e-learning
M.S. Ghoraishi khorasgani; M.S. Karimi Mehrabadi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: MOOCs as a form of e-learning, with their great potential and capacity in learning and teaching, can meet different needs of a diverse group of learners. Therefore, universities can utilize it as an effective educational tool in their educational and research courses and help ...
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Background and Objectives: MOOCs as a form of e-learning, with their great potential and capacity in learning and teaching, can meet different needs of a diverse group of learners. Therefore, universities can utilize it as an effective educational tool in their educational and research courses and help improve the quality of their education. Faculty members are among the most important pillars of the university and, accordingly, they play a major role in knowledge transfer and learning; therefore, it is necessary for faculty members to be aware of the latest methods of teaching such as MOOCs as well as knowledge acquisition and information literacy in this field. As a result, the present study has been conducted with the aim of investigating the MOOC-based information literacy of the faculty members of Al-Zahra University. Methods: The research approach used for the study is quantitative; the method is of descriptive-survey type, with a practical purpose. The research population includes the faculty members of Al-Zahra University. Through quota stratified sampling and based on Morgan table, among the 381 faculty members, 181 individuals were selected as the research sample. To collect data, based on the theoretical foundations and research background, a researcher-made questionnaire was developed with a five-point Likert scale (very high, high, medium, low and very low). In order to measure the validity of the questionnaire, the views of experts on new teaching methods and new approaches to teaching and learning were applied. The reliability coefficient of the data was calculated using Cronbach's alpha, with the obtained value of 0.97 which indicates the high reliability of the devised questionnaires. To analyze the data, SPSS 22, one-group t-tests, Friedman and multivariate analysis of variance were used. Findings: The findings indicate that from the participants' point of view, in the components of ‘knowledge’ (1.54), ‘preparation’ (1.53) and ‘analysis / implementation of the course’ (1.61), ‘evaluation’ (1.74), ‘review’ (1.78), ‘optimization’ (1.76) and, in general, the information literacy status of the faculty members based on MOOC (1.66) are rated below the average. The components are prioritized as ‘optimization’, ‘review’, ‘evaluation’, ‘analysis/course implementation’, ‘preparation’ and ‘knowledge’, respectively. Accordingly, ‘optimization’ (3.74) is in the best and ‘knowledge’ (3.25) is in the worst condition. In addition, among the views of the research participants on the ‘gap of information literacy of the faculty members towards the MOOCs’, there is no significant difference among the distinguishing indicators, such as ‘history, gender, academic status, age, and department’. Conclusion: The results of this research show that MOOC-based information literacy is low among university faculty members and their knowledge and awareness of the MOOCs is very low. Lack of up-to-date faculty members, lack of various trainings, such as holding workshops, conferences, specialized meetings in the field of MOOCs, inattention and lack of emphasis laid by higher education institutions on the need to use new teaching methods by the universities, lack of attention to practical skills and familiarity with new teaching approaches in the world as a qualifying feature in employing the faculty members, lack of approval and demand of students from the faculty members to use the MOOCs in their teaching-learning approaches and the dominance of the traditional approach to teaching in the universities can be enumerated as the reasons for the results of the study.
E-Lerning
Kh. Sarboland
Abstract
Background and Objective Implementing training and improving human resources allows people to effectively continue their activities and increase their efficiency in accordance with organizational and environmental changes. As a result of the increasing complexity and wast development of specializations ...
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Background and Objective Implementing training and improving human resources allows people to effectively continue their activities and increase their efficiency in accordance with organizational and environmental changes. As a result of the increasing complexity and wast development of specializations in the last century, the traditional education has been criticized for cost-effectiveness, being time-consuming, being prescriptive, having ack of creativity and poor focus on education instead of business results. This type of training is not enough to meet the needs of employees and manage complex affairs in organizations. In this regard, organizations have taken advantage of e-learning to be able to keep their employees up-to-date and active in terms of knowledge and skills required in line with the development of technology. The purpose of this study was to provide an e-learning model on teachers' satisfaction of learning in branches of Ardabil Islamic Azad University. Methods: The study was conducted on the basis of Delphi and survey models of research. In the first stage, the participants of this study were the lecturers and faculty members, and in the second stage, they were the faculty members of Management in all branches of Ardabil Islamic Azad University. Samples of the first stage were 136 subjects and in the second stage 20 subjects. The sampling method in the first stage was random-stratified and in the second stage it was purposive sampling. Data collection instrument was an e-learning researcher-made questionnaire. For data analysis Structural Measurement Model (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) was used and for specifiying e-learning, Delphi three-staged method was used. Findings: Findings included 77 concrete variables and 8 basic concepts (IT infrastructures, quality of educational system, self-learning, learners' support, identifying and recording educational needs, management of values, educational materials, society-based learning). In the first stage, the appropriacy of the model was approved and showed that the structures were in a satisfactory level of validity, and in the second stage, the quality of educational system, IT infrastructures, self-learning and learners' support, were identified as the dimensions of e-learning. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the research, it is suggested that the officials of the units of the Islamic Azad University of Ardabil Province implemented e-learning with a consistent approach in line with the organization's strategy and instructors’ satisfaction. In this regard, the units of Islamic Azad University of Ardabil can form a specialized department of human resources in relation to e-learning of professors and faculty members in addition to identifying talents, building e-learning processes, structures and systems to promote their e-learning processes. Eventually, all systems cannot sustain functioning without evaluation. E-learning does not work in a static environment and must be formed in a dynamic or organized way. Therefore, the units of Islamic Azad University need to adjust the e-learning of their professors based on its characteristics and to establish feedback and evaluation systems (internal and external evaluation system).
competency of teachers
H. Safarzadeh; M. Ahmadi; A. Zakeri
Abstract
Social capital which is resources and rewards that people achieve through social relations has gained a wide acceptance in recent decades. However, there has been little research regarding the impact of social capital on occupational activity. The purpose of writing this paper is to study the effects ...
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Social capital which is resources and rewards that people achieve through social relations has gained a wide acceptance in recent decades. However, there has been little research regarding the impact of social capital on occupational activity. The purpose of writing this paper is to study the effects of social capital on occupational activities, of public university faculty members based in Tehran. In order to do this the researcher has taken advantage Putnam and Coleman’s measure of social capital among the university faculty members and then the relationship and its impact on their business activities have been discussed. The components of social capital include the quality of relationships (trustworthiness) and quantity of relationships (membership in groups and associations and cooperative relations) were measured and assessed. This research is correlational. The participants include 160 faculty members of the public universities located in Tehran in the first half of the year 1388. Based on the Cochrane formula, 120 subjects were selected by random sampling. Information was collected through a questionnaire. The questionnaire is considered reliable with a Cranbach alpha coefficient of 0.901. The findings indicate that social capital had a positive and significant impact on the employment aspects of faculty activity. Therefore, the hypotheses of the study stating the relation between social capital and faculty members occupational activity level, quality of education and quality of work was supported.
