Development of a Leadership Model for Students in Thai Higher Education Institutions of Science and Technology

Abstract

Leadership development is becoming a critical issue for Thai higher education system since the lack of leadership skills for Thai graduates particularly in the science and technology discipline raises concerns for all sectors involved including stakeholders who expect to recruit the ones with full range of knowledge and capacities. This study aims at developing a leadership model for students in Thai higher education institutions of science and technology to help develop and prepare students to become competent graduates as well as leaders who could gain success in their future. The objectives of this research are: 1) To identify the expected leadership characteristics and practices of undergraduate students of higher education institutions of science and technology in Thailand, 2) To explore the leadership characteristics and practices of undergraduate students of higher education institutions of science and technology in Thailand, 3) To develop a model with the reference to the needed characteristics of undergraduate students of higher education institutions of science and technology in Thailand.

This research was conducted using both qualitative and quantitative methodology. There were four phases for developing the model as follows: 1) documentary research and interviews, 2) survey procedures, 3) draft model development and 4) model validation. The samples for the interviews were selected by purposive sampling techniques while the samples for the survey were selected by the criteria and proportional stratified sampling method. The Student Leadership Practices Inventory questionnaires by Kouzes and Posner were used as an instrument along with the semi-constructed questions for the interviews. The data analysis was done through the synthesis of the documents, the constant comparative method, the descriptive statistics (means and standard deviation) and the connoisseurship model of evaluation.

The major findings were the essential elements which should be composed in the model. From the results, it showed that students needed to develop these components. They were 1) 2 aspects of values, 2) 8 skills and 3) 5 practices needed to be enhanced. The findings also proposed three factors influencing leadership development including opportunity, motivation and engagement. From the characteristics found in the findings, it guided how to construct the model. The final model was created in form of multilayer circle representing all components that must be enhanced to achieve the goal of the model. With the consent of the focus group experts on the model validation, the model for developing leadership for students in Thai higher education institutions of science and technology was complete and supplemented with the constructed course to apply the model as an implementation to help develop students potentially to become competent leaders in the future.