Jangsawasmongkol, W., Wattana, J., & Vayachuta, P. (2021). The created learning activities for employees to enhance quality of work of small businesses in Thailand. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET), 8(4). 2540-2558. Received : 05.06.2021 Revised version received : 26.08.2021 Accepted : 03.09.2021 THE CREATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR EMPLOYEES TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF WORK OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THAILAND (Research article) Wanida Jangsawasmongkol (Corresponding Author) Kasetsart University, Thailand Wanida.Jang@ku.th Jularat Wattana Kasetsart University, Thailand fedujrw@ku.ac.th Pattra Vayachuta Kasetsart University, Thailand feduptva@ku.ac.th Biodatas: Wanida Jangsawasmongkol is a graduate student of Non-Formal Education for Social Development Major, Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Jularat Wattana is an Assistant Professor at Non-Formal Education for Social Development Major, Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Pattra Vayachuta is a lecturer of Non-Formal Education for Social Development Major, Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Thailand. Copyright © 2014 by International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET). ISSN: 2148-225X. Material published and so copyrighted may not be published elsewhere without written permission of IOJET. mailto:Wanida.Jang@ku.th mailto:fedujrw@ku.ac.th mailto:feduptva@ku.ac.th International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2541 THE CREATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR EMPLOYEES TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF WORK OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THAILAND Wanida Jangsawasmongkol Wanida.Jang@ku.th Jularat Wattana fedujrw@ku.ac.th Pattra Vayachuta feduptva@ku.ac.th Abstract The study aimed to propose some learning activities that might enhance quality of work for employees of small businesses in Thailand. Developmental research was applied via literature review and interviews. Literature review focused on contextual learning, learning activities, quality of work, and small hotel business in Thailand. The data were also collected via an interview form administered to purposively selected two employers and two employees from small hotel businesses in Thailand. The data were analyzed using qualitative data analysis methods. The result posited six created contextual learning activities applying technology, such as computer and internet that businesses authentically possess on business purpose, as contextual tools to enhance quality of work for employees of small hotel businesses in Thailand. Keywords: Contextual Learning, Learning Activity, Quality of Work, Small Hotel Business in Thailand 1. Introduction The concept of quality of work has been suggested for business strength. The essential power driving quality of work is man. While the business world is always dynamic, employees shall improve themselves or be supported by their employer. To improve knowledge and skill, training and schooling are technically prioritized thought of businesses. However, budget is their main concern. While large-sized businesses might not have any problem with financial planning for human development, small-sized businesses have difficulty affording employee-training courses. Learning method is actually more than training. Educational concepts in terms of non-formal learning and informal learning support the idea that people have the potential to learn anywhere. Even though various learning activities have been proposed and ordinarily serve as supplements for formal learning, the classroom pattern based on lecture approach, learning activities can actually be operated in workplaces with simplicity and ease. Due to the economical phenomena of small businesses, training courses are hardly possible. At this point, learning activities originated from the concept of contextual learning are significantly helpful. Contextual learning is an outstanding educational concept positing that learners can utilize their cognition to improve their attitude and skill as well as relation through nature, real situation, or authentic context, including tool and interaction. Appending contextual-learning concept to employees’ authentic tasks at mailto:Wanida.Jang@ku.th mailto:fedujrw@ku.ac.th mailto:feduptva@ku.ac.th Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2542 workplace - - Contextual Learning Activity - - to enhance quality of work for employees of a small business should technically be created and proposed. 1.1. Literature Review Contextual leaning has been slightly conceptualized and released since socioculturism and constructivism, against behaviorism focusing on productive workers, have influenced learning. Contextual learning, so-called situated learning, is an educational context-centric concept that can be applied for not only classroom pattern but also through authentic activities at workplace (Brown, Collins and Duguid, 1989; Merriam, 2001; Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Contextual learning defines learning as a process of enculturation that activities and interaction are authentically occurred (Brown & et al, 1989). Key components of contextual learning are context, tool, and interaction (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Learning does not occur in a vacuum. Context-free cannot lead kinds of improvement. Though lecture-centric classroom authorizes knowledge to learners, learning is not just something in the brain or something happened at a certain age. Instead, learning is constructed by the context through tools and the situation through everyday activities throughout human lifespan. Inherent with context, interaction, cognition, affection, skills, structured relationship, and shared social meanings culturally occur during activities. The proponent who organized the contextual-learning concept into steps of learning was Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989). In the article Situated Cognition and the Culture of Learning, they posited the new body of knowledge crystallized by several researchers supporting that efficient learning was context-dependent, tool-involved, activities-authentic, and interaction- constructed, and concluded the 4-sessioned principle of contextual learning; coaching, practicing, reflecting, and articulating. Contextual learning is conceptualized that learners can utilize their cognition to improve their skill through nature, real situation, or authentic context, and relationship and intersection occur during interactions. Generating the idea for large-ensemble classes, Weidner (2018) studied musical independence under the three stages of contextual learning: modeling, coaching and fading. Contextual learning is not just idealistic; several research findings empirically support that contextual learning is effective such as calculation (Merriam & Bierema, 2014), better memory retention (Baron, 2016), conceptual understanding in number counting operation (Suciati & et al., 2019), increased confidence in reading, writing, and peer reviewing literature (Klucevsek, 2016), increased focus on learning task, answer review, and lesion content (Hwang, et al., 2018), cooperation or collaboration and interpersonal skills (Tuner, 1998). Since contextual learning can take place within authentic activities and result in effective outcomes, appending contextual learning concept to employees’ tasks as authentic activities at workplace - - Contextual Learning Activity- - shall be, thus, a great idea. Learning activity has been studied by researchers for human-development purpose. Learning and activities are not independent from each other (Brown & et al. 1989). Educators play role as activists (Merriam and Bierema, 2014). Strayer (2007) described that learning activities are as set forth of learning through activities within the environment. While learners are interacting with the environment, they are confronted with learning experiences. Then, learners’ personal system - - age, gender, ability level, interests, values, attitudes, expectations, and preferences - - and social environment will influence their cognition to appraise the situation. Then, they decide which actions they will do. Once learners act within the environment, they will get through the adaptation cycle and cope with it until equilibrium and change (learning). Leigh (2009) considered learning activities challenges in learning process for expansion and comprehension while environment has been changing. Learning activities are, therefore, used as the challenge for skill improvement or behavior change. Learning activities can be intentional interventions (such as coaching and mentoring) or International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2543 formal education (schooling). The focus of learning activities is the context in the form of experience and practice. Nicely (2009) studied learning activities for enhancing hotel learning. According to researchers’ perspective, learning activity is an activity to ascertain human resource value. Learning activities in terms of hotel learning target are divided into 2 types - - structured learning activity and unstructured learning activity. Structured learning activity may be tasks, actions or programs that result in the transmittance of information. This type of learning activities provides for a certification issued by formal education (to address learning and implicit knowledge) or training programs (to ensure employee-job fit). Unstructured learning activity is more informal and may be through the engagement in the activities of entrepreneurial learning - - personal mastery, mental models, and higher-level learning are expected. This type of learning activities is mainly focused on the events of employment experience and networking - - the events are where knowledge is transmitted in fashionable way (uncontrolled and unplanned). However, setting a learning activity may require a reliable pattern. Knowles (1970), the proponent of andragogy theory in USA, suggested seven phases of andragogical process for managing specific learning experiences to facilitate self-directed learning: learners know and decide what, when, why, and how to learn. The 7 phases are (1) The establishment of a climate conducive to adult learning, (2) The creation of an organizational structure for participative planning, (3) The diagnosis of needs for learning; (4) The formulation of directions of learning (objectives), (5) The development of a design of activities, (6) The operation of the activities, and (7) The re- diagnosis of needs for learning (evaluation). Brown & et al. (1989) concluded with 4 steps of contextual learning, as previously stated, coaching, practicing, reflecting, and articulating. Caffarella and Draffron (2013) proposed the interactive model of educational program planning for adult learners. As educators play the role of activists, educational program involves with learning activities. The model, then, is composed of 3 main components: knowledge area, management field, and learning activity process which comprises 7 steps - - (1) discerning the context, (2) building a solid base of support, (3) identifying and prioritizing ideas and needs, 4) developing goals and objectives of learning activity, (5) designing instruction, (6) devising transfer of learning plans, and (7) formulating evaluation plans of learning activity. These 7 steps may not be in sequence - - each step can begin when prompted. Furthermore, the expecting outcomes of learning are not necessarily objective- based. It can be individual (objective-based), practical, or radical, depending on time perspective and the decision between planner and clientele. Nevertheless, an objective should be developed to be a path track of learning activity operation. Definitely, it is the most simple yet challenging for educational evaluation. Domains of learning are also involved. To hit the educational output, the development of cognitive domain, affective domain, and psychomotor domain are prioritized (Bloom, et al, 1956, Merriam, 2001; Strayer, 2007; Nicely, 2009; Caffarella and Daffron, 2013; Ouweland & Bossche, 2017; Ikhsan & et al., 2020). Ouweland, and Bossche (2017) described that the engagement in either formal or informal learning activities both on and off the job, whereby individual employees or a group of them acquire competences of integrated knowledge, attitudes, or skills. The improved competences from learning will change individuals’ present to professional-positioned achievement in the future and organizational performance. Learning activities related to work include both the individual approach (reading or experimentation), and social approaches (mentoring and coaching). More formal learning activities have been known as conferences, courses, and training. Moreover, learning and emotional satisfaction, trusting relationships, and psychological safety are related. Learning activities should be; as a consequence, formed under the consideration of the appropriate approach or concept of theories that are most likely bring the expecting outcomes come true. Meanwhile, discerning the context shall not be discarded. The six steps in forming learning activity are suggested - - (1) developing Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2544 purposes/goals/objectives of learning activity, (2) selecting appropriate concept of theories regarding real context, 3) indicating target learners, (4) adjusting steps of learning process to real context, (5) creating learning activity, and (6) identifying and define the expecting output and outcome spectacularly for evaluative direction. Quality of work is a concept that takes manpower into consideration. At the beginning of industrial era, behaviorism was influential. Employers treated employees like machines. Quality of work focused on productivity. Skills were, therefore, a key of measurement; individual measurement was preferable. Humanism was, later, powerful. Quality of work, then, considered labors’ mind, feeling, and satisfaction. Recently, quality of work has been critiqued. It should have dimensions. Levine (1980) studied quality of work regarding wage and concluded that wage was only partial pay and it should be divided into 3 parts: fringe benefits, on-the-job training: OJT, and amenities such as pleasant work-environment, or absence of hazardous conditions. Dahl, Nesheim, and Olsen (2009) described that quality of work might consider quality of job which contained several dimensions. Pay was only one dimension used to measure quality of work. Considering quality of work, an appropriate combination of dimensions was a matter, such as skill, work intensity, autonomy and control, pay and fringe benefit, intrinsic job rewards, and job security, depending on the expecting outcomes in such levels as job itself, job rewards, and job market. In case of job-itself, skill and work intensity were matter. For job reward, pay, fringe benefit, and intrinsic job rewards are concerned. In the wide point of view, job market should think about job security that citizens were under unemployment or not. Kalleberg and Vaisey (2005) suggested quality of work in 2 major dimensions: monetary source (wage) and non-monetary source (satisfaction). In case of categorizing dimensions into levels, quality of work may, therefore, be divided into 4 levels: individual level, organizational level, social construction, and nationwide. In individual level, skill is yet mainly focused. In organizational level, productive is significantly concerned. For social construction, relationships matter. In order to be utilized nationwide, quality of work looks at labor markets, a variety of skills are offered for occupational alternation, work intensity is enforced by law, and low rate of unemployment is preferable (Greasley, 1985; Green and McIntosh, 1998; Handel, 2005; Rauscher, 2005; Dahl, Nesheim, and Olsen, 2009; Iskander and Nichola, 2013; Gallie, Felstead, Green, and Inanc, 2014; Barroso, 2018; Hansen, 2017). Appropriately composed dimensions of quality of work, in conclusion, depends upon the type of business and the degree of expecting outcome. For a small business, as an example, quality of work may be divided expecting outcomes into 3 levels. One is the individual level - - individual skill improvement and employees’ task satisfaction. Followed by organizational level, higher productive is expected. The highest level is social - - better relationship. In Thailand, businesses are categorized by types and sizes (the office of SMEs promotion, 2019; the Ministerial Regulations, 2020). Types of businesses are divided into production, service, wholesales and retails. Based on the number of employees and annual income, the sizes of businesses are divided into big, medium, and small. Small hotel businesses are categorized into the service type which must have less than 30 employees and an annual income of less than 50 million Thai Baht (the Ministerial Regulations, 2020). In general, the owner of a small business is an individual playing the manager and employer role as well. Even though employees are technically responsible for front line and support line, they are occasionally cross-functional (Chuminthachak, 2018). The important characteristics of employee are human relations, communications, responsibility, task arrangement, thinking competence, reflection, and making a report (Doungsuwon, 2000; Chuminthachak, 2018). Human resource development is a key significance to drive the businesses (Tubtimcharoon, 2012). However, it needs budget. Small hotel businesses are generally set up with tight finance. Budget for employees’ learning seems out of concern. Financial aid of the International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2545 government partially covers small businesses (Lunkam, 2017; Jamo, 2021). Therefore, contextual learning activities apparently respond the conditioned phenomenon of learning budget to enhance quality of work for employees of small hotel businesses in Thailand. 1.2. Research Objective This research is objective to propose the created contextual learning activities, learning activities created through contextual learning concept, to enhance quality of work for employees of small hotel businesses in Thailand. Based on this oblective, the research question of the study was formulated as “What should the learning activities be like to enhance quality of work for employees of small businesses in Thailand?” 2. Method This study attempted to create contextual learning activities that are confident to enhance quality of work for employees of small hotel businesses in Thailand. Developmental research was designed to respond the research objective. In the study, literature review and interview approach were employed. In order to pattern contextual-learning-activity creation before creating contextual learning activities, literatures focused on contextual learning, learning activity, quality of work, and small hotel business in Thailand. In order to support literatures, current context of small hotel businesses in Thailand was investigated through interview and site visit. Interior criteria indicated a number of maximum five employees and only one employer at a small hotel business. Purposive sampling for interview was two employers and two employees. The two employers were from different small hotel businesses. The two employees were from different small hotel businesses but might be from the same business as the employer. Right after interviewing employers, researcher asked them permission for site visit. Validity was conducted by consulting with five professionals covering contextual learning, quality of work, and small hotel businesses. Data Analysis applies logic model and inductive approach (Figure 1). The final result of logic-model analysis is expected to support forming the pattern of contextual learning activity creation. The final results of inductive analysis are expected to fill out the pattern. According to economical phenomenon of small businesses, stakeholders, context, and conditions were as the input and contextual learning activities were as the process of the logic model to ensure reasonable investment for learning, and possible outcome in order to properly reach the pattern of contextual learning activity creation. Data regarding interview were analyzed though inductive approach to concise (1) the current context of small hotel businesses in terms of availability for learning (leisure time, comfort place, tools, and budget), causes of work flaws, sources to enhance quality of work, and hints to enhance quality of work, and (2) congruence with literature. After the results of inductive analysis are filled up the pattern, eventually, the contextual learning activities are objectively created. Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2546 . Literatures: •Contextual Learning •Learning Activity •Quality of Work •Small Hotel Business in Thailand Analysis: Logic Model The Pattern of Contextual Learning Activity Creation Interview at Small Hotel Businesses: •2 Employers •2 Employees Analysis: Inductive Approach Congruence with literature: •Expecting outcome •Employees’ tasks to support contextual learning activities Authentic context: •availability for learning (leisure time, comfort place, tools, budget) •causes of flaws •sources to enhance quality of work •hints to enhance quality of work Site Visit: 2 Small Hotel Businesses in Thailand The Created Learning Activities for Employees of Small Hotel Businesses to Enhance Quality of Work Validity 5 Professionals Possible Outcome: Quality of Work Figure 1. Analysis Framework 3. Results 3.1. Results from literature review Based on data analysis through logic model (Table 1), both contextual learning and learning activities output cognition, attitude, and skill, and may enhance quality of work in 3 dimensions: skill, task, and relation, as the outcome. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2547 Table 1. Result of Logic Analysis Input Process Output Outcome 1. Small business 2. Employer 3. Employee 4. Budget 1. Contextual Learning 2. Learning Activities 1.Cognitive domain (knowledge) o conceptual understanding in number counting operation (Suciati & et al., 2019) o learning effectiveness (Hwang, et al., 2018) 2.Affective domain (feeling) o increased confidence in reading, writing, and peer reviewing literature (Klucevsek, 2016) o cooperation/collaboration (Tuner, 1998) o musical independence in ensembles (Weidner, 2018) o increased focus on learning task (Hwang, et al., 2018) 3. Psychomotor domain (skill) o better task arrangement in complex work system (Clancey, 2020) o critical thinking (Weidner, 2018) o interpersonal skills (Tuner, 1998) o effective communications and better memory retention (Baron, 2016) o calculation (Merriam & Bierema, 2014) Quality of Work o skill development o task satisfaction o relation between employer and employee(s) Successively, researcher has integrated contextual learning concept into learning activity confidently, then named it contextual learning activities, and eventually formed the pattern of contextual learning activity creation as shown in Figure 2. The pattern is systematically composed of 2 main compartments. One is investment compartment which mainly comprises manpower (educational planner and target learner) and an economical-budget condition (tools and time). The other is creation compartment comprising 2 parts. Part one is conceptual elements: organizer as a coach, practitioner, context, and tool. Part two is 4 steps of creating process: (1) developing purpose of learning activity, (2) identifying the expecting output and outcome spectacularly for evaluation, (3) creating contextual learning activities matched with target learners, context, and tool through the 4 sessions of contextual learning process: modeling, conceptualizing, practicing, and suggesting, and (4) systematically summarizing. Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2548 The Pattern of Contextual-Learning-Activity Creation Investment Creation Man Budget Part I: 4 Elements Organizer: Coach Practitioner: Employees Context: Workplace Tool: Computer and internet 2. Target Learner: Employees 2. Expecting Outcome: Skill, Task, Relation 1. Purposing: Enhance Quality of Work The Created Contextual Learning Activity Part II: 4 Steps 1. Educational Planner: Researcher 1. Tool: authentic 2. Time: flexible 3. CREATING4 sessions modeling conceptualizing practicing suggesting 4. Summarizing Figure 2. The Pattern of Contextual Learning Activity Creation 3.2. Results from interview 3.2.1. The current context of small hotel businesses Availability for contextual learning activities: leisure time during working hours is approximately 2-3pm or a day-off, comfort zones can be indoor and outdoor that are set for leisure, dinning, or ambience (Figure 3), learning tools can be a computer and stationery that a business possesses, and budget of learning has never been officially arranged. Figure 3. Comfort zone of small hotel businesses in Thailand Causes of work flaws are forgetfulness and lack of responsibility, coordination, communications, acceptance, and planning. Sources of driving and demolishing quality of work are the same, and may affect any dimension. They are fundamental (accommodation and pay), employers’ expectation regarding task products, employees’ satisfaction regarding task process (Figure 4), learning support, inherent habit, and warm relation. The Figure 5 is partial data from interviewing employer that presents if task products are not good, relations may be weakened. It implies that one source may impact any dimension of quality of work; skill, task, relations, of small hotel businesses. So, the new body of knowledge is that the phenomenon of quality of work is like domino (Figure 6). Once one dimension is weak, the others will, then, be weak. If one dimension of quality of work is enhanced, the others will be enhanced. This new body of knowledge leads to the assumption that a contextual learning activity that could enhance any dimension of quality of work, the other dimensions would be enhanced as well. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2549 Figure 4. Part of interview data from an employee Figure 5. Part of interview data from an employer Figure 6. Phenomenon of Quality of Work: Domino-Like Hints to enhance quality of work are modeling, coaching, learning facilitating, task inspection, and reflection. Learning activities that employers set for employees are annual travel with employer, one-day cooking practice with employer’s cooking-professional friend, weekly conversation to let employees ask what they want to know whether or not regarding their jobs, otherwise, employees learn by themselves from Youtube application regarding what they wants to know such as speaking English, writing Thai, etc (Figure 7). Figure 7. Part of interview data from an employee “… absolutely upset when they answered it’s not their responsibility once I asked them why cash was not the same as they wrote in hotel’s account book. They claimed they were not at the front line when the customer checked in . . . seemingly they haggle their responsibility. They should inform co-worker that customer had not yet paid. So, co-worker could ask the customer to pay when checking in . . .” Job Security Skill Employment Rate Relation Task Individual Nation Organization “… working here is quite with freedom. Boss does not monitor me every step otherwise I could not breathe. . . I work as a clerk. When all rooms are filled up, cleaning task is overloaded, I help the house keepers. On my day off, either a senior housekeeper or my boss replaces my position . . . Mostly, my co-workers, umm I mean housekeepers, and I are mostly free around 3 pm. We chat, have snake break, and watch social media together. . . Staying home is nothing. Working gets pay and enough for living. I can have annual leave for like 10-14 days too. So far, I think I work great here. I have never got big complained, humm small complained from time to time. . . I call my boss brother. He speaks casually but not impolitely. . . I like working here . . . ” “… customers are not only Thais. From time to time the Western came over. Misunderstanding happened quite often. They requested twin-sized bed. I arranged two single-beds. . . but I made the room clean. Customers complimented me. It’s my smiling day. . . I practice my English through Youtube, sometimes from chatting with customers. Youtube cannot tell me whether or not I am wrong but chatting with customer is excellent and fun. They told me how to pronounce and complete the full sentences. . . .” Job Security Employment Rate Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2550 3.2.2. The congruence with the literatures Causes of work flaws; lack of responsibility, coordination, and communications, are congruent with the output of logic model that learning activities can enhance them. These supports if contextual learning activities focus to enhance responsibility, coordination, and communications, they may enhance quality of work as well. However, interview data regarding planning and acceptance shall not be discarded. Employees’ tasks are various as literature mentions that employees are technically responsible for front line and support line, but they are occasionally cross-functional (Chuminthachak, 2018). These supports if creating contextual learning activities cover both duties; front line and support line, it will be fit to all employees of small hotel businesses. However, both interviewed employers hire less than 5 employees. The numbers of employees regarding literature are to 30 employers. It is quite bigger than from interview. So, contextual learning activities shall be set for maximum 5 employees at this time. Employees are familiar with the Youtube application and the google.com but no reflection on available technology for them. They need reflection. These support that contextual learning methods such as refection and story-telling shall be applied. So, contextual learning activities shall conduct face-to-face reflection and online storytelling. Results of interview data analysis are filled in the pattern of contextual learning activity creation. The purposes of contextual learning activities oriented to enhance quality of work are set to support responsibility, coordination, communications, and planning, including analysis skill and the acceptance. Reflection is necessary. Storytelling assists learner recall their contextual experiences and their learning be smooth. Computer and internet are the easiest accessible media used as tools with no additional budget. Consecutively, the six contextual learning activities have been formed: (a) Perfect Hotel, (b) Flaw Defect, (c) Tour Plan, (d) Own Schedule, (e) Own Task, and (f) Miraculous Employee, for small hotel employees to enhance their quality of work on purpose (Table 2). For validity concern, the researcher consulted the six created learning activities with five professionals regarding the concept of contextual learning, quality of work, and small hotel businesses. Four of them agree. The other who is expert in a small business comments that 6 activities seem too many, 4 activities should be enough. Since four out of five professionals have agreed with all six crated activities, the researcher decides to not revise them. In conclusion, creating contextual learning activities require 2 compartments. One is investment compartment (man and budget: time and tool). The other is creation compartment which comprises 2 parts: the 4 elements and the 4 steps. The 4 elements are organizer, practitioner, context, and tool. Organizer may be non-formal educator or employer depending on ability and availability. Practitioners, of course, are employees who prompt to participate in contextual learning activities. Context focuses on authentic place and method. Authentic place is workplace. Authentic method is storytelling and reflection. Technologies such as computer, internet, and website that small hotel businesses possess for their business purpose, assist contextual learning as an authentic tool. The 4-stepped process is (1) setting a purpose, (2) expecting an outcome, (3) creating an activity in 4 sessions: modeling, conceptualizing, practicing, and suggesting, and (4) summarizing the activity created as presented in Table 2. For the human-resource-development purpose of small hotel businesses that concern with working-time interfere, coaching ability, and economical budget, the six contextual learning activities: (a) Perfect Hotel, (b) Flaw Defect, (c) Tour Plan, (d) Own Schedule, (e) Own Task, and (f) Miraculous Employee, created by this developmental research are; therefore, confidently practicable for employees to enhance quality of work of small hotel businesses in Thailand because they are created under the consideration of simplicity, harmonious with working time, working place, working tools and working activities, and spent with low-cost. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2551 Table 2. Summary of Created Contextual Learning Activity Compartment Brief 1. Investment compartment 1.1. Budget 1.2. Time Business possession as learning resources: flexibility, availability, technology (computer, internet), stationery (paper, pen) Each activity 20-40 minutes a day, 2-4 days a week 2. Creation compartment Part I: Organizer Practitioner Tool Context Part II: Purpose Outcome Evaluation Creation Method Activities Employer as a coach, recommended for lowest-cost concern Employees as target learners Computer, internet, paper, pen Workplace, Story-telling, Reflection To enhance quality of work Each activity expects the enhancement of quality of work in 3 dimensions: skill, task, relation. Observation: learner response in verbal and written each activity Each contextual learning activity processes 4 sessions: (1) Modeling (2) Conceptualizing (3) Practicing (4) Suggesting 1. Story-telling: Modeling & Conceptualizing session 2. Reflection: Practicing & Suggesting session 6 Created Contextual Learning Activities in a roll: (a) Perfect Hotel, (b) Flaw Defect, (c) Tour Plan, (d) Own Schedule, (e) Own Task, and (f) Miraculous Employee (a) Perfect Hotel To support employees analysis skill 4 sessions (1) Coach presents an online hotel component: agoda.com (Figure 8). (2) Employees recall and tell their working experience, and the persons & responsibilities involve. (3) Employees think & tell strength & weakness of self, others, and hotel. (4) Employees suggest the solution to decrease weakness. Coach concludes & encourages employees (Figure 9). (b) Flaw Defect To acknowledge 4 sessions (1) Coach presents an online TV show: youtube.com/Chris Job Receptionist Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2552 communications (2) Employees tell their communications problem experience. (3) Employees think & tell strength & weakness of self and others. (4) Employees suggest the solution to decrease weakness. Coach concludes that good communications supports understanding others. (c) Tour Plan To practice planning and coordination 4 sessions (1) Coach presents an online Tour: google.com/search/Tour in Thailand (2) Employees tell their travel experience. (3) Employees cooperate to make a tour plan. (4) Employees suggest their new idea to development hotel. Coach concludes that working alone and working with other people are different. Planning with others needs coordination. (d) Own Schedule To encourage responsibility 4 sessions (1) Coach presents a photo hunt game that researcher creates (Figure 10). Google search is alternative. (2) Employees tell their perfect and mistake experience. (3) Employees think & tell strength & weakness of self and hotel run. (4) Employees suggest the solution to decrease weakness. Coach encourages employees that planning can help them finish their tasks. (e) Own Task To practice self assessment 4 sessions (1) Coach presents an online TV show: youtube.com/Master Chef Celebrity (2) Employees tell their work assessment experience. (3) Employees think & tell strength & weakness of self. (4) Employees suggest the solution to decrease weakness. Coach concludes and encourages employees that self evaluation help their tasks completed but their criteria might be different from their employer. The criteria can be compromised. They should discuss with their employer. (f) Miraculous Employee To encourage acceptance 4 sessions (1) Coach presents an online mind-reading picture: google.com/search/ mind reading picture (Figure 11) (2) Employees recall and tell their working experience and problem-solving. (3) Employees think & tell strength & weakness of self, coworkers, employer, and hotel business. (4) Employees suggest the solution to decrease weakness. Coach encourages that different persons may have different perspectives. They are not true or false. It depends on context and situation. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2553 Figure 8. Hotel Components from agoda.com Figure 9. Encouragement on Contextual Learning Activity (a) Perfect Hotel Figure 10. Photo hunt created by researcher Figure 11. Online mind-reading picture searched from google.com Customer Review in Agoda.com “. . . Hotel focuses on cleanliness and service. If employees are careless of responsibility, hotel will not impress customers. Then, customers will not re-visit. The outstanding of hotel depends on employees. Hotel can survive if employees work well. While hotel runs good, pay will also be good. So, employees should keep their quality of work. Employer not only pays attention to task product but also care employees’ satisfaction.” Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2554 4. Discussion 4.1 Discussion regarding literature review Several educational theories, concepts, or models can be applied for human and social development in, such as, self-direction in learning, teacher-student participation, conceptual understanding in number counting operation, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, effective communications, confidence, cooperation/collaboration, and etc. Each model has its own outstanding point. Like Knowles (1970), seven phases of educational application were proposed: (1) The establishment of a climate conducive to adult learning, (2) The creation of an organizational structure for participative planning, (3) The diagnosis of needs for learning, (4) The formulation of directions of learning (objectives), (5) The development of a design of activities, (6) The operation of the activities, and (7) The re-diagnosis of needs for learning (evaluation) for individual participation of adult learners in learning activities and self- direction in learning. Though this seven-phase application has been proved by several scholars that it worked with youth, it was mostly in classroom system. Weidner (2018) proposed the three stages of contextual learning: modeling, fading, and fading, it is for musical students in classroom form. Applying any concept of theories in the real world to reach workable practice and effective outcome, target learners are; therefore, a significant concern. The target learners of this research are employees of small businesses facing with tight budget condition. Authentic context can be provided as learning tools without or with small additional budget. Therefore, any small business regardless of hotel and any educational institutes whether formal or non-formal education, if they prefer to save budget, can simply and independently employ the pattern of contextual learning activity creation to create own contextual learning activities in order to respond the learners they target. 4.2 Discussion regarding interview and site visit Interviewing employers has concluded the source of flaws: responsibility, coordination, communications, and planning (including analysis, and thinking), which is congruent with literatures that those are the important characteristics of hotel employee (Doungsuwon, 2000; Chuminthachak, 2018), and outputs of contextual learning and learning activities (Tuner, 1998; Clancey, 2020; Baron, 2016; Weidner, 2018). Hence, the created contextual learning activities set the purposes to enhance those are most likely to outcome the quality of work in 3 dimensions: skill, task, and relations. Interviewing employees has found out that they are capable of self-directing in learning but they need someone reflects what they have learn. It is congruent with literatures that the contextual learning shall provide reflection (Brown & et al. 1989) and coaching (Weidner, 2018). Learning in a group with a coach as reflection facilitation apparently responds learners’ needs. Therefore, it is outstanding that the created contextual learning activities in 4 sessions: modeling, conceptualizing, reflecting, and suggesting, and with a coach are appropriately set. 4.3 Discussion regarding the created contextual learning activities Even though the created contextual learning activities have met the research objective, it limits to quality of work in only 3 dimensions (skill, task, and relations) and the maximum of five employees in small hotel businesses. Neither other dimensions, such as employment rate, of quality of work, nor other hotel business sizes are focused. However, according to the new body of knowledge of this research, the assumption if one dimension of quality of work were enhanced, the rest would be enhanced. In case, for example, the country faces low-rate employment. Promoting education by applying the pattern of contextual learning activity creation for vocational students and other businesses’ employees, and conducting the created contextual learning activities on any hotel business would result in higher rate employment. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching (IOJET) 2021, 8(4), 2540-2558. 2555 Therefore, the contextual learning activities shall be created for employees of every business as well. 5. Conclusion and suggestion Whether formal or non-formal education, methods of teaching are more comprehensive than lecturing. Coaching, mentoring, or facilitating mode is optional and can be switched to congruently respond the contextual phenomena and learner’s needs. In the real world, humans are not alone. Interaction with context and reflection with other people through daily activities authentically occurs and results in efficient learning. A contextual learning activity dominantly responds those. It can supplement classroom pattern and be itself in any type of educations with no financial concern because it employs such existing contexts as authentic learning tools. Education shall apply the contextual learning activities, which comprises reflection and interaction, in teaching method. It helps learning be more meaningful and may result in well-being. Therefore, creating the contextual learning activities for employees of other small business is suggested for the next study. Jangsawasmongkol, Wattana & Vayachuta 2556 References Baron, P. (2016). A Cybernetic Approach to Contextual Teaching and Learning. Constructivist Foundations, 12(1): 91-99. Barroso, M. M. (2018). Quality of work research: A methodological review. Portuguese Journal of Social Science, 17(1): 89–103. Bloom, B. 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