e-learning
E. Jafari; N. Homayooni Bakhshayesh; J. Alamolhoda
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Nowadays, virtual education has become one of the most important applications of information and communication technologies in the world and extensive activities have been started in this field. This can be one of the favorite options to fill the educational gaps, in the unavailability ...
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Background and Objectives: Nowadays, virtual education has become one of the most important applications of information and communication technologies in the world and extensive activities have been started in this field. This can be one of the favorite options to fill the educational gaps, in the unavailability of face to face education and eventually leading to the promotion of educational justice for people in rural and remote areas. The aim of this study was determing whether those who were the target audience for this form of education have perceived it as a fair experience. To be more precise, which part of this type of education has led to a feeling of justice in these individuals and which part has led to a significant feeling of injustice in their experiences. In short, the aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of virtual students of Tehran’s comprehensive universities of the state of educational justice in virtual education in order to determine its aspects and dimensions. Methods: This study was conducted as a qualitative research using the phenomenology method. One of the suitable cases to apply the phenomenological method is providing an answer to the following question: Is there any need to further clarify a specific phenomenon? The state of justice in virtual education has not yet been properly studied in any research; therefore, the researchers in the present study selected the above approach to study this issue. Based on its goal, in this study, standard sampling was used among virtual students who have experienced virtual courses of Tehran Comprehensive Universities (Amirkabir University, Shahid Beheshti University, Iran University of Science and Technology, K. N. Toosi University of Technology and Tehran University) and met the criteria for being included in this study. The sampling process continued until the data were saturated in 32 interviews. A semi-structured interview was used for data collection. The interviews were analyzed using the Smith method. In order to confirm the validity and accuracy of the research, the reliability and verifiability of the data were examined. To ensure validity, the findings of this study were presented to the participants and they expressed their views to the researcher on the correspondence of the findings with their experiences; moreover, collaborative reflection on the emerged themes was conducted by the researcher. The researchers ensured the validity of this research by maintaining the documentation at all stages of the study. Due to ethical considerations, before starting the interview, the participants were informed of the goals and importance of the research and participated in the research with informed consent. Participants were also assured that their identity would be kept confidential during and after the study. Findings: The main question of this research was: What experiences do students have regarding justice and injustice in virtual education? In analyzing the interviews, the main concepts were extracted from the sentences expressed by the participants and were represented in a reduced conceptual form, resulting in 153 descriptive codes. In the next step, by reflecting on the descriptive codes, overlapping, similar, and related codes were identified. These concepts were integrated in the form of 20 interpretive codes based on commonalities, similarities and semantic overlaps. Finally, in the last step, the interpretive codes were reduced to 7 explanatory codes: students' equity with different characteristics (geographical condition, job status, and learning competence), students' equality in their interaction with professors (equality despite differences in appearance features and cultures), lack of real interactions (short and fragile interactions), content problems (non-practical content, lack of supervision in content development and lack of codified and specific planning in presenting courses), organizational misconceptions toward virtual students (having capitalistic attitude to students and not paying attention to students' real abilities), inequality in the use of facilities and costs (high educational costs and inequality in the use of facilities), and inequality in providing educational services (lack of appropriate organizational behavior patterns suitable for virtual teaching, low staff number to meet the educational needs of students, high number of students in classrooms and the use of inappropriate teachers for teaching). Conclusion: Justice and its realization has always been one of the main slogans in the field of education. Participants in the present study have sometimes focused on communication and sometimes focused on the facilities provided in the training process. If we take a general look at the themes obtained, we can divide them into two spectrums of justice and injustice although more examples have been found in the section on injustice. Another main conclusion that is drawn from the present study is the predominant link between the instances of justice and the inherent characteristics of virtual education and the predominant link between the instances of injustice in the way the virtual teaching is managed and lack of facilities appropriate for this form of education. Finally, it should be noted that due to the increasing use of virtual education and its fundamental difference from face-to-face education, ethical issues also appear differently in its process which require accurate recognition and study.
Learning Environment
Y. Movahedi
Abstract
Background and Objective:Creativity, is one of the great features of human thinking. One of the creative support strategies in cognitive education and increasing creativity is designing educational space. The educational space designed to enhance creativity should provide students with the opportunity ...
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Background and Objective:Creativity, is one of the great features of human thinking. One of the creative support strategies in cognitive education and increasing creativity is designing educational space. The educational space designed to enhance creativity should provide students with the opportunity to learn by being in a position beyond the classroom. Accordingly, the educational space designed based on cognitive education should, while acquainting students with creativity in solving problems, invite them to discovery and search and encourage them to experience and manipulate phenomena. One of the main priorities of the cognitive education is strengthening students' creativity and increasing their ability to solve open problems. Also, creativity and initiative are very important for the scientific growth and development of the country. A society that can provide creativity for the younger generation, especially students, will certainly benefit from scientific growth and prosperity. As the authority, ministry of education can create a suitable platform for the intellectual development of students in this regard. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal design of the educational environment for the promotion of creativity. Methods: The present study was a correlational design that was carried out using a precondition method. The statistical population of this study was all high school students in Tabriz during the academic year of 2017-18. 370 of them were selected as the sample and the questionnaire of optimal design of educational space and creativity was distributed among them. Data were collected using SPSS software version 19 cases were analyzed. Statistical analysis of the data was Pearson correlation coefficient and regression. Findings: The findings showed that there is a significant relationship between variation in space detail, the use of natural materials, variability in coloration, variety in lighting, flexible and flexible space, and the existence of flower and plant with cognitive creativity. This difference is significant at P Conclusion: The design of educational spaces, such as schools, is valuable because, on average, each person spends about 14,000 hours of their lives in the educational space, from elementary school to high school.However, many school buildings have been severely damaged for a variety of reasons, which is inconsistent with the attractive environment for increased creativity. In such educational spaces the physical space of the school and the environment of the students' souls and minds cause fatigue, disruption of concentration, and indiscipline in scholars, and therefore the realization of the desired goals in the field of creativity, encounter new problems. The diversity of natural elements has a great impact on promoting children's creativity. For example, plants with different shapes, colors, and sizes of flowers and leaves in different seasons contribute to space diversity, as well as different colors of the light spectrum using colored glass or creating pools of water, waterfalls, aquariums, and fountains would contribute to variety. Playing with water, planting plants by oneself and the like have a great impact on promoting motivation and releasing emotions and can be a good facilitator for student participation in group activities. Based on the findings of this study, educational providers are recommended to consider environmental components and external education in students' creativity, and take into account students' and students' environments
Sociology of Educational Technology
H. Arasteh; Y. Saeedi
Abstract
Preparing the thesis is one of the most important parts of education in higher education level.The current study aimed to determine the level of master student satisfaction of interactive and supervisory styles of supervisors. This research was descriptive survey. The population of the study was all ...
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Preparing the thesis is one of the most important parts of education in higher education level.The current study aimed to determine the level of master student satisfaction of interactive and supervisory styles of supervisors. This research was descriptive survey. The population of the study was all entering male and female doctoral students in 2013-14 academic-year majoring in humanities, science and engineering in Tehran's public universities who defended their master's thesis in the past two years (N=3092). Using Cochran sampling formula, 342 individuals were selected as research sample. A researcher made questionnaire was used for data collection. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by experts and its reliability was measured by Cronbach's alpha (α=.87.2), showing an acceptable level of research tool. One sample t test was used for data analysis. Based on the obtained results, the students were not satisfied with any of the supervisory styles of supervisors. In connection to the interactive styles, students adopted horizontal interactive style as the most interactive style. In supervisory styles, using a combination of styles; and in interactive styles, using a positive and dynamic horizontal style is suggested to the supervisors.
Educational Technology - Teacher Education
A. Zakeri; S. Rashid Haji Khajehloo; H. Afraee; Sh. Zangoee
Abstract
The use of modern educational technology has become increasingly common during the recent years. In this study we try to investigate the teachers’ attitudes toward the use of modern educational technology in the classroom. The participants were 330 teachers randomly selected from a population of ...
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The use of modern educational technology has become increasingly common during the recent years. In this study we try to investigate the teachers’ attitudes toward the use of modern educational technology in the classroom. The participants were 330 teachers randomly selected from a population of 775 teachers in Sabzevar. A questionnaire was prepared by the researchers and distributed among female and male participants. The data were analyzed using x2 test. The results of this research show that a significant difference exists between male and female attitudes. We also observed a significant difference the duration of teaching and the place of teaching.
