Open Learning: The Dominant Quality Innovation for Current Alternative Education Systems of Thailand

Abstract

PCF2 // During the recent decades, the global society is propelled by an economy indisputably driven by knowledge, information and technology. Education is recognized as an essential portion of the society’s infrastructure. Thus the education has expanded phenomenally in order to response to the ever-increasing demand for lifelong learning and job-related skills. While a part has been accomplished, but the majority remains to be done. // The concept of providing learners the choices regarding media, place of study, support mechanism as well as entry and exit points has been implemented in Thailand for decades. However, these methods of transferring education to Thais were accepted and limited only for some groups of people, particularly those who had no chance to pursue the conventional education. // “Open learning” is now a dominant practical solution among the Thai alternative education systems. According to the Thai Education Act 1999, promulgated in agreement with the Constitution of the Kingdom 1997, the government has to provide a basic education for all Thais as well as to enhance a higher education along with a special education, thoroughly, quantitatively and qualitatively. Hence, all alternative education systems providing new dimensions in Thai education at all levels are nationwide accepted and fostered appropriately by law. // In this paper, the innovative open learning systems provided in Thailand at all levels are identified and discussed. The key points are focused on how the open learning accomplishes the mechanism for transferring the effective education for development the Thai society. Besides, the details and case studies regarding how the open learning in Thailand becoming recognized both at the national as well as the international are analyzed and discussed. //