Progressive Instruction

DPU (Dhurakij Pundit University) as a Progressive University

This is the summary of the discussion we had on Wednesday January 16, 2013. Participants were Janpha Thadphoothon, Soisithorn Isarankura, Alexis, Natthawadee (Meow), and Warissara (Ook), (Aj Thomas Smith left us a note of his ideas as he had to teach during the roundtable.)

DPU official logo: 

DPU has come up another logo and motto. That logo is:

The motto is "Progressive."

The management of DPU would like the staff to help suggest strategies and action plans to make DPU a progressive one. More importantly, they also want the staff to help conceptualize what the term 'Progressive' could mean.

Before the discussion got deeper into details, we noticed that the term 'progressive university' sounds similar to the term 'progressive education' coined by John Dewey. But we realized that the term progressive could mean "chareon or เจริญก้าวหน้า"  in the Thai sense.

The results of our roundtable discussion are:

Characteristics of being “Progressive”

We discussed and shared our ideas around a table and came up with five characteristics and suggested five strategies to enable DPU to achieve its aim in being a progressive one.

The five characteristics are:

- Progressive Instruction

DPU as a first-class higher institution that implements progressive instruction (teaching). 

- Integrative Mindset

DPU should go 'integrative'. This requires creativity and critical thinking skills, and foresight.

- ICT- Enhanced Organization

The 21st century has been filled with ICT gadgets.

- Education + Entertainment = Edutainment

New media have radically changed the way we provide educational services. We need to make the services interesting, up-to-date, and trendy.

- Physical Paradigm

Create a learning space where a university is not only a place where there are rooms to sit in and learn, but a theme park. Classroom desks and chairs should be redesigned to foster group learning and open discussions.

Here are the strategies: 

1.    Instructional Strategies

Student-centered instruction: Students are empowered when they have their says. They learn better when they are allowed to experience meaningful social interaction. What we think the teachers should be doing is implementing the following instructional models: 

-         Debates 

-         Projects

-         Group Discussions

-         Simulations

-         Cooperative methods

2.    Integrative  Strategies

We agree that to become a true progressive university, DPU should emphasize more on integration. In teaching, for example, we can integrate 'Asean' contents with existing courses  We can integrate instructional methods or skills.

We should also integrate what we teach in class with research (aka, classroom-action research), what we research with what is going on in the society.  

3.    ICT Strategies

Incorporate ICT into classroom instruction by encouraging students to use and question the use of ICT.  ICT, despite its values, potentials, and promises, is still a technology in question. So, what we would like to see happen is the use of ICT in ways that can enhance learning, both moral and academic aspects.

4.    Affective Strategies

We should make learning interesting, so that students enjoy and benefit from our instruction. Moreover, as teachers, we need to lower our control, pay attention to individual students. Develop good rapport with the students. 

In language learning, we believe that when students feel confident, feeling at ease with the teachers, they use more English.

5.    Physical Strategies

The teacher-fronted classroom setting should be altered to accommodate cooperative learning methods and various forms of discussions.

On reflection, DPU has many beautiful gardens and its landscape is second to none. We would like to see more instruction done outside of the rooms.

The aforementioned strategies reflects our understanding of the term 'progressive university' and the five strategies are ways which we reckon would realize DPU's aspiration to become a successful higher academic institution of the 21st century.