Synthesis of Research on Teaching Thai Language for Communication at the Higher Education Level, 2007–2024
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Abstract
This research aimed to synthesize studies on the teaching of Thai language for communication at the higher education level conducted between 2007 and 2024, and to analyze trends and key observations derived from them. Ten research papers and theses were examined, all retrieved from the ThaiLIS database. The research followed three procedures: (1) surveying and collecting relevant studies, (2) compiling data into a research synthesis table, and (3) analyzing and synthesizing data through frequency and basic statistical methods. The results showed that most studies employed experimental and quasi-experimental designs, conducted by nine higher education institutions. Seven primary research purposes were identified: comparing or improving learning achievement, developing instructional innovations, investigating opinions and satisfaction, evaluating instructional efficiency and effectiveness, exploring problems and learners’ needs, and comparing perspectives or needs. Most participants were undergraduate students, Thai and international, selected through various sampling methods. Common research instruments included lesson plans, achievement tests, and questionnaires, while frequently used statistical tools were mean, standard deviation, t-test, and E1/E2 efficiency formula.
Trend analysis revealed a notable decline in research publications, with most studies concentrated between 2007 and 2016, and none found between 2018 and 2024. A key observation was that most research predominantly focused on the creation and evaluation of instructional innovations, while relatively few studies investigated learner-centered aspects such as motivation, attitude, and real communicative experiences. The major issue identified was an imbalance between innovation development and the understanding of learners as the core of learning. This represents a significant academic gap in Thai language teaching research at the higher education level from 2007 to 2024. These findings underscore the need to promote further studies that integrate innovation development, learning evaluation, and learner needs analysis to achieve a more balanced and sustainable approach to teaching Thai language for communication in higher education.
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