A Study of Morale in the Work Performance of Teachers at Child Development Centers under Local Administrative Organizations in Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Background and Aims: The study of morale in the work performance of teachers at child development centers under local administrative organizations in Nakhon Ratchasima Province is crucial for improving the quality of education for children in the early stages, which is a key period for developing foundational skills and various aspects of child development. Teachers at child development centers play a vital role in the care and development of children in all areas. When teachers have high morale, it directly affects their work efficiency and contributes to the improvement of the educational quality at child development centers. The researcher, as an educational scholar, recognizes the importance of studying the morale of teachers and is aware of its impact on their performance. The objectives of this research were to: 1) examine the level of morale in the work performance of teachers at child development centers under local administrative organizations in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and 2) compare the morale in their work performance classified by educational qualifications and years of work experience. Methodology: The sample consisted of teachers from child development centers under local administrative organizations in Nakhon Ratchasima Province for the 2024 academic year. The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan's table, and a multi-stage random sampling method was applied, resulting in a total of 311 teachers. The sampling process began with the selection of child development centers categorized by their governing local administrative organizations. Specifically, 35% of the centers were selected, including 53 centers under municipalities and 198 centers under sub-district administrative organizations. From these selected centers, 1–2 teachers per center were randomly chosen using simple random sampling. The research instrument was a five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed using statistical software to compute frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Teacher morale was compared using t-tests and F-tests, revealing statistically significant differences. Consequently, Scheffé’s post hoc test was conducted for pairwise comparisons. Results: 1) The overall morale in the work performance of teachers at child development centers under local administrative organizations in Nakhon Ratchasima was high across all dimensions. The highest mean score was found in career advancement, followed by recognition and work success, while the lowest mean score was in compensation and welfare. 2) When comparing morale based on educational level, no statistically significant differences were observed at the .05 level. However, when classified by years of work experience, teachers with less than five years of experience exhibited significantly higher morale than those with 5–10 years and more than 10 years of experience. Additionally, teachers with 5–10 years of experience demonstrated significantly higher morale than those with more than 10 years of experience at the .05 level. Conclusion: Teachers at child development centers in Nakhon Ratchasima exhibit relatively high levels of work morale, particularly in areas related to career advancement and recognition, which are crucial factors contributing to their work motivation. Additionally, a sense of accomplishment in their professional duties plays a significant role in fostering pride in their work. Compensation and welfare are also important factors that help sustain their morale. Furthermore, work experience influences morale, with teachers who have less than five years of experience generally displaying higher levels of morale compared to those with more extensive experience. This may be attributed to their recent entry into the profession and the enthusiasm they bring to their roles.