Application of Constructionist Curriculum Elements in Higher Education: A Mixed Method Study (Shiraz University Case Study)

This study aims to investigate the application of constructivist curriculum elements in higher education. The research design is a sequential-explanatory mixed method. The instruments employed in this study include a researcher-made questionnaire as well as observation for the quantitative phase and (narrative and qualitative) observation for the qualitative phase. In the quantitative phase, the population includes all the post graduate students of Shiraz University studying humanities. From this population 302 students are selected as the sample through stratified random sampling. For the quantitative observation, one class is selected from each major (n=46) in the faculties under study. For the qualitative observation, three classes from each facility are selected and two sessions are observed. In the first phase, the validity and reliability of questionnaire is examined before implementation. From descriptive statistics, mean and standard deviation and from inferential statistics, one-sample t-test and independent t-tests are used for the purpose of data analysis. The correlation coefficient of 90% is obtained for the observation which confirms the reliability. The validity of qualitative observation is evaluated through the mastery of subject by the researcher. The results indicate no significant difference regarding the target element, content and teaching-learning strategies. However, evaluation element is lower than the standard level. The results obtained by quantitative confirm the results of the questionnaire. The results of the qualitative observation could explain the features of classes