Public relations to build civic conscience in secondary students school at Prahareutai Nonthaburi Catholic School

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study public relations in building public conscience, exposure to public relations, public conscience behavior, the relationship between the level of exposure to the public relations and public conscience behavior, and recommendations for strategies to produce effective public relations media to develop students’ sense of public conscience. This was mixed-methods research. For the quantitative approach, the sample chosen through a multi-stage sampling population was 300 students. The research tool was a questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using Pearson’s correlated coefficient. For the qualitative method, the key informants were the operating head of the volunteer program, the director for pastoral care, and the head of the public relations unit. The research tool was an interview form and data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. The results showed the public relations used a media mix, but the primary medium was personal media i.e. teachers, friends, and personnel, who acted as middlemen transmitting messages to the target audience and encouraging students to participate in public service projects. For media exposure, the media the students were exposed to the most were personal media and the school’s public address system. For public conscience behavior, the students had a high level of personal conscience and public conscience. The level of exposure to public relations was correlated to public conscience behavior. Grade levels affected the level of exposure to public relations and public conscience behavior to a statistically significant degree of 0.05 confidence. Recommendations for effective strategies are to arrange public service activities more quickly, to set plans in advance, and to make the costs for joining public service activities more affordable.