Educational Technology
B.E. Zamani; S. A. Azimi; N. Soleimani; F. Parish
Abstract
Background and Objectives:The present study aimed to investigate and compare the extent of using educational technologies to enhance students’ critical thinking in Iranian and Russian first-grade elementary school experimental science textbooks. Methods:The research employs descriptive-analytical ...
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Background and Objectives:The present study aimed to investigate and compare the extent of using educational technologies to enhance students’ critical thinking in Iranian and Russian first-grade elementary school experimental science textbooks. Methods:The research employs descriptive-analytical method. Its sample consists of Iranian and Russian first-grade elementary school experimental sciences textbooks. The research instrument is a researcher-made checklist of critical thinking and soft and hard technology. The validity of this checklist was confirmed by experienced teachers and four professors in the field of educational sciences (educational technology and primary education). The reliability and validity of the tools have been calculated by using the formula of William Rumi. Findings: The results of analyzing the content of the experimental sciences textbooks showed that the first-grade textbooks of both countries used hard and soft technologies to teach critical thinking. The percentage of using soft technology was 75.65% and that of using hard technology was 24.35% to foster the critical thinking spirit in the Iranian first grade textbooks of experimental sciences. Moreover, the percentage of using soft technology was 51.64% and that of using hard technology was 48.35% to enhance the critical thinking spirit in the Russian textbooks. In addition, among the components of critical thinking, the highest percentage of 25.49% in Iran was related to the engagement component and in Russia, the highest percentage of 32.02% was related to the engagement component. In Iran, the lowest percentage of 2.87% among the critical thinking components was related to the judgment and evaluation componentand in Russia, the lowest percentage of 3.84% was related to the judgment and evaluation component. Combining soft and hard technologies in the contents of the first-grade textbooks of experimental sciences provides the possibility of learning more effectively and makes the process of learning more attractive for the students. The percentage of the other components of critical thinking in Russia and Iran has been as follows: the component of appropriate questioning in Russia was 18.33% and 11.60% in Iran; the collectiveness component in Iran was 10.01% and 10.04 % in Russia; the analytical component in Russia was 7.30 %and 5.15 % in Iran; the argument component in Russia was 7.63% and 5.15 % in Iran; the composition component was 7.95 % in Russia and 5.6 % in Iran. Conclusion: The composition of soft and hard technologies in the content of textbooks provide the possibility of more effective and attractive learning for the students. In fact, soft technologies complement and consolidate hard technologies and give rise to hard technologies and enable the growth and development of critical thinking and related areas. Hard technologies, as accessible and tangible tools, and soft technologies, as a set of ideas, plans, innovations, and initiatives which are crystaliized in educational design, determination and management of educational approaches and patterns, play an important role in increasing the effect of teaching and improving the students' learning. Hard technology in itself has no value; rather it is soft technologies that give credibility and value to hard technologies. It should be borne in mind that formal and superficial changes will not be responsive in revising the curriculum and fundamental logical changes are needed in all curriculum processes. As a result, researchers recommend the coherence and integration of critical thinking in educational textbooks. In this regard, the method of using hard and soft technologies and their implementation in the form of critical thinking components in the first year science textbook of Iran and Russia have been studied and emphasized.
Electronic learning- virtual
S.A. Azimi; G.I. Kirilova; N. Soleimani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The world-wide approach to using distance learning technology for education proves that the use of this tool has unique benefits for teaching and learning. However, the use of technology must be carefully monitored. Educational technologies are effective tools, but they do ...
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Background and Objectives: The world-wide approach to using distance learning technology for education proves that the use of this tool has unique benefits for teaching and learning. However, the use of technology must be carefully monitored. Educational technologies are effective tools, but they do not do extraordinary work on their own. In fact, it is the proper use of them by stakeholders, including professors and students that grant these tools value, efficiency and effectiveness. One of the main features of technology is self-education; but in the course of self-learning, more basic skills must be established and strengthened, including the skills of self-knowledge, self-organization, and self-motivation to study, which ultimately lead to self-development. Appropriate use of educational technologies such as the use of content management systems and their facilities can potentially support the development of various stages of self-development. The use of educational technologies to achieve self-development is associated with significant efforts by teachers and time costs. In addition, professors must have sufficient knowledge, technical skills, talent and experience in this field. These efforts are complemented by a review of goals, content, and the selection of appropriate teaching methods. As a result, if professors are able to select appropriate information sources, analyze and combine different knowledge, it is possible to achieve a different qualitative result. However, there is not always coordination between various elements, and as a result, there are shortcomings in this area. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of self-development of students on their academic achievement through the use of distance learning technology by instructors. Methods: This study was carried out in a statistics course using the quasi- experimental method (pretest-posttest). The statistical population of the study were 664 students in the field of the social sciences (economics and management) of Iranian and Russian virtual universities in the academic years of 2015-2017. 242 students (112 from Russia and 136 from Iran) were chosen among them based on Morgan's table. Findings: The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test of self-development and academic achievement of Iranian and Russian students. Conclusion: The use of educational technology by faculty members has a significant effect on improving students' academic achievement and self-development. Usefulness of technologies can be more evident by targeted use of them. The results of this research remind us that a new and different look at technology and its applications is effective in creating new developments and experiences in education. In fact, the purpose of using technology in today's era should be to develop individual and self-development skills, in order to achieve the main goal of education, which is to train active learners who are ready for change, and thus they are able to come up with creative and thoughtful solutions to face the problems of life in the present century, as well as increase their academic performance.
Educational Technology
M. Rahmanpourt; M.J. Liaghatdar; F. Sharifian; M. Rezaee
Abstract
Background and Objective:Every educational institution and every learner must adapt to the environment for growth and development and have the necessary skills to meet the changing needs of the society. This has special conditions in higher education and among students and graduates, and they are always ...
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Background and Objective:Every educational institution and every learner must adapt to the environment for growth and development and have the necessary skills to meet the changing needs of the society. This has special conditions in higher education and among students and graduates, and they are always expected to adapt to the environmental conditions inside and outside the education system. Using information and communication technologies that are available to them in various forms can be a logical and desirable solution. Purposeful use of these technologies in the field of education is now known as educational technology, which has been expanded on a large scale to increase teaching and learning activities. The student of educational technology is both a producer of information, a consumer, and a link between producer and consumer; and this is where the sense of responsibility comes into play. It is not easy to prepare a curriculum for such students in such a dynamic environment; as it must both meet the needs of students and take into account the changing needs of society and the labor market. At the same time, the mission and nature of the field must be preserved and developed. What is important is that simply issuing the curriculum and implementing it in universities will not be enough. Evaluating and reviewing this program in order to present and suggest a desirable and appropriate curriculum is important and vital. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the curriculum of educational technology from the perspective of graduate students. Methods: Quantitative research was conducted using a survey method. The population, who were senior students of educational technology at senior level in the public universities of Arak, Bu-Ali, Kharazmi and Allameh Tabatabaei in Iran were sampled. Due to limited number of the population, all of them were selected by consensus. Data collection instrument was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by 5 experts and with a Cronbach's alpha of .89. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS. At the descriptive statistics level, the frequency, mean and standard deviation indicators were used and at inferential statistics level t test and Kolmogorov–Smirnov test were utilized. Findings: The results showed that graduate students are not satisfied with master curriculum of educational technology. In other words, final year students who had experienced the curriculum believed that the curriculum was not in line with their needs and expectations. Conclusion: Although the averages were lower than average in all components of the MA curriculum of the major Educational Technology, but there is no reason for the inefficiency of this field and its inappropriate implementation in the country's universities. Part of this dissatisfaction may be due to university management rather than the curriculum. Because universities and departments cannot expect much from professors and students if they cannot provide the necessary facilities and conditions for the implementation of the curriculum. Of course, continuous review and trending of curricula in order to apply this field due to its nature and mission at the national and international levels is an inevitable necessity.
Electronic learning- virtual
Gh. Montazer; A. Moosavi
Abstract
Focusing on quality and expansion of skill education to train creative and skill ful human resources has had a significant increase over the last years. In this regard، creating E-Training centers is among issues that should be carefully considered by training authorities. In this paper، evaluating ...
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Focusing on quality and expansion of skill education to train creative and skill ful human resources has had a significant increase over the last years. In this regard، creating E-Training centers is among issues that should be carefully considered by training authorities. In this paper، evaluating different models for E-readiness، relying on comparative studies، and analyzing data obtained from national studies، a comprehensive conceptual framework has been designed to study e-training readiness in the country. The achieved model includes three main dimensions: “hard infrastructure readiness”، “soft provisions readiness”، “supervision، and arrangements readiness”، as well as fifteen indexes which offer a comprehensive model to the countries training system and define its position in the development of mass scaled E-learning.
TVET
A. Soltani
Abstract
The Kashmar granitoid (42.5 Ma) occurs in NE Central Iran Plate (CIP). It mainly includes felsic metaluminous (ASI ≤ 1) I–type granite and granodiorite plutons. Microprobe analyses show that the Kashmar amphiboles are low in Ti and (Na+K)A contents (all < 0.5 apfu), indicating magnesio–hornblende, ...
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The Kashmar granitoid (42.5 Ma) occurs in NE Central Iran Plate (CIP). It mainly includes felsic metaluminous (ASI ≤ 1) I–type granite and granodiorite plutons. Microprobe analyses show that the Kashmar amphiboles are low in Ti and (Na+K)A contents (all < 0.5 apfu), indicating magnesio–hornblende, a distinct mafic mineral of low–temperature I–type granites. Also, the content of Al2O3 is low, suggesting low–pressure crystallization. The Mg* ratio is high (0.60–0.75) and the AlVI is extremely low (< 0.1 apfu), but Fe3+ is much higher than AlVI, features confirming low–pressure and low–temperature conditions. Utilizing the modern thermo–barometers, the pressures of ≤ 3 kb and average temperature of 655 oC were calculated for Kashmar amphiboles. The attributed log fO2 values are negative, ranging from –16.59 to –19.40 and plotting above the QFM stability. Results of this study propose a thermal boundary of ~700 oC between felsic (~600–700 oC) and mafic (~700–800 oC) low–temperature I–type granites, and reinforce the modern granite subdivision.
