The Needs and Developmental Guidelines for Ethical Leadership of Educational Administrators in Buddhist-Oriented School under the Buriram Primary Educational Service Area Office 1
Abstract:
This study aimed 1) to examine the current situation, desirable conditions, and need for ethical leadership of educational administrators in the Buddhist-oriented schools, 2) to study the guidelines for developing ethical leadership among educational administrators in the Buddhist- oriented schools, and 3) to evaluate the guidelines for developing ethical leadership among educational administrators in the Buddhist-oriented schools. This study was divided into three phases, as follows: Phase I was to study the current situation, desirable conditions, and need for ethical leadership. The samples were 322 school teachers participating in the project of Buddhist- oriented schools under Buriram Primary Educational Service Area Office I during the 2024 academic year. The data were collected using a questionnaire with a 5-rating scale, with reliability ranging from 0.96 for current conditions and 0.96 for desirable conditions with the discrimination index ranged from 0.44-0.80 and 0.32-0.84. Phase 2 was to examine the guidelines for developing ethical leadership. The samples were six experts using a semi-structured interview. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Phase 3 was to evaluate the guidelines for developing ethical leadership among educational administrators in the Buddhist-oriented schools. The samples were 24 educational administrators and teachers who are responsible for the project of Buddhist-oriented schools under Buriram Primary Educational Service Area Office 1. The instrument used to collect the data was an evaluation form with 5-point rating scale assessing suitability and feasibility of the guideline. The statistics employed for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.
The findings revealed that:
1. The overall current condition was at a high level, with the highest mean score in the aspect of respect, while the overall desired condition was at the highest level in which the aspect of respect also received the highest mean score. As for the need, the results can be ranked from the highest to the lowest as: justice, followed by responsibility, honesty, trust, and respect.
2. The guidelines for developing the ethical leadership among educational administrators in Buddhist-oriented schools focused on five key areas: (1) For justice, the administrators should ensure good governance based on transparency, establishing clear evaluation criteria, treating personnel fairly, encouraging participation, and using consultative meetings for the maximum benefit of the schools; (2) In terms of responsibility, making well-informed decisions based on accurate data, applying moral principles of discipline, concentration, and wisdom, and involving personnel in planning and decision-making should be conducted; (3) Regarding honesty, the administrators should avoid personal gain, maintain direct and transparent communication, serve as a role model, and foster teamwork through professional learning communities; (4) As for trust, the administrators can demonstrate through outstanding performance, continuous learning, building good relationships, and encouraging personnel to maximize their potential for collective benefit; and (5) In terms of respect, recognizing differences, allowing inclusive participation in discussions, fostering a family-like working atmosphere, applying the Four Noble Truths in problem-solving, and promoting open dialogue based on ethical friendship should be employed.
3. The suitability and feasibility of the guidelines for developing ethical leadership among educational administrators in Buddhist-oriented schools were rated at the highest level in overall.