STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS AND EDUCATION FOR THAI STUDENTS TO KEEP PACE WITH THE DIGITAL WORLD
Keywords:
Life Skills, Digital Intelligence, Social and Emotional Learning, Educational StrategiesAbstract
Objectives of this academic article were: 1. To critically analyze the problems and conditions affecting the development of life skills among Thai students in digital contexts, and 2. To synthesize a conceptual framework and educational strategies integrating life skills, social and emotional learning (SEL), and digital intelligence (DQ). An integrative literature review was conducted using policy documents, situation reports, systematic reviews, and seminal academic works published between 1997 and 2025. The review focused on students in basic education, particularly those in upper-primary and secondary levels. The synthesis identified four interconnected challenges: critical thinking and media literacy; emotional regulation and mental well-being; self-control and digital safety; and relationships and identity in online environments. Digital technology also provided important opportunities for access to learning, social connection, creative expression, and well-being support. The central issue was therefore not technology use itself, but the gap between expected competencies and instructional and assessment practices that did not yet fully support holistic competency development. The article contributed a Holistic Life Skills–Digital Intelligence Integration Framework that connects cognitive, emotional, social, and digital-ethical competencies through self-regulation and feedback mechanisms within a learning ecosystem. Six strategies were proposed: competency-based curriculum development, active learning, SEL integration, DQ development, collaborative learning ecosystems, and authentic assessment. These strategies were intended to strengthen learners’ resilience, adaptability, responsible digital participation, and well-being.
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