DEVELOPMENT OF A MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR SMALL SCHOOLS THROUGH AREA-BASED RESOURCE SHARING MECHANISMS AND LOCAL WISDOM ASSETS TO ENHANCE 21ST CENTURY COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING QUALITY

Abstract

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1) examine the current conditions and priority needs of small-school management; 2) develop a management model for small schools through area-based resource-sharing mechanisms and local wisdom assets; and 3) evaluate and validate the quality of the developed model. This study employed a developmental research design. The population comprised 310 participants, consisting of school administrators and academic affairs teachers from 155 small schools. The research instruments included a priority needs assessment questionnaire, focus group discussion guidelines, and a model quality evaluation form. The instruments yielded item-objective congruence indices ranging from 0.80 to 1.00 and reliability coefficients of 0.92 and 0.89, respectively. Data were analyzed using the mean, standard deviation, Priority Needs Index, and content analysis.

The findings revealed that: 1) the overall Priority Needs Index for small-school management was 0.32. The active learning process had the highest priority need, with an index of 0.34, followed by the area-based implementation mechanism, the monitoring and evaluation system, and the local wisdom asset base, respectively; 2) the developed model consisted of five components: principles and objectives, an area-based implementation mechanism, a local wisdom asset base, an active learning process, and a digital monitoring and evaluation system; and 3) the evaluation and validation conducted by nine experts indicated that the overall quality of the model was at the highest level (M = 4.59, SD = 0.50), with appropriateness receiving the highest mean score (M = 4.67). These findings demonstrate that the model is appropriate, feasible, useful, and accurate. It can be practically implemented to enhance the quality of 21st-century competency-based learning in small schools by integrating shared resources and local wisdom to sustainably develop learners’ competencies in accordance with local contexts.