Original Research Paper-English Issue
e-learning
F. Khodadadi Azadboni; J. kamali
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The topic of electricity is often considered a challenging and abstract concept in physics. Learning non-intuitive scientific concepts can be challenging for students because they often hold incorrect conceptions about natural phenomena that lead them toward errors. Many students ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: The topic of electricity is often considered a challenging and abstract concept in physics. Learning non-intuitive scientific concepts can be challenging for students because they often hold incorrect conceptions about natural phenomena that lead them toward errors. Many students struggle to understand the underlying principles and behaviors of electrical systems. Identifying and correcting misconceptions about electricity physics is essential for promoting meaningful learning and conceptual understanding. Nowadays, using technology in educational settings is considered an essential aspect of teaching and learning. Utilizing technology, such as simulation software like COMSOL, can help to visualize and better understand these concepts. This research has been done with the aim of identifying and correcting the misunderstandings of 11th-grade high school students in learning the concepts of electricity by simulating COMSOL software.Materials and Methods: The present research is an applied study in terms of its objective and a mixed-methods research in terms of its methodology. The qualitative section utilized content analysis to extract misconceptions about the concepts of electricity in physics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with SIX teachers using purposive sampling. Three types of coding, namely open, axial, and selective, were employed to extract the main misconceptions. The main misconceptions identified were Coulomb's law, the shape of field lines between two point charges, the electric field between capacitor plates, the motion of electric charges in an external electric field, charge distribution on surfaces, and the effect of an external electric field on conductive and non-conductive shells. Based on this pattern, a 6-item questionnaire was designed to validate the pattern of misconceptions about electricity concepts among students. The validation of the extracted pattern and the content validity of the questionnaire were assessed by experts in the field of physics education. The quantitative section of the research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The target population consisted of all male eleventh-grade students in high schools in Bojnurd city during the academic year 2022-2023. Using random sampling, 30 students were selected for each group. In the first stage, both groups took a pretest. Then, the experimental group received the independent variable (simulation-based learning using the COMSOL software) in six sessions of 90 minutes each. Meanwhile, the control group received traditional lecture-based instruction. After the intervention, both groups (experimental and control) took the dependent variable (the misconceptions test on electricity concepts). The data were analyzed using ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance) with the help of SPSS software. Findings: The post-test results showed that in addition to correcting students' misconceptions and increasing their learning level, the use of computer and COMSOL simulation software helped them better understand the concepts and increased their concentration. The results of this analysis showed a significant difference (p<0.05) between the learning and progress of the experimental group and the control group. The errors of the experimental group changed significantly compared to the control group. In the topics under investigation, the minimum percentage of misconception correction in the experimental group was 46.66%. Meanwhile, the minimum percentage of misconception correction in the control group was observed to be 36.66%.Conclusions: The research results have demonstrated that Simulation software enables students to visualize and interact with abstract concepts, making them more tangible and easier to comprehend. By using COMSOL, students can manipulate different variables in electrical systems, observe the effects, and gain insights into the underlying principles. This hands-on approach can correct misconceptions and improve students' understanding of electricity in physics. By providing interactive and visual representations of electrical phenomena, simulation software can make the subject more accessible and engaging, leading to improved learning outcomes. According to the obtained results, it is suggested that educational technology and modeling using COMSOL software be promoted in teachers' professional development programs. This action can lead to the development of knowledge of educational content and the correction of misunderstandings of concepts.
Original Research Paper-English Issue
e-learning
H. Pourmehdi Ghaemmaghami; A. Khaki Ghasr
Abstract
Background and Objectives: All academic fields, including architecture, were taught online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Architectural design studios were the most challenging courses offered online among all the architectural courses. The benefits and disadvantages of teaching in online design studios ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: All academic fields, including architecture, were taught online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Architectural design studios were the most challenging courses offered online among all the architectural courses. The benefits and disadvantages of teaching in online design studios have been studied through research on practitioner feedback. The current study focuses on the advantages of online studios and emphasizes the importance of verbal representation in the architectural design process. As verbal representation is utilized in the design process, with verbal description being one of its tools, the question arises: Is it feasible to enhance the verbal representation skills of architecture students, despite the limitations in content transmission and the challenges encountered during online studio delivery?Materials and Methods: The research methodology is qualitative. It is based on a systematic literature review and case study in which authors have used an autoethnography approach, sharing their experiences as online instructors during the COVID-19 crisis. The case study was carried out via thematic analysis supported by coding employing tactics including observations, memos, self-evaluation of students, and questionnaires. The research took place at Shahid Beheshti University's Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning for five academic semesters (2019-2022). The statistical population included 147 students (111 undergrads and 36 graduates). Findings: The results demonstrate that, due to the constraints of material sharing compared to face-to-face studios, architectural design online studios rely primarily on listening senses and linguistic skills. The results show an improvement in students' verbal representation (both oral and written), which varies depending on the studios. In online studios, 86% of students reported that their writing ability had improved, and 73% reported that their oral representation had improved. It is worth noting that students in online studios rate verbal representation in written format as the second most improved skill out of six. As a result, the level of usage and acceptability of written and oral representation in the creative process in online studios has not been consistent, and it may alter for various reasons. Some key points that make it successful include the instructor's preference for employing verbal description and representation in the studio, the student's potential in verbal description, the theme of the design studio, and where we are in the design process.Conclusions: Online architectural design studios provide students with the chance to improve their verbal representation skills. Additionally, one of the bases of delivering online studios is the ability to express ideas clearly via language, which also plays a compensating role during the design process in maintaining the studios' quality. Use of this feature in hybrid, online, or face-to-face studios could be part of future plans. The valuable tasks to be carried out should be defined and experienced in this context so that they can be implemented at the beginning, middle, or end of the design process. The practice of expressing the scenario, defining the design problem, writing the design statement, preparing sessions for reading descriptions from renowned authors' texts, as well as the sessions for critiquing the works of students and architects in the online studios in tutorial and judgment sessions, can be listed among them.
Original Research Paper-English Issue
Technology-based learning environments
R. Raisi; K. Fattahi; S.M. Zakeri; S. Daneshmand
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The learning environment refers to different settings in which students partake in their studies or learning. In recent years, there has been a focus on implementing diverse research to analyze physical settings to improve students' performance in educational settings. ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: The learning environment refers to different settings in which students partake in their studies or learning. In recent years, there has been a focus on implementing diverse research to analyze physical settings to improve students' performance in educational settings. The emergence of Neuro-architecture, a growing field that integrates neuroscience principles into architectural design, has gained popularity in optimizing student engagement and learning outcomes. By understanding the neural mechanisms that influence interactions with the built environment, neuro-architecture provides novel avenues for developing learning spaces that support optimal students’ performance. Previous Neuro-architecture research has explored various physical aspects within educational settings, including classroom size, color palettes, lighting, acoustics, and indoor air quality, revealing their impacts on memory, attention, emotional reactions, cognitive abilities, and learning advancement. However, limited attention has been given to stress-induced arousal, as well as the influence of classroom ceiling slope on students' stress levels and cognitive abilities. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining how the classroom ceiling slope relates to students' stress levels and cognitive function. Employing Virtual Reality (VR) simulations, cognitive assessments, and physiological measures, the study aims to answer the research question: How do varying ceiling slope orientations affect physiological responses linked to stress-induced arousal and cognitive function? The findings of this study will enhance the realm of research on learning environments by providing insight into the influence of physical features, such as the slope angle of classroom ceilings, on student wellness and academic performance.Materials and Methods: The research employed a quasi-experimental design to explore the effects of various Ceiling Slope Variations (CSV) on stress-induced arousal and cognitive performance. A total of 18 participants, comprising nine males and nine females, participated in the experiment, selected based on five inclusion criteria established to maintain study consistency and reliability. In the first phase, participants' stress levels were evaluated through the utilization of an Emotibit bio-data logger and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) test for measuring and mapping psychological responses. This involved monitoring heart rate variability (HRV) and electrodermal activity (EDA) in the surveyed individuals, with the objective of understanding how various ceiling slope orientations affected stress levels. The subsequent phase focused on assessing participants' cognitive abilities by utilizing the N-back test, a well-established task for gauging working memory and attention. The aim was to investigate how different CSV configurations influenced cognitive performance. In the final phase, the relationship between participants' psychological and physiological responses was analyzed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. This examination aimed to uncover the connection between stress-induced arousal and cognitive performance in relation to the diverse ceiling slope orientations.Findings: The findings highlight the important role of ceiling slope orientation in impacting stress levels and cognitive performance among students. Specifically, the research emphasizes that a backward-sloping ceiling design, particularly in relation to the class board, is associated with enhanced cognitive abilities, including higher accuracy rates and reduced instances of incorrect answers, compared to traditional classroom layouts. Conversely, the conventional classroom design results in the lowest cognitive performance levels. Furthermore, the study indicates that variations in ceiling slope can also trigger physiological responses in students, such as changes in heart rate and skin conductance, leading to diverse stress levels. The results suggest that integrating a backward sloping ceiling design can significantly alleviate stress levels in the surveyed participants, showcasing the potential benefits of such ceilings in educational environments.Conclusions: This research highlights the critical importance of educational space design in alleviating stress and enhancing cognitive abilities among students. Through the utilization of VR simulations and the assessment of physiological and cognitive reactions, the study offers valuable insights into how variations in ceiling slope can impact stress levels and cognitive performance. The results indicate that integrating a backward sloping ceiling design can play a significant role in reducing stress and boosting cognitive functions in students. These findings underscore the importance of developing educational environments that prioritize neuro-architectural principles to promote optimal learning outcomes and student welfare. It is imperative for educational institutions to take into account these considerations when structuring classrooms, ensuring the creation of spaces that nurture students' cognitive processes and overall well-being.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
F. Effati; S.M. Shobeiri; H. Barzegar; M. Rezaee
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Education and improvement of human behavior with their surroundings, is the key to solving environmental crises. This shows the necessity of implementing environmental education programs on a large scale through electronic learning for citizens. In order to successfully implement ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Education and improvement of human behavior with their surroundings, is the key to solving environmental crises. This shows the necessity of implementing environmental education programs on a large scale through electronic learning for citizens. In order to successfully implement e-learning, it is necessary to design a suitable model; therefore, the purpose of this research was to design and validate the model of e-learning in environmental-citizenship training.Methods: This study was conducted with the aim of designing and validating the e-learning model in environmental citizenship training. This study was exploratory in terms of thematic nature and applied and developmental in terms of objective. This study was carried out in two phases; in the first phase, which was done with the meta-synthesis method, related domestic and foreign research available in the databases and libraries of universities or government centers were investigated and semi- structural exploratory interviews were used. According to the inclusion criteria, the content review was done on 150 researches, and 22 experts were selected to be interviewed in a purposive way using MAXQDA. The kappa coefficient (or Cohen's kappa) was used to measure reliability as well. In the second phase of the research, the validation of the model was done using a 5-point Likert scale survey, which was given to 42 experts in education, environment, electronic education, citizenship education, and in the second step, after collecting information, the data were analyzed using the method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach.Findings: Using the meta-synthesis method in the qualitative part of the research, 14 components and 49 items related to the EEC model of the environmental citizen were extracted. Cohen's kappa coefficient confirmed 0.95 reliability of the designed model, which was at the level of excellent agreement. According to the findings of the quantitative part of the research, all factor loadings in this model were evaluated as very favorable or acceptable. The value of Cronbach's alpha for all components was above 0.7 and the combined reliability value for all variables of the model was above 0.6, which indicated good internal reliability. The average amount of extracted variance in all of the model structures was above 0.5; therefore, the divergent validity of the model was also confirmed. The coefficient of determination R2 for all of the model structures was evaluated as significant, and the appropriateness of the fit of the structural model was confirmed. The extracted effect size also showed that the quality of the system (Q2=0.795) had the greatest impact on the model. The values of t in all paths of the model were greater than 1.96. According to the results obtained from the modeling of structural equations based on the partial least squares method, there was a positive and significant relationship in the designed paths between the components of the model.Conclusion: The items and components introduced in the design of the proposed model were also approved by experts. The designed model can be effective as a management tool in strengthening the provision of useful training and improving educational performance in this field. Also, the development of such models can help the decision makers as a guide to improve the education process to adopt a suitable policy for investing effective factors in the adoption and development of this educational approach.
Original Research Paper
Technology-based learning environments
Z. Sharei; H. Haji abadi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Innovation has become one of the key skills of organizations to deal with changes in the external environment. The development of theoretical foundations and requirements of management performance shows that the mechanism of employee innovation should be examined from the perspective ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Innovation has become one of the key skills of organizations to deal with changes in the external environment. The development of theoretical foundations and requirements of management performance shows that the mechanism of employee innovation should be examined from the perspective of active planning and self-management of employees. Based on the goal-oriented theory, which focuses on initiative and spontaneity, a theoretical basis can be provided to study how to actively manage and promote innovation by employees. Therefore, for the education organization, knowing goal-oriented employees and investigating the effect of this feature on innovative performance can be very important and lay the groundwork for improving innovative performance in this organization. It is worth noting that many studies only focus on the single factor of employee innovation performance while innovative performance requires employees who are creative and whose goals are compatible with the organization's goals. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to investigate the effect of creative personality and goal orientation on innovative performance.Methods: The current research was a part of applied research in terms of its purpose, and in terms of method, it was included in the category of descriptive-correlational research. The statistical population of this research consisted of 500 education workers and teachers from Darmian. The sample size was determined based on Cochran's formula of 217 people, and the questionnaires were distributed in a simple random manner. The data collection tool was the standard goal orientation questionnaire with dimensions of goal learning, proof of performance, and avoidance of performance by Vande (1997), the innovative performance questionnaire by Zhou and George (2001), and Goff's creative personality questionnaire (1979) with a five-point Likert scale. Hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling method in PLS 3 software and model fit was examined.Findings: The findings showed goal learning orientation, performance proof orientation, and creative personality had a positive and significant effect on innovative performance while the effect of performance avoidance orientation on innovative performance is inverse (T>1.96). Also, the findings showed that goal orientation played a mediating role in the relationship between creative personality and innovative performance (T > 1.96)، but did not moderate this relationship (T < 1.96).Conclusion: When teachers and education staff have a learning goal-oriented approach, they seek to increase their skills and acquire new information about how to do their work and teaching, and they do not need to be rewarded by the organization because of their sense of self-satisfaction and superiority, they seek information to improve the way they do their work. Also, due to the orientation of performance proof, these teachers and staff show interest in learning new ways of doing tasks and welcome learning new skills, which provide the ground for innovative performance of teachers and staff. If learning is only to avoid failure, and teachers and staff turn to learning because their abilities are not questioned، it cannot encourage them to perform innovatively. In the middle education organization and the teachers working in this city, creative personality traits can improve innovative performance, people with creative personalities are not afraid of taking risks and at the same time they only try to do things correctly and meaningfully, this trait is for teachers. It can be very helpful in teaching if they can teach and behave according to the lesson and class environment and create creativity and innovation in students with their innovative performance. So, it can be said that teachers and staff who are creative by using skills acquisition and knowledge exchange and learning new solutions to perform tasks can have an innovative performance, but if they are afraid of asking questions and uncertainties and to avoid the inability to solve problems with other teachers and employees who do not exchange knowledge may not be able to produce innovative performance. According to the obtained results, if the education organization can stimulate and adjust the self-management awareness and goal orientation of teachers and employees through a series of actions, it will play a greater role in improving human resources and achieving sustainable growth.
Original Research Paper
Emerging educational technologies
Z. Khorang; R. Esfanjari Kenari; Z. Amiri
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The digital divide, like other social divides, forms a kind of social inequality. This form of social divide is the gap in access to digital tools and digital skills. Inequalities in access to digital tools and knowledge and skills can increase social and educational inequalities ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: The digital divide, like other social divides, forms a kind of social inequality. This form of social divide is the gap in access to digital tools and digital skills. Inequalities in access to digital tools and knowledge and skills can increase social and educational inequalities by transferring students from school to the labor market, and also affect the rate of migration from rural to urban areas. As schools resume education and restrictions are lifted, understanding how developing digital skills during the Covid-19 pandemic may exacerbate social and educational inequalities for some students is becoming more important. Because students in the same classrooms may have different learning. In fact, the extent to which citizens benefit from digital and media tools determines their position and place in the society and the spatial structure of the village and city. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to investigate the digital divide of virtual education of students in Alborz province during the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: The current research was practical in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical research in terms of the nature and method and was a documentary-field study in terms of data collection. The statistical population of the present study included the students of the central part of Karaj city in 1400, a questionnaire was used to collect the necessary information, the required data was obtained by completing 196 questionnaires and using the stratified sampling method. In the current study, the digital divide was measured with four levels of physical access, skill access, how to use computers and the Internet, and the level of motivational access. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests were used to check the normality of data distribution, and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used to check the mean comparisons. The studied sample included government schools, private schools, gifted students' schools and board of trustees.Findings: The results showed that there was a significant difference among students in terms of access to virtual learning opportunities during the covid-19 pandemic. Rural students compared to urban students had a higher gap in all four levels of physical access, skill, usage and motivation. Also, according to the findings, there was a significant statistical relationship between the geography of the place of residence and the challenges of online learning in the four levels of access mentioned. It was also observed that students who study in government schools have a significantly higher digital divide than the students who study in other schools. The results showed that the level of parents' education has a statistically significant effect on the digital gap of students, and female students have a smaller digital divide compared to male students. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it is suggested that the current and future political efforts should be made with the aim of supporting rural students with disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds so that they not only physically access the Internet and other digital tools, but also acquire the necessary skills to learn and use the Internet. These solutions can be a tool to reduce social inequalities in education in different geographical areas. The digital divide can weaken the social wealth and even erode it. If it is not resolved or at least not reduced, it may have harmful economic, cultural, social and political effects for the rural society. Therefore, it is suggested that by developing the infrastructure and increasing the level of digital literacy of students, the ground will be prepared for the reduction of digital divide. Also, it is necessary to make political efforts with the priority of supporting rural students with disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds to be a tool to reduce the digital divide.
Review Paper
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
Z. Karami
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Humans in the 21st century face multiple challenges that require them to acquire certain skills in order to overcome them. Some tools, such as art and technology, create unique capabilities for education that can be used to address the challenges of the 21st century. The purpose ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Humans in the 21st century face multiple challenges that require them to acquire certain skills in order to overcome them. Some tools, such as art and technology, create unique capabilities for education that can be used to address the challenges of the 21st century. The purpose of this article was to describe the approach of technological artistic education for developing 21st-century skills in students.Methods: This study was a qualitative research conducted in a meta-synthesis approach. In the first step, reputable foreign scientific databases (such as ScienceDirect, Springer, Google Scholar, Eric, Taylor and Francis, etc.) and domestic databases were searched using specific keywords and terms such as cognitive flexibility theory, electronic and virtual learning environments, cognitive flexibility, principles and criteria of cognitive flexibility theory, etc., within the specified time range from 1992 to 2020. All relevant articles and texts were collected. In the end, 120 documents were found, of which 60 documents were relevant to the research questions. After careful reading of the texts, the necessary information was extracted according to the research questions. For data analysis, thematic analysis method was used, and inter-coder reliability was assessed using the agreement method between two coders.Findings: Based on the findings, the conceptual model of artistic-technological education was presented to develop the necessary skills of individuals in the 21st century. The pattern consisted of five main sections (challenges of the 21st century, skills needed to face the challenges of the 21st century, tools required to cultivate 21st-century skills, methods of cultivating 21st-century skills, and art and technology-based activities for cultivating 21st-century skills), each of which also had sub-sections. According to this pattern, the challenges of the 21st century included technological challenges, the nature of work challenges, economic challenges, and social challenges. The skills needed to face the challenges of the 21st century included general skills and specialized skills. The tools required to cultivate 21st-century skills included artistic education tools and technological education tools. The methods of cultivating 21st-century skills included artistic education, technological education, and artistic-technological education. And the art and technology-based activities for cultivating 21st-century skills included artistic activities, technological activities, and combined artistic and technological activities (artistic-technological activities). In order to facilitate the implementation of the artistic-technological education model, two methods of combining art and technology in the formal and informal curriculum of schools and the integration of four-parts of art and technology in the curriculum of schools were suggested.Conclusion: By utilizing the benefits of art and technology, individuals can be trained to overcome the challenges of the 21st century. Artistic education and technological education alone have the capability to cultivate 21st-century skills, but by combining the two and implementing artistic technological education, more desirable results can be achieved. Integrating technology and art in the formal and informal curriculum of schools can help learners improve their creative thinking, problem-solving, critical thinking, and personal and interpersonal skills in order to overcome the challenges of the 21st century. The conceptual model of artistic technological education, with the integration of art and technology in the formal and informal curriculum of schools, and can help learners improve their superior thinking skills and overcome the challenges of this century by equipping themselves with the necessary skills for the 21st century.
Original Research Paper
Education technology - higher education
R. Tohand; M. Alinejad; B. Daneshmand
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The gamification approach is one of the newest and most attractive developments in recent years, which has been effective in various fields, including education. This approach attracted the attention of its audience by creating excitement and interaction. Gamification means ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: The gamification approach is one of the newest and most attractive developments in recent years, which has been effective in various fields, including education. This approach attracted the attention of its audience by creating excitement and interaction. Gamification means the application of game elements and components in a non-game situation, which, according to an attractive and predetermined process, considers certain goals. The gamification approach with the effectiveness of the curriculum created a dynamic and interactive environment for the learners and improved their educational and learning status in a suitable context. This research was conducted with the aim of identifying the experiences of experts in connection with the application of the elements of the gamification approach in the higher education curriculum.Methods: This qualitative research was conducted using a phenomenological (descriptive) approach in the year 1401. In this study, a deep question was posed to experts to obtain their experiences, and if necessary, elements of the gamification approach were explained for the interviewees to express their experiences related to them. The participants included experts from across the country who were involved in education, research, the production of electronic content for higher education systems related to gamification. Based on targeted sampling and snowball technique, 18 participants were identified at the national level. The interviews, which lasted for one hour each, continued until theoretical saturation was reached. After conducting and recording the interviews, they were transcribed full. The transcriptions were then reviewed multiple times, comparing the text with the audio, and subsequently subjected to a coding and analysis system.Findings: Based on the experts' experiences, the elements of gamification approach that can be employed in higher education curriculum were as follows: Create excitement (presenting engaging content, using active teaching methods, behavioral cues, competitions and questionnaires, adventure and avoiding repetition), Create partnership and interaction (instructor with learners, utilizing virtual space, through content and among learners), Create competition (group competitions, time constraints, individual competitions, and lottery-based competitions), Create motivation (creative techniques, fostering intrinsic motivation, fostering extrinsic motivation, motivational statements), Provide feedback (appropriate feedback for effort, qualitative feedback, immediate feedback after the test), Scoring (opportunity for remediation, progress bar, irregular scoring, and role determination), Rewarding (giving rewards, types of incentives, designing certificates, and awarding them), Create challenge (by posing questions and using tools), Determining rules and regulations (setting multidimensional goals for the lesson and announcing them at the beginning of the term, drawing a roadmap by the teacher, and sweet penalty) and Leveling (leveling the content and progressing step by step from easy to difficult, from concrete to abstract, from known to unknown).Conclusion: The gamification approach has elements that, by implementing it in the curriculum of higher education, could lead to the attractiveness and dynamism of teaching and facilitate the learning process. Therefore, it is possible to use the experiences of the experts of the gamification approach in the educational process to change the class from a dry and boring teacher-centered atmosphere, go out and use the elements of the gamification approach to move towards inclusiveness and make the learning process attractive, enjoyable and lasting. This approach has paid special attention to the audience and their interests and considered the participation and interaction of learners to put learning in a happy, attractive, active and effective process.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
E. Jafari; M. RezaeiZadeh,; R. Shahverdi,; B. Bandali; M. Abolghasemi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Today, teachers need a set of broader and more complex qualifications than before. In order for e-learning to be successful, front-line teachers must employ the necessary technological knowledge and effective pedagogical strategies to use ICT in the classroom. Also, to accompany ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Today, teachers need a set of broader and more complex qualifications than before. In order for e-learning to be successful, front-line teachers must employ the necessary technological knowledge and effective pedagogical strategies to use ICT in the classroom. Also, to accompany young learners in the development of digital competences, it is necessary that their teachers have the necessary digital literacy and competence in the first place. Therefore, digital competence is one of the key competences for teachers. For this reason, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the status of digital educational competencies of teachers based on the European Union framework.Methods: The current research design was quantitative and the participants in the research were 182 teachers from all over the country from 20 provinces and 46 different cities. To evaluate the digital educational competencies of teachers, a virtual workshop entitled "Teacher; On the way to digitalization" was held. After introducing and explaining each competence, the teacher provided the question related to the competence to the participants through the link of Google form, so that the questionnaire could be completed in this way. The questionnaire included 3 general competencies and 10 sub-competencies. Each competency had three levels: Novice and Explorer, Expert and Integrator, and Leader and Pioneer. In fact, the teacher evaluated him/herself based on these three levels of each competency.Findings: The results showed that the competence status of teachers' digital resources in the field of managing, protecting and sharing digital resources and creating and modifying digital resources was at the level of "novice and explorer" and "integrator and expert", respectively. In relation to teaching and learning competence, except self-regulated learning competence, which was at the "novice and explorer" level, other competences were at the "integrator and expert" level. Competence of "assessment strategies" and "analyzing evidence" was also at the level of "novice and explorer". Regarding other competencies, no significant relationship between levels was observed. Also, no significant relationship was found between demographic components (occupation, age, gender, and province) and competencies.Conclusion: In the current research, in addition to familiarizing the teachers with this framework and the types of digital competencies they need in the teaching profession, the evaluation of the digital competencies of the participants was also considered. Since the evaluation was done along with the training, it can be said with more confidence that the obtained data was more accurate. Also, evaluating teachers' digital competencies based on a spectrum or progression model helps to better and more accurately evaluate teachers and develop their digital competencies. In this case, training will be need-based and personalized in some way. Also, investigating the relationship between demographic components and the state of competencies leads to a more accurate understanding of the current situation of teachers in the country. In general, the results of using this self-evaluation can be used to adjust training courses and empower teachers and help teachers' educational preparation. One of the suggestions of this research for future researchers is to consider the evaluation of other competencies of the DigCompEdu framework. In the current research, the main focus was on basic competencies, that is, digital resources, teaching and learning, and assessment.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
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 coronavirus pandemic has underscored the critical importance of this educational approach. Essentially, blended learning has emerged as a potent solution ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Blended learning is a pivotal concept within the realm of education, possessing immense significance. The advent of the coronavirus 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 aims to delve into teachers' perceptions of diverse educational models, with a particular emphasis on blended learning. The participants under scrutiny are teachers who have traversed both electronic and blended learning methods due to the exigencies of the recent COVID-19 crisis. The research seeks 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 throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among this pool, a total of 964 teachers voluntarily elected to partake 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 crafted 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.
Original Research Paper
Sociology of Educational Technology
H. Aflakifard; M. Ghalehnoei; S. Ramezan Khani
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Female-headed households are responsible for providing material and spiritual livelihood for themselves and their family members. These women take care of the household without the regular presence or support of an adult male, and are responsible for managing the family financially, ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Female-headed households are responsible for providing material and spiritual livelihood for themselves and their family members. These women take care of the household without the regular presence or support of an adult male, and are responsible for managing the family financially, making major and vital decisions. Due to playing a dual role (parents) for their children, these women face problems such as loss of income, raising children, managing household affairs, working outside the home with low wages, etc., and enduring these life problems The reason for their different lifestyles compared to other women has led to the factors in which they have emerged. The aim of this study was to compare psychological hardiness, self-differentiation and psychological burnout in female-headed households and ordinary people in Marvdasht.Methods: The present study was comparative-causal one. The statistical population of this study included female-headed households under the auspices of the Marvdasht Relief Committee. The sample group consisted of 80 people in two groups (40 female-headed households and 40 ordinary women) who were selected using the convenience sampling procedure. Data collection tool to assess the degree of psychological hardiness was the questionnaire of Kubasa et al. The face and content validity have been reported in various appropriate studies. Also, the reliability of this tool was obtained by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The Differentiation Scale (DSI) was used to measure differentiation and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Women's psychological burnout was also assessed through the Smiths’ questionnaire; its validity and reliability of this questionnaire were evaluated in different demographic groups. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the questions of each dimension describe the same dimension and the questionnaire has a good internal consistency. The collected data were analyzed at two levels (descriptive statistics and inferential statistics). Mean and standard deviation values were calculated and MANOVA analysis test was run.Findings: According to the age distribution table of statistical sample size, in the group of female-headed households, 35.00% of people were less than 30 years old and 12.5% of people were more than 40 years old. In the group of normal women, 30.00% of women were less than 30 years old and 20.00% of women were more than 40 years old. According to the statistical sample size distribution table, in terms of education, 35.00% of women heads of households were under diploma and 65.00% of them were above diploma and in the group of normal women, 32.5% were under diploma and 67.5% were above diploma. The results showed that there was a significant difference between psychological hardiness and its dimensions in normal and female heads of households. There was no significant difference between self-differentiation and dimensions in ordinary female-headed households. There was a significant difference between normal and female-headed households in terms of psychological burnout and its dimensions. The average psychological hardiness and psychological burnout was higher among female-headed households than those of normal women.Conclusion: The results of this study can be used by relevant organizations with women heads of households and researchers interested in this field.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
susan mehrzad; zeinab Golzari; Zahra Taleb
Abstract
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of the interactive book on learning and remembering of students. The statistical population consisted of the students of Imam Hassan Mojtaba (pbuh) Conservatory in the academic year of 1396-97 and among this sample size, 60 ...
Read More
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of the interactive book on learning and remembering of students. The statistical population consisted of the students of Imam Hassan Mojtaba (pbuh) Conservatory in the academic year of 1396-97 and among this sample size, 60 subjects (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) were selected by available sampling method. . The research method is semi-experimental with pre-test-posttest design with control and experimental group. To collect information, two researcher-made questionnaires (pre-test and post-test) with appropriate validity and validity of 0/73 and 0/76 have been used. Data analysis has been used central tendency and dispersion at the descriptive level and also in inferential analysis has used covariance test. In addition, the correlation t-test, second post-test scores was compared to the post-test scores which were performed with a one month interval from the first pre test. The results of the findings indicate that the use of the interactive book has a positive effect on students' learning. The use of an interactive book also has a positive impact on student recollection
Original Research Paper
Educational Science
Javad Imani; mehdi bagheri; nader gholi ghorchiyan; parivash jafari
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify effective dimensions for enhancing the effectiveness of secondary schools in Hormozgan province. The purpose of this research is applied and in terms of information gathering method, a quantitative-qualitative approach has been taken. The statistical population ...
Read More
The purpose of this study was to identify effective dimensions for enhancing the effectiveness of secondary schools in Hormozgan province. The purpose of this research is applied and in terms of information gathering method, a quantitative-qualitative approach has been taken. The statistical population includes experts in the field of school effectiveness. Which in part of Quantitative Research, included a limited number of faculty members in Hormozgan universities in the fields of education, of which 30 were selected as samples. Also In the qualitative section, the sample volume was estimated with a theoretical saturation of 10 people. A targeted sampling was used to select the sample. The Data collection tools were through interviews and questionnaires. For data analysis in the Quantitative section, One sample t test and In the qualitative section, open and axial coding was used. The results led to the identification of six Dimensions from 24 concepts that named them as follows: management and leadership; Belief in collective wisdom; Promoting health, health and safety at school; Empowering staff; Establishment of the teaching and learning system and extracurricular activities.
Original Research Paper
Architecture
malihe taghipour; aliakbar heidari; Khatereh Sajjadi
Abstract
One of today's social issues is the expansion of behavioral abnormalities in children, which is reflected in aggressive behaviors. Prevention of such behaviors is one of the most important priorities of families and educational institutions. Schools as the first social institution, plays a significant ...
Read More
One of today's social issues is the expansion of behavioral abnormalities in children, which is reflected in aggressive behaviors. Prevention of such behaviors is one of the most important priorities of families and educational institutions. Schools as the first social institution, plays a significant role in promoting social skills and controlling such aggressive behaviors. Accordingly, the study tries to evaluate the impact of the school environment on the reduction of aggressive behaviors in children. Among the spaces in the school, the yard was selected as the most common space, and its spatial-physical characteristics were evaluated in six schools in Shiraz. The research method is descriptive-analytic based on quantitative and qualitative strategies. A semi-structured questionnaire and interview with students and teachers were used. The results indicated that among the various spatial features of the school yard, green area in the yard, as well as the diversity of open and semi-open spaces in the school yard, had the greatest effect on reducing student behavioral disorder.
Original Research Paper
physical education
shida ranjbari; Zynalabedin Fallah; vahid shojaee
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to a Study of Factor effecting on Development in sport schools with Using the Structural Modeling Interpretative Model. The present study was descriptive -analytical study that was carried out fieldwork. The statistical population of the study consisted of physical education ...
Read More
The purpose of this study was to a Study of Factor effecting on Development in sport schools with Using the Structural Modeling Interpretative Model. The present study was descriptive -analytical study that was carried out fieldwork. The statistical population of the study consisted of physical education experts, sports teachers, and education experts in the field of education that had sufficient experience in sport education in the field. Based on a Snowball sampling, 17 individuals were identified as the sample of the study. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with 23 questions that included 23 factors influencing development of ICT in school sports, which were identified based on a comprehensive study of resources. The whole process of analyzing the data was done in SPSS and MicMac software. The present study revealed that some factors, as key independent actors have a significant role in the development of information and communication technology in sports schools. In order to develop information and communication technology in sport schools, comprehensive planning is needed to develop some key independent factors. Planning on the key factors identified in this study can create the ground for the development and promotion of information and communication technology in school sports.
Original Research Paper
Technology-based learning environments
M. Ghorbanzadeh; M Golabchi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Educational technology into three main areas; It can be divided into instrumental, content and management. The purpose of educational content technology is to create and expand knowledge in order to define educational patterns and methods. The verification of qualitative skills ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Educational technology into three main areas; It can be divided into instrumental, content and management. The purpose of educational content technology is to create and expand knowledge in order to define educational patterns and methods. The verification of qualitative skills such as architecture can only be done with the help of quantification through the hierarchical definition of design and learning methods, It is necessary to explore patterns and processes in the content technology of structural architecture education, which, while being suitable for teaching students of this field, are compatible with the contemporary content educational technology, which is based on constructivism. These patterns in two general parts; Learning processes (and in its subset: education) and structural architecture design processes are separated. These two areas, focusing on the content technology of architecture education, have been considered by many design researchers. Their studies emphasize simulating teaching and architectural design to a research and discovery. This discovery that takes place in the form of a cyclical and evolving process, in order to benefit from all the primary generators, including the structure, in improving the architectural concept. A detailed examination of these studies and especially their emphasis on the continuous transformation of the explicit and implicit knowledge of the structure, leads to a detailed understanding of the design process of constructible architecture and the requirements of its learning environment, which is discussed in this article. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to clarify the design process of structural architecture and the requirements of its learning and teaching processes, based on the theory of SCEI, as elements of the content technology of architecture education and for their application in the workshop environments of architecture education.Methods: In this article, firstly, by knowing the theory of structural architecture, the roles of structure in architecture are determined. Then, with the help of the qualitative content analysis method, in the studies of the architectural design process, the main features of structural architecture processes are extracted. In the qualitative content analysis method, first, the unit of analysis should be among the seven main elements, namely; Words, themes, characters, paragraphs, items, concepts and symbols should be specified. In this article, the selected analysis unit is words and categories. For this purpose, key words are extracted from the researchers' design opinions and are divided in the form of categories in such a way that the semantic content of the researcher's intended design can be specified with the help of a holistic interpretation and from it, in order to know the process of learning, teaching and designing structural architecture. With the help of this method and using a holistic interpretation, first the characteristics of the constructivist learning environment and the learning process in this environment are extracted, and according to the SCEI theory and its strategies, how the education process transforms the explicit and implicit knowledge of the structure. It is mentioned. Finally, the design process of structural architecture is refined by focusing on the main known features.Findings: With the help of qualitative content analysis method and then focusing on holistic interpretation, this article identified the characteristics of structural architecture design process and the requirements of its learning environment. Based on the theory of knowledge transformation and especially specifying the role of the teacher in this knowledge transformation, it was determined that in the educational environments of the field of architecture, if there is a constructive teaching and learning process, it can be developed in a continuous cycle with the continuous transformation of tacit knowledge and Through the strategies of socialization, externalization, combination and internalization, the structure was explicitly approached to ideation in structural architecture, and in this case, the basical, functional and dramatical roles of the structure will be taken into consideration by the designer. Also, with regard to the parts of the learning process of structural architecture extracted from the article, it was found that the design process in this architecture has six specific stages: Analysis, Initial Conjectures, evaluation, review, Combination, Conjecture. These stages can be defined and identified in the form of an evolving cycle, and in total, they form the process cycle of structural architecture design, which is drawn at the end of the article. The results obtained from the above article can be used in order to update the content technology of architecture education in architecture studios.Conclusion: Improving the content technology of architectural education with the help of exploring the processes of learning, teaching and design of structural architecture, can provide the context for combining structural topics with architectural ideas and lead to the creation of structural architecture that meets the structural requirements and its implicit knowledge along with Attention to the beauty and performance of architecture is considered. Architects and especially architecture students, in order to benefit from all the capabilities of the structure, in completing and advancing their concept, need to go through the design process in such a way that it is possible to address the different roles of the structure in the stage of making meaning in the mind and in the form To provide tacit (hidden) knowledge. The roles of the structure in architecture, by separating the implicit and explicit knowledge of the structure and familiarity with the process of their transformation and formation, find the ability to be present in the ideation of architects. Therefore, if in the matter of architectural education and design, during a certain process, attention is paid to the complementary cycle and the transformation of different knowledge into each other; It can be hoped that the final concept will approach the levels of structural architecture. Also, in order to teach such a process, the learning environment must have capabilities that provide the context for the continuous presence of the structure in the learner's ideas. Such environments approach constructivist learning environments and have specific requirements, the most important of which are; Dynamic and exploratory learning and paying attention to the position of the teacher as a motivation and questioner. A detailed understanding of these requirements in this article and paying attention to the learning and design processes with emphasis on the role of the teacher and the learner, along with the continuous use of implicit and explicit knowledge of structures in architecture, can improve the awareness of the teacher and the learner in order to advance their educational goals and the most important problem of content technology in the current architectural education - the ambiguity in the design and learning processes - could be resolved. In the processes of learning, teaching and design resulting from the article, special emphasis is placed on structured learning environments and the process of discovery and falsification, which is specifically in the form of seven specific stages in the learning process (initial contact, initial reception, supplementary reception, deep reception, control, transmission, awareness, and insight) and continuous transformation of tacit and explicit knowledge of the structure can be seen through four strategies. As a result of focusing on these two processes of learning and teaching, six specific stages in the form of the structural architecture design process (Analysis, Initial Conjectures, evaluation, review, Combination, Conjecture) are defined and verified at the end of the article. The application of the above process in the teaching of introductory courses in architecture improves architectural concepts to structural architecture.
Original Research Paper
Educational technology- primary school
M. Omidi Shal; B. Bandali; Mahmood Abolghasemi; S. Saadati
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Reading and writing, in addition to being considered as one of 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 ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Reading and writing, in addition to being considered as one of 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 on 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 elementary school students.Methods: This is an applied research carried out with quantitative approach and quasi-experimental design. A sample of 50 students of the first grade of an all-boys elementary 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 elementary 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 city. 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 collected were analyzed by 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 between 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.
