Curriculum Model for Teacher Empowerment with an Emphasis on the Cognitive Flexibility Theory in Lower Secondary Education

Abstract

The present applied research, conducted using a mixed-methods design (qualitative and quantitative), aimed to design a curriculum model based on teacher empowerment with an emphasis on the cognitive flexibility theory in lower secondary schools in Mazandaran Province in 2021. In the qualitative phase, 20 faculty members and experts from Islamic Azad University participated, of whom 15 were selected through purposive sampling based on the principle of saturation. In the quantitative phase, the study population comprised 5,149 teachers employed in lower secondary schools in Mazandaran Province, from which a sample of 358 teachers was determined using Cochran’s formula and selected through two-stage cluster sampling. The Delphi method was employed in the qualitative phase, while in the quantitative phase, a researcher-developed questionnaire on teacher empowerment in curriculum design, incorporating a cognitive flexibility approach, was utilized, containing 62 identified indicators. The validity of the research instrument was confirmed through face, content, and construct validity. The reliability of the instrument was estimated and confirmed using internal consistency via Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. Data analysis was conducted through confirmatory factor analysis using SPSS 21 and PLS 2 software. Regarding the qualitative findings, 15 indicators were identified in the content dimension, with the integrative method (theory and practice) ranking highest in importance. The results further indicated that as teachers become more empowered, their professional status improves, they become more adept at solving problems, and they deliver higher-quality educational performance. Their professional knowledge increases, and they develop latent power through their expertise. This empowerment essentially involves the activation of this latent power, leading to benefits such as enhanced commitment and a stronger sense of belonging to the school.