Abstract

This action research aimed to (1) investigate local knowledge concerning durian in Ban Pa Daeng, (2) administer a local curriculum based on this knowledge, and (3) examine the outcomes of implementing the curriculum at Ban Pa Daeng School, Kaeng Krachan District, Phetchaburi Province. The target group comprised 105 participants: two school administrators, four teachers, 92 Grade 5 students, one community leader, four local wisdom experts, and two parents. Research instruments included interviews, focus-group discussions, the local curriculum and lesson plans, achievement tests, and evaluation forms. Data were analyzed using content analysis, means, standard deviations, and pretest-posttest score comparisons. The findings showed that local durian knowledge encompassed community history and geography, durian characteristics, soil preparation, cultivation, maintenance, irrigation and fertilization, pest prevention, pollination, fruit care, harvesting, cost and income calculation, and processing. Curriculum administration followed six stages: planning, curriculum development, quality review, implementation, supervision and monitoring, and curriculum evaluation. The resulting Grade 5 curriculum comprised five learning units totaling 20 hours and integrated four learning areas; its overall appropriateness was rated very high (M = 4.81, SD = 0.40). Students’ posttest scores (M = 25.73, SD = 1.79) exceeded their pretest scores (M = 16.10, SD = 1.67) by 9.63 points. Practical skills, desirable characteristics, and curriculum satisfaction were also rated very high. The study concludes that community-resource- and local-wisdom-based curriculum administration can effectively enhance students’ knowledge, skills, desirable characteristics, and pride in their locality.

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