Development of Academic Management Strategies to Promote Skills in the 21st Century of Vocational Institutions Students

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) develop the academic affairs administration strategies to promote students’ 21^st century skills; and 2) certify academic affairs administration strategies to promote students’ 21^st century skills in vocational institutions. This research was mixed - method research which was divided into 2 phases. In phase 1, development of academic affairs administration strategies to promote students’ 21^st century skills, the key informants were 10 administrators of vocational institutions, directors of institutions under Vocational Education Institution, and experts in educational administration, derived from purposive selection. Data were collected by an interview form and analyzed by content analysis. The sample group responding to the questionnaire was 480 directors of educational institutions, deputy directors in academic affairs, heads of departments, and teachers, derived by stratified random sampling as distributed by region. Data were collected by a questionnaire and analyzed with frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, priority need index, as well as analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats through 2S4M and PEST models and town matrix analysis. In phase 2, certification of academic affairs administration strategies to promote students’ 21^st century skills, the informants were 12 administrators of vocational institutions, administrators of educational institutions, and experts in educational administration, derived from purposive selection. Data were collected by connoisseurship and analyzed by content analysis. The developed academic affairs administration strategies were implemented in one vocational institution, considered and selected according to the specified criteria, for three months. The informants were 9 administrators of educational institutions, teachers, heads of departments, school committees, and establishments. Data were collected by group discussion and analyzed by content analysis.

The results of this research were shown as follows:

1. The academic affairs administration strategies to promote students’ 21^st century skills consisted of 5 main strategies : 1) organizing a system for research and development of learning innovations to enhance students’ 21^st century skills ; 2) upgrading the system development of media and technology in modern learning management through collaboration with establishments ; 3) adjusting the measurement and evaluation system to align with student performance ; 4) developing a bachelor’s degree curriculum in technology or operation that meets the needs of establishments in the 21^st century ; and 5) organizing proactive learning management to develop students’ professional competency in the 21^st century .


2. Overall, the academic affairs administration strategies to promote students’ 21^st century skills were accurate, appropriate, feasible, and practical at the highest level. The implementation of the developed academic affairs administration strategies revealed that Strategy 1 brought about a change in vocational institutions regarding teacher development , enabling them to have competency in managing learning in the digital age at the highest level ; Strategy 2 utilized technology media to manage learning according to subject areas ; Strategy 3 led to the measurement and evaluation of student learning based on professional competency ; Strategy 5 created cooperation between educational institutions and establishments in providing high - quality bilateral learning management ; and Strategy 4 upgraded the curriculum based on professional standards and international performance standards, respectively.