Saturday Onsite Presentation Session 3

South-East Asian Studies

Session Chair: Argie Guijarno

14:05-14:30

69492 | Spanning Boundaries in Southeast Asia: Exploring Cross-border Issues of the East-west Economic Corridor in the Time of COVID-19

Yuko Shirai, Kyoto Seika University, Japan

Stephen Leisz, Colorado State University, United States

Suchint Simaraks, Institute of E-SSAN Research for Local Development Foundation, Thailand

Bounheuang Ninchaleune, Savannakhet University, Laos

Cross-border transportation networks have expanded throughout Southeast Asia over the past two decades. One of these, The East West Economic Corridor (EWEC) resulted in the economic and cultural integration of communities across borders. During the COVID-19 pandemic movement was disrupted with potentially grave consequences for the welfare of the cross-border community’s inhabitants. This presentation discusses the results of the project, “Sustainable Cross-Border Community Development and Management in the East-West Economic Corridor in the time of COVID-19”, which was supported by the Toyota International Grant Program 2020. The project worked with cross-border communities located at the two international EWEC border crossings of Savannakhet, Laos/Mukdahan, Thailand, and Mae Sot, Thailand/ Myawaddy, Myanmar. The project examined the changes occurring to people’s livelihoods and within the cross-border communities and assessed the impacts of COVID-19. Co-learning, participatory approaches were used in the project to support development of cross-border management capacity so that border communities can better collaborate to share issues and work together on solutions, and develop longterm peaceful integration. Key findings include: (1) identification of cross-border networks; local people cross borders through both permanent and traditional/natural checkpoints; (2) impacts of the EWEC; positive impact such as new employment opportunities were found, while negative impacts such as loss of land, less solidarity and drug addiction were pointed out; (3) impacts of COVID-19, negative impacts including loss of income from: trading, fishing, sand mining, tourists, agricultural labour, and new social crime, were recorded; and (4) cross-border issues related to agriculture, commerce and environment were identified.

14:30-14:55

67635 | Chinese Language Teacher's Competencies in the Eastern Economics Corridor of Thailand

Phattharamanat Sritrakul, Burapha University, Thailand

This is aimed to 1) determine the problematic issues regarding competencies development of Chinese language teachers, 2) determine the competencies of Chinese language teachers, and 3) proposes guidelines for competencies development for Chinese language teachers in secondary schools in the Eastern Economics Corridor (EEC) Area. The study involved 102 Chinese language teachers teaching 7th to 12th Grade in schools under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office in Chonburi, Rayong, and Chachoengsao for the first semester of academic year 2022. The experts in competencies development for Chinese language teachers were interviewed in a focus group discussion. Statistic data used in analyses include percentage, mean, standard deviation, and overall content analysis. The findings of the study are the following. 1) The problematic issues in competencies development for Chinese language teachers is considered moderately challenging. The challenges include their English language skills, skills needed in the 21st Century such as applying technologies in their classes, building a learning community, taking their students to real workplaces, lack of innovations in solving problems regarding their students, and having to work too many irrelevant tasks in addition to teaching. 2) Competencies of Chinese language teachers regarding the codes of ethics of teachers, student development, psychology, arts of teaching, linguistics, and research methodologies for student development are at a high level. Competencies regarding community relations to conduct a learning environment and their general competencies are in the middle level. 3) Guidelines to improve the competencies of Chinese language teachers are suggested as follows. 3.1) Enhance the awareness.

14:55-15:20

68359 | Barriers in Teaching-Learning Mathematics in Rural Senior High Schools: Bases for Instructional Improvement Plan

Argie Guijarno, Bingawan National High School, Philippines

Rosemarie Felimon, West Visayas State University, Philippines

This mixed-method study examined the barriers in teaching-learning mathematics in rural senior high schools. Results were made as the bases in the development of an Instructional Improvement Plan (IIP) to address the perceived pedagogical, societal, and systemic barriers for countryside development. Validated survey-questionnaire and phenomenological interviews were the sources of data. Adapted evaluation tool was used to evaluate the IIP. Statistical tools such as frequency, rank, mean, and standard deviation were used to treat and analyze the data. Results revealed that students’ prevalent pedagogical barrier was lack of classroom management; societal barrier was geographical location; and systemic barrier was the class size. Mathematics teachers’ prevalent pedagogical barrier was lack of knowledge of teaching methods; societal barrier was lack of family support for students; and systemic barrier was hygiene facilities. All these barriers lead to the declining of the quality of mathematics learning in rural senior high schools and the improvement of the current situation is a must need for the betterment of the teaching-learning process of mathematics. The study also revealed that both students and mathematics teachers established coping mechanisms which implied that they have the capacity to adapt, to change, and to face barriers. IIP anchored in the Enhanced School Improvement Planning Process (DepEd, 2015) was given a “very good” rating by the evaluators. It is therefore recommended that the plan be fully implemented in the rural schools or in similar context in order to serve its purpose.