Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license
Authors
1 Associate Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Neyshabour University, Neyshabour, Iran
2 Associate Professor of Motor Behavior, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of the roles and competencies of physical education teachers in four global development-oriented models (USA, England, Australia, and New Zealand) and compare them with the expectations of Iran's educational system.
Methodology: This qualitative research employed Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis method. The statistical population included official standards and physical education curriculum documents of the five studied countries (England, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, and Iran), which were purposefully selected. The analysis process was carried out in six stages: familiarization with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report.
Results: Data analysis led to the identification of five main themes: (1) transformation of the teacher's role from "instructor" to "learning facilitator"; (2) transformation of expectations from teachers: from mastery of teaching skills to acquiring multidimensional competencies including advanced pedagogy, constructive assessment, educational technology, and inclusive teaching; (3) emphasis on an inclusive and diversity-responsive approach; (4) the teacher's role as a designer of learning experiences; and (5) continuous and reflective professional development. The comparative analysis based on official documents showed that the advanced models differ structurally from Iran's system in five areas: (a) the position of the teacher (facilitator vs. executor), (b) the scope of competencies (multidimensional vs. skill-oriented), (c) the inclusion approach (systematic vs. scattered), (d) professional autonomy (designer vs. implementer), and (e) professional development (continuous and reflective vs. event-based).
Conclusion: Iran's physical education teacher training system, in order to realize the ideals of the Fundamental Reform Document, needs to transition from "general policies" to "operational standards and evaluation indicators." Improving the quality of physical education in Iran requires a targeted evolution from the "curriculum executor" model to the "learning experience designer" model. This evolution must be achieved through developing national competency standards, revising teacher education programs, and establishing a continuous professional development system, while preserving and strengthening the indigenous strengths of Iran's educational system.
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