HUMAN-CENTERED AI INTEGRATION IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN THAILAND: CLASSROOM REALITIES AND EDUCATION ADAPTATION

Abstract

      This research aimed to explore the implementation of generative AI within Thai vocational education classrooms, assess its impact on students' learning outcomes and behavioral engagement, and identify critical success factors and practical challenges for effective AI integration. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design grounded in human-centered AI integration theory, the study involved 200 vocational students selected via cluster random sampling and 5 teachers selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaires, observation forms, student reflections, and semi-structured interviews, then analyzed through descriptive statistics and content analysis. The findings revealed that generative AI was primarily integrated into three main instructional activities: brainstorming, project preparation, and presentation design, functioning strictly as a learning facilitator rather than a replacement for cognitive processing. Regarding the impacts on learners, quantitative results demonstrated the highest level of overall student engagement and perceived learning outcomes (Overall Mean = 4.66, S.D. = 0.47). However, qualitative data indicated that participant experiences remained inconsistent due to disparities in digital readiness, necessitating a pedagogical shift prioritizing teacher guidance. Furthermore, the investigation identified significant contextual factors and practical challenges acting as high-level constraints (Overall Mean = 4.48, S.D. = 0.68), including unequal digital access, internet instability, and students' overreliance on automated content. Ultimately, the study highlights that meaningful educational transformation involving AI is not driven by technology alone, but requires a complex negotiation of human relationships, active teacher facilitation, learner diversity, and institutional realities.