A Curriculum management model for developing student competence in the digital age in kindergartens in the network provinces of northern Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of this research article (1) to study the foundational information for developing a curriculum management model aimed at enhancing students' competencies in the digital era within provincial kindergarten schools in Northern Thailand, (2) to construct and validate the model, and (3) to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of the developed model. A mixed-methods approach was employed. The participants included school administrators and staff from the provincial kindergarten school network in Northern Thailand. The research instruments consisted of a questionnaire on curriculum management for developing students' digital-era competencies. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were utilized, and the data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The research was conducted in three phases: (1) studying foundational data and identifying model components, (2) designing and validating the model, and (3) evaluating the model's feasibility and usefulness. The findings were as follows:1. The analysis of foundational data revealed limitations in terms of resources, personnel understanding, and monitoring systems. However, the overall readiness level was high ( 𝑋̅= 4.04, S.D. = 0.49). The highest-scoring dimensions were curriculum planning and curriculum evaluation, whereas curriculum supervision and communication ability were the weakest areas.2. The design and validation phase resulted in the development of the DCCM Model, comprising six key components: (1) model name, (2) objectives, (3) principles, (4) processes, (5) evaluation, and (6) implementation conditions. The validation by experts confirmed a high level of accuracy and appropriateness (𝑋̅ = 4.50, S.D. = 0.32).3. The final evaluation showed that the model was perceived as highly feasible and useful (𝑋̅= 4.64, S.D. = 0.33).