Guidelines for Developing Educational Management in the 21st Century for Bangkok Metropolitan Affiliated Schools

Abstract

         This research studies education management for the 21st century, which requires a change of perspective from the traditional paradigm to a new paradigm-flexible, creative, challenging, and complex-affecting the organization of the education system. The objectives are: (1) to study the problems of education management in the 21st century; (2) to study education management in the 21st century with strategic management; and (3) to propose guidelines for developing 21st-century education management for schools under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). This is mixed-methods research. A questionnaire was used to collect data from teachers and educational personnel in BMA schools; the sample size was calculated using Taro Yamane (1973) with an error level not exceeding in 95%, yielding a sample of 400 persons. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, and qualitative research involved interviews with 12 key informants analyzed by inductive conclusion. Results in three issues are as follows. (1) Regarding the problems of 21st-century education management in BMA schools found out that overall the problems were at a high level; the area with the greatest management problems was education management for the security of society and the nation. From focus group discussions with key informants, the major problems found were that human resource development does not yet meet labor-market and national-development needs, and curricula need to develop lifelong skills as they should. (2) Regarding 21st-century education management with strategic management in BMA schools, overall it was at the highest level; the most managed aspect was strategic evaluation. From focus group discussions with key informants, schools were found to monitor and evaluate in ways that help identify weaknesses and continuously improve plans. (3) Important guidelines for developing 21st-century education management in BMA schools are: there should be a continuous policy; promotion of community participation; emphasis on integrating knowledge into teaching content; and increased promotion of life skills and careers.