Using Design-Based Research to Develop Innovation in Open University in Thailand

Abstract

This paper discusses Design-Based Research (DBR) to develop an innovation in a distance university. The innovation focuses on self-study through technology. It has resulted in 3 aspects, which are 1) Instructors can assess knowledge and prepare the content from both internal and external learning sources following students’ needs, 2) Students can analyze their ability in order to plan successful online learning by themselves, and 3) Instructional designers can analyze, plan, design activities, and select learning resources following the content and learning behavior. This paper describes the concept of DBR with the sample of "STOU Smartlearn" innovation design, which is a smart evaluation system of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU). The innovation was designed based on the DBR process, which consists of five steps: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluation. Testing and revising the system occurred in every step. It has been used with students and could be modified to suit students’ needs. The two experiments with higher education students in the academic year 2018 and 2019 found that the effect size increased from .27 to .32.