Development of a Competency Assessment Framework in Teaching Profession: Applying a Mixed Approach

The quality of teacher assessment and selection system is the most strategic element in the success or failure of educational systems. Assessment and selection of value-creating teachers is not achieved by chance and is a function of a set of multiple, multi-level, contingent and integrated factors and dimensions. The first goal of this study was to identify the framework of essential competencies for assessment and selection before entering the teaching profession, and the second phase was to determine the order of importance of these competencies. To answer the research questions, an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. The qualitative part was conducted at the level of conceptual ordering using Grounded Theory method. Participants were chosen from among experienced teachers and subject experts using criterion sampling, and data saturation was achieved after 14 interviews. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed with open coding. After categorizing the findings of the previous phase, with reference to experts and applying the DEMATEL technique stages as one of the methods of group decision-making based on pairwise comparisons, the influence and impact of each criterion were calculated. After analyzing the data in the qualitative phase, 8 factors were identified, including cognitive knowledge, metacognitive knowledge, cognitive ability, metacognitive ability, identity insight, social insight, personal disposition, and interpersonal disposition. The findings of the quantitative phase indicated that the first three factors in order of influence include metacognitive ability, social insight, and interpersonal disposition. The results indicate a wide range of essential competencies required for the teaching profession and highlight the necessity of devising a scientific, evidence-based, and integrated mechanism for accurately assessing such characteristics before entering the teaching profession.