Proposing a Model to Enhance Students' Life Skills:Based on a Mixed-Methods Research

Life skills are essential in most educational systems, as they assist individuals in navigating daily challenges and improving personal and social well-being. This research aims to develop an effective model for enhancing students' life skills.

The research aimed to develop a model using an exploratory mixed-methods approach to enhance students' life skills. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 researchers and experts through purposeful sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. For the quantitative phase, a sample of 424 students was selected from a population of 139,701 at the Islamic Azad University of Tehran in the 2023 academic year, using Cochran's formula and simple random sampling. Qualitative analysis involved inductive content analysis and coding at three levels: open, central, and selective. The quantitative component utilized a researcher-made questionnaire based on qualitative findings. Content validity was assessed by professors, and construct validity was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis. The tool's reliability was determined using composite reliability. Quantitative data were analyzed through factor analysis and structural equation modeling using Smart PLS software.

The qualitative findings revealed that improving students' life skills involved four main dimensions with 14 components. By integrating these findings with prior research and expert insights, an initial conceptual model emerged. These dimensions include the educational environment (supportive structure, intellectual and motivational settings, and supportive rules), professors' characteristics (scientific and practical expertise, and professional interactions), teaching and learning skills (knowledge, specialized skills, general skills, spiritual skills, cognitive skills, and metacognitive skills), and the development of individual skills (personal, thinking, emotional, cognitive, and social skills).

The model for enhancing students' life skills encompasses four dimensions: the educational environment, professors' characteristics, teaching and learning skills, and individual skill development. It is recommended that this model be considered in educational, student, and cultural planning regarding students' life skills.