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province. The primary informants were officers of the Subdistrict Administrative Organization, government officers in the Subdistrict, community leaders, citizens, social groups, community organizations, and elderly. Data collection used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, including data analysis by creating an inductive conclusion from analysis of documents together with interviews and group discussions. The study showed that the learning ecosystem of elderly in Village Number 11, Tung Phee Subdistrict could be divided into three main parts. The first factor was learning utilities or learning environment. The second factor was learning ecosystem conditions. The last factor was activities supporting the learning process of elderly. The factors supporting the learning process and the learning atmosphere had different production mechanisms, leading to 12 activities that support the learning process of elderly in Village Number 11, Tung Phee Subdistrict. These 12 activities happened under three learning ecosystem conditions which were supportive learning, atmosphere supporting diverse learning methods for the elderly, and driving force of learning process through organization’s visions and missions. Each activity was aimed at certain learning dimensions, including economic, social, and static dimensions. The activities led to four goals of the lifelong learning process: knowledge, practice, becoming, and co-existing through difference.