Analysis of Teachers' Professional Characteristics from the Perspective of Upper Secondary School Students: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Document Type : Original Research

Author

Associate Professor of Organization for Educational Research and Planning (OERP).Tehran، iran.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The objective of this research was to analyze the professional characteristics of teachers from the perspective of upper secondary school students. Methods: The study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, implemented through a sequential exploratory design in two qualitative-quantitative phases. In the qualitative phase, employing purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved, 67 female and 60 male students from upper secondary schools in Tehran province participated in semi-structured interviews. Based on the categories derived from the qualitative phase, a researcher-designed 95-item questionnaire was developed. The content validity of this instrument was confirmed by experts, and its reliability, as assessed by a preliminary administration and calculation of Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.79), demonstrated its validity and consistency. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population comprised upper secondary school students across the country. A multi-stage random sampling method was employed, selecting participants from three geographical regions and 10 provinces, resulting in a sample of 6,047 students who completed the questionnaire. For data analysis, thematic analysis was used in the qualitative phase, while the quantitative phase utilized a one-sample t-test, an independent samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA. Findings: The findings revealed that students perceive teachers' characteristics across three dimensions: general competency, professional competency, and specialized competency. These were further delineated into 13 categories: personality traits; moral and value-based characteristics; belief-related characteristics; communication skills; personal ethics; assessment methods; professional ethics; classroom management; motivational skills; attitudinal traits; specialized knowledge; pedagogical knowledge; and skills. Conclusion: The results indicate that, despite the constraints inherent in the teaching profession, students' perception of teachers is predominantly positive. However, the identification of weaker components serves as a crucial alert for educational policymakers and planners to take preventive measures against the potential exacerbation of these shortcomings. Accordingly, it is recommended to design and implement targeted teacher empowerment programs aimed at reinforcing weak areas and further promoting positive professional characteristics.

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References

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