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.
Books evaluation
Z. Abolhasani; M. Dehghani
Abstract
Background and ObjectiveS: The field of training and learning of work and technology is one of the eleven areas included in the national curriculum and includes the acquisition of practical skills for a productive life and the acquisition of competencies related to technology related sciences. One of ...
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Background and ObjectiveS: The field of training and learning of work and technology is one of the eleven areas included in the national curriculum and includes the acquisition of practical skills for a productive life and the acquisition of competencies related to technology related sciences. One of the main foundations of curriculum reform in the 20th century is the trend of increasing technology education. These competencies are essential for technological education and healthy life in the cyberspace, as well as readiness to enter professions and jobs in various economic and social sectors. According to Islamic teachings, work and employment have educational values and through work, human polishes their existential personality, establishes their identity and prepares the ground for their existential development and the possibility of earning a lawful livelihood and provides to meet the needs of the community. Another step in developing minimum skills is teaching design and technology in schools. Technology education, work and skills training will lead to personal development, increase productivity, participation in social and economic life, reduce poverty, and increase income and development. It should be noted that pathology is a systematic process of data collection in order to interact effectively and usefully in order to solve problems, challenges, pressures and environmental constraints in society. In fact, the pathology of the work and technology curriculum can help in determining hindrances, weaknesses and strengths, and challenges and opportunities and proposing suitable strategies. Also, warranting the quality in work and technology education is amongst the top priorities to develop the related curriculum, job selection and applied disciplines. If the quality of the curriculum of work and technology is not examined systematically, the entrepreneurship that is the top need of the country is not developed. The purpose of this study is to identify the damages in the implementation of the technology curriculum. Methods: This research is qualitative and phenomenological. This research was performed using a participatory observation tool and a semi-structured interview. The statistical society of this study was all Technology teachers and all students in secondary school in Baharestan city. Twenty of teachers were selected through available sampling, 80 of students were selected through accessible sampling and group interviews were conducted in groups of 6 to 8 people. Then the text of the interviews was analyzed in a 7-step manner. Findings: The findings of the research showed that from the perspective of teachers of technology education, five categories of "constraints, social factors, structural inadequacy, motivating strategies and curriculum planning" and ten sub-themes and from the perspective of students’ three categories of "social factors, motivational strategies and curriculum planning" and eleven sub-themes are vulnerable. Conclusion: There are many problems and damages from the point of view of teachers and students, for implementation of Technology Curriculum; Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the conditions for the implementation of efficient methods of Technology curriculum, as it plays an essential role in generating entrepreneurial generation. Therefore, policy makers and educators need to pay more attention to the proper implementation of this curriculum. Policymakers and educators should pay more attention to the proper implementation of this curriculum. In line with this research, the following practical suggestions are presented: in-service courses should be held for teachers regarding the complete training of skills and modules; necessary funds should be awarded to fully equip the schools with the necessary facilities to carry out activities; the content of the curriculum should be revised according to the needs of the students and the facilities of the school in order to provide the necessary context for communication with the real life of the students; a clear framework and criteria for student evaluation should be established.
Teacher Education
Z. Abolhasani; M. Javadipour
Abstract
Background and Objective:Instructors are one of the main pillars of teaching-learning process that play an undeniable role in improving the quality or disqualifying the educational system. UNESCO sees education as the key to the development of societies and a path that empowers individuals to ...
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Background and Objective:Instructors are one of the main pillars of teaching-learning process that play an undeniable role in improving the quality or disqualifying the educational system. UNESCO sees education as the key to the development of societies and a path that empowers individuals to realize competencies and increase control over the decisions that affect them. However, in order to teach and create sustainable learning, teachers in the education system must have a set of knowledge and skills that are called professional knowledge or professional competencies of the teacher (teacher competencies); at the same time, training capable students is one of the concerns of the education system. In order to have professional and entrepreneurial people, they must be properly and scientifically trained in schools so that they can play their role in the labor market and society properly. This requires improving teaching methods and increasing the skills of teachers. Given that countless people are studying and wanting to do a good job, governments and most likely the people hold the education system, especially teachers and administrators, directly responsible for their learning or non-learning. In this regard, one of the learning strategies in the national curriculum is to benefit more from active, creative and uplifting methods, by innovative and creative organization of the process of collecting and cumulating facts, to provide the basis for science and knowledge. The purpose of this article is study about the relationship between middle school teacher’s job satisfactory and their competency; also measuring the level and amount of this professional competency based on constructivism approach. Methods:The study type is applied research and descriptive (mean and frequency) and in inferential statistics part, mean, independent t-test, single t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient methods has been used. The competency for constructivism test was used by means of questionnaire. Reliability of the constructivism professional competency questionnaire based on Cronbach's alpha was 0.98 and for questionnaire of job satisfactory based on Cronbach's alpha was 0.81. Middle school teachers (164 male and 177 female teaching during 2016-2017) in Baharestan area were the participants. For sampling, Census method has been used. Findings: Results of independent t-test showed that teachers have an average amount of constructivism professional competency. Based on Pearson correlation coefficient between job satisfactory and constructivism professional competency is 0.37. In whole, results showed that teachers who have higher job satisfactory will have a higher amount of constructivism professional competency. Conclusion: Overall, this study showed that teachers have a moderate level of professional competence and in fact a constructive attitude, and this competence is related to teachers' job satisfaction. Therefore, it is suggested to the authorities that appropriate in-service courses be held to familiarize teachers more with the constructivist approach. Also, since job satisfaction is related to the competence of constructive professionals, to make this approach more effective they have to try to provide conditions for job satisfaction of teachers.
