Factors affecting safety in digital age educational institutions under the Phetchaburi Primary Educational Service Area 2

Abstract

Background and Aims: In the digital age, rapid technological shifts present both opportunities and emerging threats to students, such as cyber risks and fake news. In response, the Thai government and the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) have implemented policies like ICT 2020 and the 2024 safety focus areas to strengthen digital infrastructure and ensure school security. This research aims to: 1) assess the levels of factors affecting school safety in the digital age under Phetchaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 2; 2) evaluate current school safety levels; and 3) examine the relationship between these administrative factors and digital-age school safety within the specified jurisdiction.

Methodology: This study employs a quantitative research design. The sample consisted of 278 participants, including 29 administrators and 249 teachers under Phetchaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 2 during the 2024 academic year, selected through stratified random sampling.

1. Research Instruments: The data collection tool was a three-part questionnaire developed by the researcher:

                        Part 1: General information checklist (Gender, Age, Work Experience, and Educational Attainment).

                        Part 2: A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire on factors affecting school safety, covering six dimensions: 1) Personnel, 2) Budget, 3) Safety Management Process, 4) Tools and Equipment, 5) Technological Advancement, and 6) Technology.

                        Part 3: A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire on school safety in the digital age, covering six dimensions: 1) Accident Prevention and Resolution, 2) Disaster Prevention and Resolution, 3) Social Problem Prevention and Resolution, 4) Student Health and Hygiene Protection, 5) School Environmental Safety, and 6) Technological Safety.

1. Quality Assurance of Instruments: The instruments underwent standard validation processes: 1) Content Validity, assessed by three experts using the Index of Item Objective Congruence (IOC), with all selected items scoring 0.5 or higher; and 2) Reliability, tested through a try-out with 30 non-sample administrators and teachers. The Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient was 0.937, indicating high reliability for data collection.
2. Data Analysis and Statistics: Data were analyzed using statistical software as follows:

                        Descriptive Statistics: Frequency and Percentage for general status; Mean () and Standard Deviation (S.D.) for assessing the levels of safety factors and school safety.

                        Inferential Statistics: Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient to examine relationships between factors and safety levels; Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis to determine the predictive power of various factors. Multicollinearity was checked using Tolerance and Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) values to ensure statistical accuracy and adherence to assumptions.

Results: The findings regarding the factors affecting school safety in the digital age under Phetchaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 2 are summarized as follows:

1. Levels of Factors Affecting Safety: Overall, all factors were rated at a high level ( = 4.11, S.D.=0.25) reflecting that educational institutions strongly emphasize various supporting factors in establishing safety.
2. Levels of School Safety in the Digital Age: Overall safety was at a high level ( = 4.10, S.D.=0.35) When considering individual dimensions, Disaster Prevention and Resolution had the highest mean, followed by Social Problem Prevention and Resolution. Conversely, Accident Prevention and Resolution had the lowest mean, although all dimensions remained at a high level.
3. Predictive Factors of Safety: The Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis revealed that three factors significantly and collectively predicted school safety in the digital age at a statistical significance level of .001. These factors include Budget (X₂), Safety Management Process (X₃), and Tools and Equipment (X₄). Together, they accounted for 55.50% of the variance in school safety (R² = 0.555) 

             3.1 Budget (X₂) was the most influential factor affecting safety (β = 0.732)

             3.2 The predictive equation in standardized score form is as follows:

                        tot =0.732(Z₂​) + 0.309(Z₃​) + 0.268(Z₄​)

Conclusion: The study on factors affecting school safety in the digital age under Phetchaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 2 yields the following key conclusions:

1. Safety Supporting Factors: Overall, these factors were at a high level ( = 4.11). Personnel had the highest mean, followed by the Safety Management Process and Budget, respectively. This reflects that personnel and administrative management are the primary mechanisms driving school safety.
2. Level of School Safety: Overall safety was at a high level ( = 4.10) The highest-rated dimension was "Disaster Prevention and Resolution," followed by "Social Problem Prevention and Resolution." This indicates that educational institutions have implemented comprehensive measures across all dimensions to address challenges in the digital age.
3. Predictive Factors: Three key factors significantly and collectively predicted school safety at a statistical significance level of .001: Budget (X₂), Safety Management Process (X₃), and Tools and Equipment (X₄).

             3.1 These three factors together explained 55.50% of the variance in school safety.

             3.2 Budget was the most influential factor affecting safety (β = 0.732)

             3.3 The predictive equation is: tot =0.732(Z₂​) +0.309(Z₃​) + 0.268(Z₄​)