Participation in the Development of an Anti-Corruption Curriculum by First-Year Students at Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University

Abstract

This research aims to: 1) study the current situation regarding participation in the development of anti-corruption education curriculum; 2)study the problems and suggestions from administrators, teachers, and external stakeholders in promoting the development of anti-corruption education curriculum; and 3) study participatory approaches for developing and promoting anti-corruption education curriculum. The study population is divided into three groups: 1) 565 first-year students enrolled in citizenship courses; 2) 15 academic administrators and teachers involved in the development of anti-corruption education curriculum; and 3) 44 stakeholders from four external agencies. The sampling was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 used simple random sampling and stratified sampling to select 300 students from six classes, while Phase 2 employed purposive sampling to choose six administrators and teachers, along with seven stakeholders for in-depth interviews. The research instruments included a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide, both of which were validated for content accuracy, yielding an Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) index ranging from 0.60 to 0.80, as assessed by three experts who reviewed the questions. The results of this validation were then used to calculate the IOC index to ensure alignment between the questions and the objectives being measured. The results of the study revealed that: 1. The current situation regarding participation in the development of anti-corruption education curriculum showed that, overall, all aspects were at a high level (x̅ = 3.75, S.D. = 1.07). The area with the highest average was benefits received at a high level (x̅= 3.77, S.D. = 1.06), followed by planning at a high level (x̅ = 3.75, S.D. = 1.07), then evaluation at a high level (x̅ = 3.74, S.D. = 1.05), and the area with the lowest average was decision-making at a high level (x̅ = 3.72, S.D. = 1.07). Students participated in the development of learning resources and activities that promote the curriculum, but improvements are needed in the transparency of decision-making and providing more opportunities for students to express their opinions. 2. The problems and suggestions from administrators, lecturers, and external stakeholders in promoting the development of anti-corruption education curriculum revealed four key issues. First, in terms of planning, there is a lack of dissemination of important university information, such as unclear policies and budgets. The university should plan to use a variety of communication channels to better share this information. Second, regarding decision-making, in the anti-corruption curriculum, students do not participate sufficiently in campaign activities, resulting in low awareness of the harmful effects of corruption. The university should organize more activities that promote citizens’ rights to monitor corruption in today’s society. Third, in terms of participation in receiving benefits and evaluation, there is a lack of content development that builds knowledge on self-protection and awareness of one’s rights and responsibilities. Additionally, there is a lack of mechanisms to train self-protection skills, leaving learners unprepared to fight corruption. Therefore, the university should implement clear measures and establish a culture of rejecting corruption, encouraging all parties to participate in solving this issue in order to reduce the likelihood of recurring problems, and ensuring that corruption is not viewed as a normal matter in the anti-corruption education curriculum. 3. The approaches to developing and promoting a participatory anti-corruption education curriculum revealed three key points. First, regarding participation in curriculum management, the university should provide opportunities for students, alumni, and both internal and external stakeholders to be involved in designing the curriculum. This would help enhance the moral and ethical values of students. Second, in terms of budgeting, the university should allocate sufficient funds to support effective participation in the curriculum, ensuring that students benefit from learning that can be applied in real-life situations, while also promoting the quality of life for youth and addressing community needs in building a transparent society and improving overall well-being. Finally, regarding general administration, the university should focus on creating an environment that encourages participation in planning and decision-making for organizing various activities. Administrators and lecturers should support the involvement of both internal and external stakeholders, allowing everyone to fully utilize their knowledge and capabilities.