Strategic Proposals for Developing 21st Century Competencies of Educational Administrators under the Primary Education Service Area Office in Prachinburi Province

Abstract

This research consists purposes were 1. to study the priority needs and analyze the environment for developing 21st century competencies of school administrators under the Primary Education Service Area Offices in Prachinburi Province 2. to develop strategic proposals for enhancing 21st century competencies of school administrators under the Primary Education Service Area Offices in Prachinburi Province and 3. to evaluate the strategic proposals for developing 21st century competencies of school administrators under the Primary Education Service Area Offices in Prachinburi Province. This study employed a mixed-methods research design integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The research instruments consisted of a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview form, focus group discussion records, and a strategy evaluation form. The sample group comprised 335 school administrators and teachers, determined using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size table at a 0.05 level of significance, and selected through stratified random sampling. The target groups included 9 experts and 20 strategy proposal evaluators, selected through purposive sampling. The statistical techniques used for data analysis included mean, standard deviation, needs assessment index (Modified Priority Needs Index: PNImodified), and content analysis. The research findings were as follows 1) The overall priority needs for developing 21st century competencies of school administrators under the Primary Education Service Area Offices in Prachinburi Province yielded a PNI value of 0.25. When examined by dimension, digital technology and educational innovation had the highest priority need (PNI = 0.34), followed by collaborative networking and strategic communication (PNI = 0.25), strategic management and outcomes (PNI = 0.23), continuous learning and capacity development (PNI = 0.22) and visionary leadership and change management (PNI = 0.21), respectively. The SWOT analysis revealed strengths in clear administrative structures and a strong professional learning community; weaknesses in the lack of in-depth digital technology competencies and discontinuous professional development systems; opportunities arising from government policies and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development; and threats from rapid changes and educational inequality 2) The strategic proposals comprised a vision, five mission statements, five objectives and five strategic issues covering five competency areas: (1) digital technology and educational innovation (2) collaborative networking and strategic communication (3) strategic management and outcomes (4) lifelong learning and continuous capacity development and (5) visionary leadership and change management and 3) The evaluation of the strategic proposals indicated that overall appropriateness was at the highest level (x̄ = 4.65, S.D. = 0.49), feasibility was at a high level (x̄ = 4.48, S.D. = 0.52) and utility was at the highest level (x̄ = 4.70, S.D. = 0.47).