Educational Management and Innovation Journal

Meta-Skills as Managed Outcomes: A Delphi-Validated Implementation System for Chinese Private HEIs

Chi Che — 2026-10-06

Chinese private higher education institutions are under growing pressure to demonstrate graduates’ meta-skills, yet implementation often stalls because curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, governance, and quality assurance are not sufficiently aligned. This study developed and validated an institution-level implementation playbook to support the systematic integration of meta-skills in Chinese private HEIs. Building on an earlier design-thinking-based framework, the study used a two-round modified Delphi process with 15 experts from private higher education institutions in Sichuan Province. Expert judgments were used to evaluate suitability, feasibility, and clarity, together with content validity indices and qualitative feedback, to refine five implementation domains: governance and decision rights, staged rollout, quality assurance embedding, evidence routines and key performance indicators (KPIs), and risk controls. Round 2 results showed stronger consensus, improved clarity, and high perceived suitability and feasibility across domains. Experts particularly emphasized the importance of explicit decision rights, protected workload, moderation routines, curriculum mapping, and minimum evidence standards for sustainable implementation. The findings indicate that meta-skills become scalable and auditable only when supported by coordinated institutional routines rather than isolated innovation efforts. The validated playbook offers a practical and transferable pathway for Chinese private HEIs operating under comparable governance and resource conditions.

The Essential Needs for Managing Esports Curricula in Private Universities in Thailand Based on the Concept of Sustainable Esports Entrepreneurship

Sawaphob Debkasikul — 2026-10-06

This study examines the essential needs for managing esports curricula in private universities in Thailand based on the concept of sustainable esports entrepreneurship. The research aimed to investigate the current conditions, desired conditions, and priority needs for academic administration aligned with sustainable esports entrepreneurship principles. A quantitative needs assessment research design was employed. The population consisted of seven private universities in Thailand offering esports-related programs, and data were collected using a questionnaire assessing both current and desired states of academic management. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and the Priority Needs Index Modified (PNI_modified). The findings indicated that the overall current condition of academic administration supporting sustainable esports entrepreneurship was at a high level, with assessment and evaluation receiving the highest mean score, followed by learning process development and curriculum development. The desired conditions were also rated at a high level, with learning process development ranking highest, followed by curriculum development and learning assessment. Based on the PNI_modified analysis, curriculum development showed the highest priority need, followed by learning process development and learning assessment.

These findings highlight the importance of curriculum design, learning processes, and assessment systems aligned with industry needs in developing sustainable esports entrepreneurs. The study contributes to educational management literature by providing a needs-based framework for academic management in emerging esports education programs.

Strategies for Empowering Teachers in Educational Institutions under the Phetchabun Primary Educational Service Area Office 3

Napatsanun Burbutr — 2026-10-06

This study aimed to (1) examine the priority needs for teacher empowerment enhancement in schools and to analyze the internal environment of schools under the Phetchabun Primary Educational Service Area Office 3. (2) analyze the external environment influencing teacher empowerment in schools under the same jurisdiction and (3) develop and validate strategies for teacher empowerment in schools under the Phetchabun Primary Educational Service Area Office 3. The research methodology consisted of a needs assessment of teacher empowerment enhancement in schools under the Phetchabun Primary Educational Service Area Office 3. The sample comprised 320 participants. A questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.808 was used as the research instrument. The quantitative data were analyzed, and the Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI_modified) was employed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of teacher empowerment enhancement. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five experts, and the qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis to identify opportunities and threats. Based on the findings, draft strategies and implementation guidelines were developed through SWOT analysis. Finally, the appropriateness of the proposed strategies was validated through a focus group discussion involving five experts.

The findings indicated that (1) the overall Priority Needs Index (PNI_modified) for teacher empowerment was 0.208. Among the dimensions, participation in work, recognition, and respect for decision-making yielded the highest PNI, reflecting key areas of weakness (five indicators). In contrast, teamwork yielded the lowest PNI_modified, indicating a relative strength (nine indicators). (2) The external environmental analysis identified 17 opportunities and 14 threats affecting teacher empowerment in schools under the Phetchabun Primary Educational Service Area Office 3. (3) The proposed teacher empowerment strategies comprised six strategies with 18 implementation guidelines.

Culturally Responsive Leadership Development Needs for International School Leaders in Thailand

Pinkarn Vajrapana — 2026-10-06

This research aims to analyze the culturally responsive leadership development needs for international school leaders in Thailand. The study involved 67 participants, including 13 Thai school directors, 9 foreign principals, 24 Thai teachers, and 21 foreign teachers. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed by calculating frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and the modified Priority Needs Index (PNI_modified). The research instrument was validated by a panel of experts, with item-objective congruence (IOC) values ranging from 0.80 to 1.00, and demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.965). The results showed that the current state of culturally responsive leadership was at a high level, while the desired state was at the highest level. Engagement with students, parents, and local communities was identified as the top priority (PNI_modified= 0.237). For this area, cohorts and networks (33.60%) were the most preferred development strategies, with
a duration of 1-3 days (32.56%) and an onsite learning format (44.94%). Promoting culturally inclusive school environments (PNI_modified = 0.232) ranked second among priorities. In this area, applied learning, cohorts, and networks (31.58%) were preferred strategies, with a 1-3-day duration (33.73%) and an onsite format (43.30%). This was followed by critical self-reflection on leadership behaviors (PNI_modified = 0.190), with cohorts and networks (34.04%) most favored, a 1-3-day duration (43.33%), and a hybrid learning format (41.00%). Lastly, developing culturally responsive teachers (PNI_modified= 0.158) was identified as the lowest priority. For this area, coaching and mentoring, along with cohorts and networks (31.85%), were the preferred strategies, with a duration of 1-3 days (37.04%) and a hybrid format (41.84%). The study’s contribution to scholarship on culturally responsive leadership development, especially in the Thai or Southeast Asian context.

Strategies for the Administration of High-Performance Schools under the Phitsanulok Primary Educational Service Area Office 3

pidsinee phetdee — 2026-10-06

This study objectives to (1) examine the priority needs for school administration toward becoming high-performance organizations and to analyze the internal environment of schools under the Phitsanulok Primary Educational Service Area Office 3. (2) analyze the external environment influencing school management toward becoming a high-performance organization under the same jurisdiction and (3) develop and validate strategies for school management toward becoming a high-performance organization under the Primary Educational Service Area Office Phitsanulok Area 3. The research methodology consisted of three phases. First, a needs assessment was conducted to examine school administration toward becoming high-performance organizations under the Phitsanulok Primary Educational Service Area Office 3, involving 310 participants. The collected data were analyzed using the Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI_modified) to identify strengths and weaknesses. Subsequently,
in-depth interviews were conducted with five experts, and the data were analyzed using content analysis to identify opportunities and threats. Based on these findings, a draft set of strategies and implementation guidelines was developed through SWOT analysis. Finally, the appropriateness of the proposed strategies and implementation guidelines was assessed through a focus group discussion with five experts.

The findings indicated that (1) the overall modified Priority Needs Index (PNI_modified) for school management toward becoming a high-performance organization was 0.189. By dimension, organizational leadership exhibited the highest priority need, representing a key weakness (seven indicators), whereas customer and stakeholder focus exhibited the lowest priority need, representing a strength (four indicators). (2) The external environmental analysis identified 15 opportunities and 17 threats affecting school management toward becoming a high-performance organization under the Primary Educational Service Area Office Phitsanulok Area 3. (3) The proposed strategies comprised 6 strategies with 22 implementation guidelines. These strategies are expected to strengthen school administration and support the concrete and sustainable development of schools toward becoming high-performance organizations.

Unlocking Digital Fluency: Validity and Reliability of Measuring Digital Fluency Model for Primary Students

Sapsidee Tiangpoonwong — 2026-10-06

The purpose of this study was to: (1) develop and test the construct validity of the indicators of digital fluency (DF) for primary students, and (2) study the level of digital fluentness of sixth-grade primary school students. A sample of 497 Grade 6 students drawn from demonstration schools across four regional areas and Bangkok was used. The students' responses were measured using a 5-point Likert questionnaire. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was applied to examine the construct validity of the DFMM and to understand the relationship between the latent constructs and their indicators. The seven indicators (DF indicators) of the DFMM showed a good fit, and all factor loadings were significant, thus demonstrating the construct validity of the DF indicators. The DFMM demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency with Composite Reliability and Average Variance Extracted values that met the recommended guidelines. According to the DFMM, primary school students' DF level was overall high to very high, especially in the areas of basic digital knowledge, communication and collaboration, and responsibility.

Motivational Profiles, Foreign Language Anxiety, and Willingness to Communicate among Thai Learners of Chinese: A Person-Centered Approach

Hao Zhang — 2026-10-06

Motivation is widely recognized as an important factor in second language (L2) learning. However, learners may differ not only in the strength of their motivation but also in how different motivational dimensions are combined within individuals. Given the predominance of variable-centered approaches in previous research and the limited use of person-centered approaches in Chinese as
a foreign language (CFL) contexts, this study investigated motivational profiles among Thai CFL learners and examined profile differences in foreign language anxiety (FLA) and willingness to communicate (WTC). A total of 291 Thai undergraduate students majoring in Chinese participated in the study. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted based on the three components of the L2 motivational self system (L2MSS): the ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience. The analysis identified a four-profile solution: low ideal L2 self-high ought-to L2 self-low L2 learning experience (n = 57, 19.59%); high ideal L2 self-high ought-to L2 self-high L2 learning experience (n = 16, 5.50%); moderate ideal
L2 self-moderate ought-to L2 self-moderate L2 learning experience (n = 140, 48.11%); and low ideal
L2 self-low ought-to L2 self-low L2 learning experience (n = 78, 26.80%). Significant profile differences were found in both FLA and WTC, with a substantially larger effect for WTC (η² = .311) than for FLA
(η² = .105). The findings demonstrate motivational heterogeneity among Thai CFL learners and suggest that externally driven motivation may not promote favorable affective and communicative outcomes when accompanied by a weak ideal L2 self and an unfavorable learning experience.

Teacher Well-Being Promotion in School Workplace: The Role of Leaders

Nachanan Suphasirisuk — 2026-10-06

Teacher well-being is increasingly recognized as an important concern for sustaining teachers’ professional functioning and healthy school workplaces. However, research has examined leadership and workplace-related factors with varying degrees of integration. This review aims to understand the role of school leaders in promoting teacher well-being by examining how well-being is situated within the school workplace, how leadership and workplace-related conditions are connected in the literature, and what these patterns reveal about how leadership and organizational practices may shape the conditions experienced by teachers. A structured literature search was conducted using Scopus, and 184 studies published between 2021 and 2026 were included following predefined eligibility criteria. Studies were coded across six domains: leadership (A), school climate/social relationships (B), working conditions (C), organizational support/practices (D), job demands/job resources (E), and workload/ autonomy (F), and analyzed for their distribution and co-occurrence patterns. The findings indicate
a shift from single-factor research toward more interconnected accounts of teacher well-being, while relationships among domains remain insufficiently specified. The review highlights the potential role of school leaders in shaping the organizational and workplace conditions through which teachers experience their work, including workload, autonomy, organizational support, and workplace relationships. Further research is needed to clarify how leadership and organizational practices shape these conditions and through what mechanisms they relate to teacher well-being.

CONTENT

Sukanya Chaemchoy — 2026-10-06

EDITORIAL BOARD

Sukanya Chaemchoy — 2026-10-06

EDITORIAL NOTE

Pruet Siribanpitak — 2026-10-06