Abstract

The education system in every country serves as a key pillar of sustainable development, playing a crucial role in training efficient human resources and preparing future generations to face social and economic challenges. In Iran, the Ministry of Education, as one of the most important social institutions, strives to improve learning quality by reforming structures and educational processes to achieve the ideals of the Fundamental Transformation Document of Education. However, teachers, especially novice ones, as the backbone of this system, face numerous challenges that hinder the full realization of educational goals. This research focuses on Urmia to examine the requirements for developing educational skills of novice teachers and provide a comprehensive model to address these challenges.

One of the main challenges for novice teachers in Iran is inadequate preparation for managing multicultural and diverse classrooms. Urmia, with its ethnic and linguistic diversity, presents a clear example of this challenge, where teachers must communicate with students from various cultures and languages. This issue becomes more complex when novice teachers lack practical training in modern teaching methods.

Empirical background in Iran indicates that existing professional development programs are mainly focused on theoretical training and pay less attention to practical and context-based skills. Rostamzadeh & Gholavand (2024) in a study on elementary teachers in Urmia District 1 showed that the lack of coherent professional development programs based on technology and institutional support is the most important barrier to improving teacher performance in the VUCA world. Bamiri et al. (2024), with an entrepreneurial approach, emphasized the need to strengthen creativity-oriented and technology-oriented skills and pointed out a serious gap in Farhangian University programs. Sadeghi et al. (2023) in their research on novice teachers in Tehran identified three components—individual, organizational, and cultural—as the main barriers to empowerment and showed that the lack of a local model is the primary reason for the inefficiency of existing programs. Mozaffari Bisefa (2024) specifically addressed the role of multicultural skills in the success of elementary teachers in Urmia and emphasized that without attention to local context, any professional development program will be ineffective. Internationally, recent studies also emphasize similar gaps. Osiesi & Blignaut (2025) in South Africa found that traditional teacher training programs do not effectively foster 21st-century digital competencies, and this is exacerbated in multicultural contexts. Skytterstad et al. (2025) in a study in Scandinavian countries showed that focusing solely on novice teachers' deficiencies instead of growth opportunities weakens their professional identity and increases attrition rates. Huang et al. (2025) in their meta-analysis of 98 studies in the post-COVID era confirmed that technology-oriented professional development programs are successful only when accompanied by strong organizational support and peer learning networks.

Although numerous studies have been conducted on professional development and enhancing educational skills of novice teachers, particularly emphasizing the role of technology, organizational support, and individual-cultural barriers, there is still a lack of a comprehensive and local model; a model that can simultaneously integrate requirements, multi-layered systemic, cultural, and individual barriers, as well as practical executable solutions in a specific local and multicultural context like Urmia, drawing from the perspectives of university faculty as the primary mentors of novice teachers. This gap is important because without such an integrated local model, professional development programs take on a general, non-regional, and low-impact nature, resulting in the persistence of educational inequality in border and multi-ethnic areas. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to address this gap by designing a pyramidal and dynamic model based on three-stage thematic analysis of the views of Farhangian University faculty in West Azerbaijan. This study, by presenting the first localized model to explain the requirements for developing educational skills of novice teachers in Urmia, where barriers are at the base, essential components in the middle, and practical solutions at the apex, provides a practical framework for local policy-making and reducing burnout and intention to leave among novice teachers. Filling this theoretical and executive gap is important as it enables real localization of professional development programs, increases the effectiveness of investments in Farhangian University, and enhances education quality in multicultural and underprivileged regions of the country.

Methods:The present research is applied in purpose and qualitative in data collection, using thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke's (2006) approach. The research field consists of all faculty members of Farhangian University in West Azerbaijan Province during the academic year 2024-2025. Purposive theoretical sampling was used. Data collection tool was semi-structured interviews. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 individuals, where repetition in information was observed from the eighth interview (theoretical saturation), but for assurance, interviews continued up to 10 experts. Interviews were conducted in person in a calm and suitable environment so that participants could comfortably discuss their experiences, attitudes, and views on the topic. Each interview lasted between 20 to 40 minutes and, with participants' consent, was audio-recorded for accurate transcription and analysis. Before starting the interview, the research objective and data usage were explained to participants, and their informed verbal consent was obtained. Data analysis was performed using the standard method. Data were analyzed using a three-stage process of basic themes, organizing themes, and overarching themes with MAXQDA18 software. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of the findings, criteria for validity and trustworthiness were applied. For validity, which indicates precision and acceptability of results, all interview stages were conducted by the primary researcher, and by using participant feedback method, summaries of analyses were provided to two interviewees, and their confirmation regarding the alignment of results with their experiences was obtained. On the other hand, for trustworthiness, which underlies the stability and replicability of the research process, external review was utilized, during which data coding was performed by an independent researcher, and the significant alignment between their codes and the primary researcher's codes attests to the objectivity and coherence of the analytical method in the present study.

Results: The findings revealed that the requirements for developing novice teachers’ educational skills in Urmia encompass three overarching themes: robust educational foundations (technological knowledge, innovative teaching methods, metacognitive abilities), a professional growth environment (institutional support, collaborative learning culture), and forward-looking teacher identity (adaptability, professional commitment). The barriers to skill development include three overarching themes: systemic and institutional barriers (curriculum rigidity, lack of managerial support), cultural and attitudinal barriers (traditional mindsets, digital literacy deficits), and individual barriers (fear of change, lack of metacognitive skills). Finally, the proposed solutions comprise three overarching themes: future-oriented workshops (creative training, experiential learning), collective intelligence networks (peer collaboration, external partnerships), and empowering inner energies (intrinsic motivation, stress management).