Presenting a Model for Economic Education of Middle School Students Based on the Grounded Theory Approach

Abstract

One of the dimensions of the Transformation Document in education is economic and professional education, which aims to cultivate graduates capable of managing their economic affairs and comprehending personal and societal economic issues. Acquiring economic literacy is essential for students, and secondary education provides a crucial opportunity for economic education. During this period, adolescents' unique talents emerge, their learning capacity and curiosity reach their peak, and new concerns such as selecting an academic major, choosing a profession, managing a household, and adopting ideological and ethical perspectives occupy their minds. This study is applied in terms of its objective and employs a qualitative research method. To design an optimal model for economic education at the lower secondary level, the study utilized the grounded theory approach, incorporating three stages of coding: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Ultimately, 18 core categories and 85 subcategories were identified. The research population consisted of relevant textual sources, including Quranic verses, related exegeses, 193 research articles, 26 master's theses, 7 doctoral dissertations, and 12 books in Persian. To ensure the credibility of the study, semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 experts, including faculty members of Farhangian University and middle school teachers. Sampling was carried out through purposive and snowball techniques until theoretical saturation was achieved. The units of analysis in this research were sentences and words. The findings of the study can be utilized by policymakers, planners, parents, educators, teachers, and other stakeholders in the education sector.