Curriculum Studies in Teacher Education & Development

Curriculum Studies in Teacher Education & Development

Reflection on the Single-Sex University in Iran's Teacher Education System: A Phenomenological Study

Document Type : Original Article

Author
PhD in Curriculum Planning, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to survey the lived experiences of professors in the Iranian teacher education system regarding the characteristics of single-sex universities. The research method was based on a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenological method. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the research data. Regarding the first research question, with the aim of analyzing the challenges and consequences of single-sex universities, twelve general themes were placed in four central dimensions, including social challenges, educational challenges, cultural challenges, and structural challenges. Regarding the second research question, with the aim of explaining the opportunities of single-sex universities, six general themes were surveyed in the form of two central dimensions, moral-psychological and context-oriented. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that in facing the challenges and consequences of the single-gender teacher education system, flexible policies should be formed that will lead to a new orientation towards the teacher education system and reduce the reductionist view of the identity of student teachers. If the existing practice of gender segregation continues and its issues are ignored, it will lead to gender biases and inefficiency in the teacher education
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