Modeling a Responsive Curriculum for the Field of Educational Sciences (Case Study: First-Level Comprehensive Universities in Iran)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to design and validate a responsive curriculum model for the Bachelor of Education degree in first-level comprehensive universities in Iran.
Method: In this study, a sequential exploratory mixed research method was used (qualitative approach of content analysis and quantitative approach of survey). The participants in the qualitative part of the research were faculty members who were experts and experts in the field of curriculum planning and experts in the field of higher education and university planning, of whom 18 people were selected as a purposive sample. Also, the statistical population in the quantitative part included all faculty members of the educational science departments of the first-level comprehensive universities of the country in the academic year 2022-2023, equal to 244 people, of whom 150 were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The data collection tool in the qualitative part was a semi-structured interview, and in the quantitative part, a researcher-made questionnaire. For qualitative data analysis, thematic analysis coding method was used, and for data validation, the King and Harrox method was used. For quantitative data analysis, the statistical method of structural equation modeling using PLS software was used.
Results: The findings of the qualitative section showed that a total of 142 primary codes, 32 basic themes, 11 organizing themes, and 4 overarching themes were identified, including: "Responsive Curriculum Outcomes", "Responsive Curriculum Strategies", "Responsive Curriculum Development Barriers", and "Responsive Curriculum Development Facilitators". The results of the quantitative section showed that the model presented for the curriculum of the Bachelor of Education course in the country's top comprehensive universities includes the components that make up its structure, and therefore the presented model has good validity and fit.
Conclusion: Any action and policy-making to move towards a responsive curriculum requires a systematic and multidimensional view, taking into account all structural, technical, strategic, cultural, and social elements and dimensions.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 17 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 24 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 08 October 2025
  • First Publish Date: 07 January 2026
  • Publish Date: 22 May 2026

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