Flexible Learning Management Approaches for Vocational Students in Mae Hong Son Province

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the current state of, and propose suitable guidelines for, flexible learning management for vocational students in Mae Hong Son Province. The quantitative sample comprised 101 administrators, teachers, and educational personnel from Nawamintrachinee Mae Hong Son Vocational College and Mae Sariang Vocational College, surveyed using a questionnaire (IOC = 0.67–1.00, Cronbach's α = .91). Qualitative data were gathered through structured interviews with 9 key informants and site visits to 3 model schools, analyzed using content analysis until data saturation.

              Results showed that the overall current state was at a moderate level (mean = 3.48, standard deviation = 1.28). The highest-rated area was administrative and community support (mean = 3.56), reflecting strong social capital, while learning time had the lowest mean (mean = 3.21); within this, the digital-platform learning-time accumulation system had the lowest mean overall (mean = 2.93), reflecting an urgent weakness in digital mechanisms that requires development. Guidelines synthesized from the quantitative and qualitative findings covered four areas: 1) Learning time – adopting Block Schedule combined with Blended-Modular Learning and an online learning-time accumulation platform;
2) Instructional management – developing teachers as Learning Designers and expanding active-learning options; 3) Measurement and evaluation – authentic assessment and a credit-bank system aligned with the National Qualifications Framework; and 4) Administrative and network support – clear policy, MOU agreements with communities and enterprises, and an individual student monitoring system. This addresses Mae Hong Son's student dropout rate of 19.98% and can be extended to other remote areas with similar contexts.

            The findings revealed that the overall current state was at a moderate level ( = 3.48, SD = 1.28). Administrative and community support received the highest mean score ( = 3.56), while learning time flexibility received the lowest mean score ( = 3.21), particularly regarding the accumulation of learning hours through digital platforms. The synthesized guidelines encompassed four dimensions: 1) learning time, emphasizing Block Schedule combined with Blended-Modular Learning; 2) instructional management, focusing on developing teachers as Learning Designers; 3) competency-based assessment, prioritizing the development of a credit bank system aligned with the National Qualifications Framework; and 4) administrative and collaborative network support, emphasizing clear policy formulation. These findings directly address the 19.98% student dropout rate and offer a replicable model for other remote areas with similar contexts.