Guidelines For Developing 21St Century Skills for Administrators in Secondary Schools of Shikhodttabong District, Vientiane Capital

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the current status of administrative skills of secondary school administrators in the 21st century in Sikhottabong District, Vientiane Capital; (2) explore methods for developing these skills; and (3) evaluate the proposed methods. The study was conducted in three phases and focused on four key areas of administrative skills: communication skills, interpersonal skills, analytical and creative thinking skills, and technological and digital skills. A total of 159 administrators and teachers participated across the three phases, including 140 participants in Phase 1, 10 participants in Phase 2, and 9 participants in Phase 3. The research instruments consisted of questionnaires and evaluation forms. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. A two-level rating scale was used to assess the feasibility and appropriateness of the proposed methods.

The findings revealed that: (1) the overall level of administrative skills of secondary school administrators in the 21st century was high. All four dimensions were also rated at a high level, with communication skills receiving the highest mean score, followed by interpersonal skills, analytical and creative thinking skills, and technological and digital skills, respectively. (2) The proposed methods emphasized administrators serving as role models through holistic self-development, continuous learning, and motivation. The methods also included strengthening analytical and interpretive thinking, supporting personnel in effectively using tools, instructional media, and digital technologies for school operations, applying effective communication strategies to promote shared understanding and organizational collaboration, and organizing social and professional activities to strengthen relationships and external networks. (3) The evaluation of the proposed methods indicated that their overall feasibility and appropriateness were at a high level. These findings suggest that the proposed methods can provide guidance for strengthening the administrative skills of secondary school administrators and enhancing effective school management in the 21st century.