Administrative Skills of School Administrators in the 21st Century: A Study of Schools in the Phra Phutthabat Bua Bok Educational Network under the Udon Thani Secondary Educational Service Area Office

Abstract

The purposes of this research were: (1) to examine the level of 21st-century administrative skills of school administrators, and (2) to explore guidelines for developing these skills among school administrators in the Phra Phutthabat Buabok School Cluster under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Udon Thani. The population consisted of 7 schools, with 339 informants including 7 administrators and 332 teachers. The sample group comprised 182 participants, selected through multi-stage sampling: stratified random sampling in the first stage and simple random sampling by lottery in the second stage. The research instruments included a questionnaire and an interview form, with validity indices ranging from 0.67 to 1.00 and a reliability coefficient of 0.90. Data were collected by the researcher and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis. The findings revealed that: 1. The overall level and each aspect of 21st-century administrative skills of school administrators were at a high level. 2. The guidelines for developing 21st-century administrative skills indicated that administrators should enhance technical skills through systematic management processes and empirical data, such as the PDCA cycle and information databases, to improve decision-making efficiency. In terms of communication, strategic communication via digital media and inspirational communication should be strengthened. Regarding human relations, teamwork, positive communication, and a respectful organizational culture should be promoted. For conceptual skills, system thinking and strategic planning aligned with vision implementation should be developed. Finally, in terms of technology and digital skills, administrators should enhance their competencies to become digital leaders in order to support continuous and effective management.