Components and Indicators of Participation in the Implementation of Quality Assurance of Small Schools Under the Office of the Basic Education Commission

The objectives of this research were to: 1) exploring the components and indicators of stakeholder participation in quality assurance practices of small schools under the supervision of the Basic Education Commission, and 2) evaluating and validating these components and indicators. The research consisted of two phases: 1) conducting a theoretical study that involved reviewing relevant literature, documents, and research studies on participation in the educational assurance process, and 2) conducting a focus group discussion with a qualified panel of 9 individuals to assess and validate the components and indicators. The research instruments included recording forms, assessment forms, audio recording devices, and cameras. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, content analysis, and narrative analysis. The findings of the study revealed the following:


Introduction
The National Education Act of 1999, amended in 2002 and 2010, emphasizes the significance of direct public participation in educational management. This involves active engagement of individuals with a direct stake in educational institutions, including school administrators, teachers, and education personnel, as owners or shareholders of the schools. The Basic Education Commission, acting as representatives of the community, plays a crucial role in guiding and supporting the operations of educational institutions (Sumeth Ngamkanok, 2021). Education serves as a vital mechanism for fostering critical thinking abilities and enhancing the country's competitiveness. The success of organizational management hinges on the significant factor of "people" (Phacharawit, 2022).
To ensure the quality of education, the Ministry of Education has issued the Ministerial Regulation on Quality Assurance of Education, B.E. 2561. This regulation establishes criteria and methods for ensuring quality and provides educational standards for schools to benchmark their development and instill confidence among stakeholders regarding the school's ability to deliver quality education in accordance with these standards. The process of quality assurance within schools is carried out sequentially, encompassing setting educational standards, developing an educational management plan, implementing the plan, evaluating and monitoring internal quality, monitoring outcomes for improvement, and preparing a self-evaluation report for the school (Office of the Basic Education Commission, 2018). Quality assurance in education is a continuous process that can enhance educational quality.
According to the National Education Act, B.E. 2542, and subsequent amendments, Article 45 stipulates that affiliated agencies and schools should establish an internal quality assurance system and consider it an integral part of the educational management process. All schools are required to declare their own educational standards aligned with the basic educational standards and manage education to achieve specified goals. Essential standards that every school must have include the quality of students, encompassing academic performance and desired characteristics, as well as standards for school management and administration to ensure compliance with prescribed standards (Sangsut & Wijitwanna, 2022).
The development of educational quality relies on a collaborative process that involves all relevant parties. It is widely acknowledged that development should pursue economic prosperity while ensuring the active "participation" of the public. Neglecting public participation in the development process can lead to passive involvement, hindering sustainable development. Currently, the development process aims to foster "participation" as a fundamental human right, allowing people to express their opinions in determining development patterns that enhance their quality of life, communities, and localities (Chalard, 2021).
In the management of small schools, efforts are being made to enhance efficiency and adapt to the current context. It has been observed that parents prefer sending their children to high-quality schools, and policies focus on promoting school integration and strategic planning based on the principle of participation. However, the allocated budget for student support often falls short, presenting management challenges. Therefore, management emphasizes participation and provides opportunities for the school-age population to receive basic education (Office of the Basic Education Commission, 2022).
Given the importance of public involvement in educational management, the researchers conducted a study on the components and indicators of participation in quality assurance within small schools affiliated with the Basic Education Commission office. The aim was to provide guidelines for promoting quality assurance in schools and strengthening the standard of internal quality assurance processes in educational institutions. Importantly, the findings from this research should inform the establishment of policies for the continuous development of educational quality throughout the system.

Research Objectives
1) To study the components and indicators of participation in quality assurance of small educational institutions affiliated with the Basic Education Commission office.
2) To evaluate and confirm the components and indicators of participation in quality assurance of small educational institutions affiliated with the Basic Education Commission office.

Concepts and Related Literature
To establish a solid foundation for this current research, the researchers gathered essential data from relevant documents and research works conducted both domestically and internationally. The details are presented as follows: 1) Meaning of Participation: Scholars have explored the meaning of participation, which refers to the collaborative actions of individuals in the development process. It can be categorized into two forms: a) Participation as a means of utilizing the economic and social resources of the community towards pre-established development goals. b) Participation as a goal itself, aiming to foster community activities, instill self-confidence, promote unity, and empower individuals to solve problems together (Chalard, 2021).
2) Characteristics of Participation: Scholars emphasize that the characteristics of participation involve processes related to the concerns, needs, and values of the community, with a particular focus on effective decision-making. The defined boundaries of participation are as follows: a) Community participation influences decision-making determined by organizations or agencies. b) Community participation entails more than just providing information to the public; it involves interactions between organizations and people who desire to participate. c) The participatory process should be deliberate and purposeful, rather than occurring by chance. d) Participants have a meaningful influence on ongoing decision-making processes (Creighton, 2005).
3) Importance of Participation: Scholars discuss the significance of teacher participation in school decision-making across various aspects, such as teacher assessment, staff development, and decision-making processes that shape goals and objectives within schools. Examples include teacher development, assessment, and planning (Conley, 1991). However, empirical evidence on the actual conditions of teacher participation is limited due to relatively limited opportunities. Nonetheless, research findings indicate that teachers are willing to actively participate in various decision-making processes within their organizations (Smylie, 1992).

4)
Steps for Participation: The process of participation in academic management by teachers includes four directions: participation in decision-making, participation in implementation, participation in receiving benefits, and participation in evaluation (Picha & Bunchan, 2565). The steps of participation mentioned by scholars are as follows: Step 1: Participation in decision-making, Step 2: Participation in implementation, Step 3: Participation in receiving benefits, and Step 4: Participation in evaluation (Cohen & Uphoff, 1980). 5) Components of Participation: Scholars mention five components of participation, which include: (1) Participation in decision-making, (2) Participation in thinking, (3) Participation in operation, (4) Participation in evaluation, and (5) Participation in receiving benefits (Phanphaka, 2560). Scholars also discuss the three dimensions of participation, which are as follows: Dimension 1: Types of participation consisting of four components, namely participation in decision-making, participation in operation, participation in receiving benefits, and participation in measurement and evaluation. Dimension 2: Groups of participation, including four groups: residents, local leaders, government officials, and foreigners. Dimension 3: Causes of participation, including (1) Foundations of participation related to the forces that lead to participation from top-down or bottom-up and the forces that promote participation from various sources, (2) Patterns of participation considering organizational patterns, (3) Scope of participation, considering the time frame of involvement, and (4) Effectiveness of participation, considering the empowerment and interaction of relevant characteristics (Cohen & Uphoff, 1980). 6) Quality Assurance in Education: According to the Ministry of Education's announcement on the use of standards for early childhood education, basic education, and special education centers in the year 2018, schools are required to use these standards as guidelines for ensuring internal quality assurance and preparing for external quality assessments. The aim is to ensure that schools can manage education to meet standardized quality. The details of each level's education standards are as follows: (1)

Research Methodology
The research methodologies were designed to address two research questions as outlined below: 1) To investigate the components and indicators of stakeholder involvement in quality assurance activities in small-scale educational institutions under the supervision of the Office of Basic Education Commission, the following steps were implemented: Step 1: Literature Review and Conceptual Study -Examining concepts, theories, and relevant research on stakeholder involvement in quality assurance activities in small-scale educational institutions under the supervision of the Office of Basic Education Commission.
-Exploring the meaning, characteristics, significance, processes, and components of stakeholder involvement.
-Understanding quality assurance in education according to the Ministerial Regulation on Quality Assurance in Basic Education, 2018.
Step 2: Group Discussions -Conducting group discussions with a panel of 9 qualified individuals to validate and confirm the components and indicators of stakeholder involvement in quality assurance activities.
-Coordinating with experts to secure their cooperation.
-Conducting group discussions using a combination of onsite and online methods, such as Google Meet.
-Employing data recording techniques, including note-taking, audio recording, and capturing photographs to document the group discussions.
2) To evaluate and validate the components and indicators of stakeholder involvement in quality assurance activities of small schools under the supervision of the Office of Basic Education Commission, the following processes were implemented: The researcher employed specific methods to collect and analyze data regarding the components and indicators of stakeholder involvement in quality assurance activities of small-scale educational institutions under the Office improvement, and ensuring accountability.
The following paragraphs present the researchers' perspectives on the meanings of each component and indicators of educational assurance involvement.
(1) Strategic Planning Involvement: This component refers to the active participation of stakeholders in determining the operational directions of the organization to achieve its designated goals. Schools must consider their capabilities and external trends to effectively plan for the future. The strategic planning component consists of three indicators: (1.1) Strategy Development: This indicator involves the planning and definition of operational approaches or directions by analyzing the environment and guiding the implementation of the operational plan to lead the organization towards a new image.
(1.2) Environmental Analysis: This indicator focuses on studying the status of the educational institution by analyzing and synthesizing data obtained from studying the internal and external environmental conditions. It aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the school, including factors such as personnel, finances, resources, and management processes.
(1.3) Future Thinking: This indicator emphasizes individuals' ability to think about planning, operational approaches, and problem-solving that may arise in the future.
(2) Decision Making Involvement: This component refers to the active participation of stakeholders in the process of selecting the most suitable options from multiple choices that have been carefully considered or evaluated to achieve the organization's objectives. Decision making is closely related to operational tasks and consists of three indicators: (2.1) Option Generation: This indicator involves the process of developing alternative options based on the organization's policies when faced with a problem. It requires imagination, creativity, and innovation, while considering the feasibility of the options.
(2.2) Reasoning-Based Decision Making: This indicator encompasses the sequential process of problem identification, exploring alternatives, making decisions, and taking action. It involves participants' logical reasoning and deliberation throughout the decision-making process.
(2.3) Decision Directive: This indicator focuses on the process of considering and analyzing alternative options for problem-solving. It includes various steps, such as problem identification, setting the direction for decision making, data collection and analysis, alternative development, and evaluation of options.
These indicators provide a framework for stakeholders' involvement in strategic planning and decision-making processes within small educational institutions under the supervision of the Office of Basic Education Commission.
(3) Operational Involvement: This component refers to the internal drive within an individual's psyche that motivates them to exhibit behaviors aimed at achieving goals or success related to the quality assurance of educational operations in the educational institution. Motivation plays a crucial role in reinforcing individuals' ability to perform work to their fullest potential, leading to efficient and effective performance. Operational involvement consists of two indicators: (3.1) Motivation for Work: This indicator encompasses the basic human needs individuals have in society. It includes physical and social needs, as well as factors that generate motivation for work. These factors, such as policies, governance methods, rewards, success, acceptance, responsibility, and progress in work, contribute to individuals working with dedication, sacrifice, physical and mental exertion, and motivation.  Vol. 12, No. 5;2023 students while they are at school and receiving various services that enhance their physical, emotional, mental, social, and intellectual development. It aims to contribute to their overall quality of life, including aspects such as physical well-being, emotions, social interactions, mental well-being, and the school's internal environment.
(5) Participation in Monitoring and Supervision: This component emphasizes individuals or groups being involved in collecting data, implementing planned projects, and utilizing this data to improve work practices and achieve efficient results. Participation in monitoring and supervision consists of three indicators: (5.1) Planning for Monitoring: This indicator refers to the process in which organizations or units make decisions in advance, set objectives, determine work procedures, and study the current situation, problems, and needs. It involves creating plans, implementing them, monitoring progress, and evaluating outcomes.
(5.2) Data Collection and Analysis: This indicator involves the decision-making process that uses information through various tools such as questionnaires, interviews, and observations. It emphasizes creating appropriate tools for data collection and analysis, utilizing databases, and potentially involving computers in data management tasks such as recording, categorizing, storing, calculating, summarizing, utilizing, restructuring, and disseminating data.
(5.3) Reporting Results: This indicator focuses on analyzing and synthesizing information in an informative manner, presenting the collected data, and utilizing computers in the reporting process. It includes data recording, storage, processing, and generating reports.
2) The evaluation of the components and indicators of participation in quality assurance among the small schools under the supervision of the Basic Education Commission resulted in the following findings.
A Focus Group Discussion involving 9 qualified researchers was conducted to examine and validate the components and indicators of participation in quality assurance among stakeholders of small schools. The expert discussion led to amendments in the following areas: indicators of participation in quality assurance operations of small educational institutions under the Office of the Basic Education Commission  Table 1 shows the level of opinions of experts on the components of participation in the implementation of quality assurance of small schools under the jurisdiction of the Basic Education Commission Based on the findings presented in Tables 1 and 2, the following summary can be made: 1) The expert opinions on the 5 components of participation in quality assurance operations averaged at the highest level (X = 4.80). In a detailed analysis, all components received ratings at the Highest Level, with the following arrangement based on the opinion scores, ranked from the highest to the lowest: average opinion score at the highest level (X = 4.78), Indicator 3.2: Performance in Operation was rated at the highest level (X = 4.67).
Component 4: Participation in Receiving Benefits consisted of 2 indicators and each was rated with the following average scores. Indicator 4.1: Learning resources in the community was rated at the highest level (X = 4.78). Indicator 4.2: Enhancing the quality of learners' lives was rated at the highest level (X = 4.56).
Component 5: Participation in Tracking consisted of 3 indicators: Indicator 5.1: Monitoring Planning was rated with the average opinion at the highest level (X = 4.56). Indicator 5.2: Data collection and analysis was averaged with the experts' opinion at the highest level (X = 4.78), Indicator 5.3: Reporting Result was rated with the average experts' opinion at the highest level (X = 4.67).

Discussion
This research study was about the investigation of components and indicators of participation in educational quality assurance operations of the small schools affiliated to the Office of the Basic Education Commission. The researcher obtained information from the reviewing of documents relating to the principles of educational management participation. Based on this current research, the researchers were able to address the following issues: 1) Meaning of Participation: Participation means a person or a group of people who join together to carry out a certain task to help the schools achieve educational goals Based on the investigation of expert opinions on the components of participation in quality assurance operations of small schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission, it was discovered that all five components received an average score at the highest level (X = 4.80). In a detailed analysis, it was observed that all components had the highest mean scores. The components, ranked from highest to lowest average scores, are as follows: Participation in decision making ( X = 4.89), Participation in receiving benefits ( X = 4.89), Participation in strategic planning (X = 4.78), and the follow-up participation aspect (X = 4.78).
relying solely on the direction of any individual.
In this research, the components and indicators of participation in quality assurance operations among small schools were thoroughly examined. These elements of participation, consisting of 5 components and 13 indicators, were rigorously evaluated and validated by a panel of 9 experts through a focus group discussion. As a result, these elements of participation can serve as valuable guidelines for other small schools to enhance stakeholder engagement. By implementing these guidelines, small schools with limited resources can strive to achieve higher standards in educational development.

Suggestions
1) There should be more research work to investigate the of components and indicators of participation in quality assurance operations in the medium and large school sizes in order to gain all rounded comprehension about the components and indicators for educational participation.
2) Office of the Basic Education Commission should use information technology as a guideline for quality assurance management in its affiliating schools.