LEARNING MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR ENHANCING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AMONG NURSING STUDENTS AT PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN BANGKOK AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) Examine the current state and desired state of learning management administration for enhancing critical thinking skills among nursing students in private higher education institutions in Bangkok and its vicinity; 2) Develop a learning management administration model; and 3) Evaluate the effectiveness of the developed model. A mixed-methods research design was employed. The sample consisted of 281 nursing faculty members from private higher education institutions in Bangkok and its vicinity, determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table at a 5% margin of error, followed by simple random sampling. The key informants comprised 9 nursing administrators, selected through purposive sampling. Research instruments included a semi-structured interview form, a questionnaire, and a model evaluation form. Statistics used in data analysis included mean, standard deviation, and the Priority Needs Index (PNI). The findings revealed that: 1) The current state of learning management administration was at a moderate level, while the desired state was at the highest level, with a Priority Needs Index value of 0.39; 2) The developed model comprised three main components: 2.1) Learning management administration with 20 indicators, 2.2) The learning management process with 27 indicators, and 2.3) Critical thinking skills with 19 indicators; and 3) The expert evaluation of the model indicated that accuracy, appropriateness, utility, and feasibility were all rated at the highest level across every component, demonstrating that the model is suitable for implementation in private higher education institutions to elevate nursing students' critical thinking skills to a higher standard in alignment with the professional competencies required by the contemporary healthcare system.