CHARACTERISTICS OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN THE DIGITAL ERA NAKHON RATCHASIMA PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE 1

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to: 1) examine the characteristics of school administrators in the digital era; 2) compare these characteristics based on position, work experience, and school size; and 3) explore guidelines for fostering such characteristics among school administrators under the jurisdiction of the Nakhon Ratchasima Primary Educational Service Area Office 1. The sample group for this study consisted of 325 school administrators and teachers. Sample size determination was based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, with the sample selected via stratified random sampling. The key informant group consisted of five school administrators with at least 10 years of experience, selected through purposive sampling. Research instruments included a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide; the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) ranged from 0.80 to 1.00, and the questionnaire's reliability coefficient was 0.995. The statistics used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, F-test (One-way ANOVA), and Scheffé’s method for pairwise comparison.

          The research findings revealed that:

1. The characteristics of school administrators in the digital era under the Nakhon Ratchasima Primary Educational Service Area Office 1 were, overall, at a high level.


2. The comparison of characteristics of school administrators in the digital era revealed no significant differences based on position or work experience; however, when classified by school size, statistically significant differences were found at the .05 level.


3. Guidelines for fostering the characteristics of school administrators in the digital era comprise four approaches: promoting a digital vision; enhancing communication and public relations skills using digital technology; fostering professional development and professionalism; and building confidence and a positive image through digital means.