Thai educator studies
NIU College of Education administration

by Mark McGowan

Pongsak Pankaew requests forgiveness for his command of the English language, but his apology is unnecessary.

The Fulbright scholar from Thailand, a visitor in the NIU College of Education for six weeks ending Sept. 30, draws sharp distinctions between education in this country and in his homeland.

“In Thailand, instructors can work on outside projects for companies. Here, everyone pays attention to the college,” Pankaew says. “In Thailand, students pay more respect to their teachers.”

Pankaew is an instructor and associate dean for academic affairs in the Faculty of Education at Chaing Mai University. He is working closely with Associate Dean Diane Jackman, who will visit Pankaew on his home turf from late December through early February.

He is sharing his views on how to improve curriculum and instruction and how to plan courses, mostly in his specialized area of science education.

He is impressed by the promotion of healthy living found at the Chick Evans Field House and the Office of Campus Recreation, as well as their proximity to one another, but dismayed at the prevalence of smoking. Students at his university are forbidden to smoke on campus, he says.

He also believes NIU could benefit by offering more programs to students, and possibly could instill more school pride in students by modeling something done at Chaing Mai: blouse pins for women and belt buckles for men that tout their majors.

But mostly he is observing how things are done here in hopes of making schools better at home.

Pankaew wants to continue strengthening Thai curriculum and instruction, noting that his country already has changed education programs from four years to five.

“My country is a developing country. My government is trying to improve the economy and the education to improve the lifestyle of all people,” Pankaew says. “The United States is the leader of education, and very modern.”

He is eager to learn more about the creation of learning standards – “In Thailand, that is just beginning,” he says – and has developed an eager interest in NIU’s programs for special education teachers.

“To compare cultures and education, each can know one another to share views and improve points which are not strong for each one,” he says. “I am lucky to have come here. It is very beautiful, and all the faculty and deans in the College of Education are very nice.”

9-20-04