Social Innovation Education for Schools in Northeastern Thailand: Toward a Contextualized Model for Sustainable Development

Background/purpose. This research was conducted to address the disconnect between the goals of social innovation and its practical implementation in schools in Northeastern Thailand. The research aimed to develop a sustainable model of social innovation education by first examining successful domestic and international practices, then analyzing the current state of readiness in the region.

Materials/methods. This research utilized complex mixed methods research with an evaluation design, conducted in three sequential phases: a qualitative study of exemplary schools, a quantitative survey of readiness among schools (n=38) and high school students (n=1680) in the northeastern region, and the subsequent development of a new model based on the combined findings.

Results. Schools showed high readiness in social Impact (M=3.85, SD=0.72), and students excelled in communication & collaboration (M=3.95, SD=0.59). However, significant weaknesses were found in sustainability and scalability (M=3.12, SD=0.94) among schools and systemic problem-solving (M=3.45, SD=0.81) among students. The proposed contextualized model for driving social innovation education for schools was presented, and its practical applications were discussed.

Conclusion. The research concludes that while schools in Northeastern Thailand have foundational strengths for social innovation, critical gaps in sustainability and systemic problem-solving must be addressed. The proposed contextualized model for driving social innovation provides a strategic framework to leverage existing strengths and bridge these gaps, fostering authentic, long-term social and economic development.

Keywords: Social Innovation, Social Innovation Education, Northeastern, Sustainability Development, Contextualized Model

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