GUIDELINES FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS MANAGEMENT IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION INSTITUTION IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1) examine the current and desirable conditions of student affairs management in vocational education institutions in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and 2) propose guidelines for developing student affairs management in these institutions. The study employed a mixed methods research design, with quantitative research as the main approach complemented by qualitative research. The quantitative sample consisted of 105 administrators and teachers responsible for student affairs, selected through purposive sampling. The research instrument was a five-point rating scale questionnaire developed based on the POLC management process and four areas of student affairs: student activities, discipline, career guidance and job placement, and welfare and special projects. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, and the Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI _modified). Qualitative data were obtained from in-depth interviews with five vocational education administrators and analyzed using content analysis.

The research findings revealed that: 1) The current and desirable conditions of student affairs management were found to be at the highest level overall. When considered according to the POLC management process, all processes were at the highest mean level. The leading function had the highest mean in both the current and desirable conditions, followed by planning, controlling, and organizing, respectively. The analysis of the Modified Priority Needs Index indicated that career guidance and job placement had the highest priority need for development, followed by welfare and special projects, student discipline, and student activities, respectively. 2) Guidelines for developing student affairs administration in vocational education institutions in Nakhon Ratchasima Province revealed that administrators should develop a career guidance system that is systematically linked with the labor market, establish mechanisms for tracking graduates, and clearly define indicators of students’ employment outcomes. This is consistent with the results of the Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI _modified), which indicated that career guidance and job placement had the highest priority.