Dimensions and Structure of the Learning Model for New Technologies Based on the Science and Technology Development Document in Iran

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the dimensions and explain the structure of a learning model for new technologies based on the Science and Technology Development Document in Iran. This applied qualitative study was conducted within an interpretivist paradigm using thematic analysis. The study population comprised experts in management, technology, and science and technology policymaking, including university professors and senior managers of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling, and theoretical saturation was achieved after interviews with 15 experts. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to the six stages of thematic analysis: familiarization with the data, generation of initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report. The trustworthiness of the findings was assessed using Guba and Lincoln’s four criteria and member checking. Coding reliability was further confirmed by a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.86. The thematic analysis generated more than 150 basic themes, 35 organizing themes, and six overarching themes. The overarching themes were strategic alignment and macro-level policymaking, individual and skill competencies, psychological and attitudinal factors, pedagogical approaches and learning methods, the enterprise-level organizational ecosystem, and the national ecosystem and technological infrastructure. The conceptual relationships among these themes revealed a multilevel structure extending from macro-level policymaking to individual, pedagogical, organizational, and national ecosystem levels. The findings further indicated that the effectiveness of technology learning at each level depends on its interaction and alignment with the other levels. Learning new technologies in Iran is a multidimensional, multilevel, and context-dependent phenomenon. Its effective development requires alignment between science and technology policies, individual competencies, psychological readiness, innovative learning approaches, organizational learning capacities, and national technological infrastructures. The Science and Technology Development Document can therefore serve as an integrating and guiding framework for coordinating these interconnected levels and facilitating coherent technology-learning processes.