Enhancing 6Cs Skills through a Transnational Design Thinking Online Program in Higher Education Program among Thai and Taiwanese EFL Learners
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Abstract
The objectives of this research were to 1) analyze and compare the levels of the 6Cs skills perceived by EFL students before and after participating in the transnational design thinking online program in higher education, and 2) to examine the concordance between facilitators' evaluation and students' self-assessment regarding 6Cs skills following participation in the program for 10 days. Using a quantitative approach, the data were collected from 28 Thai and Taiwanese EFL learners from two universities. The research instruments were pre- and post-self-assessments, and facilitators’ evaluation. The statistical analysis revealed that students' self-assessment scores before and after the program differed significantly at the 0.05 level. The average scores after the program improved in the following areas: communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, creativity and innovation skills, and conceptual understanding, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the average scores for collaboration and intercultural communication skills before and after the program. In addition, when comparing the facilitators’ evaluation with the students’ post-self-assessment, both showed consistent results. The highest ratings were found in collaboration and intercultural communication skills. Meanwhile, communication, critical thinking and problem-solving, as well as creativity and innovation were rated at a high level. However, the facilitators' evaluation of conceptual understanding differed from the students’ post-self-assessment. In conclusion, integrating design thinking into EFL learning can enhance learners’ communication, creativity, and collaboration skills, supporting language and skill development. Moreover, implementing ongoing DT cycles and reflection in language classrooms can help cultivate future competencies that support lifelong learning.
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