Quantitative Evaluation of Influential Factors on the Development of Physical Education Research in Iran's Educational System

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the influential factors on the development of research in physical education within Iran's educational system using a structural equation modeling approach.

Methods and Materials: Methodologically, this study was descriptive-correlational in nature. The statistical population consisted of university faculty members, editorial board members of sports science journals, research officials at the Ministry of Education, as well as school sports managers and teachers across the country. The sample size was determined based on the requirements of structural equation modeling and latent variables. Considering the potential dropout of participants, a total of 300 individuals were ultimately selected as the final sample. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling through SPSS version 26 and PLS version 3.

Findings: Based on the analysis results, all dimensions of research development in physical education within the Ministry of Education—including organizational components (β = 0.748), structural components (β = 0.762), procedural components (β = 0.777), and human components (β = 0.820)—had a significant effect on the central phenomenon.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that among these factors, the human component exerts the greatest influence compared to the others. Therefore, enhancing the research knowledge of sports teachers, familiarizing them with research methods in the humanities, achieving proficiency in health and sports-related software, and understanding existing theoretical frameworks in this domain play a key role in improving the development of research in physical education.