Learning to Be: Teachers’ Competences and Practical Solutions: A Step Towards Sustainable Development

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the present study is to determine teachers’ professional competences in “learning to be” and provide practical solutions for its realization. The research employed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design and was conducted through two qualitative and quantitative methods. The population of the qualitative research consisted of educational experts, among whom 20 participants were selected through the purposive sampling technique after conducting interviews and data saturation. The population of the quantitative research included high school teachers in districts 2 and 3 of Isfahan among whom 217 holding MA, MSc, and PhD. degrees were selected via purposive sampling technique. In the qualitative section, the data collection instrument was semi-structured interview, and in the quantitative section, a 14-subscale researcher-made Teacher Professional Competences Questionnaire. Findings of the qualitative section were categorized into teachers’ cognitive competences, educational and managerial skills, and scientific, attitudinal, skill, behavioral, and general competences. From teachers’ viewpoints, the most important competences in “learning to be” was their ability to develop self-esteem and self-confidence in students, ability to increase personal skills such as self-awareness and self-belief in students, and their ability to guide students to determine the valuable goals for their lives. There was a consensus among views of experts and teachers about professional competences. There were no differences in the teachers’ opinions regarding the demographic characteristics of professional competences. Practical solutions of this learning approach were categorized by educational experts into solutions related to teacher education strategies, educational-training modalities, and the involvement of effective factors.