Enhancing Area-Based Education in Science, Mathematics, and Technology in Surin Province through the Development of Teachers as Learning Facilitators

Abstract

This study aimed to: 1. investigate the professional development needs of school administrators, educational supervisors, and teachers in Surin Province; 2. examine the effects of developing competencies in Facilitator-based learning design management among teachers and educational personnel in Surin Province; 3. explore participants’ satisfaction with the Facilitator-based learning design management program; and 4. identify effective approaches to enhancing professional quality and standards. The population consisted of 150 educational personnel from 70 schools in Surin Province. Using simple random sampling, a sample of 69 participants was selected. The research instruments included a teacher development plan based on four modules of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) curriculum, a professional development needs questionnaire, a competency assessment, a satisfaction questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and a dependent sample T-test. The findings revealed that: 1. participants’ professional development needs were at the highest level, particularly in digital skills and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for educational purposes, followed by academic leadership and emotional intelligence and psychological resilience; 2. teachers who participated in the Facilitator-based learning design management program demonstrated significantly higher competencies after the intervention at the .05 level; 3. overall satisfaction with the program was high across the dimensions of instructors, content, and implementation processes; and 4. key approaches to enhancing the professional quality and standards of teachers in Surin Province include continuous professional development through Professional Learning Communities (PLC), the establishment of a mentoring system to empower exemplary teachers, the integration of technology and AI to support supervision and reflective practices, and the development of a sustainable monitoring system at the school-network level. These approaches are essential for teacher development in the digital era.