Needs Assessment for Development of Desirable Characteristics of 1st Year Undergraduate Students Majoring in 3D-Based Communication Design and Integrated Media Program, School of Architecture, Art, and Design King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang

Abstract

Objectives of the research are to 1) assess needs for the development of desirable characteristics according to higher education qualification standards, and desired specific characteristics according to course learning outcomes of first-year undergraduate students in actual and expected conditions. 2) study the priority needs index for developing desirable characteristics in the first-year students of the program. 3) study the level of importance of the desirable characteristics of the first-year students of the program. 4) study opinions of program instructors and experts towards the development of desirable characteristics. The population is 33 2^nd-year students enrolling in 1^st semester, 2022, Bachelor of Arts Program, majoring in 3D-Based Communication Design and Integrated Media Program, School of Architecture Art and Design, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, and 6 instructors and 3 experts. Research instruments are 1) Needs assessment questionnaires for developing desirable characteristics. 2) Questionnaires for program instructors and experts. Data analysis using descriptive statistics. The statistics used are mean, standard deviation, and Priority needs index.

Research result: 1) the result of the needs assessment according to the higher education qualification standards in the actual condition is at a high level ( = 3.87, S.D. = 0.93) and in the expected condition is at the highest level ( = 4.71, S.D. = 0.55).  The result of the specific needs assessment in the actual condition is at a high level ( = 3.76, S.D. = 0.91) and in the expected condition is at a high level ( = 4.36, S.D. = 0.66). 2) The priority needs index according to higher education qualification standards is 0.22, and the priority needs index of specific characteristics is 0.24. 3) The level of importance of desirable characteristics according to higher education qualification standards is at the highest level ( = 4.60, S.D. = 0.84) and the level of importance of specific desirable characteristics is at a high level ( = 4.31, S.D. = 0.87). The opinions of teachers and curriculum experts from the questionnaires found that students should concurrently develop knowledge, skills, morals, and personal characteristics by integrating several subjects in the curriculum, practicing analytical thinking skills and basic learner skills, and focusing on training students on basic ethics and personal skills.