EMERGING TRENDS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR ENHANCING INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN BACHELOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THAILAND

Abstract

This study aims to analyze and synthesize the emerging trends and directions in promoting intercultural competence within the Bachelor of Education curriculum in Thailand—an essential competence for teachers in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. The research was conducted in two phases. First, a scoping review was employed to examine the general state of teacher education curricula in Thailand and to synthesize key characteristics of effective interventions for fostering intercultural competence. The data were analyzed using narrative synthesis. Second, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore trends, future directions, and curriculum design approaches relevant to multicultural education. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with values coding applied in the coding process. The key findings reveal that, while Thai teacher education curricula emphasize academic skills and moral development, they lack a systematic and explicit integration of intercultural competence. Furthermore, the synthesis of international research on effective interventions highlights that promoting intercultural competence requires experiential learning, critical self-reflection, active student participation, and the creation of culturally safe learning environments. The findings suggest that curriculum development should shift from a content-centered framework to a fully integrated multicultural curriculum. This includes alignment at all levels—objectives, content, pedagogy, and assessment—in order to prepare future teachers to navigate and facilitate learning effectively in multicultural societies with a strong sense of social consciousness.