Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publisher
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia in association with Khon Kaen University, Thailand and Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Thailand.
Abstract
The purpose of the study reported on in this paper was to determine if Virtual-Based Training (VBT) could be used to develop students‘ abilities in creative thinking (CT). The sample was 26 second year undergraduate students from four different faculties at King Mongkut‘s University of Technology, Thonburi, Thailand selected by simple random sampling technique. Participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group consisting of 13 students (11 engineering students, and 2 architect students); a control group composed of 13 students (5 engineering students, 1 science student, and 7 industrial education and technology students). Both groups had similar background knowledge but differed in terms of their disciplines. The experimental group studied 24 CT lessons through VBT, and they had to submit their exercises by e-mail, by post, or in person. The tools used in this study were VBT in CT skills, students‘ assignments, a pre-test and a post-test using the Test for CT-Drawing Production (TCT-DP). Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and ANCOVA. The results of the study were as follows: (1) There was no significant difference on the pre-test scores of CT skills (TCTDP) between the experimental group and the control group. (2) There was a significant difference on the post-test scores of CT skills (TCTDP) between the experimental group and the control group. Results showed that VBT can enhance CT skills in these students in Thailand. In terms of implications, the development of VBT requires an investment of time, expertise and money. Therefore, institutions wishing to promote CT through use of such techniques will need to provide the funding and resources necessary to make possible VBT.
Comments
EDU-COM 2008 International Conference. Sustainability in Higher Education: Directions for Change, Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia, 19-21 November 2008.