Evaluation of the "New Generation Youth Power Mindful of Democracy" Project at Triam Udom Suksa Southern School, Secondary Educational Service Area Office of Nakhon Si Thammarat

Abstract

            This research aimed to evaluate the "New Generation Youth Power, Mindful of Democracy" project at Triam Udom Suksa Southern School, under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office of Nakhon Si Thammarat, in order to develop students into quality citizens according to the democratic way. The study utilized Robert L. Hammond's evaluation model, a conceptual framework focusing on the systematic assessment of project outcomes across three dimensions: the instructional dimension, the institutional dimension, and the behavioral dimension. The samples were divided into two groups: a quantitative sample of 192 participants obtained through simple random sampling, and a qualitative group of 15 key informants selected via purposive sampling. The key informants consisted of 2 school administrators, 6 teachers and educational personnel, and 7 students from Mathayom 4–6. The research instruments included a democracy knowledge test, an in-depth interview form, and a behavior observation form. Prior to data collection, the instruments were validated for content validity and the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) by three experts. The data were then analyzed using statistical software to determine the Mean () Standard Deviation (S.D.), and t-test to compare learning outcomes. The research findings were as follows:Instructional Dimension: The comparison of the participants' knowledge and skills revealed that the post-training mean score (= 7.49) was higher than the pre-training mean score (= 4.96) at a .001 level of statistical significance, with an average increase of 2.53 points. This confirms that the project's learning management process effectively developed the participants' knowledge and understanding. The project content was highly appropriate for integrating three civic principles: respect (Khawrawatham), harmony (Samakkidham), and wisdom (Panyadham). Institutional Dimension: The evaluation from experts and administrators showed a consensus that the student council election activity was a vital mechanism for instilling public responsibility and developing students' life skills. This activity successfully served as the most important channel for reflecting the “Student Voice” and establishing legitimacy for the student council administration. Furthermore, the election process was transparent, fair, and systematic, effectively simulating real-world democratic operations. Behavioral Dimension: The overall behavior of the participating students was at a highly appropriate level (overall Mean = 4.43). The Affective Domain received the highest score (Mean = 4.52), particularly in behaviors related to respecting the opinions and rights of others (Mean = 4.61) and realizing one's own rights and duties in elections (Mean = 4.50). However, an observation indicated that the majority of students still acted merely as participants; therefore, proactive participation in public relations campaigns can be further developed. The “New Generation Youth Power, Mindful of Democracy” project plays a crucial role in promoting the development of democratic citizenship among students, encompassing knowledge, skills, and behaviors consistent with democratic principles in a school context. These evaluation results can serve as a guideline for administrators and teachers in planning and improving democratic promotion activities, encouraging students to participate more proactively for sustainable development in the upcoming academic year.