Higher Education Curriculum Based on Lifelong Education Approach _Qualitative Approach

The goal of this study is attainment of the framework of higher education curriculum based on life-long education approach. This study is qualitative and its method is qualitative collective case study. Analytical approach in codification of the framework is on the basis of restructuring (reconstruction) approach. Potential participants of the study included eight faculty members of academic groups of humanities, applied science, agriculture and animal husbandry, technical and engineering, and art and architecture in Shiraz University that at least once as a member of university curriculum council have participated in this council and five other individuals, were curriculum specialists (curriculum experts) who were selected by judgment sampling method in type of ―criterion‖. In order to analyze the qualitative data, content analysis method (basis, organizer and meaning of learner) using N-Vivo software was applied. The results of study are indicative of existence of 112 base contents, 9 first-level organizer contents according to nine elements of curriculum of Klein (goal, content, learner activity, educational aids (educational materials), teaching-learning strategies, teaching time, teaching space, grouping of learners, and evaluation) and 18 second-level organizer contents. Finally, the network of contents of life-long curriculum in higher education system was designed and its validation was done through validity and reliability techniques and using terangolation.