The Process of Cultivation Moral Values in Students by Educational Institutions: A Case Study of Pingkarattana School, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

The objective of this research article was to examine and summarize the process of cultivating moral values in students and its outcomes, using Pingkarattana School in Chiang Mai Province as a case study. This qualitative research employed a retrospective technique, with a target group of 56 stakeholders from 5 groups: school administrators, teachers, staff, parents, current students, and alumni. The research instruments included in-depth interviews with open-ended questions, focus group discussions, and electronic questionnaires.

The findings indicated that: 1) The process and outcomes of cultivating moral values in students at Pingkarattana School were positive and aligned with the expectations of the founders and administrators, which emphasized “developing good, kind, and moral individuals” and “creating a school to nurture good people for society.” This success was attributed to a shared understanding among stakeholders regarding the school’s goals and operational methods. The school applied the principles of Buddhism, specifically the Five Precepts, together with the Five Universal Goodness principles (UG 5), as the core framework for teaching, learning, and school activities. Additionally, the school ensured that facilities and learning environments were safe and conducive to student development. 2) The process of cultivating moral values in the school can be summarized using the G-H-R-D framework: G stands for Goal Setting, which refers to the establishment of clear objectives for implementation; H stands for How to, which refers to the integration of Buddhist principles, specifically the Five Precepts, with the Five Universal Goodness principles (UG 5) as the core framework for teaching, learning, and school activities; R stands for Recruitment & Selection, Explanation, which refers to the selection of personnel to participate in the process and carefully choosing parents and students; and D stands for Development Evaluation, which refers to the assessment of activity outcomes to guide continuous improvement. The findings of this study suggest that other organizations can apply this knowledge to their own contexts to effectively foster moral development in students.