Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives on Life Skills Integration in Thai Teacher Education: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Curriculum Development Needs and Implementation Strategies

Abstract

Teacher education curricula have not systematically integrated life skills development into their programs. This reality became clear through five years of observing pre-service teachers struggling with basic communication and collaboration tasks. Significant gaps persist in communication, critical thinking, decision-making, and collaboration among pre-service teachers across Thailand. This study involved 28 participants across three stakeholder groups: 8 administrators with curriculum oversight responsibilities, 12 faculty members teaching core education courses, and 8 pre-service teachers studying in 2023-2025. Each group brought unique perspectives from diverse experience levels and specializations within Thai teacher education contexts. The study employed qualitative methodology with Reflexive Thematic Analysis as the primary analytical framework, embedded with descriptive quantitative components through semi-structured interviews, open-ended responses, and 5-point Likert scale assessments of seven life skills dimensions. Data collection occurred over one academic semester with systematic protocols documented through audit trails, expert validation (I-CVI/S-CVI ≥ .80), and triangulation across multiple data sources. Communication skills emerged as the highest priority across all stakeholder groups (M = 4.31, SD = 0.62), followed by critical thinking and problem-solving (M = 4.18, SD = 0.67). Financial literacy (M = 3.21, SD = 0.74) and English proficiency (M = 3.34, SD = 0.70) surfaced as supplementary "wants" rather than immediate "needs." Seven interconnected themes emerged from qualitative analysis: communication skills, critical thinking and decision-making, collaboration, self-management and emotional flexibility, practice-based learning, structural barriers, and specific supplementary skills. All stakeholder groups converged on three key implementation principles: integration over addition (embedding skills within existing courses), authentic assessment through projects and portfolios, and practical application in real-world contexts.

Structural barriers including modular curriculum systems, faculty workload constraints, and instructional discontinuity were identified as significant impediments to systematic implementation. This research provides the first comprehensive multi-stakeholder framework for life skills integration in Thai teacher education. The findings offer scalable design principles for project-based, case-based, and experiential learning including simulation learning approaches. These can be adapted across diverse institutional contexts while addressing critical gaps between international competency frameworks and local implementation needs. The multi-stakeholder alignment framework establishes evidence-based guidance for sustainable curriculum transformation that prepares teachers for 21st-century professional demands while honoring local educational cultures and institutional constraints.