Designing and Validating the Cultural Education Framework for Student Teachers Based on the Six Areas of the Transformation Document

Abstract

This study aimed to design and validate the cultural education framework for student teachers based on the six areas of the Transformation Document. The research was applied in purpose and utilized a sequential exploratory mixed-method design with both qualitative and quantitative components. In the qualitative phase, the dimensions of the proposed framework were extracted using grounded theory through interviews. In the quantitative phase, the validation of the paradigmatic model was examined in two steps: first, using the fuzzy Delphi method; and second, using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach with partial least squares (PLS) methodology via the PLS-3 software. The qualitative research population included faculty members from the Farhangian University of Khorasan Razavi Province, and the quantitative population comprised all faculty members of Farhangian University in the same province. In the qualitative phase, purposive sampling was employed, and based on theoretical saturation, 12 participants were selected. In the quantitative phase, based on Cochran’s formula, 320 participants were selected using random sampling. The research tools included a semi-structured interview in the qualitative phase to explore the experiences, views, and knowledge of experts, and a researcher-developed questionnaire in the quantitative phase, designed based on criteria extracted from the qualitative phase, to collect data related to the cultural education framework for student teachers aligned with the six areas of the Transformation Document. The validity of the questionnaire in the qualitative phase was established through face and content validity, and its reliability was assessed using repeatability and stability indices (0.81). In the quantitative phase, face validity, content validity (0.74), and construct validity were confirmed, and reliability was determined through Cronbach’s alpha, ranging from 0.73 to 0.80 for the questionnaire components. The qualitative findings identified causal, contextual, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences of the paradigmatic model for the cultural education of student teachers, based on the six areas of the Transformation Document. Fuzzy Delphi results indicated that all concepts related to the paradigmatic model of cultural education for student teachers had an acceptance threshold above 0.7, and the identified components for the paradigmatic model were confirmed. Finally, to assess the proposed research model, the structural equation modeling approach using the partial least squares method via PLS-3 software was employed. The results demonstrated the overall goodness-of-fit of the model, with both the structural and measurement models showing adequate quality in explaining the research variables. It can be concluded that enhancing cultural education in student teachers can be achieved through the promotion of religious education, economic education, scientific education, social education, physical education, and artistic education.