Theory of Relativity - is that how many "phii nongs" you have?

[webfact]

Theory of Relativity - is that how many "phii nongs" you have?

 

Picture: Manager Online

 

BANGKOK: -- It has been revealed that many Thai students haven't got a clue when it comes to science.

 

A damning report shows that Thai secondary school children are lagging way behind others in Asia when it comes to science.

 

And this when Thai youngsters spend a large proportion of their day in class.

 

Even when it comes to very basic scientific knowledge Thai teenagers

have little know how.

 

In fact in a recent survey only teens in Indonesia came out worse.

 

Announcing the results on the PISA site Pornphan Waithayangkoon, an expert in the field, said that the Thais fell well below expected standards.

 

Fifteen-year-olds in Singapore were miles ahead with 50% of their students achieving knowledge levels of 4 and above on a 1-6 scale.

 

Only 50% of Thais achieved level two that is considered a very basic understanding of science for use in daily life.

 

Nationals of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and even Vietnam left the Thais in their wake.

 

Thaivisa notes that one of the few "league tables" that Thais head is the amount of time spent in school.

 

Source: Manager Online

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-10-04

[Get Real]

Oh, my! Big surprise! Sience???

[ChrisY1]

If the student hasn't learnt, the teacher hasn't taught!

[BEVUP]

As far as i can see they learn it from a book (9yr old ) private school

Had a friend who had his daughter there & he checks these schools & when asked about science classes & english (checking with daughter as well ), went & enquired further then dragged his daughter out of there (daughter about same age )

From what I see there is : * Maths * Social Studies * Eng/Thai * Science (very little )

[saakura]

2 minutes ago, BEVUP said:

As far as i can see they learn it from a book (9yr old ) private school

Had a friend who had his daughter there & he checks these schools & when asked about science classes & english (checking with daughter as well ), went & enquired further then dragged his daughter out of there (daughter about same age )

From what I see there is : * Maths * Social Studies * Eng/Thai * Science (very little )

Very difficult to understand what you intend to convey, hope you are not a teacher!

[nausea]

Thailand 4.0 is well on track I see.

[BEVUP]

6 minutes ago, nausea said:

Thailand 4.0 is well on track I see.

Will never happen as that school I mentioned (Sarrasat ) doesn't even have a banking system set up so the thousands of parents can just transfer term fees  - All has to be done in cash

So whats the chances of a Tuk Tuk driving carrying a swipe machine

[BEVUP]

22 minutes ago, saakura said:

Very difficult to understand what you intend to convey, hope you are not a teacher!

Meaning do they actually have dedicated science classes & if so at what level do they start

 

[connda]

Much of that has to do with the climate of the classrooms in Thailand which are overly concerned with instilling morality and conformity, which do not reward taking risks or innovating, and teach students using rote learning methods that are mind numbing.  Smart kids will excel against the odds; most others will languish. 

[YetAnother]

15 minutes ago, connda said:

instilling morality and conformity,

looks like they are doing a poor job of the morality side;

conformism is guaranteeing this place will either never advance or at a pace so slow as to be seen locked-in-place

[zyphodb]

They have science classes in junior schools, taught in English by Phillipinos generally, if parents pay extra, but the level of English understanding of the kids is so low that these are mostly doomed to failure...

[rkidlad]

Who needs science when you have have superstition.

 

When we use science, logic and reason, it makes life a lot harder. Much easier to just paint the ceiling of your pick-up truck and drive like you're the only person in the world. If you kill someone, it's their fault for being a s***** person. 

[dinsdale]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A damning report shows that Thai secondary school children are lagging way behind others in Asia when it comes to science.

and maths, and English and ..................

[farq]

2 hours ago, zyphodb said:

They have science classes in junior schools, taught in English by Phillipinos generally, if parents pay extra, but the level of English understanding of the kids is so low that these are mostly doomed to failure...

 

And the Phillipinos are generally unable to speak proper English, and the Thai "English" teachers usually just can't speak English, so the kids are behind the 8-ball from the get go!

[trogers]

Does the ability to turn on a notebook or smartphone count as knowledge in Science?

[dudopode]

4 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

If the student hasn't learnt, the teacher hasn't taught!

True

 

But not always teachers' fault

[greenchair]

4 hours ago, BEVUP said:

As far as i can see they learn it from a book (9yr old ) private school

Had a friend who had his daughter there & he checks these schools & when asked about science classes & english (checking with daughter as well ), went & enquired further then dragged his daughter out of there (daughter about same age )

From what I see there is : * Maths * Social Studies * Eng/Thai * Science (very little )

 

I understand what you are saying. 

For my son science, health, social studies and history have been combined because there are too many subjects and not enough time. Almost all science classes have been canceled, last year asean predominaTed, this year it is the king,thai history ,and politics. He gets 3 hours to do one project and a quick test. Then nothing for the rest of the term. I teach it everyday myself now. Math is the same. 

Scout classes, thai culture classes, cheerleading classes, Prayut 12 principles classes, religious classes, sports classes, music classes, assembly classes, all take presidence over math science. 

Don't bother changing schools, it's the same everywhere. 

[blackcab]

29 minutes ago, greenchair said:

 

I understand what you are saying. 

For my son science, health, social studies and history have been combined because there are too many subjects and not enough time. Almost all science classes have been canceled, last year asean predominaTed, this year it is the king,thai history ,and politics. He gets 3 hours to do one project and a quick test. Then nothing for the rest of the term. I teach it everyday myself now. Math is the same. 

Scout classes, thai culture classes, cheerleading classes, Prayut 12 principles classes, religious classes, sports classes, music classes, assembly classes, all take presidence over math science. 

Don't bother changing schools, it's the same everywhere. 

 

A large amount of credit to you for the extra tuition you give your son.

 

I don't, however, quite agree that every school is the same.

 

International schools such as NIST, Bangkok Patana, ISB, etc are very different in what is taught and how it is taught.

 

The only problems are that getting admitted to such a school might not be easy and the fees are considerable.

[trainman34014]

''Thai's fell well below expected standards ''.    No; expected standards in Thailand are well below just about any other country to start with !

[Cadbury]

31 minutes ago, dudopode said:

True

 

But not always teachers' fault

True in the context many teachers haven't got a clue about what they are supposed to be teaching so the low standard of education continues on in perpetuity. And those dreamers in academia land who set themselves up as the grand high poohbahs of education are a sorry reflection of this sadly lacking education system. Example: Those emotional "academics" who got their knickers in a twist about Prayut buying a token 50,000 tonnes of coal from the US when total Thai coal imports is 18,000,000 tonnes.  

[Cadbury]

38 minutes ago, greenchair said:

 

I understand what you are saying. 

For my son science, health, social studies and history have been combined because there are too many subjects and not enough time. Almost all science classes have been canceled, last year asean predominaTed, this year it is the king,thai history ,and politics. He gets 3 hours to do one project and a quick test. Then nothing for the rest of the term. I teach it everyday myself now. Math is the same. 

Scout classes, thai culture classes, cheerleading classes, Prayut 12 principles classes, religious classes, sports classes, music classes, assembly classes, all take presidence over math science. 

Don't bother changing schools, it's the same everywhere. 

You forgot military classes.

[greenchair]

2 hours ago, blackcab said:

 

A large amount of credit to you for the extra tuition you give your son.

 

I don't, however, quite agree that every school is the same.

 

International schools such as NIST, Bangkok Patana, ISB, etc are very different in what is taught and how it is taught.

 

The only problems are that getting admitted to such a school might not be easy and the fees are considerable.

 

A.those are good if you have 500,000 to a million baht a year to spend. 

B. I don't know if they are good because how many of them apply for the pisa test. 

C. The topic is about thai schools with those tests done in thai language. Those tests are called sor sor wor tor and sor tor por 

Which are math science.

D. There are a few schools that have won medals in the international olypiads that are based on those tests ,suankularb, satit pratumwam, samsaen, debsirin, trium udomsuksa, and a couple of others. I am not sure if the international schools even apply. Just because they are expensive English speaking schools does not give them a good ranking in the math science competitive arena. 

For the above schools, there are about 1000 to 2000 kids trying to get 1 of 36 seats. 

We will go to our first sor sor wor tor and sor por tor this year. 

Wish us luck on a pass. 

If we get in the top 1000, we probably can go to anyone of those prestigious schools  (gifted) and expect to get a top notch education for 75000 baht a year ep. 

13000 baht a year math science. 

[TKDfella]

I don't really feel as other posters here. It is no wonder that science is difficult for Thai students. Westernized religions don't really get in the way of study but I don't think that's the case in Thailand. One only has look how science has progressed in the last 30-40 years; although the history of the Cell phone goes back before that, just look at the giant steps made in the memory of such devices. In the late 1980's the Sinclair portable computer had a max memory of around 4 mb. Today Laptops (Notebook) are quoted in gb. R&D is so basic to our society now. But all this work requires much less time given to culture studies which is mostly left to smaller groups and villages. I don't think that's the case in Thailand. A country can't have it both ways, something has to be sacrificed. I suppose while Thai culture is so important they probably seem like a better (easier) choice. Even the PM on his weekly show has said how import culture studies are and I think that's unfair. Relativity? What about the other extreme, Quantum Physics, Quantum Field Theory? Thai students don't stand a chance in the present system.

[greenchair]

1 hour ago, TKDfella said:

I don't really feel as other posters here. It is no wonder that science is difficult for Thai students. Westernized religions don't really get in the way of study but I don't think that's the case in Thailand. One only has look how science has progressed in the last 30-40 years; although the history of the Cell phone goes back before that, just look at the giant steps made in the memory of such devices. In the late 1980's the Sinclair portable computer had a max memory of around 4 mb. Today Laptops (Notebook) are quoted in gb. R&D is so basic to our society now. But all this work requires much less time given to culture studies which is mostly left to smaller groups and villages. I don't think that's the case in Thailand. A country can't have it both ways, something has to be sacrificed. I suppose while Thai culture is so important they probably seem like a better (easier) choice. Even the PM on his weekly show has said how import culture studies are and I think that's unfair. Relativity? What about the other extreme, Quantum Physics, Quantum Field Theory? Thai students don't stand a chance in the present system.

 

You are absolutely right. 

They have to choose. 

Religion and culture. 

Science and math.

They made their choice.

You don't get it all.

In our country, music, activities, religion, culture, dance classes on the weekend and the parents pay.

In Thailand math, science, eng on the weekend and the rich can pay.

 

[mok199]

finding ignorance here is like shooting fish in a barrel. the origin is not a suprise...but on a positive note... I know a few talented girls who can make a swan from a drinking straw....

Edited October 4, 2017 by mok199
speliing

[Enoon]

5 hours ago, TKDfella said:

I don't really feel as other posters here. It is no wonder that science is difficult for Thai students. Westernized religions don't really get in the way of study but I don't think that's the case in Thailand. One only has look how science has progressed in the last 30-40 years; although the history of the Cell phone goes back before that, just look at the giant steps made in the memory of such devices. In the late 1980's the Sinclair portable computer had a max memory of around 4 mb. Today Laptops (Notebook) are quoted in gb. R&D is so basic to our society now. But all this work requires much less time given to culture studies which is mostly left to smaller groups and villages. I don't think that's the case in Thailand. A country can't have it both ways, something has to be sacrificed. I suppose while Thai culture is so important they probably seem like a better (easier) choice. Even the PM on his weekly show has said how import culture studies are and I think that's unfair. Relativity? What about the other extreme, Quantum Physics, Quantum Field Theory? Thai students don't stand a chance in the present system.

 

Far from "getting in the way" Christianity (as manifested in the Reformation and the spread of Protestantism/Non-Conformism in N/NW Europe) was of immense importance in the development of Science, Industry and advanced Social/Political Philosophy, which led to the rise of the West and the dominance it achieved worldwide.

 

But to suggest a similar reformation, a disestablishment of religion, or a decoupling of religious orthodoxy from education in Thailand is nothing less than.........Heresy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[YouAreBananas]

It's all relative... do you see three bananas or two?

[greenchair]

9 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

Far from "getting in the way" Christianity (as manifested in the Reformation and the spread of Protestantism/Non-Conformism in N/NW Europe) was of immense importance in the development of Science, Industry and advanced Social/Political Philosophy, which led to the rise of the West and the dominance it achieved worldwide.

 

But to suggest a similar reformation, a disestablishment of religion, or a decoupling of religious orthodoxy from education in Thailand is nothing less than.........Heresy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comparing the scenario of hundreds of years ago to the present day, is quite rediculous. 

Religion certainly was essential to an ordered daily life before elected governments became the fairer choice. The poster is not advocating the disestablishment of religion in Thailand. 

He is saying religion in the schools gets in the way of other studies. 

Religion was taken out of schools in the west around 30 years ago. It continues to thrive and flourish outside of the school system as it would in Thailand. 

The Thai learn religion up to 2 hours everyday if and maybe more when culture studies are included. 

With scientific advances, the curriculum of science is constantly adding more and more levels of education. Things that I never studied are genetics, artificial insemination, solar power, advanced weather systems, space and planet exploration, and more. 

2 hours a week just doesn't do it. 

Science and math are the most difficult subjects to teach. Teachers always prefer cancelling a science class to do other perceived more important activities. Religion and culture and food are what Thais feel most familiar with, do given their choice science /religion, science always loses. Just because 3 hours a week science is in the curriculum, doesn't mean they get that. 

 

 

[gk10002000]

I for some reason and by some chance got interested in how things work at a very early age.  Factors that helped are we had a decent house to live in.  Dad had a few toys, a movie camera, an 8mm projector, a reel to reel tap recorder, a small model railroad train set.  I happened to like the sci-fi cartoons that were around in the early 60s, the fantastic 4, the Thunderbirds later on.  I had a bicycle.  We had books in our house and some large set of natural history books with great pictures of volcanoes, komodo dragons, a whole dictionary set.  We had winters in my part of the USA and would be inside and would read.  We didn't have hundreds of mindless TV stations to watch, or spend mind numbing hours thumb twiddling on our smart phones.  I remember in elementary school our teachers doing some cool science demonstrations.  Remember getting the hard boiled egg to pushed down into the bottle after the vacuum was created due to the air pressure? In 7th grade our science class was a gas.  Had a small generator we hand spun and lit a light bulb.  Heated things up to see how different materials expanded.  Made H2O by electrolysis.  Made models of Atoms.   I also remember marveling at the seasons, experiencing wind, cold, ice, stepping and playing with small puddles of water and thin layers of ice, watching cloud types.   I was lucky I think being born in 1957 which was one of the National Geophysical Years and the USA spent a lot of money on elementary education.  In Thailand what I see is just large scale baby sitting, and then learning is hampered by the home life.  It is a hard cycle to break.  Later as a teen I was befriended by my good buddy whose initials are MAV.  His dad was a tinkerer and a handy man.  Learned how  a minibike engine worked as it was taken apart.  His dad even subscribed to Aviation Week and Space Technology so what a gold mine that was.  I ended up with a few degrees and still work in the aerospace industry pending soon retirement.

Edited October 5, 2017 by gk10002000
new stuff

[greenchair]

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I for some reason and by some chance got interested in how things work at a very early age.  Factors that helped are we had a decent house to live in.  Dad had a few toys, a movie camera, an 8mm projector, a reel to reel tap recorder, a small model railroad train set.  I happened to like the sci-fi cartoons that were around in the early 60s, the fantastic 4, the Thunderbirds later on.  I had a bicycle.  We had books in our house and some large set of natural history books with great pictures of volcanoes, komodo dragons, a whole dictionary set.  We had winters in my part of the USA and would be inside and would read.  We didn't have hundreds of mindless TV stations to watch, or spend mind numbing hours thumb twiddling on our smart phones.  I remember in elementary school our teachers doing some cool science demonstrations.  Remember getting the hard boiled egg to pushed down into the bottle after the vacuum was created due to the air pressure? In 7th grade our science class was a gas.  Had a small generator we hand spun and lit a light bulb.  Heated things up to see how different materials expanded.  Made H2O by electrolysis.  Made models of Atoms.   I also remember marveling at the seasons, experiencing wind, cold, ice, stepping and playing with small puddles of water and thin layers of ice, watching cloud types.   I was lucky I think being born in 1957 which was one of the National Geophysical Years and the USA spent a lot of money on elementary education.  In Thailand what I see is just large scale baby sitting, and then learning is hampered by the home life.  It is a hard cycle to break.  Later as a teen I was befriended by my good buddy whose initials are MAV.  His dad was a tinkerer and a handy man.  Learned how  a minibike engine worked as it was taken apart.  His dad even subscribed to Aviation Week and Space Technology so what a gold mine that was.  I ended up with a few degrees and still work in the aerospace industry pending soon retirement.

That's a really nice story. 

I enjoyed reading it.