Enhancing Elementary Student Teachers’ Scientific Inquiry Skills through Community-Based Laboratory Tools: A Case Study of the KRU-Rak Thin Closed-System Teacher Production Program
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Abstract
The issue of teacher shortages in Thailand persists, particularly in small schools located in remote areas. Many teachers are unwilling to take long-term positions in these areas, resulting in a lack of educational opportunities for students. This study investigates the impact of community-based laboratory tools on the scientific inquiry skills of 67 elementary student teachers within the KRU-Rak Thin Closed-System Teacher Production Program in Thailand. Utilizing a mixed-methods case study design, the research addressed two primary objectives: determining how community-based tools enhance inquiry competencies and identifying the best practices that emerge from their implementation. Data was collected through a scientific inquiry skills test, rubric-based lesson plan evaluations, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations, and reflective journals. Findings revealed a significant quantitative improvement in participants’ inquiry skills, with post-test scores showing statistically significant gains. Qualitatively, the results demonstrated a professional shift in lesson planning from traditional, content-driven instruction to context-responsive inquiry cycles. Student teachers developed critical data collection and interpretation skills through authentic field investigations, such as community walking maps and fishbone diagrams, which effectively reconceptualized the local community as a "living laboratory." The study further identified emerging best practices, including the development of student-designed learning strategies that utilize local ecological phenomena and the implementation of school-community innovation projects that support local income generation. These interventions resulted in transformative changes in participants' professional identity, shifting their roles from mere content deliverers to confident community-based facilitators. By bridging the gap between formal science and community knowledge, the program fosters a more sustainable, culturally relevant, and collaborative approach to science education.
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