Educational Technology - Blended Learning
S. Bibak; S. Asadian
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The accelerating pace of technological change has rendered the effective integration of technology into education not merely desirable, but essential for preparing students for the demands of the 21st century. Educational systems worldwide have invested substantially in technological ...
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Background and Objectives: The accelerating pace of technological change has rendered the effective integration of technology into education not merely desirable, but essential for preparing students for the demands of the 21st century. Educational systems worldwide have invested substantially in technological infrastructure to facilitate this integration. Yet, despite these considerable investments, the actual use of technology by teachers in classroom practice often remains below expectations. This persistent gap between infrastructure availability and meaningful technology integration suggests that access alone is insufficient. Prior research has identified teachers' beliefs, knowledge structures, and individual characteristics as key determinants of this phenomenon. Teachers' pedagogical beliefs function as cognitive filters that shape their decisions about whether and how to incorporate technology into their teaching. Their knowledge structures, particularly regarding how to integrate technology with subject content and pedagogical approaches, determine their capacity for effective implementation. Additionally, individual characteristics such as gender, age, teaching experience, and educational attainment may influence teachers' readiness to adopt technological innovations. However, studies simultaneously examining the roles of these variables within a comprehensive model remain scarce, particularly in the Iranian educational context. Accordingly, this study was conducted to elucidate the roles of technological beliefs, knowledge structures, and individual characteristics in technology integration among secondary school teachers in Tabriz, thereby addressing this significant gap in the literature.Materials and Methods: This quantitative, applied study followed a descriptive-correlational design. The statistical population comprised all secondary school teachers in Tabriz during the 2023-2024 academic year (N = 4,973), representing diverse subject areas and educational districts. Using the Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample of 357 participants was selected through proportionate stratified random sampling to ensure representation across the city's five educational districts. Data were collected via four validated instruments: (1) a researcher-developed demographic questionnaire collecting information on gender, age, teaching experience, and educational attainment; (2) a 17-item knowledge structures questionnaire, measuring three dimensions (perceived technological knowledge, perceived knowledge for technology integration, and pedagogical uses of ICT) on a 5-point Likert scale; (3) a 14-item technological beliefs questionnaire inspired by Digital Pedagogical Beliefs framework; and (4) the 19-item technology integration questionnaire. Validity was established through confirmatory factor analysis and expert judgment by a panel of specialists in educational technology. Reliability coefficients (Cronbach's α) exceeded 0.70 for all instruments, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM) with Smart PLS 4 software.Findings: The results revealed that technological beliefs were the strongest positive and significant predictor of classroom technology integration (β = 0.388, p < 0.01), consistent with theoretical frameworks emphasizing the role of teachers' perceptual filters in adopting educational innovations. Knowledge structures emerged as the second most influential factor (β = 0.287, p < 0.01), underscoring the centrality of the TPACK framework in meaningful technology integration. Among individual characteristics, only educational attainment showed a positive, significant association (β = 0.094, p < 0.05), whereas gender, age, and teaching experience had no statistically significant effects. This finding reinforces the notion that the capacity for technology integration is broadly distributed across the teaching force and not confined to specific demographic subgroups. The proposed model demonstrated excellent fit (NFI = 0.93, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.056) and explained 68% of the variance in technology integration (R² = 0.68), indicating that the independent variables collectively account for a substantial proportion of predictive power.Conclusions: The findings affirm that successful technology integration hinges less on demographic variables and more on the evolution of teachers' professional beliefs and the growth of integrated pedagogical-technological-content knowledge. This underscores the necessity of redefining teacher professional development programs—not merely as technical skill workshops, but as initiatives aimed at nurturing positive beliefs about technology's role in meaningful learning and cultivating TPACK-based knowledge structures grounded in authentic classroom challenges. Educational policymakers should prioritize interventions that target belief transformation and knowledge integration rather than focusing exclusively on infrastructure provision or basic digital literacy training.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
Z. Abedi; R. Heidari Ghezeljeh
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The present study investigated the effect of blended gamified teaching on students' learning concerning their personality types. The hypothesis was that the application of this method and attention to personality types in designing blended gamified instruction could effectively ...
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Background and Objectives: The present study investigated the effect of blended gamified teaching on students' learning concerning their personality types. The hypothesis was that the application of this method and attention to personality types in designing blended gamified instruction could effectively enhance students' mathematics learning and alleviate their learning challenges. Furthermore, through the enhancement of insights regarding the distinctive characteristics of students, this methodology aspires to facilitate the augmentation of their performance and self-evaluations, thereby equipping them to engage in more astute decision-making in their forthcoming personal, academic, and professional endeavors.Methods: This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental framework that included pre-and post-tests, as well as experimental and control groups. The statistical population for this investigation consisted of female seventh-grade students in District 7 of Tehran during the 2023-2024 academic year. The sample was obtained through cluster sampling. Four seventh-grade classrooms from two different girls' schools were selected as the accessible sample. Participants from one of the schools, totaling 66 students, were randomly assigned to the experimental group, while participants from the other school, totaling 49 students, made up the control group. The experimental group received instruction in algebraic concepts and equations as part of the seventh-grade mathematics curriculum through six sessions of blended, gamified instruction. This approach utilized both prepared games and researcher-developed games on existing educational platforms. In contrast, the control group was taught the same mathematical content through a blended teaching method over equivalent sessions. An academic achievement questionnaire was administered to assess learning in this study. Experts in the field confirmed the validity of this instrument. The reliability of the academic achievement questionnaires (both pre-test and post-test) was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficients, which were found to be 0.94 and 0.97, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, with SPSS statistical software employed for the inferential analysis.Findings: After compiling statistical data from the pre-test, post-test, and assessments of learning and motivation, the data were analyzed in two distinct sections: descriptive statistics (including mean, standard deviation, and normality testing) and inferential statistics (which included t-test and Univariate Analysis of Covariance). The results from the analysis of the variables revealed that the mean scores of the pre-test and post-test were examined and interpreted concerning the students' personality types. The study examined how the independent variable, blended gamified instruction, influenced the dependent variable, students' learning (scores). It was found that students in the experimental group, regardless of their personality types classified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), improved as a result of engaging with the blended gamified approach. This demonstrated the significant effectiveness of blended gamified teaching on their educational outcomes.Conclusion: An analysis of the impact of personality types on student learning scores within the context of gamified instruction revealed some interesting findings. Introverts (I) across all personality types showed unequivocal improvements in their scores due to blended gamified teaching. In contrast, extroverts (E) exhibited inconsistent score changes, with some showing no significant increases as a result of this instructional approach. Specifically, the ESTP and ENTP personality types demonstrated the most notable advancements in scores, while the ESFP and ENFP groups experienced a decline in scores, indicating a reverse effect. Furthermore, additional analyses revealed that regardless of personality type, gamification enhanced intrinsic motivation for all students.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
F. Farzin; E. Zaraii Zavaraki; Z. Jamebozorg; M. Vahedi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Teaching abstract chemistry concepts to students with hearing impairments is one of the fundamental challenges of the educational system. Mental rotation ability, as a core component of spatial thinking, plays a central role in understanding chemistry concepts, and research ...
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Background and Objectives: Teaching abstract chemistry concepts to students with hearing impairments is one of the fundamental challenges of the educational system. Mental rotation ability, as a core component of spatial thinking, plays a central role in understanding chemistry concepts, and research has shown that the blended learning approach could help improve learning in students with special needs. In blended learning, students with special educational needs simultaneously benefit from online learning and in-person instruction and can work independently at their own pace. Additionally, this approach allows teachers to act with greater flexibility and dedicate more time to individual interaction with students. Given the lack of comprehensive studies in this field, this research aimed to systematically review studies conducted on the impact of blended-learning educational programs on the mental rotation ability of students with hearing impairments in understanding chemistry concepts.
Methods: This research was a systematic review study conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Article searches were performed in five databases – Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, and Google Scholar – for the period between 2014 and 2025. Inclusion criteria included original research articles related to chemistry education for students with hearing impairments, the use of blended learning approach or assistive technologies, and examination of the impact of intervention on learning or mental rotation. From among the 172 articles, after removing duplicates and reviewing titles and abstracts, 37 articles were selected for full-text review, and finally, 11 articles which met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Betten et al.'s checklist was used to assess article quality. Data regarding intervention methods, type of technology used, and results were extracted from the articles and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Findings: Qualitative content analysis of the articles revealed four main themes: Educational Challenges (with three sub-themes: difficulty understanding abstract concepts, communication limitations, and lack of appropriate educational resources, with a total frequency of 18 cases), Technology Benefits (with three sub-themes: improved content accessibility, increased interaction and participation, and opportunity for repetition and practice, with a total frequency of 21 cases), Instructional Design Considerations (with three sub-themes: use of visual elements, language simplification, and immediate feedback provision, with a total frequency of 22 cases), and Educational Needs (with three sub-themes: teacher training, specialized content production, and infrastructure improvement, with a total frequency of 20 cases). Results showed that the blended learning approach helped to improve learning through four main mechanisms: creating a multi-sensory learning environment, enabling deep content interaction, providing immediate feedback, and personalizing the learning path. Identified effective technologies included molecular simulation software, virtual reality environments, 3D visualization tools, and new game-based approaches such as block-based games and gamification methods.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that success in teaching chemistry to students with hearing impairments requires a systematic and multifaceted approach in which new technologies are intelligently integrated with traditional methods. For successful implementation of this approach, investment in three areas is essential: development of technological infrastructure, production of specialized educational content, and continuous teacher training. Recent advances in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and game-based approaches have created new opportunities for improving education, but their successful implementation requires attention to issues of accessibility, cost, and educational equity. The main limitations of the research included the small number of high-quality studies, limited sample size in some studies, and the geographic concentration of research in specific countries. It is suggested that future studies examine the long-term impact of educational interventions, the role of individual and environmental factors in the success of programs, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of different interventions.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
N. Bigdelomehr,; F. Hatami; G. Lotfi Hossein Abad
Abstract
Background and Objectives: While integrated learning is widely recognized as an effective approach for enhancing student learning and motivation, there is a notable gap in research especially with regard to examining the impact of combining distinct physical activities, such as gymnastics, with specialized ...
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Background and Objectives: While integrated learning is widely recognized as an effective approach for enhancing student learning and motivation, there is a notable gap in research especially with regard to examining the impact of combining distinct physical activities, such as gymnastics, with specialized subject content like mathematics. Prior studies have largely focused on the general benefits of integrated instruction, often overlooking the precise and purposeful effects of specific physical activities on particular academic subjects. Addressing this research gap, the current study aimed to determine the influence of integrating gymnastics exercises with mathematical concepts on the achievement motivation, and mathematics learning of male fifth-grade elementary school students. Given the critical importance of mathematics in both academic and practical life, and the persistent challenges in fostering deep comprehension and motivation within this subject, this study sought to propose a novel and effective educational modelMethods: The present study employed an applied, quasi-experimental design utilizing a pre-test/post-test control group methodology. Thirty male fifth-grade elementary students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group, with 15 participants in each. Data were collected using a mathematics achievement motivation questionnaire and a standardized mathematics test, administered to both groups before and after the intervention. The experimental group participated in five one-hour sessions of integrated instruction, which incorporated gymnastics exercises relevant to mathematical concepts, while the control group received their conventional mathematics instruction. The collected data in this research were subsequently analyzed using a one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA).Findings: Results from the one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that the group effect was significant for both achievement motivation and mathematics learning (P≤0.05). This signified that, after controlling for pre-test scores, there was a statistically significant difference in terms of mathematics achievement motivation and mathematics learning between the experimental and control groups. A comparison of the adjusted means revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significantly better performance than the control group in terms of both variables. These findings clearly indicated that the integrated instruction of gymnastics exercises and mathematics had a positive impact on students' achievement motivation and their learning of mathematical concepts.Conclusion: The present study unequivocally demonstrates that integrated gymnastics and mathematics instruction significantly enhances students' achievement motivation and mathematics learning. These findings are in line with broader integrated learning approaches and underscore the critical importance of incorporating targeted physical activities to deepen the comprehension of abstract concepts, such as those found in mathematics. In contrast to previous research that primarily focused on general physical activity integration across various subjects, this study highlights that the purposeful and specific integration of an activity like gymnastics can yield substantial improvements in learning and motivation within a specialized domain like mathematics. In light of these findings, it is recommended that educational policymakers consider incorporating this innovative and effective integrated approach into elementary school curricula. Such integration has the potential to elevate students’ motivation and optimize their learning outcomes. Furthermore, this study can serve as a foundational model for designing and implementing similar integrated educational programs across other subject areas, and thereby, enriches the overall learning experience.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
H. Zabet; M.A. Rostaminezhad; P. Asadzade
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The integration of in-person teaching with digital education has given rise to a new approach to learning and teaching known as blended learning. When implemented effectively, blended learning can enhance the academic success and overall learning experience of students. Additionally, ...
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Background and Objectives: The integration of in-person teaching with digital education has given rise to a new approach to learning and teaching known as blended learning. When implemented effectively, blended learning can enhance the academic success and overall learning experience of students. Additionally, the use of modern theories of learning, such as constructivism, and learning strategies like concept mapping, can transform students from passive receivers of information to active participants in their academic journey. Concept maps created using computer-based tools have been integrated into many learning strategies, including blended learning. A recent study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of concept map-based blended learning on the social studies learning of male sixth-grade students.Materials and Methods: The study followed a semi-experimental research method with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group. The participants were all male sixth-grade students from Birjand in 2023. The sample size consisted of 60 male students chosen through available sampling. The pre-test-post-test of the social studies researcher was used to collect data. The test questions' content validity was assessed using a two-dimensional table of objective-content, and the face validity was confirmed by experts and three sixth-grade colleagues. The test's reliability coefficient was calculated through Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which was 0.81. The test consisted of two parts, with the first part collecting demographic information and providing instructions for completing the questions. In addition to descriptive statistics, the analysis of covariance statistical test was used to analyze the data.Findings: Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that there is a notable difference in the average scores of the learning variables of the experimental and control groups. The application of combined training based on a conceptual map has proven to explain 19.2% of the variance of the learning post-test scores, which is a significant result (F (57,1) =60.13, p<0.005, partial ŋ2=2.19 %).Conclusions: According to research, blended learning based on concept maps has been found to be effective in enhancing students' social studies learning. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many educational institutions to adopt virtual education as the only means of ensuring the safety of students and staff. However, with the end of the pandemic, there are concerns about the weaknesses in various educational fields that have come to light during this period. Therefore, the use of blended learning centered on the use of electronic concept maps is an effective approach to eliminate the weaknesses caused by virtual education during the pandemic and an effective measure to compensate and stabilize their learning in the post-coronavirus era. This approach will make a deeper connection between the main concepts of the new lesson and the students' previous learning, and the main role in this process will be the responsibility of the student. Among the limitations of the current research, we can mention experimental interventions by the researcher, which can influence the bias of the results. Not having a follow-up phase was another limitation of the above study. Therefore, it is suggested that other researchers, by removing the mentioned methodological limitations and also applying other variables affecting learning, should try to conduct new research with different societies and sample sizes, in other subjects and levels of study, and with different genders. This increases the accuracy of the results and increases the generalizability of the results. Based on the results obtained from the present study, it is possible to hold workshops and training courses in order to enable colleagues to use electronic concept maps and use them in teaching. In addition to the above, electronic concept maps can be used in the teaching-learning process in the curriculum of the second elementary school. An effective method is to use a combination of work and technology courses, social studies and art. In addition to strengthening learning, this can also be effective in developing students' aesthetic sense. Finally, using technological literacy in the design of concept maps and encouraging students to use it during class presentations can be considered as other practical suggestions that strengthen the motivation of students to progress.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
M.R. Heydari; E. Zaraii Zavaraki; M. Vahedi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: After the Corona epidemic, educational systems were forced to move to online instruction and learning. Despite its advantages, online instruction could not overcome some of its challenges, such as the sense of presence of learners; therefore, the importance of using the blended ...
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Background and Objectives: After the Corona epidemic, educational systems were forced to move to online instruction and learning. Despite its advantages, online instruction could not overcome some of its challenges, such as the sense of presence of learners; therefore, the importance of using the blended learning approach for the educational systems of the world, especially the educational system of our country, was clearly clarified. Blended learning, which overcomes the challenges of online learning and face-to-face learning by blending online and face-to-face learning, and brings benefits such as increased flexibility, increased cost effectiveness, and time saving, has attracted the attention of teachers and learners. However, a fundamental challenge for the teachers is designing, implementing and evaluating a blended learning in order to achieve high-level learning and presence. In this regard, it is important to pay attention to cognitive presence and teaching presence, which are elements of the community of inquiry framework. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of blended learning on the level of cognitive presence and teaching presence of elementary school students in the science course.Methods: The research method was a semi-experimental of pre-test-post-test type with a control group. The statistical population included all fifth-grade students in Shahryar, who were studying in the academic year 2022-2023. Using available sampling method, 60 students were selected; 30 students were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 30 students to the control group. The experimental group spent six sessions in the form of blended learning and the control group spent six sessions in the form of face-to-face learning. In order to check the changes before the intervention, a pre-test was performed on both groups, and after the intervention, a post-test was performed on both groups. The data collection tool in this research was the questionnaire of cognitive presence and teaching presence of Arbaugh et al. (2008). The reliability of the questionnaires of cognitive presence and teaching presence was calculated based on Cronbach's alpha values of 0.91 and 0.83, respectively. To analyze the research data, statistical methods were used at two descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (correlated t-test and multivariate covariance analysis) levels.Findings: Based on the results of paired samples t-test, there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test stages in the variable of cognitive presence in both experimental and control groups and in the variable of teaching presence only in the experimental group (p≥ 0.001). The results of covariance analysis showed that the effect of blended learning on cognitive presence and teaching presence was greater than that of face-to-face learning (p≥0.01).Conclusion: The results of the research showed that blended learning and face-to-face learning are both effective in increasing cognitive presence, but only blended learning is effective on teaching presence. Blended learning has a greater impact on cognitive and teaching presence compared to face-to-face learning. Therefore, blended learning by blending face-to-face and online learning has more effectiveness in the amount of cognitive and teaching presence and can be a suitable alternative to fully face-to-face learning in the educational system of our country, and it is suggested that the educational system adopt this approach in formal mainstream education.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
M. Omidi Shal; B. Bandali; Mahmood Abolghasemi; S. Saadati
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Reading and writing, in addition to being considered as the human necessities for today life, are one of the pillars of literacy and basic skills in education and learning. One of the goals of the literacy is to develop and strengthen the reading and writing skills of students. ...
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Background and Objectives: Reading and writing, in addition to being considered as the human necessities for today life, are one of the pillars of literacy and basic skills in education and learning. One of the goals of the literacy is to develop and strengthen the reading and writing skills of students. However, some national and international studies have shown the weakness of Iranian students in these two skills. In addition, weakness in reading and writing causes problems in understanding other subjects as well. Therefore, due to the important role of reading and writing skills in the learning and academic progress of students, as well as the need to investigate the factors affecting the academic performance and the efficiency of the educational system, the investigation of this issue was considered in this research. Given the components of reading and writing skills, as well as inefficient teaching methods resulting in this failure, one of the activities that can play an effective role in solving the problem is storytelling. With the development of technology in different fields, digital storytelling has also been used in education. Previous research revealed the positive effect of using traditional and digital stories in teaching different subjects, competencies and skills among learners, but no comparison was made between them. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to compare the effect of two teaching methods based on digital and traditional storytelling on the reading and writing skills of first-grade primary school students.Methods: This was an applied study carried out with quantitative approach and quasi-experimental design. A sample of 50 students of the first grade of an all-boys primary public school in Rasht, Iran in the academic year of 2022-2023 were selected through convenience sampling method to participate in this research. They were assigned to experimental and control groups. Five letters of the first primary Persian Literacy were taught in the experimental group by presenting a digital story. In the control group, the same letters were taught through the same stories in a traditional way by the teacher. The stories were approved by educational experts and first grade school teachers as well. After teaching each letter, both groups took part in a test developed by the team leader of first grade teachers district 1 of education department in Rasht. The validity of the tests was confirmed by educational experts and elementary teachers. To ensure reliability, the measurement process was repeated for five letters of the Persian alphabet, all research processes were documented and the subjects' normal conditions were maintained in the evaluation process. The data were analyzed via inferential statistics methods including Anderson-Darling test, the Mann-Whitney U test and independent samples t-test.Findings: Results showed that the mean scores of both groups in all tests were similarly above the theoretical mean and no significant difference was found considering the performance of the two groups.Conclusion: Considering the capabilities that storytelling has in improving learning outcomes, it can be said that using stories, both in traditional and digital form, can be used as an effective method in teaching Persian and improving the reading and writing skills of primary school students. Also, accuracy in educational design and appropriate learning activities can enrich the use of traditional and digital stories in the education process.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
E. Akbari; T. Yazdinejad; R. Nazari; M. Tatari
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Blended learning is a pivotal concept within the realm of education, possessing immense significance. The advent of the Corona-virus pandemic has underscored the critical importance of this educational approach. Essentially, blended learning has emerged as a potent solution ...
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Background and Objectives: Blended learning is a pivotal concept within the realm of education, possessing immense significance. The advent of the Corona-virus pandemic has underscored the critical importance of this educational approach. Essentially, blended learning has emerged as a potent solution to address challenges and elevate the educational process. This study aimed to delve into teachers' perceptions of diverse educational models, with a particular emphasis on blended learning. The participants under scrutiny were teachers who have traversed both electronic and blended learning methods due to the exigencies of the recent COVID-19 crisis. The research sought to elucidate their preferences, efficacy assessments, interactions, engagement levels in the educational process, as well as their insights into the advantages and distinct characteristics of varying learning environments (including face-to-face, blended, and virtual).Methods: The research society encompassed all teachers spanning different educational tiers who engaged in e-learning/SHAD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among this pool, a total of 964 teachers voluntarily participated in the study. The data collection phase spanned a three-month duration and was executed via an online questionnaire. The Cronbach's alpha method was used to evaluate the reliability of the questionnaire with a value of more than 0.69. To check the construct validity, the questionnaire was administered to three university experts and three specialists from the Ministry of Education. After considering their feedback and necessary adjustments, the final questionnaire was formulated. The research team meticulously designed the questionnaire, drawing insights from pertinent literature and analogous survey instruments. Subsequently, the survey instrument was digitized using Google Forms. Employing a meticulously designed 5-point Likert scale, the respondents were tasked with evaluating statements that ranged from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" concerning face-to-face, blended, and virtual learning modalities. Furthermore, the participants were prompted to evaluate their experiences with traditional in-person learning preceding the pandemic and their encounters with online learning during the pandemic. Notably, the teachers were also solicited to express their proclivities for a particular learning approach and to prognosticate the learning model that might optimally serve students in the post-pandemic era. The ensuing data was subjected to rigorous analysis employing the SPSS22 statistical software, with the benchmark for statistical significance set at P < 0.05.Findings: Teachers, upon contemplation, considered blended learning as a potent educational facilitator, extolling its distinctive attributes. They derived satisfaction from the enriched learning environment it furnished and accentuated its inherently interactive nature. Concurrently, educators also acknowledged the corollary augmentation in workload and financial outlays that come hand in hand with blended instruction. Pertaining to their preferences for learning methodologies, the conventional face-to-face training garnered the highest average rank value, standing at 2.37. This outcome denotes its unequivocal preference. Blended learning occupied the subsequent position with a score of 2.22, trailed by virtual training with a score of 1.41. In the context of assessing the efficacy of blended learning and gauging active participation in the pedagogical process, the t-values conspicuously fell below 1.96. Furthermore, the significance levels corresponding to these variables unequivocally fell below the 0.05 threshold.Conclusion: Teachers proffer an affirmative perspective on the attributes of blended learning, particularly gravitating towards its propitious learning milieu and its role in expediting the educational process. Nonetheless, the dimension of effectiveness and the degree of engagement in the learning journey are not uniformly perceived as the hallmark strengths of blended learning. Thus, it is incumbent upon the stakeholders to orchestrate initiatives aimed at enhancing teachers' comprehension and perspectives vis-à-vis blended learning paradigms.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
A. Ghofrani; F. Narenji thani; M. A. Shahhoseini; Kh. Abili; J. Pourkarimi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Blended learning approach uses a face-to-face learning environment with the capacities of an electronic environment. This approach has attracted the attention of researchers for more than 15 years due to the significant advantages it brings by compensating for the disadvantages ...
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Background and Objectives: Blended learning approach uses a face-to-face learning environment with the capacities of an electronic environment. This approach has attracted the attention of researchers for more than 15 years due to the significant advantages it brings by compensating for the disadvantages of both face-to-face and e-learning environments. However, today, after the spread of the epidemic of Covid-19 in the world, it has become a necessary choice not only for researchers but also for managers and business owners, including educational systems. Therefore, researchers worldwide are increasingly trying to provide the best ways to benefit from the advantages of face-to-face and e-learning approaches in the form of blended learning models for the educational system, including universities. Therefore, the current research was conducted to explain the dimensions and components of the model of the blended teaching-learning system in the university.Methods: The qualitative research method was grounded theory and of emergent type. The research field included 15 university instructors selected through purposeful sampling based on predetermined criteria. The selection criteria of experts included "member of e-learning association and more than five years of active presence in this field" and "authors of outstanding scientific works and operational experience in e-learning". In order to collect the findings, a semi-structured interview was used and continued until theoretical saturation. Then, the findings were analyzed using the content analysis method in three stages open, axial and selective coding. Finally, the validity of the research findings was evaluated using Lincoln and Guba's four criteria, including credibility, confirmability, transferability, and reliability; its reliability was checked by re-coding and two coders.Findings: The results of the analysis of the findings led to the identification of 219 key phrases, then in the form of 29 principal components including change management, support from senior management, strategic plan, action plan, attracting, developing, retaining, technical resources, financial and physical resources, information and knowledge resources, teaching strategies and scenario writing, interaction, educational package, evaluation of students, required beliefs and attitudes for stakeholders, required skills for stakeholders, required knowledge for stakeholders, common attitudes, shared values, common meanings and concepts, psychological support, process and pedagogical support, technical support , intra-university communication, extra-university communication, evaluation, monitoring, protection of intellectual property, respect for privacy were categorized and finally 11 factors including transformational leadership, planning, human capital management, resource provision, teaching-learning process management, required competencies stakeholders, culture-building regarding new approaches, support system for main and internal stakeholders, internal and external university communication, university assessment and quality assurance system, and ethical considerations were obtained in order to implement a blended approach in the university.Conclusion: The results of this research can be a practical guide for senior managers of universities and higher education institutions in order to implement the blended learning approach in the said institutions, especially first-level universities; in this way, they can keep themselves aligned with the latest changes, especially the new developments in the approaches of the teaching-learning system, and have an effective performance in the direction of educating students with the qualifications and competencies required for the society, and turn the threat of using the electronic environment into an opportunity to transform educational approaches and establish a blended learning system using the online environment.
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
A. Hossiny; M.R. Yousefzadeh; F. Seraji
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The mission of the education system is to transform students into citizens of the information society, according to technological developments that can use the facilities and platforms created in education to guide and direct daily activities and solve different problems appropriately. ...
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Background and Objectives: The mission of the education system is to transform students into citizens of the information society, according to technological developments that can use the facilities and platforms created in education to guide and direct daily activities and solve different problems appropriately. The Iranian educational system has emphasized the use of new technologies, the National Information and Communication Network in education, by preparing the "Fundamental Transformation Document of Education". Along with the expansion of ICT integration in schools, the matter of evaluating ICT integration in primary schools is important to ensure and improve the quality of teaching and learning, to determine the contexts and requirements of integration in the curriculum for implementation and enforcement. Evaluation criteria help all experts, managers and teachers to always be aware of the results of their work and know how much educational goals and goals of the organization have been achieved. This awareness leads to the integration of ICT in the curriculum in the desired way. The purpose of this study was to determine the holistic framework for evaluation of ICT integration in elementary school curriculum.Methods This research was conducted by a combined exploratory method in two stages. The qualitative research method was phenomenological. In the first stage, in order to determine the evaluation criteria, the semi-structured interview was conducted using purposive sampling, and in the next stage, a questionnaire was used to confirm the evaluation criteria by available sampling method. The participants in qualitative phase were selected based on criteria-based sampling method and the rule of theoretical saturation and hence included teachers and principals of smart schools. The statistical sample in the quantitative part included experts in the field of e-learning. Participants in the qualitative section included six principals and nine teachers and in the quantitative section, the participants included ten e-learning experts. In order to analyze the collected data in the qualitative part, the collage method (open, axial and selective coding) and in the quantitative part, CVR was used.Findings: The findings of the research in the qualitative part indicated that the evaluation framework of ICT integration included 14 criteria in different sections such as: supportive (3 criteria), electronic content (2 criteria), teacher's teaching activities (2 criteria), materials and learning resources (2 criteria), learning activities (2 criteria) and student group activities (2 criteria). In the quantitative part, the CVR percentage of all six evaluation components was higher than the table number (0.62). Electronic content components and support with the highest percentage and qualification of students were confirmed with the lowest percentage of agreement among the evaluation criteria.Conclusion: In order to increase the quality of integration in evaluation, special attention should be paid to the interaction and transaction of all evaluation components. The emphasis on separate evaluation of the dimensions of integration is the incomplete implementation of integrated evaluation in the curriculum. It is suggested that evaluators have a comprehensive and holistic view of all evaluation criteria in the field of Organizational and Educational Areas in evaluating the integration of ICT in the curriculum.
