A Needs Assessment for Developing a Preparatory Program for First-Year Students in the Community Management Program to Enhance Life Skills and Learning Competencies in Higher Education

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the current status and the desired state of the orientation program development for new students in the Community Management program aimed at enhancing life skills and learning in higher education; 2) to identify the essential needs for developing the orientation program; and 3) to develop recommendations for improving the orientation program. This mixed-methods study involved 120 participants, including new students and student leaders from the Community Management program at Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University, academic year 2025. The research instrument was a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, with a reliability coefficient of 0.89. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and the Modified Priority Needs Index (PNImodified). The qualitative component involved in-depth interviews with 12 key informants, including lecturers, students, and community representatives, selected through purposive sampling. Content analysis was conducted, and triangulation was used to validate the findings, which were presented in a descriptive format.
The research findings revealed the following: 1) the overall current condition of program development was at a high level, while the desired condition was at the highest level; 2) the prioritized needs for developing the preparation program for first-year students in the Community Development program to enhance life skills and learning in higher education, ranked from highest to lowest, were: 1) positive thinking and emotional resilience; 2) self-directed learning; 3) interpersonal relationship skills; 4) volunteerism and civic-mindedness; and 5) self-management skills; and 3) the recommendations for program development emphasized the enhancement of positive thinking, promotion of self-directed learning, integration of volunteer activities, and strengthening of students’ self-management abilities.