Thai Silk Weaving Professional Curriculum: Expansion from Chiang Mai Women Correctional Institution to the Inmates in Lamphun Provincial Prison

Abstract

Female inmates of the Silk Weaving Vocational Group in Lamphun Provincial Prison encountered the problem of Thai silk weaving that did not meet the Lamphun Yok Dok silk standard. Therefore, the objectives of this research are to apply the results of the silk weaving professional curriculum developed in Chiang Mai Women Correctional Institution into extensive practice by female inmates in Lamphun Provincial Prison; and to study the results of the implementation of the Lamphun Yok Dok Silk Weaving Professional Curriculum in Lamphun Provincial Prison. The participatory action research method was employed; the female inmates of the Silk Weaving Vocational Group in Lamphun Provincial Prison, the professional local weavers with knowledge of silk weaving, scholars, the commander and officers from Lamphun Provincial Prison, and staff of the Queen Sirikit Sericulture Center, Chiang Mai. The following processes were implemented: 1) Improving the Lamphun Yok Dok Silk Weaving Professional Curriculum, 2) Planning the curriculum, 3) Organizing professional training activities, 4) Evaluating the use of the curriculum, and 5) Editing/updating the curriculum. It was found that in the Lamphun Yok Dok Silk Weaving Professional Curriculum, the contents, order of teaching, teaching methods, and group size of learners were appropriate for the development of the Lamphun Yok Dok silk weaving abilities of inmates, and the inmates proposed to improve the curriculum in terms of the duration of learning and teaching and teaching documents. In conclusion, 11 inmates were able to weave the Lamphun Yok Dok silk, 22 silk products were certified as the Royal Peacock Standard, the inmates' ability to teach new inmates the silk weaving procedures which consists of 8 steps and an inmate pursued her career in Yok Dok silk weaving after the release from the Lamphun Provincial Prison.