M.A. in Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Electronic Campus, Tehran, Iran , mazloumh@iau.ac.ir
Abstract: (64 Views)
Objective: This study aimed to identify the indigenous barriers to implementing participatory curricula and to examine how these barriers relate to cognitive-behavioral motivation, active engagement, and the experience of flow among elementary school students in Zehak County.
Methods: This study employed a qualitative design using a phenomenological approach. The study population included elementary school teachers and principals in Zehak County during the 2024-2025 (1403-1404) academic year. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on the principle of theoretical saturation, resulting in the inclusion of 15 individuals. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: The analysis revealed four major categories of indigenous barriers to participatory curriculum implementation: Physical and climatic barriers, including the effects of the 120-day winds and weak infrastructure, which negatively influenced students’ concentration and flow experience; Cultural and linguistic barriers, such as the mismatch between students’ mother tongue and the language of instruction, as well as parental resistance rooted in traditional beliefs; Professional barriers, including teacher burnout and insufficient skills in curriculum localization; and Managerial barriers, particularly the dominance of quantitative, grade-centered evaluation within the supervisory system. The findings suggested that these barriers undermine students’ active engagement and flow by weakening adaptive cognitive factors such as self-efficacy and motivation.
Conclusions: The findings indicate that successful implementation of participatory curricula in the Zehak region requires moving beyond centralized curriculum models toward a contingency-based and context-sensitive approach to curriculum planning.
Methods: This study employed a qualitative design using a phenomenological approach. The study population included elementary school teachers and principals in Zehak County during the 2024-2025 (1403-1404) academic year. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on the principle of theoretical saturation, resulting in the inclusion of 15 individuals. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: The analysis revealed four major categories of indigenous barriers to participatory curriculum implementation: Physical and climatic barriers, including the effects of the 120-day winds and weak infrastructure, which negatively influenced students’ concentration and flow experience; Cultural and linguistic barriers, such as the mismatch between students’ mother tongue and the language of instruction, as well as parental resistance rooted in traditional beliefs; Professional barriers, including teacher burnout and insufficient skills in curriculum localization; and Managerial barriers, particularly the dominance of quantitative, grade-centered evaluation within the supervisory system. The findings suggested that these barriers undermine students’ active engagement and flow by weakening adaptive cognitive factors such as self-efficacy and motivation.
Conclusions: The findings indicate that successful implementation of participatory curricula in the Zehak region requires moving beyond centralized curriculum models toward a contingency-based and context-sensitive approach to curriculum planning.
Keywords: Participatory Curriculum, Cognitive-Behavioral Motivation, Active Engagement, Flow, Indigenous Obstacles
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Educational Studies
Received: 2025/08/12 | Accepted: 2025/12/15 | Published: 2026/06/1
Received: 2025/08/12 | Accepted: 2025/12/15 | Published: 2026/06/1
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