Everything is changing rapidly and the development of technology and information has changed significantly in the last few decades. Education, like other aspects of society, needs to change and adapt appropriately. Online teaching and learning is a new approach for the authors to use information technology via distance learning programs, especially the way relationships and interactions altered between students and teachers or instructors when the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic occurred last year. Mahidol University responded to the situation rapidly and announced that academics can use online teaching of students free of charge. The authors of this paper have identified the advantages and disadvantages  we have encountered while applying this method of instruction. The online program has made teaching possible but it has disadvantages which may decrease the quality of education. Nevertheless, it was used to replace traditional teaching methods by utilizing the web–based program, Webex Meetings, across the whole university. This new approach has changed and opened horizons earlier than the authors thought and far beyond our beliefs concerning traditional education methods for future generations.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine Family Development Centre (FDC) staff’s[1] perspectives on their roles and capacity to promote early childhood language learning through good parenting. Design/methodology/approach This research employed in-depth interviews with 30 FDC coordinators and volunteer staff, supported by limited field observations. Findings Identifying risk, surveillance of at-risk families, building community solidarity and activities to support parenting and children, emerged as key components of FDC work. Volunteers softened their surveillance role by emphasising their social support function and personal links to local communities. Most activities aimed to strengthen family bonding and relationships, with fewer specifically addressing early childhood language deficits. Volunteers found the latter challenging, and generally sought to work in cooperation with education, public health and child care staff where projects involved language development. Practical implications Most volunteers said they lacked the capacities to promote early language development effectively and required additional training in such areas as partnerships and collaboration, family and parenting support, and project management. The authors argue that the importance given to partnerships reflects volunteers’ recognition that they need to draw on outside expertise to address children’s language problems. Given resource constraints, volunteers will remain central to family support work for the immediate future. Even with training lay volunteers will not become language experts, and future policy should centre on building a framework of professional support for the community teams. Originality/value This study fills a gap in knowledge about FDC volunteer roles and suggests a need for training that focuses on teamwork rather than specialist language expertise.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors contributing to the competencies and capabilities of Family Development Center (FDC) staff in order to promote pre-school language developmental support amongst parents. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 260 FDC staff under the supervision of Thai local authorities in the rural province of Suphanburi in Thailand from July to September 2016. Self-administered questionnaires were used. Eligible participants with at least a year’s experience on the FDC committee were purposively selected. Analyses were performed by descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, Spearman’s correlation, χ2 test and stepwise multiple regression. Findings Only 23.5 percent of staff had a high level of capability. The respondents’ perceptions of their self-capability were influenced by motivation, attitudes toward promoting language learning amongst parents, self-efficacy, sufficient budget and receiving constructive appraisal support (r=0.387, 0.328, 0.366, 0.106 and 0.104, respectively). Marital status was negatively associated with FDC staff capability (r=−0.172). The multivariate analysis showed that 23.9 percent of the variability of FDC staff’s self-capability could be explained by their motivation for working, attitude, self-efficacy and marital status (p<0.001). Originality/value Research findings could be used to improve motivation for working, positive attitudes and self-efficacy regarding parenting promotion for pre-school language development to achieve standardized quality performance. Results of this study could also form the basis for designing effective training programs for FDC staff in the context of the specific organization and community.