A STUDY OF THE CONSULTING SYSTEM FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN A PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION IN THAILAND.

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study undergraduate students’ needs for consultation in a private higher education institution in Thailand; and 2) to study and synthesize the consulting system for undergraduate students in a private higher education institution in Thailand. This research combined quantitative and qualitative methods.
For the quantitative study, the sample group of 790 undergraduate students was selected using the probability sampling technique. The research tool was a questionnaire. The descriptive statistics employed for the data analysis included percentage, mean, and standard deviation. For the qualitative study, the sample group of 50 undergraduate students was selected using specific sampling. The research tool comprised in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed by means of analytic induction and typological analysis.
The findings revealed that: 1) In overall, the undergraduate students needed consultation at a “very high” level (3.83) in three aspects: academic matter, internship, and livelihood, with the consultation regarding internship at the highest level (3.96), and the consultation regarding academic matter and regarding livelihood at 3.85 and 3.67 respectively; and 2) The higher education institution provided a specific consulting system in accordance with the work-based education, focusing on practical learning and a context-appropriate consulting system that takes into account the following: 1. A consulting system that covered academic matter, internship, and livelihood, 2. Consultants with the knowledge and skills to provide advice to undergraduate students, 3. A higher education institution that provided a consulting department with professionals to provide consultation to undergraduate students, 4. All departments in the higher education institution with the responsibility to provide consultation to undergraduate students, 5. Modern technology to develop the consulting system for undergraduate students, 6. Suitable areas and environments that supported the consultation for undergraduate students, 7. Concise process and procedure of consultation for undergraduate students, and 8. An evaluation system for undergraduate student to immediately reflect and improve the consulting system.