Identify and ranking the main components of the curriculum of college students

In order to introduce a new branch of curriculum, called “Curriculum of college students”, the present research has been accomplished in both practical and analytic approaches. The study type is basic research, in terms of approach it is analytical and also an exploratory mixed-type projects in which one qualitative and one quantitative techniques were utilized. Performing open-ended interviews with some experts in the field of “Education & Learning Programming” at university of Tehran, the 3-stages Strauss and Corbin method was used in qualitative part based on grounded Theory method. The Friedman test also was used in quantitative section by means of some questionnaires, filled out by graduated students. As a very first result, it was revealed that “Curriculum of college students” should be composed on the basis of four main criteria: (1) Features of the curriculum (overt and covert); (2) The main components (college student, faculty and university as an organization); (3) Stages of formation (basic factors and motivating factors, i.e. triggers); and (4) The obstacles and challenges through the formation.
Also the students related factors in descending order were introduced as psychological, motivational, metacognition, social and skillful components. As a considerable result of this analysis, one could say “Curriculum of college students” clearly declares the student active role in the orientation and goal setting on the path for themselves as a continuing process