SKILLS OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS THAT FACILITATE EDUCATION UNDER TRANSFORMATION TOWARD THE DIGITAL AGE IN NONG SANO–NON KHO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION NETWORK SCHOOLS UNDER THE UBON RATCHATHANI PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE 5

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1) investigate the current and desirable conditions of school administrators’ competencies in promoting education amid the transition to the digital era, and 2) examine recommendations for the development of such competencies. The sample consisted of 132 school administrators and teachers from schools within the Nong Sano–Non Kho Educational Network under the Ubon Ratchathani Primary Educational Service Area Office 5. The research instrument was a 45-item questionnaire. All items demonstrated an Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) of 1.00. The reliability coefficients were .97 for the current-condition scale and .98 for the desirable-condition scale. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis.

The findings revealed that: 1) the overall current condition of school administrators’ competencies in promoting education amid the transition to the digital era was at a high level (μ = 3.51, σ = .690), whereas the overall desirable condition was at the highest level (μ = 4.62, σ = .340); and 2) the proposed guidelines for competency development indicated that school administrators should enhance their problem-solving competencies through the systematic use of data and analytical processes, strengthen their digital communication skills to improve coordination effectiveness, and foster creative leadership and collaborative practices. Furthermore, teachers should develop their digital competencies and engage in professional knowledge sharing to improve instructional management and establish sustainable professional learning communities.