FACTORS AFFECTING THE EDUCATIONAL PROVISION AND DEVELOPMENT ON SOFT SKILLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY OF ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDENTS, NAKON PHANOM UNIVERSITY

Abstract

This particular study has three primary objectives which are 1.) to study the factors affecting education provision and soft skills development in the 21st century of English education major students, Faculty of Education, Nakhon Phanom University 2.) to study the relationship between factors affecting education provision and soft skills development in the 21st century of English education major students, Faculty of Education, Nakhon Phanom University 3.) To compute a forecasting equation in predicting factors affecting education provision and soft skills development in the 21st century of English education major students, Faculty of Education, Nakhon Phanom University. The research instrument was a 5-point rating scale questionnaire. The results showed that soft skills in the 21st century of the target students in the English education program, Faculty of Education, Nakhon Phanom University. Overall, it was at a high level (X̅= 4.19, S.D.= 0.45), while each aspect was at a high level in all aspects. The skill with the highest means score was communication skills, followed by lifelong learning skills and information management skills, flexibility and adaptability skills, leadership skills, work ethic and professional skills and thinking and problem-solving skills, respectively. When studying the relationship between educational provision factors and soft skills development in the 21st century of English education major students, Faculty of Education, Nakhon Phanom University. Overall, It was found that, educational management factors had a positive correlation with the statistically significant at the .01 level (R_xy = 0.81) and the development on soft skills in the 21st century of English education major students, Faculty of Education, Nakhon Phanom University were at high level. The factors affecting the development of soft skills in the 21st century were self-concept (X₁) and the relationship between students and peers (X₆) which can be predicted at statistical significance at the .01 level. The predictive variables for both sides can predict 56 percents (R²= .56) and can write a predictive model for students' skills as follows: The forecast equation in raw score Y' = 1.94 +.32 X₁  + .21 X₆ and the forecast equation in standard score Zy' = .45 Z₁ + .32 Z₆