Knowledge application of community development principles in professional practice: The course of Field Experience in Community Development 2, Loei Rajabhat University

Abstract

This research is a part of the course of Field Experience in Community Development 2 (2534802), 1st semester, the academic year of 2017, Loei Rajabhat University. This research aims to study the knowledge application of the students from the classroom to their professional practices. This research also investigates the problems of knowledge application. The population of this research is the 98 students enrolled in Field Experience in Community Development 2 (2534802), 1st semester, the academic year of 2017. The data were collected by questionnaire. Percentage, mean, standard deviation are the main analysis of this research. The research findings are as follows: (1) Students in this course are mostly female (88.04%), and the age between 23-24 years are the most common (86.96%). (2) For the community development knowledge, the community development principle was used at the highest level (= 4.57, SD = 0.55). (3) For the knowledge of participation in community development, the knowledge in this group was used at highest level (= 4.67, S.D. = 0.52). Lastly, (4) knowledge from the core subjects was used at the high level ( = 4.43, S.D. = 0.59).

            For the problems of knowledge application, this research found that the students are inability in speaking in the public, solving short-term problems, and establishing relationships with communities. The reason for these problems is because they take too much practice in the office. Therefore, students have a lack of skills in data collection and analysis. Moreover, the ways of data collection for community analysis in the professional practice were different from the classroom because the mentors from the government offices have different ideas and needs.