Development of Practical Teacher Competencies Through Social Engineer Process in a School Lunch Program

This study explores service-learning pedagogy in higher education, focusing on three components: university, community, and students. The research centers on improving safe and nutritious school lunches in Thai schools. Two main objectives were pursued: first, integrating service-learning with social engineer to examine the community food system, and second, identifying competencies of practical teachers after engaging in social engineer to enhance the school lunch supply chain's safety and nutrition. The study involved 30 practical teachers (ages 17-19) from the disciplines of elementary education and agriculture at Chiang Mai Rajabhat University (CMRU), spanning academic years 2021-2023. The research proceeded in three stages: 1) understanding community agriculture related to school lunches, 2) service delivery using social engineer tools to survey and improve the lunch supply chain, and 3) reflecting on teacher competencies in managing school lunches. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results showed that the practical teachers gained knowledge of community food systems, safe agriculture, and food safety, achieving an average score of 80% in assessments. The study identified several issues in school lunch management, such as pesticide contamination, poor sanitation, improper food storage, and lack of alignment between lunch menus and seasonal vegetable availability. A fishbone diagram revealed five main risks in the supply chain: unsafe farming practices, uninspected food ingredients and water, poor food storage and transportation, improper cooking, and inadequate hygiene. These risks were addressed by creating a safer supply chain through social engineer. The study's outcomes highlighted teacher competencies in three areas: understanding community food systems, managing safe and nutritious lunches, and fostering social awareness. This service-learning project contributes to CMRU’s model, ensuring that graduates are equipped to manage safe and quality school lunches for elementary students.