Guidelines for the Use of Digital Technology in the Administration of Small Schools under The Secondary Educational Service Area Office Kalasin

Abstract

The Thai government and educational agencies have prioritized reducing educational inequality, particularly among small schools, as well as promoting adaptation and effective utilization of digital technology. Although the self-assessment results of small schools under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Kalasin for the 2023 academic year indicated that all schools achieved at least a “Good” level, only six out of twenty-four schools reached the “Excellent” level. Meanwhile, the results of the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) showed that their average scores were lower than the national average across all subjects, with a declining trend compared to the 2022 academic year. These findings highlight the necessity of developing digital-based management approaches for small schools. This study employed a mixed-methods research design with the objectives of examining the utilization and problems of digital technology in small schools, as well as proposing guidelines for its effective integration in school management. The quantitative data were collected through questionnaires from 180 school administrators and teachers, while qualitative data were obtained through interviews with five school administrators. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis. The results revealed that the overall level of digital technology utilization in small schools was high, particularly in general administration, followed by budget, academic, and personnel administration. The main problems identified were the mismatch between digital media and learners’ needs, limited budgets, insufficient equipment, inadequate technological infrastructure, and varying levels of digital literacy among teachers. The proposed guidelines emphasized comprehensive digital integration across all management areas, teacher capacity development, establishment of information systems, technological infrastructure enhancement, effective communication and public relations, interschool collaboration networks, and digital citizenship promotion to enhance the educational quality of small schools in the digital era.