A Transformative Approach to Empower Higher Education Instructors: From Research to Policy Recommendations

Abstract

This paper is part of a report on the transformative approach to empower higher education instructors. The aim of this research is to focus on transforming thinking processes and to address the challenges of digital transformation that are arriving faster than expected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is a research-based process to formulate policy recommendations for fostering the higher education instructors’ empowerment. There are 4 objectives as follows: (1) to explore the problems, obstacles, and the current situation concerning the transformative approach in order to empower higher education instructors that is consistent with professional competency and meets the needs of economic and industrial development, (2) to examine the curriculum and transformative approach to empower higher education instructors, both in terms of formal education, non-formal education, informal education, educational tools and technology, assessment criteria, behavior and core competencies to develop a faculty development that in line with academic excellence, professional ethics, and teachers’ spirit, (3) to propose opinions and recommendations on policies and guidelines on problems and obstacles in developing a faculty development according to the curriculum and the teaching and learning process in the 21st century, and (4) to formulate a report on the results of operations for making proposals to relevant agencies and organizations to further drive concretely. Participants were (1) instructors in the Faculty of Education who were representatives from 3 universities – Silpakorn University, Kasetsart University, and Chulalongkorn University, and (2) deans of the Faculty of Education. The research was divided into 6 steps. Step 1: Reviewing laws, regulations, and related research. Step 2: Collecting qualitative data, including the study of instructor development models of 3 universities – Silpakorn University, Kasetsart University, and Chulalongkorn University and the study of curriculum components, conditions of being an instructor of teacher subject, and a model of new instructor development. Step 3: Collecting qualitative data from the Dean of the Faculty of Education Council meeting to obtain recommendations to draft guidelines of instructor development. Step 4: Synthesizing the data obtained from steps 1, 2, and 3. Step 5: Presenting the model of professional development for the Faculty of Education and urgent policy proposals. Step 6: Approving the model and policy recommendations in the meeting. The results obtained from the meeting of the subcommittee on the study of the transformative approach to empower higher education instructors and the assessment for approving the model. The results are: (1) the transformative model consisted of a report on the existing and future conditions which empowered instructors had to be developed for the future skillsets in 3 areas: Life Design for Learner, Learners become Innovators, and New Generation Teachers, New Transformation Leaders; and (2) recommendations on policy, mechanism, and responsible organizations in 3 main areas: mechanism and responsible organizations, recommendations for institutions that produce higher education instructors, and recommendations regarding the establishment of agencies responsible for big data in education at all levels.