Developing Digital Classrooms to Promote Employability Skills of Underprivileged Students in Kuet Chang, Chiang Mai

Abstract

   This research aims to extract knowledge in local communities and to develop a digital classroom website to broaden horizons and create learning pathways to careers. The sample group consisted of occupational experts, students, and teachers from the Kued Chang community, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai Province. The research tools included a knowledge recording form and a media and website quality evaluation form. Preliminary data analysis used descriptive statistics, while content analysis employed qualitative synthesis to extract knowledge. The research results showed that vocational learning media, extracted from community knowledge, comprised 12 occupational areas, including: 1) Tourism and homestays; 2) White water rafting; 3) Foot massage; 4) Bamboo neck pillows; 5) Elephant husbandry and forest hiking; 6) Bope Kho cloth weaving; 7) Bamboo rattan weaving; 8) Lanna snacks and food; 9) Drinks making; 10) Souvenirs; 11) Facial and Office Syndrome massage; and 12) Online sales. The extracted knowledge from the career aptitude tests was used to develop a Digital Career Learning website, a digital classroom to broaden horizons and create learning pathways to careers and promote employability skills. The results of the pilot testing and quality assessment showed that the usability, feasibility, accuracy, and appropriateness were at the highest level. The vocational learning information was useful, enabling self-learning. It stimulated the importance of learning and preserving vocational wisdom, was practically applicable, and aligned with the real-world context of the users, positively impacting learning.  It can be used as an effective tool for studying, learning, and preserving vocational knowledge.