ENHANCING GRADUATE INSTRUCTION THROUGH THE ESSENCE PROCESS IN A PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY OF EDUCATION COURSE

Narong Kanchana

doi:10.55003/IJIET.7213

Authors

Narong Kanchana Songkhla Rajabhat University, Songkhla 90000 Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55003/IJIET.7213

Keywords:

ESSENCE processฃ, Graduate instruction, Philosophy and theory of education, Integrated learning unit, Reflective thinking

Abstract

This classroom action research addressed a persistent research gap concerning the limited availability of structured instructional processes that effectively translate philosophical and educational theory into practice at the graduate level by exploring the use of the ESSENCE instructional process—a seven-step framework designed to bridge theory and practice—in a graduate-level Philosophy and Theory of Education course. Instruction was delivered online over four consecutive weeks through synchronous sessions. The study aimed to (1) examine learning achievement following the intervention, (2) assess graduate students’ ability to design an Integrated Learning Unit synthesizing philosophical and educational theories, contemplative education, experiential learning theory, participatory action research (CPAR), and the sufficiency economy philosophy, and (3) analyze the quality of students’ reflective thinking regarding learning and self-change. Participants were 11 graduate students—all full-time university lecturers from non-education fields (4 doctoral, 7 master’s). The ESSENCE-based intervention comprised four lesson plans. Research instruments included an achievement test (Cronbach’s α = .86), a performance assessment rubric, and a reflective-journal protocol. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation; qualitative data were examined through content analysis. Results indicated gains in learning achievement, with mean scores increasing from 16.20 to 23.11 out of 34. Graduate students demonstrated the ability to translate theory into practice through integrated learning unit design products ( $\bar{x}$ = 25.05 out of 30), reflecting creative synthesis of conceptual frameworks with instructional planning. Reflective-journal analysis revealed a shift from externally oriented practice toward internalized professional growth, including increased attention to deep listening and deliberate mental cultivation. Overall, the findings highlight the distinctive contribution of the ESSENCE process in supporting theory-in-action and transformative professional learning by integrating structured public reasoning, collaborative design, and reflective refinement in graduate instruction.

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