The Effects of Using Dynamic Group Activities on Social Awareness of First-Year Students Living in the University Dormitories

Abstract

The purposes of this study were : (1) to examine social awareness of the first-year students living in Mahasarakham University dormitories and participating in dynamic group activities, examine social awareness of the first-year students living in Mahasarakham University dormitories and not participating in dynamic group activities but participating in regular activities of the dormitory office, (2) to compare social awareness of the firstyear students living in Mahasarakham University dormitories and participating in dynamic group activities between before and after the experiment, and (3) to compare social awareness of the students living in Mahasarakham University dormitories and participating in dynamic group activities and social awareness of the students living in Mahasarakham University dormitories and not participating in dynamic group activities but participating in regular activities of the dormitory office. The sample consisted of students living in Mahasarakham University dormitories in the academic year 2008, They were divided into 10 students who volunteered to participate in dynamic group
activities and 10 students who did not volunteer to participate in dynamic group activities but to participate in regular activities of the dormitory office,both groups obtained using the purposive sampling technique. The instruments used in the study were (1) a program for dynamic group activities, and (2) a social awareness test. The collected data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Wilcoxon Signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test.

The results of the study were as follows:1. The students before participating in dynamic group activities had social awareness as a whole and in each of all the 14 items at a medium level, while the other 6 items were at a low level. The item with the highest mean was Item 12: You will participate in group work to complete it within the fixed time every time although your friends like to vie with one another for work and do not help work. After participating in dynamic group activities they had social awareness as a whole and in each of the 18 items at a high level. The other 2 items were at a medium level. The item with the highest mean was Item 2 : You feel that at present the problem of drug in the group of Thai children and young people is that the age of beginners of drug users tends to be younger. The students before not participating in regular activities of the dormitory office, had social awareness as a whole and in each of all the 20 items at a medium level. The item with the highest mean was Item 15: You feel that you should participate in saving energy as the government invites every people to cooperatively save energy. After participating in regular activities of the dormitory office, the students had social awareness as a whole and in each of all the 20 items at a medium level. The item with the highest mean was Item 12 : You will participate in group work to complete it within the fixed time every time although your friends like to vie with one another for work and do not help work.

2. The students who participated in dynamic group activities had increase social awareness as a whole from before participating at the .05 level of significance. 

3. The student who participated in dynamic group activities had more social awareness than the students who participated in regular activities of dormitory office at the .05 level of significance.