Developing a Meaning-Oriented Educational Program Based on High School Students’ Lived Experiences: Effects on Academic Meaning, Procrastination, and Self-Efficacy
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Objective: This study aimed to design a meaning-oriented educational package based on the lived experiences of 12th-grade students and assess its effectiveness in enhancing academic meaning, reducing academic procrastination, and improving academic self-efficacy.
Methods and Materials: The study followed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, 12 male students in Tehran were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed using a phenomenological approach to identify components of meaningful learning. In the quantitative phase, a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group and a 3-month follow-up was implemented. A total of 30 male students were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (n=15 each). Instruments included the Academic Meaning Questionnaire (Henderson-King & Smith), the Academic Procrastination Scale (Solomon & Rothblum), and the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (Owen & Froman). The intervention comprised 12 structured sessions developed based on qualitative findings. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests.
Findings: The meaning-oriented educational package significantly improved academic self-efficacy (η² = 0.60), academic meaning (η² = 0.58), and reduced academic procrastination (η² = 0.53) in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). These improvements remained stable at the 3-month follow-up. Qualitative analysis revealed five key themes: learning purpose, teaching strategies, learning strategies, curriculum content, and educational challenges.
Conclusion: Integrating meaning-centered strategies into educational programs can enhance students’ motivation and engagement by fostering purposeful learning, reducing procrastination, and strengthening self-efficacy. This model may serve as a replicable intervention in broader educational contexts.
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