#Educationtrends

Generative AI is changing how we think about computing. Thai universities are reexamining core CS curricula to go beyond code toward computational thinking and AI literacy. Thailand’s goal to become a regional hub for digital innovation makes this shift particularly urgent for students and policymakers.

New discussions at major universities show a push to reassess core content. Faculty note that AI-powered tools can write code with near-human fluency, prompting questions about what fundamental skills remain essential. As global firms adopt these assistants, Thai institutions must align curricula with automated coding realities while preserving solid programming fundamentals.

More college students than ever before are choosing to major in psychology, drawn by the field’s versatility and its promise to help understand both themselves and others. Yet, as the latest research and economic data reveal, this boom comes with a significant financial catch for graduates. While the degree opens doors to a host of industries, the starting and mid-career salaries for psychology majors often lag behind those of peers in more specialized or technical disciplines—a tension now under scrutiny for both Thai and global students making career decisions in today’s changing economy (Newsweek/MSN).

A growing number of Thai students are choosing psychology for its versatility and its promise of understanding human behavior. Yet new data reveal a gap between expectations and earnings for graduates, prompting families and policymakers to rethink career paths in Thailand and beyond.

The rise of psychology is not sudden. Globally, it remains a top undergraduate choice, and interest has surged since 2020. In the United States, psychology accounted for about six percent of bachelor’s degrees in 2020–2021, reflecting cross-industry appeal. In Thailand, larger psychology cohorts are visible as awareness of mental health grows and school counseling expands, aided by media coverage of pandemic-era needs.

As Thailand follows global trends in technology and education, startling new research from the United States points to a dramatic shift in what once seemed a guaranteed path to prosperity: a degree in computer science. After two decades of surging interest and swelling enrollments, the once-booming computer-science major appears to have peaked. For Thai students and families seeking the best choices for higher education and employability, the unfolding story in America offers timely warnings and vital insights.

A new wave of research from the United States signals a pivotal shift in the job market once deemed a guaranteed path to prosperity: a computer science degree may no longer be the universal ticket it once was. After years of rapid growth, US university enrollments in computer science have slowed dramatically. For Thai students and families weighing higher education choices, the developing story offers timely lessons on employability and long-term resilience.

Recent research has upended long-standing assumptions about the career prospects of different university majors in the United States: recent statistics show that computer engineering graduates now face an unemployment rate of 7.5%, more than double the 3% rate reported among art history majors. This surprising trend, which challenges conventional wisdom that STEM fields offer greater job security, emerged from data cited in several news reports published in May and June 2025, including those by the Times of India, VN Express, and technically-oriented education outlets (The College Fix; Times of India; VN Express).

New data challenges the longstanding belief that STEM degrees guarantee the strongest job prospects. Recent reports show computer engineering graduates in the United States with an unemployment rate of 7.5%, more than double art history majors at 3%. This shift, highlighted by multiple outlets in May and June 2025, suggests a more nuanced labor market where demand can outpace supply in unexpected ways.

For Thai readers pursuing overseas study or tracking global education, the development signals that job markets can change quickly. It also raises questions about similar patterns in Thailand, where both technical skills and humanities are increasingly valued in a knowledge-based economy.

A new wave of social science research suggests that demographic inertia among older consumers, the pitfalls of chasing trendy college majors, and even political gerrymandering are subtly but powerfully influencing business and education landscapes worldwide, with clear implications for Thailand. Recent studies highlighted in a Boston Globe summary raise concerns about Thailand’s entrepreneurial future, university graduates’ career paths, and the role of psychological traits in shaping academic debates.

Thailand, like many developed economies, is fast becoming a “super-aged” society. By 2024, over 20% of Thais were aged 60 or older, a proportion forecast to climb further in the coming decades World Bank. According to a May 2025 National Bureau of Economic Research report by University of Pennsylvania economists, this shift has much more than just social policy implications—it may also chill the prospects for new businesses. Their findings: older consumers are less willing to try new brands and products, leading to fewer startups and less competition in markets with aging customer bases (Bornstein, G., “Entry and Profits in an Aging Economy: The Role of Consumer Inertia,” NBER, May 2025).

A wave of social science research suggests that aging populations, the lure of trendy college majors, and even political districting are subtly shaping business, education, and policy—not just abroad but with clear implications for Thailand. A recent summary highlighted by national and international researchers raises questions about Thailand’s entrepreneurial future, graduates’ career paths, and how psychological factors influence public debates.

Thailand is rapidly becoming a “super-aged” society. By 2024, more than one in five Thais was 60 or older, with the share expected to rise in coming decades. Data from international development sources show that this demographic shift could influence market dynamics and business opportunities. In a notable study, researchers examined how older consumers tend to test fewer new brands, potentially limiting startup growth and market competition in sectors frequented by older customers.

A surge in anxiety among students is reshaping how schools view attendance and well-being. In Northern Ireland, thousands of children have missed substantial numbers of days, and experts warn that emotionally driven school avoidance is disrupting education at a scale that demands urgent action. Data shows that 85,000 pupils have missed more than 10% of school days this year, underscoring a crisis that goes beyond truancy. This international development offers timely lessons for Thai educators and policymakers navigating post-pandemic mental health and learning challenges.

School-related anxiety among students has reached an “epidemic” scale in Northern Ireland, with absenteeism numbers and emotional distress rates sparking urgent calls for intervention and reform. Recent reporting from the BBC revealed that 85,000 children in Northern Ireland have missed more than a tenth of school days this academic year alone, with experts warning that emotionally-based school anxiety is “off the Richter scale” and significantly disrupting education systems (BBC News). As Thailand contends with its own mental health challenges among students—exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic—this global surge in school anxiety offers critical lessons local educators and policymakers must urgently consider.

Recent headlines have ignited a lively debate among educators, psychologists, and parents about a long-repeated phrase: “good job.” Emerging research, prominent opinion columns like the recent Globe and Mail feature, and expert commentary are challenging the effectiveness—and even appropriateness—of generic praise in child development. As the school year draws to a close in Thailand, understanding the science behind praise has practical implications for teachers, parents, and policymakers seeking to nurture resilient, self-motivated youth.

A growing debate among educators, psychologists, and parents questions the value of generic praise like “good job.” New findings and thoughtful commentary suggest that how praise is delivered matters as much as if it is given. As Thailand’s school year ends, understanding these ideas can help teachers, parents, and policymakers support resilient, motivated students.

In Thailand, phrases such as “ทำดีมาก” (tham dee mak – “good job”) are common in classrooms and homes. They carry cultural weight in a society that highly values achievement and family harmony. Yet recent research indicates that blanket praise may not be the most effective way to foster long-term growth or intrinsic motivation.

A growing body of research challenges the hard-edged “tiger parenting” approach—an intensely disciplined, achievement-focused style popularized by Amy Chua’s book. Once linked to academic prowess and long-term success, recent findings suggest such strict methods can harm children’s mental health and emotional development. The discussion resonates in Thailand, where parental sacrifices for exam success are a familiar part of the culture.

Tiger parenting emphasizes high standards, rigid rules, and minimal freedom for children to pursue personal interests. It often means controlling study time, extracurriculars, and even social life, potentially sidelining hobbies, friendships, and rest. The spotlight on this approach intensified after Chua’s publication, which described strict routines and no allowances for ordinary childhood experiences.

A mounting body of research is challenging the conventional wisdom around the so-called “tiger parenting” style—a highly disciplined, achievement-oriented approach made famous by the global bestseller “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.” While traditionally viewed as a pathway to academic excellence and long-term success, recent findings reveal that such strict parenting may inflict more harm than good, particularly in the realm of children’s mental health and emotional development. This conversation is especially salient for Thai families, where parental sacrifice for academic prosperity is often celebrated, echoing trends seen more widely across Asia.

Daycare workers around the world are increasingly grappling with a wave of unusual, demanding, and sometimes inappropriate requests from parents, according to recent reports and research, with frustration reaching a boiling point in the sector. As early childhood education faces mounting pressures post-pandemic, these revelations are shining a light on challenges that affect not only childcare providers but also Thai families navigating the evolving landscape of daycare services.

Interest in this issue has surged following a widely shared exposé published by the New York Post, where daycare workers anonymously shared some of the most unreasonable demands they’ve received from parents—from requiring staff to use gold-plated cutlery for a toddler’s lunch to covertly punishing other children on behalf of a parent’s grudge. While the stories sound sensational, they reflect a documented trend: the rise of what educators call “helicopter” and “lawnmower” parenting, where adults attempt to eliminate any perceived obstacle or stress from their child’s path.

Daycare workers worldwide report a surge in unusual and demanding requests from parents, reflecting mounting pressures in early childhood education after the pandemic. For Thai families navigating expanding daycare options, these insights underscore how expectations at home can influence classroom dynamics and staff wellbeing.

The conversation intensified after a widely shared exposé in a major outlet, where educators anonymously described extreme parental demands. Examples range from insisting on gold-plated utensils for a toddler’s lunch to covertly punishing other children on behalf of a parent’s grievance. While these anecdotes may seem sensational, they align with a broader pattern experts call helicopter and lawnmower parenting—parents who try to remove every obstacle from a child’s path.

In a development that could rewrite neuroscience textbooks, researchers have identified a specific brain region believed to be central to human consciousness, offering new hope for brain injury patients and transforming how medicine, law, and education understand the mind. This groundbreaking discovery, led by an international team of neuroscientists and reported in a recent Earth.com article, marks a critical step in unraveling one of science’s deepest mysteries: where and how consciousness arises in the human brain Earth.com.

Researchers have identified a specific brain area that appears crucial to conscious experience, a finding that could influence medical care for brain injuries and reshape discussions in medicine, law, and education. The study, conducted by an international group of neuroscientists, represents a meaningful advance in understanding how awareness emerges in the human brain. Data from leading research institutions shows that consciousness may hinge on a region at the back of the brain, the posterior cerebral cortex, rather than solely on the frontal areas once thought central.