The Role of Students’ Social Stratification on Their Perception of Transformative Educators

The curriculum goals in Iran are set mostly by ignoring the students as the major stakeholders in education. Many secondary school students are increasingly dissatisfied with lessons, materials and methodology developed for someone else or for no one in particular. There is an urgent need for courses of all kinds to be relevant to students’ needs. This requires taking into account, among other things, students’ social stratification and its possible role on their perception of transformative educators. The main aim of this study is to explore socially stratified students’ perception of transformative educators in Iran. The research questions for this project are developed using the concepts presented in Mezirow’s (1996) transformation theory with the addition of cultural competence. Using data collected through questionnaires administered to 100 secondary students, the finding indicate that transformative educators are important to all students, although low level students are more sensible and want educators to be aware of their cultural and social background. They also want to be taught by educators who value and respect diversity. Additionally, the findings also illustrate that the influence of parent’s occupation and socioeconomic status on students’ perception of certain aspects of transformative educators: reflection, cultural competence and memory are more than family composition and parents' literacy. These findings indicate that students value those educators who use transformative pedagogical methods.