A Study of the General Conditions of Educational Administration in Pilot Schools within the Educational Innovation Area, Phuket Province, Primary Education Level under the Office of the Basic Education Commission

Introduced by: Angelica Quinlog

Research Title 

“A Study of the General Conditions of Educational Administration in Pilot Schools within the Educational Innovation Area, Phuket Province, Primary Education Level under the Office of the Basic Education Commission.”

Thipsungnoen, N., Sikkhabandit, S., & Theerawitthayalert, P. (n.d.). A study of the general conditions of educational administration in pilot schools within the educational innovation area, Phuket Province, primary education level under the Office of the Basic Education Commission. North Bangkok University.

1. Research Background

🌱 Why This Study Matters

Educational innovation cannot succeed without effective school administration. While policies and frameworks exist, there has been limited empirical research examining how well pilot schools are actually managing innovation on the ground, particularly in primary schools where foundational learning takes place.

This study addresses that gap by exploring:

• How school administrators manage innovation

• Strengths and challenges in administrative practices

• Areas that need improvement for sustainable educational development

  🧩 The POLC Framework in Education

  The POLC framework originates from Henri Fayol’s classical management theory and remains highly relevant in modern educational contexts:

  • Planning – Setting clear goals aligned with innovation policies and local needs

  • Organizing – Structuring resources, roles, and responsibilities effectively

  • Leading – Inspiring teamwork, participation, and motivation

  • Controlling – Monitoring quality, performance, and continuous improvement

  In innovation areas, this framework is especially valuable because it balances efficiency, flexibility, and adaptability.

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2. Research Objectives

The main objective of the research was to analyze the general conditions of educational administration in pilot primary schools within Phuket’s Educational Innovation Area, focusing on four key management dimensions:

• Planning

• Organizing

• Leading

• Controlling

These dimensions are based on the well-established POLC management framework, widely used in educational administration studies. 

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3. Research Methodology

• Research Design: Descriptive research

• Population & Sample: All 49 pilot primary schools in Phuket Province (census sampling)

• Respondents: School administrators

• Research Instrument:

  • 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire

  • Open-ended questions for additional suggestions

• Data Analysis:

  • Descriptive statistics (mean & standard deviation)

  • Content analysis for qualitative responses

• Instrument Quality:

  • Content validity verified by experts (IOC ≥ 0.5)

  • High reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha ≥ 0.88)

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4. Findings

Overall Administrative Performance

The overall level of educational administration in pilot schools was rated “High.”

Performance by POLC Dimension:

• Leading – Highest level

  • Strong vision

  • Effective motivation

  • Positive teamwork culture

• Planning – High level

• Organizing – High level

• Controlling – High level

This indicates that school administrators are generally managing innovation initiatives effectively, especially in leadership.

Challenges Identified

Despite the positive results, the study also revealed important challenges:

• Limited understanding of sustainable planning

• Heavy administrative workloads

• Lack of specialized innovation skills

• Staff turnover due to transfers

• Insufficient systematic supervision

• Absence of standardized evaluation tools

These issues highlight the need for targeted professional development and systemic support.

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5. Conclusion and Implications

The study concludes that while pilot schools in Phuket demonstrate strong leadership and overall effective administration, Planning, Organizing, and Controlling still require focused improvement.

Key Takeaways:

• Balanced implementation of all POLC dimensions is crucial

• Leadership alone is not enough for sustainable innovation

• Data-driven supervision and standardized tools are urgently needed

These findings provide valuable guidance for:

• School administrators

• Policy makers

• Educational supervisors

• Researchers in educational management

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🌏 Final Thoughts

Educational Innovation Areas represent a bold step toward transforming Thai education. This research offers clear, evidence-based insights into what is working—and what still needs attention—at the school level.

Strengthening administrative capacity through balanced POLC implementation will be key to ensuring that innovation leads to lasting and meaningful educational change, especially for young learners.

Reference 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395798924_A_Study_of_the_General_Conditions_of_Educational_Administration_in_Pilot_Schools_within_the_Educational_Innovation_Area_Phuket_Province_Primary_Education_Level_under_the_Office_of_the_Basic_Education_