Identification and Leveling of Factors Influencing Research-Oriented Schools in Lower Secondary Education in Tehran Using Interpretive Structural Modeling
Keywords:
Research-oriented school, interpretive structural modeling, educational management, lower secondary education, research-based learningAbstract
This study aimed to identify and hierarchically structure the key factors influencing the development of research-oriented schools in lower secondary education in Tehran. This applied study adopted a mixed-methods exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 experts in educational management and curriculum planning and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. In the quantitative phase, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis were employed to examine the interrelationships and hierarchical positioning of the identified factors. Data collection instruments included an interview protocol and a researcher-developed questionnaire, and coding reliability was confirmed using the Kappa coefficient. The findings revealed six major factors: managerial, organizational, educational, evaluation, capability, and information dissemination. ISM results indicated that managerial factors had the highest driving power and lowest dependence, whereas information dissemination exhibited the highest dependence and lowest driving power. Accordingly, a five-level structural model was developed, positioning managerial factors at the foundational level and information-related factors at the most dependent level. The results suggest that effective implementation of research-oriented schools requires prioritizing managerial and organizational drivers while systematically reinforcing educational and evaluation mechanisms to institutionalize a sustainable research-based culture in schools.
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