The Roles and Competencies of Teacher Facilitators in the Participatory School Space Design Process: A Focus Group Interview Study

Purpose: This study explored the specific roles of teacher facilitators in the user-participatory design process for school space innovation, and identified the essential competencies required. Based on these findings, a prototype curriculum for competency-based training is proposed. Methods: A literature review on school space innovation and facilitation was conducted, followed by qualitative research using Focus Group Interviews (FGIs). Fourteen participants - including teachers, architects, and policy officials - shared their experiences in participatory school design. Transcripts were open-coded and thematically analyzed, and the resulting competencies were validated through expert review. Results: The analysis showed that teacher-facilitators in school space innovation are structured into three roles - Educational Space Integrator, Participatory Space User, and Educational Process Facilitator. Their competencies were organized into five domains: attitude, communication, skills, knowledge, and management. The study provides empirical evidence of these role-competency linkages as a basis for standardized training and collaborative model design. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of clearly defining the unique roles and core competencies of teacher facilitators to ensure the successful implementation of user-participatory school space innovation. It further recommends the systematic integration of these competencies into teacher training curricula. The proposed competency framework and curriculum model are expected to serve as a practical foundation for future teacher professional development and education policy planning.