RAISING EDUCATIONAL QUALITY BY ORDINARY NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TEST THROUGH THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

Abstract

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2560 (Section 54) mentioned that the state has the duty to carry out, supervise, promote and support education provision to have quality and to meet international standards. Moreover, the Basic Education Core Curriculum B.E. 2551 (A.D. 2008) defined that evaluation is conducted in order to assess learners’ quality at national level, based on the learning standards prescribed in the Basic Education Core Curriculum. The national assessment with the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) has been conducted to test the knowledge and thinking ability of Grade 6, 9 and 12 students. The national test results will be used as indicators to not only raise the education quality but also to have a role in national policy formation and implementation.The National Assessment with the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) is becoming a crucial mission for teachers, school principals, and stakeholders to collaboratively implement.

          The Four Noble Truths are the most fundamental teachings of Buddha. It is believed that Buddha’s principal teaching on The Four Noble Truths cover all other Buddhist teachings. Moreover, we can also apply The Four Noble Truths in each aspect of the National Assessment with the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET).

• The First Noble Truth (diagnose the problem or suffer) implies educational outputs (O-NET score) that are lower than expectations and/or determined including lower than other schools with similar context (school size, school location, education service area office, province, affiliation and nation level) by analysis of O-NET score reports for students, school (score reports number 1, 2, 3, 5), the Educational Service Area Office, the Provincial Education Office, and the  Regional Education Office respectively. 

          2) The Second Noble Truth (identify the cause or cause of suffering) implies causes that can be solved within the academic year including input, emphasizing on affective, process, focusing on psychomotor skills according to insufficient potential of learning, instruction, and PDCA cycle-based administration behaviors, in particular use of classroom and national assessment results (O-NET) of individual learning indicators for learning, instruction and administration improvement planning.

          3) The Third Noble Truth (realization that there is a solution or cessation of suffering) implies educational outputs (O-NET) of next academic year that are improved and/or reach expected goals or criterions by professional administration and instruction in routine functioning and research without increasing the burdens of students, teachers and school principals.

          4) The Fourth Noble Truth (the way to achieve a release from problem/suffering or path to cessation of suffering) implies professional educational administration and instruction for effectiveness, efficiency, and worthiness by 3 aligned factors of educational process as follows:

                    (1) Setting educational objectives bases on students’ quality mentioned in the learning indicator of each learning standards for certain strands which are analyzed from the  curriculum, and focused on 21^st century skills including the weakness point (low O-NET score) and strength point (high O-NET score) from the O-NET score reports of previous year(s) to assess yourself and used for administration plan, lesson plan, measurement and evaluation plan, along with research plan.

(2) Learning process according to educational plan for successful educational provision objectives focused on decreasing weaknesses and increasing strong points emphasizes Active learning with “4 Paths of  Accomplishment” (Chanda, Viriya, Chitta, Vimangsa) and “The essences of being wise” (Su, Chi, Pu, Li)                  

                   (3) Educational measurement and evaluation reflects instruction quality by availing of relevant indicators in the curriculum, regarding educational objectives, in which periodical classroom assessment of learning indicators in each learning standard is recorded on the document of learning outcomes for each subject of each learner by teachers and used for testing preparation with only significant indicators tested, also applying the O-NET test blueprint, item format, sample of item and answer sheet to mid-year and final classroom examinations which are recorded in the school evaluation document, as well as adapted classroom assessment like the medical treatment by effectively integrating various types of assessments particularly Placement, Diagnostic, Authentic, Formative and Summative.