Development of Local Curriculum on Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation for Schools Surrounding the Boundary of Dong-Yai Wildlife Sanctuary in Buri Ram Province

Abstract

     The purposes of this research were to develop a local curriculum on natural resources and environmental conservation for schools surrounding the boundary of the Dong-Yai Wildlife Sanctuary in Buriram province and to evaluate the curriculum so that it would have quality and be suitable for implementation. This research was an action research prepared by the following operational steps: 1) preparation of local curriculum development, 2) local curriculum development, and 3) curriculum evaluation. The sample group was 37 persons from the locality consisting of the Dong-Yai Wildlife Sanctuary administrators, forest teachers, school administrators, teachers, school committee members, educators, community leaders and members. The statistical values i.e. mean, standard deviation, and Index of consistency were utilized in data analysis. The research established that the development of a local curriculum is a result of a process of participation leading to visions, objectives, content, learning activities, measurement and evaluation, and lesson plan of the curriculum. The result of the curriculum evaluation by the experts was that the curriculum has components which are appropriate and related to community contexts and that it had a high level of quality and was suitable for implementation. The experts considered that the local curriculum is highly beneficial for curriculum implementation on natural resources and environmental conservation. From the results of the research, it can, therefore, be concluded that the local curriculum has high quality and is suitable for implementation in the schools surrounding the boundary of the Dong-Yai Wild life Sanctuary.