Potential Development Model for Community Technician Innovators in Na In Subdistrict, Phichai District, Uttaradit Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to 1) examine the capacity development needs, 2) assess the capacity levels, and 3) develop the capacity of prototype community technician innovators in Na-In Sub-district, Phichai District, Uttaradit Province. A mixed-methods research design was employed, comprising qualitative research, quantitative research, and action research, conducted with a single unified population. Participants were purposively selected from members of the Ban Na-In Integrated Sufficiency Agriculture Community Enterprise who served as community technician innovators, totaling 13 individuals.
The qualitative research utilized in-depth interviews to explore capacity development needs across seven dimensions: practical implementation, appropriate design, problem understanding, participation, development, income generation and community economic promotion, and scaling based on sufficiency and sustainable development. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The quantitative research employed an opinion assessment instrument to evaluate capacity levels across the same seven dimensions. Data were analyzed using means and standard deviations. The action research incorporated seven capacity development activities corresponding to the dimensions, utilizing participatory observation. Data were analyzed through content analysis, and a capacity level assessment instrument was administered to enable comparative analysis of differences between pre- and post-development outcomes. The findings revealed that post-development capacity levels increased significantly across all dimensions at the .05 level of statistical significance. The dimension demonstrating the greatest improvement was practical implementation (  = 4.38,  = 0.40), followed by appropriate design (  = 4.29,  = 0.45) and participation (  = 4.21,  = 0.36). The dimension requiring continued development was scaling based on sufficiency and sustainable development (  = 3.68,  = 0.21), which exhibited the least improvement, with certain items remaining at a moderate level. These findings reflect that capacity represents an ability that can be developed and enhanced toward proficiency through training processes, learning, and practice.