Electronic learning- virtual
M. Rabbani; M. Keramaty; K. Salehi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The growth of communication technologies, the expansion of the use of electronic devices and the widespread use of the Internet have affected various aspects of human life. Education, teaching and learning, which are an important aspect of people's lives and an unobtrusive ...
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Background and Objectives: The growth of communication technologies, the expansion of the use of electronic devices and the widespread use of the Internet have affected various aspects of human life. Education, teaching and learning, which are an important aspect of people's lives and an unobtrusive discussion at various social levels, has been greatly influenced by these developments and has grown with the growth of technology. Despite extensive research on the benefits and potentials of Cooperative Learning, its implementation has remained challenging. In line with this research gap at the international and national levels, it seems that identifying solutions to implement this approach in the online environment is a basic necessity. This research gap led the researchers to study the challenges and strategies for implementing the Cooperative Learning approach in Iran with an emphasis on the field of educational management with a small sample. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the challenges and strategies of Cooperative Learning in the online environment.Methods: This research was based on a qualitative approach and was carried out using a descriptive phenomenology method. The field of research is the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of Tehran University and the participants were faculty members working in three groups related to the fields of educational sciences. Sampling method was purposeful and criteria-oriented by determining three criteria: 1. they have participated in cooperative research workshops or are familiar with this approach, 2. they have used this approach in their classroom in a practical way, however little and incompletely, 3. they have taught in both face-to-face and online environments. The sample consisted of 22 people. The data analysis was done with the Colaizzi’s method and the use of Atlas-ti qualitative analysis software. In order to further validate the findings of the research, five visiting professors of the university were also interviewed.Findings: The data analysis was categorized in two dimensions: challenges and solutions to facilitate the cooperative learning process in the online environment. As for the challenges, four themes of facilities, environment, implementation and achievements and 22 sub-themes were identified and categorized; in the challenges related to the limitation of facilities, there were themes including the structural complexities of the electronic space, internet disorders, the online environment and the lack of a proper educational platform; in the challenges related to environmental restrictions, there were themes including the reduction of opportunities for face-to-face interaction, the impossibility of continuous monitoring; in the challenges related to implementation limitations, there were cases including insufficient technical skills, low media literacy, inability to enrich life skills training opportunities, limitation of opportunities for creativity, negative attitude towards the electronic space; Also there were issues related to collaborative group including different schedule of group members, misunderstanding in communication, participation, work report, lack of agreement among members regarding means of communication and difficulty in group decision-making; and in the challenges related to achievement limitations, some themes were identified including encouraging superficial learning, creating the background for the occurrence of physical problems, especially eye problems, and reducing enthusiasm in the classroom. With regard to the solutions to facilitate the cooperative learning process in the online environment, 8 themes including solutions related to the online class (including 7 sub-themes of quick response, inability to teach life skills, attendance and absence, establishing face-to-face communication, creating an atmosphere based on honesty weekly group and individual report and expression of feelings), strengthening internet and broadband infrastructure, easy access of professors and students to the internet, holding online classes in times of low network traffic, using various platforms for learning, teaching how to use technical tools to professors and students, using teaching assistant, use of new technologies for learning were identified and classified.Conclusion: The results indicated that this approach in classrooms, especially in online classrooms, is not only incompletely and very little implemented, but its implementation is facing a wide range of challenges. Considering the strong theoretical support of cooperative learning, its limited implementation in Iran and the identified challenges are thought-provoking and worthy of further investigation. It is clear that most of the identified challenges are not related to the nature and capacities of electronic platforms and are mainly caused by reasons such as incomplete implementation and the inability to act effectively in online environments. It is suggested that in curriculum planning, a special position should be given to wide culturalization regarding the benefits and advantages, disadvantages and threats of cooperative learning in general and online cooperative learning in particular at the level of schools and universities and among managers and students, and especially, teachers and professors.
Modern Educational Approaches
Z. Abolhasani; M. Dehghani; M. Javadipour; K. Salehi; N. Mohammadhasani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Design thinking is a participatory problem-solving method with a human-centered approach that enhances innovation by enhancing learners' creative thinking abilities. Although design thinking has become an integral part of design and engineering as well as business, it can have ...
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Background and Objectives: Design thinking is a participatory problem-solving method with a human-centered approach that enhances innovation by enhancing learners' creative thinking abilities. Although design thinking has become an integral part of design and engineering as well as business, it can have a positive impact on the 21st century education in other fields, too. Using design thinking in educational settings, students read, think, and reason logically and can solve complex problems. However, there are several definitions of design thinking, as many authors have stated that there is no fixed universal definition of design thinking. Therefore, it seems necessary to try to understand and demystify design thinking. In this regard, the purpose of this study researchis to analyze the concept of design thinking and study the models of design thinking and definitions of the 21st century skills as well as the role of design thinking on the 21st century skills by systematic collecting, evaluating and reviewing the related articles on this topic.Methods: In this study, searches were performed in the databases of Eric, ScienceDirect, Taylor and Francis, Springer, and Google Scholar, and all articles indexed in their databases from 2000 to 2020 were collected in English. After searching the databases, the relevant articles were selected and evaluated according to the CASP evaluation criteria. After reading the abstracts and the initial review and removal of irrelevant articles, the full version of 83 articles was prepared and reviewed. Then, among the available articles, the relevant ones were selected and evaluated for detailed evaluation based on CASP evaluation criteria.Also, in the manual search that was done through the sources of articles, according to the nature of design thinking, 3 reference sites were added to present the model and 3 books and 2 websites were added for the skills of the 21st century. Finally, 54 articles, books and websites were selected for detailed study.Findings: According to the obtained/aforementioned studies, they were categorized in four groups: 1- Articles that have explained the skills of the 21st century. 2- Articles that have offered a new definition of design thinking. 3- Articles that have presented new models of design thinking. 4- Articles that have used the models in implementing the design and improving the skills of the 21st century. Given the results, despite the similarities and connections that can be identified in the context of 21st century skills, different terms and definitions are often used to describe a skill or a set of skills that cause ambiguity and confusion. In this regard, the skills that are mentioned in all frameworks are as follows: cooperation and communication; ICT literacy; social skills; creativity; critical thinking; problem solving, production of quality products and productivity. The results of the studies also showed that the implementation of design thinking leads to strengthening problem-solving skills, innovation and creativity, and the skill of using integrated thinking. Continuing the implementation of design thinking along with empathy, cooperation, teamwork leads to self-confidence and value of the learner.Conclusion: According to the research results, in general, it can be said that today's society needs to educate a generation equipped with the 21st century skills to advance the high goals of the society, so paying attention to creating the necessary conditions for the implementation of design thinking plays a unique role in raising a productive generation.
e-learning
S. M. Seyedaliyan; K. Salehi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Knowledge and skill in mathematics are considered as one of the most essential individual skills for living in modern societies. For this reason, mathematics is seen as a major discipline in education. One of the problems in the field of education today is the decrease in students' ...
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Background and Objectives: Knowledge and skill in mathematics are considered as one of the most essential individual skills for living in modern societies. For this reason, mathematics is seen as a major discipline in education. One of the problems in the field of education today is the decrease in students' interest in learning, especially in subjects such as mathematics. Despite its wide range of applications, mathematics and mathematical thinking are considered as complex around the world, and teaching mathematics is often a difficult task. Many students avoid mathematics or show their true ability in mathematics less than usual, so the study of factors affecting the learning of mathematics in recent decades has attracted the attention of many experts and educators. Due to the lack of studies in our country Iran and the importance of educational materials and their effects, making a comparison between traditional teaching method and the method based on the use of technology and teaching aids was necessary to examine its impact on improving the learning of math students in high school. Therefore, the main hypothesis of this study is based on the principle that the use of teaching aids is effective in learning mathematics better.Methods: For this purpose, a study with a quantitative approach, using quasi-experimental method and pre-test-post-test design with a control group was used. The statistical population includes all high school students in Mahdi Shahr city from Semnan province .Thrity-three female students in grade 12 whose field of study was mathematics were selected and assigned randomly into two experimental and controlled groups. Data collection was done using a teacher-made achievement test with validity and reliability considerations. After validation of the intervention protocol, the training program was performed on the experimental group in 12 sessions of 2 hours per week using teaching aids.Findings: Multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA & ANCOVA) were used to analyze the data. The results showed that teaching mathematics with the help of teaching aids and using information technology had a significant effect on students' learning rate. The groups were almost identical before applying the independent variable, but after the experimental period, there was a significant difference between their scores which could be related to the teaching method (p<0.05). The squared value of the obtained ETA shows that 71% of the variance of the dependent variable is derived from the independent variable. Supplementary studies showed that at the level of individual courses, the difference related to the topics of conic sections and circles is significant (p < 0.01). This means that the post-test scores of conical and circular sections in the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group, which indicates the positive effect of the intervention program. Also, according to the ETA squared scores, it can be said that in the test of conical sections 29% and in the test of circle 66% of the changes are due to the effect of the teaching program with the help of teaching aids and information technology.Conclusions: Overall, the findings showed that teaching with the help of ICTs can improve the learning process and achievement in mathematics by facilitating the transfer of lessons, improving the learning process and its sustainability, enhancing learning motivation, improving the grades and problem-solving skills. This program can be used as a useful and effective intervention for improving the learning of mathematics.
Electronic learning- virtual
M. Ghorbankhani; K. Salehi
Abstract
Professors and trainers are the main pillars of the teaching-learning process who play an undeniable role in improving the quality of the educational system. The present study was conducted to identify the characteristics of successful instructors of virtual education. For this purpose, phenomenological ...
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Professors and trainers are the main pillars of the teaching-learning process who play an undeniable role in improving the quality of the educational system. The present study was conducted to identify the characteristics of successful instructors of virtual education. For this purpose, phenomenological method was used to identify and delineate the depth of the phenomenon under the study. Data from 14 semi-structured interviews with students and professors of the University of Tehran were gathered and analyzed. Data analysis was conducted based on Colaizzi's strategy. Analysis of the data from the interviews itenfited four main categories including: electronic skills, educational features, researchist features and moral characteristics and behavior. The findings showed that effective teaching in virtual education requires special capabilites and the current status is far from the ideal situation.
