“Analyzing Faculty Members’ Lived Experiences and Attitudes Toward Educational Change: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Case Study at Shiraz University”

Document Type : research article

Authors

Educational Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University

10.22080/eps.2025.30277.2377

Abstract

Aim: Educational changes in universities are central to enhancing learning quality and promoting faculty professional development. This study aimed to explore the experiences of faculty members at Shiraz University and assess their cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes toward educational changes.
Methodology: A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed (Edmonds & Kennedy, 2017). The quantitative phase was a descriptive survey involving 162 faculty members selected through stratified random sampling. The Change Recipient Reactions Scale (CRRS; Tsaousis & Vakola, 2018) was used, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data were analyzed using one-sample t-tests in SPSS 21. The qualitative phase adopted a descriptive phenomenological approach, with 11 participants selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results: Quantitative results indicated that faculty members exhibited a positive cognitive attitude toward educational changes, whereas their affective and behavioral attitudes were negative. Qualitative analysis revealed 19 basic themes and 3 organizing themes reflecting faculty members’ cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes. The findings demonstrated that while faculty possess the necessary knowledge and understanding of educational changes, organizational barriers, promotion regulations, and workload pressures negatively influence their emotional engagement and behavioral implementation.
Conclusions and suggestions: The study highlights the need for policies that enhance faculty motivation and emotional involvement, improve organizational structures, foster a change-embracing institutional culture, and revise performance evaluation criteria. Interventions targeting cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions simultaneously are essential to ensure effective and sustainable adoption of educational changes.
Innovation and originality: This study integrates quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive examination of faculty members’ cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes toward educational changes, offering new insights for both research and practice in higher education.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Educational Planning Studies
Volume 14, Issue 28
March 2025
Pages 30-60

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History

  • Receive Date: 13 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 14 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 08 December 2025

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