The relationships between Thai secondary school social studies teachers' beliefs about civic education, epistemological beliefs, and classroom practices: A model for Thai in -service professional development

Historically, during the development of Thai politics to a democratic society, Thai social studies teachers had experiences as learners and as citizens that differ from their students. Thailand is reforming its educational system to respond to social changes and the current Thai constitution. The aim of this reform is to improve students' learning experiences that will, in turn, enhance the development of a democratic society. There is evidence that teachers' beliefs influence their decision-makings about teaching pedagogy and the creation of a supportive classroom environment. Therefore, educational institutions must provide professional development and a supportive environment for teachers in order to achieve the aims of the reform.;The findings of this study reveal that Thai social studies teachers believed that Thai civic education had multiple purposes. Thai social studies teachers' worldview about reality was inconsistent. A majority of Thai social studies teachers employed eclectic classroom practices. One third of them employed constructivist classroom practices, and small percentage of the teachers employed behaviorist classroom practices. There was congruency between some of the teachers' beliefs and their classroom practices.;There were statistically significant positive relationships among subscales of teachers' beliefs and classroom practices. Beliefs in reconstructed knowing influenced the relationships between other beliefs and classroom practices. These influences led to the implications of this study that change in reconstructed knowing leads to change in other beliefs and classroom practices. Beliefs regarding civic education, epistemological beliefs, and classroom practices differed between age groups and the highest degree earned.;Thai social studies teachers indicated that the most helpful activities in professional development were those in which teachers were highly engaged. Guided by the results of this study, a proposed model for Thai social studies teachers' professional development consists of three sections that aim to help teachers better understand their beliefs regarding civic education and epistemological beliefs and to improve their teaching. The model also enhances teachers' learning and their professional development by focusing on teachers' collaborative learning, connectedness to social issues in Thai democratic society, and a supportive environment.