The Digital Competence of Nakhon Ratchasima Primary School Administrators and its Effect on School Management

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This study examined how the digital competence of school administrators is affecting the effectiveness of school management in schools under the Nakhon Ratchasima Primary Educational Service Area Office 1. In today’s fast-changing digital era, education systems worldwide face mounting pressure to adapt to technological advancements. In Thailand, national and local educational policies place strong emphasis on developing digital competence among educators, particularly school administrators. However, schools differ considerably in their readiness to adopt and integrate digital practices. These disparities raise important questions about the extent to which administrators’ digital competence can enhance, or potentially limit, the overall effectiveness of school management.

Introduction/Background: As Thailand advances its digital transformation in education through initiatives like “Transforming Education to Fit in the Digital Era,” school administrators must lead with strong digital competence. International research shows that the rapid growth of digital technologies has reshaped societal structures and widened the gap between those with strong digital skills and those without. Studies across global educational systems emphasize that integrating digital resources, such as e-learning platforms and open educational resources, requires educational leaders to develop advanced competencies to manage technological change. Additionally, global assessments have highlighted that many individuals lack even basic computer skills, underscoring the need to enhance digital competence within education. In this context, the present study explored which aspects of digital competence most effectively influence school management, providing valuable insights into how administrators’ digital skills impact school outcomes.

Methodology: This study used a quantitative research design. The sample consisted of 327 participants, including 24 school administrators and 303 teachers from across the Nakhon Ratchasima Primary Educational Service Area Office 1, selected using stratified random sampling to reflect the diversity of schools in the region. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire divided into two sections. The first section had 22 items focused on school management effectiveness, while the second included 20 items measuring digital competence among administrators. All items used a five-point Likert scale. The instrument was validated by experts using the Item-Objective Congruence method, and only items scoring above .50 were retained. Reliability was confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha. The four components of school management effectiveness: a) goal attainment, b) problem-solving ability, c) students’ positive attitudes, and d) adaptability, had reliability scores of .804, .865, .872, and .882, respectively. For digital competence, overall reliability was .936, with subscales: a) digital literacy, b) digital content creation, c) digital technology use, and d) safety, ranging from .823, .818, .881, and .878. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 22.0. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample, followed by Pearson’s correlation and stepwise multiple regression to determine which aspects of digital competence had a significant effect on school management effectiveness.

Findings: Descriptive results showed that both school management effectiveness and administrators’ digital competence were rated at high levels. Within management effectiveness, problem-solving ability had the highest mean score, followed by goal attainment, whereas students’ positive attitudes had the lowest. For digital competence, digital literacy had the highest mean, followed by critical thinking in technology use, while digital content creation had the lowest mean score. Inferential analysis further revealed that digital competence plays a significant role in predicting the effectiveness of school management. Three components: digital technology use (X₃), safety (X₄), and digital content creation (X₂), had a statistically significant influence on school management effectiveness at the .01 level. Among these, digital technology use was the strongest predictor, followed closely by safety and digital content creation. Together, these three variables accounted for 55.1% of the variance in effectiveness of school management, with a multiple correlation coefficient (r) of .754, indicating a strong relationship. The predictive equations derived from the data were as follows:

Raw score model:                         Ŷ = 1.957 + .231X₃ + .170X₄ + .164X₂

Standardized score model:         Ẑ = .325X₃ + .244X₄ + .244X₂

Contribution/Impact on Society: The findings support ongoing efforts by educational policymakers to prioritize digital competence as part of national education reform. Schools, training institutes, and educational offices can use these insights to design more focused professional development programs that support administrators in becoming digital leaders.

Recommendations: Based on the findings, it is recommended that digital competence be made a core element in the professional development of school administrators. Training should go beyond basic digital literacy and include more advanced skills such as digital content creation and safety in digital contexts. Educational authorities should also invest in improving infrastructure and support systems to reduce gaps in digital readiness among schools. Moreover, digital competence should be considered a key criterion in leadership evaluations and promotions.

Research Limitation: This study was limited to one educational service area and relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias. The non-experimental nature of the study also limited the ability to infer direct causality. Additionally, the specific local context may mean that findings are not fully generalizable to other regions with different challenges or resources.

Future Research: Further research should expand to include different regions or educational levels, using a mixed-methods approach to gain deeper insights into how digital competence is developed and applied in school settings. Longitudinal studies could also help track the long-term effects of digital competence on school improvement. Future work may also explore how teacher digital readiness, school culture, or student engagement intersect with digital competence practices.