ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCING TEACHERS' CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN LEARNING MANAGEMENT: SCHOOLS UNDER THE EDUCATIONAL EFFICIENCY PROMOTION NETWORK 6, PATHUM THANI PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE 1

Abstract

This study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating both quantitative and qualitative research. The objectives were: 1) to examine the level of academic administration in schools, 2) to investigate teachers’ critical thinking skills, 3) to analyze the relationship between academic administration and teachers’ critical thinking skills, and 4) to propose academic administration guidelines to enhance such skills. The population consisted of 342 participants, including school principals, vice principals, and teachers from schools in the Educational Efficiency Promotion Network Group 6 under Pathum Thani Primary Educational Service Area Office 1. Data were collected from a sample of 192 participants, determined using Krejcie & Morgan’s sampling table. The research instruments included a five-point Likert scale questionnaire and open-ended questions. The index of item-objective congruence (IOC) ranged from 0.80 to 1.00, and the overall reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.98. Data analysis employed percentage, mean (), standard deviation (S.D.), and Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). The findings revealed that: 1) overall academic administration was at the highest level ( = 4.58), particularly in the development of internal quality assurance systems; 2) teachers’ critical thinking skills were at a high level ( = 4.37), with the highest mean in data evaluation and analysis; 3) academic administration was positively correlated with teachers’ critical thinking skills at a statistically significant level of 0.01 (r = 0.747); and 4) key guidelines for promoting critical thinking skills included encouraging teachers to analyze classroom problems, producing active learning materials, establishing professional learning communities (PLC), and conducting continuous classroom research. In conclusion, strengthening academic administration as a structured and high-quality system is a crucial factor influencing teachers’ paradigm shifts and the genuine development of critical thinking skills.