Journal of Multidisciplinary in Social Sciences

Improving Seventh-Grader Online Learning Engagement Using Assessment Feedback and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

Puttisak Naewtong — 2024-10-24

The global spread of COVID-19 necessitated a shift from classroom-based to online learning, resulting in decreased student engagement at an inner-city school in Bangkok. This article explores the use of assessment feedback and self-regulated learning strategies to enhance student engagement. The researchers employed a two-cycle action research model, consisting of four stages: planning, action, observation, and reflection. The study was conducted over four weeks with 35 seventh-grade students, using observations, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis during each cycle. The findings revealed an increase in student participation, with more students consistently logging into class and remaining engaged throughout. Additionally, students demonstrated the confidence to turn on their cameras to greet peers and showed a greater commitment to learning. Peer support emerged as an important factor in their studies. Teachers provided feedback through Google Classroom and e-Portfolios, promoting student autonomy, which led to increased engagement and fostered desirable learning behaviors that may be applicable in other educational contexts.

Enhancing Ramtone Nokphithid Dance: Integrating Folk Performance into Tourism Activities and Community Products in Thailand

Methawee Chamnian — 2024-10-28

This research aimed to enhance the Ramtone Nokphithid Dance, a folk performance from Krung Ching Sub-district, Nopphitham District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, dating back to World War II, by promoting it through tourism activities and community products. It also sought to evaluate tourists’ satisfaction with these activities and products, which were based on the story of the dance. This mixed-method study used Participatory Action Research (PAR) to engage the research team and local communities in enhancing the Ramtone Nokphithid Dance for publicity through tourism activities and community products. Group discussions and observations were conducted with three communities that support the Ramtone Nokphithid Dance, involving 10–12 participants from each group. Workshops were held to develop the dance’s public presence through tourism activities and products. To assess tourist satisfaction, survey research was conducted using questionnaires with 10 purposively selected participants, including representatives from relevant sectors, media, and tourists. Data were analyzed qualitatively using content analysis and quantitatively through statistical methods to describe, summarize, and compare results. The findings revealed that three communities successfully integrated the Ramtone Nokphithid Dance into tourism activities and products: (1) Ramtone Nokphithid Dance and Po Aod Tie-Dye at Krung Ching community, (2) Ramtone Nokphithid Dance Learning Center, herbal compress balls, and scented bags at Moo 2 community, and (3) Moral Community and Nokphithid keychains at Moo 6, Ban Pak Long community. These activities and products were promoted by the communities themselves and shared with tourists through community media and personal social media platforms. The evaluation of tourists’ satisfaction with the enhanced and publicized tourism activities and community products based on the Ramtone Nokphithid Dance indicated a high level of satisfaction.

Unveiling Physicians’ Work Passion amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from a Hospital in Thailand

Kamoltip Lertchaisataporn — 2024-11-08

This qualitative study explored the key components of work passion among physicians in the Thai medical context during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using an appreciative inquiry approach with 30 full-time physicians employed at a Thai public hospital. The study identified ten key themes of work passion, corresponding to three dimensions: Cognitive (can-do attitude, learning and knowledge development), Affective (enthusiasm, joy, pride, fulfillment), and Behavioral (going above and beyond, altruism, continuous growth, and commitment to remain in the organization and profession). This conceptualization of physicians' work passion provides a foundation for future research in Thai healthcare, contributing to theoretical understanding and guiding the development of precise measurement tools for more accurate assessment. A deeper understanding of work passion may help improve healthcare management, ultimately enhancing clinical practice.

Sensory Characteristics of Thong Pha Phum GI Rambutan to Approach the Future Product Based on the Perceptions and Experiences of Various Consumer Groups

Karan Phromthep — 2024-11-20

This study aims to investigate the conceptualizations of product development for Thong Pha Phum GI rambutan based on the perceptions and experiences of various consumer groups —culinary chefs (n=20), producers (n=20), academics (n=20), and general public (n=20), and to explore the emotional responses and wellness perceptions related to the future Thong Pha Phum GI rambutan product. The interview questions were designed to focus on the material's pain points, solutions, and overall concept as well as the emotional responses and wellness perceptions. According to the findings, four consumer groups can be distinguished, each with unique concepts to address their needs and produce novel products and uses of Thong Pha Phum GI rambutan. The generation of ideas is influenced by experience. The academic experts and producers discussed the production of the new products using high technology and innovation while the general public and the group of chefs focused on the ready-to-eat products. Exploring the emotional responses and wellness perceptions through corresponding analysis revealed that most people (from 4 different groups) appreciated and interpreted the Thong Pha Phum GI rambutan product as healthy, relaxing, energetic, satisfying, evoking happy and joyful emotional responses. This research offered consumer insights related to Thong Pha Phum GI rambutan material and unique products, which could be valuable for positioning and marketing of regional foods. It can also guide producers in the food industry.

Exploring Cohesion in a Thai Multinational Manufacturing Company: A Social Network Analysis Approach

Chee Wai Mak — 2024-11-25

This study explores the concept of "cohesion" within a multinational manufacturing company in Thailand that has recently undergone post-merger integration. Employing a quantitative approach and adopting a social constructivist epistemological stance, this research analyzes cohesion through the lens of social network analysis. Although conventional measures of cohesion (N=315 'ego-seeds'; n=21,416 ego-alter pairs) yield scores above the midpoint of the scale, our examination of network cohesion scores and network graphs at the organizational, group, and individual levels challenges the notion of cohesion in this case. We also investigate the strength of weak ties. Furthermore, the network graphs provide unique insights into participants' perspectives that are not captured by traditional research methods. The findings suggest that cohesion in this context requires not only work-related group connections but also social and inter-group associations and reciprocity at a broader organizational level. These insights advocate for the incorporation of theoretical models based on the social identity approach to enhance post-merger integration processes involving inter-group relations. By examining a post-merger integration case, this study contributes to our understanding of how to enhance cohesion as a desired outcome of successful mergers and acquisitions.

Self-Drive Tourism: Unlocking the Potential of the Thailand Riviera

Neeyakarn Limaroon — 2024-11-25

The Thailand Riviera is a key element in the government's strategic plan to boost the nation's economy through targeted tourism development initiatives. Despite its natural beauty and numerous attractions, awareness of the region remains limited, suggesting the need for enhanced promotional efforts. This study aims to develop a proactive marketing and public relations model to promote tourism in the Thailand Riviera, with a focus on self-drive tourism as a case study. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a survey of 400 tourists to examine their behaviors and perceptions of the Thailand Riviera, as well as in-depth interviews with 24 key informants, including tourists, government officials, and tourism professionals. The EDFR research method was applied to establish a proactive marketing and public relations model, incorporating the insights of 17 experts. A qualitative approach was used to test and verify the proposed self-drive tourism model. The findings suggest that the marketing and tourism promotion strategy for the Thailand Riviera should emphasize self-drive tourism and highlight a distinctive regional identity in alignment with provincial tourism policies under the Thailand Riviera brand. To build brand awareness, mascot marketing should be implemented, positioning the mascot as a tourism ambassador. The proposed self-drive tourism model includes the Thailand Riviera Self-Drive Salt Route in Phetchaburi, connected to the Thailand Riviera Self-Drive Coastal Route in Prachuap Khiri Khan, with community-based tourism activities along the scenic routes. This form of tourism has the potential to reach remote areas, promoting income distribution within local communities and contributing to national economic growth. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the potential of self-drive tourism as a key driver for promoting tourism in the Thailand Riviera.

Enhancing 3-Star Hotels to Wellness Hotels through User-Centered and UX/UI Design: A Case Study in Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan

Pichsinee Puttitaweesri — 2024-11-25

This research investigates the transformation of 3-star hotels into wellness hotels through user-centered and UX/UI design approaches in Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews with three key informants and a quantitative survey of 50 tourists. The qualitative component provided in-depth insights into wellness tourism trends and challenges, while the quantitative survey assessed tourists’ preferences and expectations regarding wellness amenities and services. Key qualitative findings revealed that successful wellness hotel transformations require a comprehensive approach integrating physical design, service offerings, and digital experiences. Quantitative results showed that tourists prioritize hydrotherapy (16.7%), health exercise (16.0%), and massage (12.8%) as top wellness activities. For dining, 30.9% emphasized healthy food menus, and 20.0% prioritized healthy beverages. Based on these insights, prototypes for websites, menus, and signage were developed and evaluated by 50 hotel entrepreneurs and related agencies. The overall satisfaction with the prototypes was high (mean = 4.24, SD = 0.267). This research contributes to understanding that user-centered and UX/UI design can effectively transform 3-star hotels into wellness-oriented establishments. The high satisfaction ratings suggest that the developed prototypes have significant potential for enhancing user experiences and hotel competitiveness in the wellness tourism market. These findings provide design strategies, services, and product information for 3-star hotels seeking to enhance their offerings and competitiveness in the evolving wellness tourism market, potentially contributing to the broader development of wellness tourism in Thailand.

Conceptual Understanding of Mathematics among Pre-service Teachers: A Socio-Metacognitive Structural Model Generation

Derren N. Gaylo — 2024-11-20

The study developed a best-fit structural model of pre-service teachers' (PSTs) conceptual understanding of mathematics by examining factors like mathematical mindsets, school climate, and metacognition. Conducted in three teacher education institutions in Northern Mindanao, Philippines, the study involved 823 PSTs during the 2022-2023 school year. Four research instruments were used: a mathematics conceptual understanding test and scales for measuring mathematical mindset, school climate, and metacognition, all validated by experts and tested for reliability. Data analysis included using the mean to assess levels of the key factors, Pearson correlation to explore relationships, and regression to identify predictors of conceptual understanding. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to generate the best-fit model based on goodness of fit indices. Results showed that PSTs had an incomplete level of conceptual understanding of mathematics, despite high levels of mathematical mindsets, positive school climates, and strong metacognition. All three factors were significantly and positively correlated with conceptual understanding. The model revealed that mathematical mindsets, school climate, and metacognition significantly predicted PSTs' conceptual understanding. The best-fit model, called the Socio-Metacognitive Conceptual Understanding Model for PSTs (SCUMPT), suggested that PSTs' conceptual understanding is shaped by the reciprocal interaction between their metacognitive skills and awareness within a supportive school environment.

Book Review Qualitative Data Analysis: Practical Strategies

Pakorn Akkakanjanasupar — 2024-11-25

Why Financial Knowledge of Valuation Methodologies is Crucial for Accounting Professions

Nattapan Tantikul — 2024-11-25

The main objective of this article is to highlight concerns about the importance of financial knowledge, specifically regarding valuation methodologies and present value measurement used in both Thai and international financial reporting standards. Since the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting allows companies to choose “current value measurement” as one of the techniques to arrive at a measure, it undeniably brings accounting much closer to finance than ever before. Regardless of the technical terms of current value measurement used in Thai Accounting Standards (TASs) or Thai Financial Reporting Standards (TFRSs)—such as fair value, value in use, or fulfilment value—the complexity of present value measurement techniques makes current value measurement difficult to understand and apply, especially for accountants or auditors who lack sufficient financial knowledge and experience with valuation methodologies.
This issue is exacerbated by the fact that most current accounting curricula in Thailand and other countries require only one finance subject, where concepts such as time value of money, present value measurement, central estimate of cash flows, and risk premium are only briefly covered. Although this financial knowledge might be revisited when specific TASs or TFRSs are taught, the limited time allocated to each accounting subject raises questions about the depth of understanding of these complex topics. To address this issue, if adding another finance subject focused on valuation methodologies is not feasible, it is suggested that all accounting programs should at least enhance the existing finance subject by: (a) discussing this problem with finance instructors and requesting them to devote sufficient time to topics related to value measurement, and (b) making accounting students aware of the importance of financial knowledge to the accounting profession, encouraging them to focus more on key concepts of valuation and present value measurement.
In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the close relationship between accounting and finance, and the critical importance of finance, especially for financial accounting. Given the increasing trend of current value measurement, it is imperative to provide prospective accounting professionals with sufficient financial knowledge. Improved understanding will empower accountants and auditors to handle the complexities of TASs and TFRSs involving current/fair value measurement, ultimately strengthening the reliability and faithful representation of companies’ financial statements and enhancing investment decision-making for investors and other financial statement users worldwide.