GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS IN THE DIGITAL AGE THROUGH PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES(PLC) UNDER CHIANG MAI PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE 4

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1) Investigate the current conditions and problems, and 2) Propose guidelines for developing professional teachers in the digital era. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, in which data from two phases were systematically integrated. In the quantitative phase, data were collected using a questionnaire administered to a sample of 50 school administrators and teachers. The findings from this phase were used to identify the most critical problem areas, which were subsequently employed to formulate key issues for in-depth interviews with seven experts in the qualitative phase to explore the underlying causes of the problems. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics for the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data. The results revealed that competencies in digital technology and classroom-based research were at the lowest level of practice and represented the most significant challenges, while the overall condition was at a moderate level, although teachers’ professional spirit and interpersonal relationships were at a high level. These findings reflect that the problematic competencies stem from a lack of practical experience in real situations, and that traditional development approaches are insufficient for improving educational quality in the modern era. Based on these findings, a systematic development approach comprising ten components was synthesized, emphasizing continuity. Key elements include the establishment of participatory supervision mechanisms, the development of digital skills through mentoring and coaching in authentic workplace contexts, and individualized needs assessment to develop an information database. The practical implications for sustainability indicate that educational institutions should shift from individual skill-based training to concrete systemic competency development, driven by professional learning communities and integrated with continuous digital resource support, in order to effectively apply innovations to student development.