The Guidelines for Conflict Management in School for School Administrators in Pa Daet Sub-district, Mae Suai, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were: to investigate the roots of conflict in the school in Pa Daet Sub-district, Mae Suai District, Chiang Rai Province based on 5 roots following Moore Framework. And to examine the conflict management behaviors in school of the school administrators in Pa Daet Sub-district, Mae Suai District, Chiang Rai Province based on 5 Methods following Howat & London Framework. The population was 140 participants including school administrators and teacherscategorized by gender, age, education, position, and working experience. The research instrument was questionnaire investigating opinion on the roots of conflict in the school. The data was analyzed by mean and standard deviation. And, to propose the conflict management guidelines in the school for school administrators. There were 8 specialist informants recruited by purposive sampling that were specialists in educational administration holding master degree and higher and experience school administration. The research instrument was structured interview. The data was analyzed by content analysis. The findings revealed that: 1. The root of conflict in the school, in overall, was found at the moderate level. The individual aspects analysis indicated that the aspect holding the highest mean was Information and followed by Value, Benefits, and Relationship respectively. The aspect holding the lowest mean was Structure. 2.The conflict management behavior of school administrators, in overall, was found at the moderate level. The individual aspects analysis indicated that the aspect holding the highest mean was compromising method, followed by reconciliation, confrontation, and avoidance respectively. The aspect holding the lowest mean was enforcement. 3. The conflict management guidelines in school for school administrators in Pa Daet Sub-district, Mae Suai District, Chiang Rai Province means most accepted was compromising method by using convincing negotiation in order to maintain good attitude among conflicting parties, allow conflicting parties to negotiate to understand the thoughts of the other side for reconciliation on the disagreed issue, and seek the solution together with the lowest negative effect on each other. The conflict management guidelines for school administrator should begin from investigating the root of conflict and deal with the issue appropriately and quickly without ignoring or neglecting in order to prevent escalation of worse situation. The remedy towards the problem must concur with the school’s context and should not use feeling in dealing with the conflict but theory and knowledge in conflict management should be systematically used in fixing the conflict in the school