A Model for Administration of Professional Learning Community to Develop Thai Language Teaching Capacity of Teachers in Schools under the Offices of Primary Education Service Area in Three Southern Border Provinces
Abstract:
The objectives of this research were 1) to study the components of professional learning community administrative
model in developing Thai language teaching capacity of elementary school teachers in three southern border provinces;
2) to develop the professional learning community administrative model in improving Thai language teaching capacity of
elementary school teachers; and 3) to try out and evaluate quality of the professional learning community administrative
model in improving Thai language teaching capacity of elementary school teachers.
The research process comprised three stages: The first stage was the synthesis of components of the model and creation of the preliminary model; the second stage was the verification of appropriateness and feasibility of the
preliminary model by interviewing 17 experts and then developing the first draft of the model, conducting a focus group discussion involving 20 experts and using questionnaires to collect data from 705 school administrators and Thai language teachers at primary education level, and then developing the second draft of the model; and the third stage was the try-out and verification of the second drafted model with 13 primary school administrators and Thai language teachers from two primary schools and then developing the third draft of the model. The employed research instruments were interview forms, a form containing issues for focus group discussion, a questionnaire to assess appropriateness and feasibility of the model, with reliability coefficient of .91, a handbook for using the model, an interview form on
Thai language teaching capacity and behavior of teachers, a questionnaire on the teachers satisfaction, and an interview form on the students satisfaction. Data were analyzed using the frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, and content analysis.
Research findings showed that 1) the developed model for administration of professional learning community to develop Thai language teaching capacity of teachers comprised two main components: (a) the concepts and principles of professional learning community which consisted of six sub-components, namely, shared values and vision, cooperation
of learning-oriented team, cooperative learning and application, distribution of practices, commitment for continuous
improvement, and conditions for supports and creation of relationship; and (b) the process for administration of
professional learning community which comprised four steps, namely, the planning step, the operation step, the verification
step, and the improvement step; 2) the model for administration of professional learning community to develop Thai language teaching capacity of primary school teachers was developed under the above two main components that were related and connected with each other; and 3) regarding the try-out results of the developed model, it was found that model was appropriate, relevant and feasible at the high level; the three components of Thai language teachers teaching capacity, namely, their knowledge and ability of Thai language teaching, their teaching methods and techniques, and their classroom management ability achieved higher level of development; the teachers were satisfied with the model at the highest level; and the students were satisfied with their teachers teaching at the high level.