Guidelines for Promoting Teacher’s Innovative Thinking Skill under the Jurisdiction of Sukhothai Primary Educational Service Area Office 1

Abstract

This study examined guidelines for promoting innovative thinking skills among teachers under the Office of the Sukhothai Primary Educational Service Area 1. The study was divided into two steps: Step 1: Study teachers’ innovative thinking skills. The sample comprised 291 school administrators and teachers, selected through stratified random sampling based on district. Data were collected via questionnaires and subsequently analyzed for means and standard deviations. Step 2: Identification of guidelines for promoting teachers’ innovative thinking skills. The informants included school administrators and educational supervisors with expertise in school administration or innovation development. Data were gathered through interviews and content analysis. The research findings indicated that: 1) Teachers’ innovative thinking skills were generally rated at a high level, with the highest mean score in cooperation skills and the lowest in out-of-the-box thinking skills. 2) The guidelines for promoting these skills highlighted the need for administrators to develop analytical and data-synthesizing abilities. They should organize workshops focused on high-level questioning techniques, encourage exploring new ideas, and allow freedom for experimentation with diverse teaching approaches. Additionally, there should be a strong emphasis on classroom research, action research, design thinking processes, and innovation creation. Practical training addressing real classroom challenges should be prioritized, along with initiatives for knowledge exchange among teachers and the design of curricula that effectively integrate technology to promote a collaborative work culture.