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Computer science innovation in Thailand

Published: 10 August 2009 Publication History

Abstract

This paper reports on an empirical qualitative study of computer science education in Thailand following an aid project. The project was attempting to improve teaching quality at a time of significant change in educational delivery worldwide (1999--2004). The focus of the study was to determine the diffusion and extent of adoption of the presented technological and educational innovations and to evaluate project success from the Thai perspective. Interviews from ten computer science departments were analysed in relation to computer science technologies, teaching methods, innovation diffusion and adoption, organizational culture, systems success and national cultural behaviour. Academic perceptions indicated project success with the adoption of numerous technological innovations, curricula, teaching and research innovations, but that this success did not necessarily equate to widespread sustained innovation. Conclusions from the research identified factors influencing educational reform in computer science in a cultural context. A theoretical model, showing the external and stakeholder influences, was developed showing the factors motivating and inhibiting innovation adoption. Of particular interest was the influence of national behavioural culture, institutional development and change agents' activities including their communication strategies and influence on policymakers and peer networks to improve the sustainability of Thai computer science innovation.

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Gopal K. Gupta

Miller describes the results of an empirical qualitative study of computer science (CS) education in Thailand, between 1999 and 2004. During that time, Australia assisted Thailand through the Thailand-Australia Science and Engineering Assistance Project (TASEAP); the paper does not describe how the funds were used. The study relied on a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews. It also included a descriptive interpretation of Thai perspectives of the educational changes in CS. In the preliminary study, data was collected from 15 interviews of 60 to 90 minutes, from two universities. This was followed by 29 more interviews, at another eight universities. Informal interviews were also conducted with deans and heads of departments. The paper includes a number of responses from the interviews and a table listing TASEAP outcomes, although it is not clear how these outcomes were determined. For example, one of the outcomes is that "research experience and engagement of teaching staff had improved," but no evidence is presented that supports this conclusion. Online Computing Reviews Service

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cover image ACM Conferences
ICER '09: Proceedings of the fifth international workshop on Computing education research workshop
August 2009
150 pages
ISBN:9781605586151
DOI:10.1145/1584322
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Published: 10 August 2009

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Author Tags

  1. computer education
  2. cross-cultural study
  3. diffusion of innovation
  4. empirical qualitative research
  5. higher education reform
  6. intercultural communication
  7. system success
  8. teaching and learning
  9. thai culture
  10. university culture

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