Digital Leadership Of School Administrators According To International Standards Under The Jurisdiction Of The Secondary Educational Service Area Office

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) analyze the components of digital leadership among administrators of World-Class Standard Schools under the Secondary Educational Service Area Offices; 2) develop a digital leadership model for these administrators; and 3) evaluate the developed model. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. The qualitative phase began with a focus group discussion involving 12 experts to gather baseline data and draft the preliminary model. This was followed by a quantitative phase, collecting data from a sample of 335 administrators of World-Class Standard Schools. The research instrument was a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, which demonstrated content validity (IOC) ranging from 0.60 to 1.00 and a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.85. Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Finally, the model was evaluated by 12 specialists based on accuracy, propriety, feasibility, and utility.The research findings revealed that:The digital leadership components comprised six main factors: (1) Strategic Leadership and Digital Vision; (2) Digital Competency and Technology Management; (3) Quality Management and International Standards; (4) Organizational and Human Resource Development in the Digital Age; (5) Innovation and Digital Culture Creation; and
(6) Integration of Policy and Educational Context. Notably, "Strategic Leadership and Digital Vision" was the most significant factor, accounting for 29.29% of the variance.The developed digital leadership model systematically integrates digital ethics, international standards, and the Thai educational context, providing a clear and practical conceptual framework.The expert evaluation indicated that the overall quality of the model was at the highest level ($\bar{x}$ = 4.72, S.D. = 0.43). When considering individual dimensions  - accuracy, propriety, feasibility, and utility - all were rated at the highest level. The developed model serves as a practical guideline for enhancing the potential of World-Class Standard School administrators and strengthening digital leadership aligned with both Thai educational contexts and international standards. Furthermore, it provides a conceptual framework for academics and policymakers in driving education forward in the digital era.