Educational Technology Psychology
F. Ghorban Dordinejad
Abstract
Abstract: This study is an attempt to find the relationship between personality type of the learners and their performance on reading comprehension tests of two structurally different texts, i.e. narrative and cause/effect. To detect the relationship, a researcher-made reading comprehension comprising ...
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Abstract: This study is an attempt to find the relationship between personality type of the learners and their performance on reading comprehension tests of two structurally different texts, i.e. narrative and cause/effect. To detect the relationship, a researcher-made reading comprehension comprising eight passages of both text structures and the Persian version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator were administered to a group of 379 BA English students from different Iranian universities. The collected data were analyzed and the results indicated that the distribution of subjects' scores on both tests were not normal. Therefore, two Kruskal-Wallis tests were run to detect the relationship. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis tests showed no difference between the subjects' performance on both tests. In order to find out if any specific personality type group had performed better on one of the tests, eight paired sample T-tests were run. The results indicated that compared to the cause/effect mean scores, all groups had performed better on the narrative test, but the difference between the mean scores of STJ, SFJ, SFP, and NFP personality groups were significant. Therefore, it was concluded that the inclusion of most of the feeling subjects, who possess certain personality characteristics congruent with narrative textual features, in these four categories has assisted their better performance. Drawing on the results of the study, implications of the results are suggested.
Education technology - Evaluation and testing
P. Rahnamai Zekavat; L. Bernard
Abstract
Examination is a key component of education. Quizzes can motivate students to be prepared in advance، and encourage them to accompany lecturer in the teaching. Especially it is an applicable tool for managing crowded classrooms. But designing and establishing quizzes in high circulation is the main ...
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Examination is a key component of education. Quizzes can motivate students to be prepared in advance، and encourage them to accompany lecturer in the teaching. Especially it is an applicable tool for managing crowded classrooms. But designing and establishing quizzes in high circulation is the main obstacle in vast application of them. Internet as part of today’s modern life is a foundation to overcome this limit. Universities as pioneer applicants of internet have already its infrastructure installed. Although everybody agrees that information technology (IT) is effective in education، unfortunately due the lack of demonstration and scientific evaluation of its capabilities، it is not adopted in current practice. Following effective learning paradigm، this article surveyed “Simultaneous Electronic Response System” and assessed its applicability to involve engineering students in learning especially by establishing large-scale online quizzes. Results confirmed system’s performance and registered improved learning
Electronic learning- virtual
M. Khoshnoodifar; K. Fathi Vajargah
Abstract
The purpose of this study with a descriptive-survey method is to investigate the trends and dimensions of curricula internationalization process with a distance education approach in higher education in Iran. It examines the necessity of internationalization of curriculum as well identifying the factors, ...
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The purpose of this study with a descriptive-survey method is to investigate the trends and dimensions of curricula internationalization process with a distance education approach in higher education in Iran. It examines the necessity of internationalization of curriculum as well identifying the factors, conditions, resources, equipment, limitations, opportunities and appropriate strategies to do so. Using cluster-stratified sampling and Cochran formula, 543 university professors and Iranian and foreign students at five universities in Tehran were selected to fill out the questionnaire which consisted of 8 areas and 96 questions. The data analysis was carried out using one sample t-test, Friedman test and standard deviation. Based on the findings, to accompany globalization and to introduce Iranian culture and civilization to the world, curricula internationalization in higher education is a necessary issue; Distance education can be an effective strategy to achieve the above due to its high degree of flexibility and its ability to overcome geographical, political, economic and cultural borders. The most influential factor in succeeding in internationalizing curriculum with a distance education approach in higher education of Iran are: increasing international cooperation of universities, expanding use of the international language in teaching, revising the current rules and regulations and clarifying them, increasing financial and human resources, developing technological infrastructure, exploiting cultural similarities and a large number of applicants who want to study aboard in the middle east, selecting appropriate subjects and considering transformative approach in curriculum components or change in thought paradigms of teachers and learners for the sake of change in materials and how to teach them.
Electronic learning- virtual
F. Zolfaghari; A. Rahati
Abstract
Designing an educational system is costly and a time consuming task, hence, providing electronic learning modules according to the characteristics of each learner in order to reduce the learning time and increase productivity of education is very important. The purpose of this study is to provide an ...
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Designing an educational system is costly and a time consuming task, hence, providing electronic learning modules according to the characteristics of each learner in order to reduce the learning time and increase productivity of education is very important. The purpose of this study is to provide an electronic module according to the learning characteristics of each student, using some of the e-Learning standards, learning theories , memetic algorithm and also assess the learning outcomes of this approach. At the stage of subject preparation to teach each concept, a set of maximum possible learning activities is provided with different materials such as slides, lectures, etc. The compatibility between the activities and characteristics of student who want to learn is produced based on the theory of Folder on learning styles and Bloom's theory for knowledge classification. Student learning styles are designed based on a questionnaire using Folder approach and testing of his/her knowledge is extracted based on Bloom's theory and learning path which is include the proper ordering of learning activities is produced based on memetic algorithm. The populations of this study were 40 girls of third-year computer science class of high school in Zahedan. They were selected randomly. They have been subdivided into two groups of 20 randomly. The proposed system is trained with 20 people and 20 people have traditionally learned their lesson. Comparison between the proposed approach and traditional method in term of quality of education were performed. The results indicate that the proposed method has good quality.
Electronic learning- virtual
N. Saberi; Gh.A. Montazer
Abstract
Environmental monitoring for extraction of learner’s features and accurately learner modeling is a time and cost consuming task. This paper proposes a flexible framework using agent architecture capabilities in learners’ monitoring and also in optimization of Intelligent Tutoring subsystems ...
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Environmental monitoring for extraction of learner’s features and accurately learner modeling is a time and cost consuming task. This paper proposes a flexible framework using agent architecture capabilities in learners’ monitoring and also in optimization of Intelligent Tutoring subsystems interactions. In this research learner’s learning approaches have been recognized by learning style theory then their uncertainty has been reduced by Bayesian Network. This framework prepares recommendations by combination of learners’ learning style and learner’s abilities (that are computed by Item Response Theory (IRT)) for three groups: learners, tutors and system designer. The architecture of proposed tutoring system has been presented in three layers. In middle layer there are four agents that monitor learners, create learner’s model, update it and prepare some recommendations based on courseware features, learner’s abilities and his/her learning style. A study was conducted on 30 Computer Engineering students during one semester. The implementation of the proposed system on participants indicates an increase in all evaluation factors, for example it doubles educational success rate and learner’s satisfaction rate.
Architecture
H.R. Azemati; S. Norouzian Maleki; N. Khan Vali
Abstract
One of the most important steps in planning the design of educational facilities, is attention to the physical safety of these spaces, especially in elementary schools. For this reason, the priority in the designing is safety of the child and then due to the flexibility of the environment and tools, ...
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One of the most important steps in planning the design of educational facilities, is attention to the physical safety of these spaces, especially in elementary schools. For this reason, the priority in the designing is safety of the child and then due to the flexibility of the environment and tools, to give the child's chance of imagination. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of physical security and safety, environmental variables that creates safety in the educational spaces, in order to achieve a more favorable atmosphere has been done. In case study examples, solutions can be found to solve the problem in schools and in planning for the future, measures to promote safety in our schools. The research study, so that in the first phase, the theoretical research gathered through library studies, that was based on the results of the research. In the next step is to test hypotheses, field studies and interviews have been done on 8 elementary schools in Rasht, and the questionnaires were distributed in two stages, the required results gathered and analyzed. The findings showed that for respondents so many factors such as correct location of schools, access, privacy and security in the performance of schools and educational facilities described have special significance, despite the fact that is, the level of security in schools body was moderate, however, physical security, enhancing the utility of educational facilities and increase children's learning outcomes will follow.
competency of teachers
Z. Jafari far; A. Khorasani; M. Rezaei Zadeh
Abstract
Distance education is one of the most important criteria of education; organizations believe that it has important role in human resource (HR) education. However, there are some challenges in implementing distance learning in the organisations' HRD (Human Resource development) departments. The current ...
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Distance education is one of the most important criteria of education; organizations believe that it has important role in human resource (HR) education. However, there are some challenges in implementing distance learning in the organisations' HRD (Human Resource development) departments. The current study seek to identify and rank the challenges that confront distant learners in organizations. In order to do so, a sample of 115 employees of Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran who attended virtual training through the last year were selected and engaged in the study. Reviewing the literature on e-learning challenges and critical factors, the main questions of a questionnaire were extracted and written. Analyzing the data has been gathered by those questionnaires, the final list of the intended challenges was identified, categorized, and ranked as following: Educational, Infrastructural, and Cultural challenges. The implications of the current study on how distance education can be properly used in HRD is also discussed and outlined in the paper.
TVET
A. Sadri; E. Zahedi; N. Rahmani
Abstract
Background and Objectives:Education has been considered as the most basic factor of sustainable development in our country. Increasing acceptance of education at all levels increases the need to pay attention to superior quality, effective management and adaptation of education to the needs of society ...
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Background and Objectives:Education has been considered as the most basic factor of sustainable development in our country. Increasing acceptance of education at all levels increases the need to pay attention to superior quality, effective management and adaptation of education to the needs of society and the characteristics of the twenty-first century. Development of technical and vocational education needs special attention due to the limitations of universities and ways to achieve higher education and the need for youth employment, and especially the unemployment of university graduates. In addition, at this time, special attention should be paid to technical and vocational training as the main weapon of global competition. In addition to the secondary and associate level, technical and vocational training programs in Iran have been officially upgraded to the level of bachelor degree. Social demand for these trainings, especially at the associate level, has led to areas of development and special attention to these trainings. Given the importance of endogenous development and reliance on domestic forces in various aspects of economic, social and cultural development as a result of sustainable development, training skilled and efficient forces that can accelerate the movement of economic wheels and the country from dependence on skilled forces and foreign expert, technical and vocational training is of particular importance. But technical and vocational training can claim to fulfil this mission when its products are in harmony with the needs of the labour market, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In other words, the technical and professional graduate has been trained in the fields that the labour market needs and is equipped with techniques and skills that can meet the needs of companies and employers. If education development programs are carefully and quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated, they would clarify valuable issues whose results due to the long-term impact of education on society, can help education planners and decision makers and foster help to use the results of this review and evaluation in order to develop better and more complete programs for the development of education. Consequently, the present study compares the supply of technical and vocational graduates with the demand for manpower in this sector and includes examining the external efficiency and employment of graduates and comparing the supply and demand of trained personnel in the technical and vocational associate sector, disciplines and specialized groups. Methods: In this research, a descriptive survey method has been used. The graduate research questionnaire in collaboration with Colombo College was selected as the basis for this evaluation. The statistical population consisted of colleges and technical and vocational schools under the Ministry of Education at the time. In sampling, 24 fields and 69 centres (using multi-stage cluster sampling) were sampled. Findings: According to the research results, there is a moderate significant relationship between the job and gender of graduates. Also, 76% of employees have found jobs related to their education and only 22% of employees are self-employed; Cramer’s correlation coefficient has reported very high and effective. The relationship between gender and employment problems has also been reported to be significant. The results also show that in order to achieve the employment of technical and vocational graduates, another 63% of job opportunities are needed for 163 thousand people. Conclusion: The results show that in order to increase the real effectiveness of technical and vocational education in the country, the curriculum should include changes tailored to the needs and requirements. Some suggested changes according to the results of this research are: More practical units should be included in technical and vocational courses and disciplines. In theoretical discussions in the technical and professional field, more attention should be paid to issues related to entrepreneurship; and the activities and disciplines that are most attractive in the job market should be expanded. The results of the study show that the retraining ability of graduates is at a low level, so more attention should be paid to the basic courses in the curriculum. Planning for disciplines and centres should be based on land management. Centres should be considered as the centre of integration that have the highest rate of graduate attraction. According to the research results, there is a moderate significant relationship between the job and gender of graduates, that is, although there is a significant relationship between these two components, but it is necessary to make efforts to increase this relationship.
Learning Environment
N. Ahmadpour Samani; A. Farsi Mohammadipour; S.M. Behrooz
Abstract
Background and Objective: Addressing the issue of identifying elements of the nature are important to children and increase children's creativity. In such a way that these elements can be presented in a general framework so that designers and architects can rely on them, the most important concepts and ...
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Background and Objective: Addressing the issue of identifying elements of the nature are important to children and increase children's creativity. In such a way that these elements can be presented in a general framework so that designers and architects can rely on them, the most important concepts and items needed in the design, to consider these spaces and apply them. Of course, it should be noted that several environmental factors affect creativity. However, in this study, an attempt is made to identify the factors that have the most impact, so that the needs of children can be met in accordance with their activities and a general framework for designing children's spaces can be proposed. The main difference between this research and other researches is in prioritizing the effective factors in nature from the children's point of view and its effect on creativity and then presenting the results in the form of an overall design framework. Various research has been done on this subject, but in a one-dimensional way and in them only one factor is mentioned, such as the effect of creativity on learning, but none of them presents the effect of nature's role in increasing creativity. The purpose of this research is to determine which natural elements are important from children’s points of view and whether the use and presence of elements are possible in educational locations. This research seeks to find approaches to design school yards based on children’s points of view with regard to the role of nature in their education. Methods: The research method used in this qualitative study is content analysis. Based on the nature of the subject, a questionnaire and the image technique were used as the main method of data collection. The structure of the questionnaire is based on the measures and criteria derived from the subject literature and designed based on Likert scale. In the first stage, 120 questionnaires were provided to children of 7-12 age in the case study. Results of the questionnaires were obtained. To ensure that the results of the questionnaires are expanded, the researcher, in the second phase, provided some pictures relevant to questionnaires, so that the children could respond to questions based on their visual preferences. The researcher then obtained results based on visual content analysis. Findings: It was discovered that these two instruments of measurement are in line with each other and are appropriate to the environmental factors affecting children. Finally, a framework for organizing the school yard is presented. Conclusion: By creating an appropriate, responsive and purposeful framework in design, we can address the main goal of the research, which is to identify the effective factors in nature from the children's point of view by increasing their creativity, and finally, an appropriate framework by considering these factors to organize the space of the school yard. The necessity of presenting the framework can be expressed in such a way that the weakening of children's connection with outside the classroom is harmful for the child, on the other hand, an intellectual movement moves towards learning outdoors. The presence of natural elements or the same nature has a positive effect on children's creativity, discovers and flourishes the latent talent in children and creates a suitable environment for a bright future for children.
Information literacy
Z. Batooli; F. Fahimnia; N. Naghshineh; F.S. Mirhosseini
Abstract
Background and Objectives:Despite the emergence and advancement of new technologies and, consequently, the change in lifestyle in recent decades, education systems have maintained the same traditional method of education and have not changed according to the characteristics of the digital generation. ...
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Background and Objectives:Despite the emergence and advancement of new technologies and, consequently, the change in lifestyle in recent decades, education systems have maintained the same traditional method of education and have not changed according to the characteristics of the digital generation. Meanwhile, digital generation features have been effective in learning-teaching approaches. One of the most important and recent developments in the field of modern technologies is the use of gamification, that is, the use of game elements in non-game contexts. Gamification is using game mechanics, game aesthetics, and game thinking to engage people, motivate them, and promote learning, and problem-solving. The use of game elements in educational environments has been found in developed countries and even in developing countries as a special place to face current educational problems. The purpose of this study was to review the studies in the field of ‘Gamification in e-learning’ and to present the content analysis of this field and its effectiveness in education. Methods: A systematic search of articles was done in February 2018. After searching the databases Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, and Emerald with keywords Gamification, gamify, and gameful and also online, web, tutorial, module, e-learning, electronic, and e-course, and based on input criteria, 60 relevant articles were selected in this study. The selected articles were analyzed in terms of game elements, gamified e-learning courses, and the purpose of the articles. Findings: Target population in this reviewed article included high school, secondary school, and elementary school students, and also university students from a variety of disciplines, including Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, Business Management, Building Engineering, Computer, Informatics, Library and Information Sciences, Psychology, Journalism, Construction Engineering, Nursing, and Tourism. In these studies, the effectiveness of gamification on learning various educational topics such as the programming languages, English language, data structure and algorithm, mathematics, economy and politics, psychology, informatics, physics, German language, medicine, and biology, have been studied. The effectiveness of gamification on participation/engagement, learning, motivation, anxiety, peer assessment, collaboration, website optimization, cost reduction, and faculty load were among the subject areas studied in these articles. Effectiveness of game elements on behaviors such as leaderboard on anxiety, point on motivation, leaderboard on learning and engagement, half-anonymity avatar on motivation and engagement and, avatar on motivation are among other topics covered in these studies. Furthermore, a few research has been done on determining the game elements affecting learning and motivation, the possibility of predicting the game elements suitable for different users, and gender differences in dealing with gamification. The game element point, leaderboard, badge, levels, challenge, and feedback were used more than other elements. Other elements of the game used in educational environments include avatar, progress bar, social sharing, unexpected rewards, time limit, freedom to fail, currency, missions, and rules/goals. The number of game elements used in these studies varies. In some studies, only one element of the game has been used, and in other studies, two, three, or even more elements of the game have been used and evaluated. Conclusion: The results indicated the effectiveness of gamified e-learning environments to increase learning, engagement, and motivation of learners. This result is due to the features that are at the heart of gamification; because gamification leads to a change in behavior and extensive learning experiences.
Architecture
M.H. Afshar; H. Arzani
Abstract
Analyzing the flow on dams by numerical methods compared to the physical model preparation is the most efficient way to reduce costs and time. In general the type of method used, flow analysis on overflows in its permanent condition requires solving the category of differential equations involved called ...
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Analyzing the flow on dams by numerical methods compared to the physical model preparation is the most efficient way to reduce costs and time. In general the type of method used, flow analysis on overflows in its permanent condition requires solving the category of differential equations involved called Navirastox equations in order to make the free surface of the flow very complex and uneconomical.One type of equation used in overflows is the use of medium depth equation model, or in other words, shallow water equations that result from integrating the Navier-Stokes equations in depth and applying boundary conditions of surface and substrate. Intermediate depth equations, also known as shallow water equations, are mainly used to simulate currents where the velocity value is constant at depth of flow and the pressure distribution at depth is hydrostatic.Due to the complexity of the equations and the lack of a precise answer, different numerical methods have been developed to solve the equations governing the physical phenomena.One of the newest of these methods is the set of methods without a network, which has been introduced in the last two decades to solve differential equations, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.Dissociation of the problem in many non-networked methods leads to integral equations, the solution of which requires numerical integralization and the introduction of gaseous points and related weights along with networking.In this paper, the least squares method is used to solve shallow water equations.At least discrete squares have been used in the dissection phase of the differential equation to achieve algebraic equations, as well as the minimum weight squares of the data in order to obtain the values of the form functions.The most important advantage of this method should be considered in eliminating the steps of integrating the process of calculating the matrices of the coefficients and also supporting it without networking in the real sense.Correction of the method has been done by numerical analysis of the flow on the overflow of one of the dams of the country and its comparison with the results related to the speed and water level in the physical model.
Architecture
A.A. Ramezanianpour; V. Shahhosseini; F. Moodi
Abstract
As we can see in many bridges in the country, due to the lack of implementation of the bridge maintenance management system, the range of failures is gradually It has expanded and led to declining resistance and increasing the vulnerability of bridges. Due to the hot and humid weather conditions and ...
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As we can see in many bridges in the country, due to the lack of implementation of the bridge maintenance management system, the range of failures is gradually It has expanded and led to declining resistance and increasing the vulnerability of bridges. Due to the hot and humid weather conditions and the presence of salts in it The Persian Gulf region has seen signs of failure, including numerous cracks and local damage, in many of the concrete slabs in the area's structures and bridges. It is possible. Therefore, the assessment of the condition of concrete slabs prevents the progress of failure, removal from service and repair of structures.In this paper, the Expert-Slab Bridge expert system is presented to assess the failure of concrete slabs. Expert system, computer program It is intelligence that uses the knowledge and methods of inference and inference to solve problems. This system includes an interpreter, an inference method Knowledge-based and database. Bridge deck failures due to environmental conditions and cracked concrete structures, failures Surface and instrumental failures have been evaluatedSeveral case studies and comparisons between technical inspection results and the expert system In order to gain reliability and accuracy, the results of the system have been done. System outcomes include a concrete bridge slab identification, inference Expert system with failures and their causes, status index, status description, suggested solution for repair and diagram of useful life of concrete slab Is .
Education technology - Evaluation and testing
A. Karami Gazafi; J. Younesi; A. Azizian
Abstract
: The purpose of this thesis is to compare the educational effectiveness of Chemistry laboratory in second grade of high school by using the educational software and traditional method . The independent variable was teaching method and the dependent variables were attitude and knowledge. The study has ...
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: The purpose of this thesis is to compare the educational effectiveness of Chemistry laboratory in second grade of high school by using the educational software and traditional method . The independent variable was teaching method and the dependent variables were attitude and knowledge. The study has been carried out using a semi-experimental method. The samples were randomly selected from high schools in Ilam city. In each school, two classes were randomly selected; one class was selected as experimental group and the other as the control group. For the former, a pre-test was done which indicated that there was no significant difference between two groups in attitude and knowledge level. Two-dimensional diagram of content–purpose related to the items of attitude questionnaire and knowledge test were presented to professors’ and experts in order to obtain the validity of the instruments. The reliability measurement of learning achievement was α= 0.71 and for the attitude questionnaire was α=0.88. According to the research procedure, the control group did the experiment in the traditional laboratory using chemical substances laboratory tools, and the experimental group did the same experiment using educational software in the computer site. Using the analysis of covariance for post-test, it was determined that the control group had more educational achievement than the experimental one, but the experimental group had more positive attitude to computer and chemistry laboratory than the control group. There were significant differences between two groups in three parts of attitude including: emotional, cognitive and behavioral.
Educational Technology
M. abolghasemi; H. Mohamadi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: One of the problems of elementary school teachers is the lack of time, especially in mathematics. Lack of time to educate students has caused academic failure and weakened the basic math of elementary students. For this reason, it is necessary to use teaching methods so that ...
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Background and Objectives: One of the problems of elementary school teachers is the lack of time, especially in mathematics. Lack of time to educate students has caused academic failure and weakened the basic math of elementary students. For this reason, it is necessary to use teaching methods so that teachers can overcome this lack of time in the weekly curriculum. One of these methods, which has been emphasized in research, especially in mathematics, is the flipped instruction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of flipped (or reverse) learning on elementary school students' attitude and performance in mathematics in Najafabad in Iran.Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental research with pre-test and posttest experimental and control groups, in order to investigate the changes before and after applying the intervetnion in the experimental group and compare it with the control group. The population of this study included all fourth grade male students in Najafabad in the academic year 2019-2018. The sampling method was multistaged clustering. It should be noted that in order to reduce the economic and cultural differences of students in these schools, a sample was selected from the central part of the city. Among the schools in this area, 2 boys' schools were randomly selected, and then two grade 4 classes were randomly assigned to the control group and experimental group respectively. The Aiken Attitude Questionnaire (1971) was used to measure students' attitudes toward mathematics. The validity of this questionnaire was assessed by content validity and its reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Math academic performance was also measured by a teacher-made math test. Its validity was checked and confirmed by teachers. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of covariance. The implementation was such that the teacher had to prepare educational materials for the students and ask the students to do the math book activities, work in the classroom and the book exercises at home after watching the clips and using the educational software, and then share and fix the problems in class sessions with the teacher. Educational software, along with educational clips and videos, were provided to students at regular intervals, and they were asked to watch the instructional video at home at an optional number of times, and then to practice the topics using the software, and then solve those activities, class work and exercises. In the classroom, the teacher reviewed the book activities, did classroom work, and exercises, gave students descriptive feedback individually, and wrote down their problems and issues to be explained in class. After the explanation, students were asked to ask questions if they had any or did not understand a part of the lesson correctly. The student questioning process continued until the students stated that they had learned everything, and the teacher was confident in students’ learning by observing their performance in solving exercises and problems. This process included a total of two 45-minute math sessions.Findings: The results showed that the filliped learning method is effective and influences the academic performance of mathematics.Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it can be suggested that the filliped instruction can be used to teach mathematics in primary schools.
Information literacy
S. Kalvari Janaki; A.S., Khakbaz; M. Pourjamshidi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Information literacy refers to enabling individuals to determine when they need information and also having the ability to store, evaluate information, and using it effectively when needed. Teaching information literacy through the curriculum is one of the issues that has been ...
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Background and Objectives: Information literacy refers to enabling individuals to determine when they need information and also having the ability to store, evaluate information, and using it effectively when needed. Teaching information literacy through the curriculum is one of the issues that has been considered by curriculum planners in recent years. For this reason, educational systems in different countries have been trying different ways to equip people in communities with information literacy skills. Similarly, in our country, paying attention to teaching information literacy in curricula has been seen in the document of fundamental transformation of education. Two of the courses through which information literacy can be developed are Persian and writing courses. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the status of information literacy in Persian and writing textbooks at the first year of high school.Methods: The research method in this study was content analysis with a quantitative approach. The statistical population included Persian and writing textbooks of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades of the first year of high school (academic year 2018-2019), on the whole comprised of six textbooks. The sampling method in this study was purposeful sampling method and the sample size was equal to the size of the population, because all six books were analyzed. The research instrument is the standard checklist of information literacy, extracted from the checklist of Lotfi Maher (2010). This checklist includes eight components of feeling the need for information and how to express it, gathering information and search strategies, understanding, internalizing and recording information, the correct usage of information, organizing information, evaluating and analyzing information, being successful and laying emphasis on social, economic and legal aspects of information. Indicators of descriptive statistics including frequency, frequency percentage, tables and graphs were used to analyze the data.Findings: The results showed that although quantitatively, on the average, about one third of the messages of all these textbooks (35.45%) had paid attention to the components of information literacy; the components of information literacy were not explicitly addressed, and information literacy content was more implicitly included in these books. Meanwhile, the status of writing textbooks in terms of information literacy components was better than the Persian textbooks, and grade 8 writing textbook with a frequency of 51.82 had the first rank and eighth grade Persian textbook with 23.84% had the lowest rate of information literacy messages among all the studied textbooks respectively. Among the components of information literacy, the fourth component (correct usage of information) was ranked first with the highest percentage and the eighth component (laying emphasis on the social, economic and legal aspects of information) was not considered at all. Very little attention was paid to the seventh (success) and the sixth (information evaluation) components.Conclusion: The results make it clear that reviewing these textbooks in terms of information literacy messages is necessary for curriculum planners. In this regard, it is suggested that texts or activities would be added to the content of these books to encourage students to conduct research and refer to various sources of information. It is also necessary to develop information literacy skills more explicitly in these books.
Educational Technology
Z. Chenari; M. Rezaeizadeh; B. Bandali
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The increasing speed of environmental changes and the intensification of competition among organizations have caused organizations to seek solutions for greater flexibility in responding to environmental needs and changes. In fact, moving towards creating organizations that ...
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Background and Objectives: The increasing speed of environmental changes and the intensification of competition among organizations have caused organizations to seek solutions for greater flexibility in responding to environmental needs and changes. In fact, moving towards creating organizations that have a high degree of flexibility in adapting to a changing environment is a vital and effective solution. One of the effective factors in keeping pace with changes in the environment is the improvement of organizational performance. In this regard, the importance and attention to the development, and improvement of human resources leads to the improvement of organizational performance. There are various strategies and methods for the development and improvement of human resources. One of the ways to develop and improve human resources is coaching. In fact, coaching has created a new approach to staff learning and development. Since information technology is a link among all modern sciences and determines the development of human resources, it has created a new concept in coaching. This research focuses on coaching and information technology. In fact, the purpose of this study is to design a prototype of coaching software as one of the tools to optimize the performance of human resources and ultimately improve organizational performance.Methods: The information of this study was obtained using a mixed approach. The mixed approach benefits from two parts, namely qualitative and quantitative, to achieve the research result. Therefore, the present study used the phenomenological method in the qualitative part and the survey method in the quantitative part. The research instruments in the qualitative part was the focus group method. In the quantitative part of the research, a researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect the information. The statistical population of the study in the qualitative section were specialists in the field of education and human resources, from among them 10 people were selected using the method of snowball sampling. The statistical population of the study in the quantitative part were the top managers of Mashhad Power Distribution Company. From this statistical population, the top managers of the western part of the company, which included 20 people, were selected to perform a usability test.Findings: The data obtained from the qualitative part of the research included 4 components for designing the coaching software, which was based on the prototype model of software development. The data obtained from the research were quantitatively analyzed by SPSS software. Quantitative data analyzed by the software showed that the aforementioned software has the required usability to be implemented in organizations and used by individuals.Conclusion: The present study with laying emphasis on reducing the generation gap between managers and current employees and the individuals who will be employed in the organization and also; and with laying emphasis on technology design by education and human resources experts and examining the existing human resources software, sought to design a prototype of coaching software with features such as communication, cognition, problem facilitation process and problem coping, belief in the ability of individuals and motivational dimensions, and implementation of the selected solution and 360-degree evaluation. The aforementioned features were not seen in the Iranian software examined in the study. In addition to the above features, the distinguishing feature of the aforementioned software is attention to the Cohen and Bradford coaching model, and being process-oriented and feedback-oriented.
Machine-translation
V. Mirzaeian; M. Maghsoudi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Although Machine Translation (MT) is extensively researched within the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and translation studies, few studies have attempted to implement MT output in foreign language teaching (FLT). One potential aspect of using MT in FLT refers to the ...
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Background and Objectives: Although Machine Translation (MT) is extensively researched within the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and translation studies, few studies have attempted to implement MT output in foreign language teaching (FLT). One potential aspect of using MT in FLT refers to the implementation of MT output for reading comprehension. Considering the existing gap in the body of research on this issue, the present study aimed to investigate whether MT output is qualified enough to be used as an aid in EAP reading comprehension courses. More specifically, this study intended to benchmark the efficacy of MT output for EAP reading comprehension courses based on the data obtained from testing its comprehensibility and probing the students’ perceptions. To achieve the objectives of the study, MT was operationally defined as quality assessment in terms of output efficacy, a combination of usability and comprehensibility, which mirrors the ultimate goal of MT use in EAP reading comprehension courses, from the users' or target readers’ standpoint. Within this perspective, the current research was an attempt to assess the quality of MT output in terms of comprehensibility and the degree to which MT output might be comprehensible to the EAP students participating in this study.Materials and Methods: The participants of the study, 140 Iranian undergraduate university students majoring in the field of education at Farhangian University, Iran, were selected based on simple random sampling. Oxford Quick Placement Test was used to homogenize them in terms of English proficiency. Two versions of a reliable reading comprehension test, human translation (HT) and Machine Translation (MT), were given to. This test included 25 multiple-choice items, assessing the participants' literal comprehension of information stated in the passage as well as higher-order comprehension that required making inferences and conclusions. In particular, the items measured textual coherence, inference, reference, scanning, skimming, and word-meaning inference. To test the reliability of the tests, the KR-21 formula was applied and the results showed that both HT test (.83) and MT test (.78) were reliable. To investigate the perceptions of the participants on the efficacy of the MT output they encountered on the test, semi-structured interviews were conducted with some of the participants in Persian. Findings: With reference to the results of non-parametric tests such as Spearman’s rho, and Mann-Whitney Tests, and considering the observed effect sizes (Cohen’s d), it was revealed that, generally, the efficacy of MT output is comparable to that of HT. Moreover, in terms of reading comprehension sub-skills, the qualities of the two translations were comparable with regard to scanning, and inference, but not skimming and reference. Furthermore, the findings from the interview indicated that the students perceive MT to be a seminal aid for their EAP reading comprehension activities despite the minor problems that exist in the output such as morpho-syntactic errors or inappropriate lexical equivalents.Conclusions: The present study confirmed the fact that the efficacy of MT output is target-reader-dependent and text-dependent since it is determined both by the characteristics of the readers, such as their disciplines, and text features, as demonstrated by the significant differences in comprehension levels of the same readers measured by the same questions for HT and MT output. Accordingly, this study shed limelight on comprehensibility as a criterion of MT output efficacy; that is to say, it has to be reminded that MT quality needs to be defined as a context-bound and target-reader-specific concept.
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 ...
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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.
Architecture
M. Mahmoudi Sahebi
Abstract
Performance design based on performance is a new method in which structural damage against different levels of risk (earthquake) is clearly assessed and structural and non-structural performance of structures by limiting strength, stiffness and ductility. Members are controlled. To achieve these goals, ...
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Performance design based on performance is a new method in which structural damage against different levels of risk (earthquake) is clearly assessed and structural and non-structural performance of structures by limiting strength, stiffness and ductility. Members are controlled. To achieve these goals, a nonlinear analysis of the structural model is essential. To perform this analysis, the basic characteristics of the structure (initial strength and stiffness) are required. The closer the initial values are to the final values, the easier and faster the process of analyzing and designing the structure will be. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a method that can be used to easily and quickly obtain the initial strength and stiffness of the structure for nonlinear analysis. For this purpose, coefficients are proposed that can be used to make the required strength and stiffness of reinforced concrete bending frames for each of the functional modes; Intermediate use (IO), life safety (LS) and structural destruction limit (CP) were determined. These coefficients are the coefficient of behavior (Rw) and the coefficient of magnification of the displacement (Cd), which are used to calculate the strength and stiffness required by the structure, respectively. The recommended values for behavioral coefficients in different functional states of IO, LS, and CP are 2.28, 4.43, and 5.3, respectively. The values of 2.29, 4.73 and 5.83 have also been suggested for displacement magnification coefficients in different functional modes. Studies show that the use of the above coefficients in calculating the required strength (base shear) and initial stiffness (by controlling lateral displacement) of structures, will make the next steps of work and nonlinear analysis of structures easier and faster. .
Architecture
A. Shamsai; M. Ferasat kish
Abstract
In this study, the numerical modeling of sediment washing in Sefidrood dam reservoir and its effect on reservoir volume recovery in the short and long term have been studied. For this purpose, the GSTARS 3 numerical model has been used to study the different phases of flashing. This model is prepared ...
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In this study, the numerical modeling of sediment washing in Sefidrood dam reservoir and its effect on reservoir volume recovery in the short and long term have been studied. For this purpose, the GSTARS 3 numerical model has been used to study the different phases of flashing. This model is prepared for free and pressurized sedimentation and each of them is analyzed separately. Studies on Sefidrood Dam show that due to the fact that the reservoir water level at the beginning of the flashing operation is one of the influential parameters in the efficiency of sediment washing efficiency, lowering the reservoir water level from normal (271 m) to the power plant (210) M) Reduces the water consumption from 897 cubic meters to 19 cubic meters for washing each ton of sediment. On the other hand, studies show that flashing does not affect coarse-grained sediments in this reservoir and cannot be used as the only solution to prevent reservoir depletion, and additional sedimentation operations such as dredging, use of siphons or In addition to annual sedimentation in the Sefidrud Dam reservoir, it is inevitable that heavy currents will flow through the reservoir.Send
Education technology - Evaluation and testing
M.A. Javadi Boura; I. Ebrahimzade; M. Farajollahi; M.R. Sarmadi
Abstract
Abstract: One Of The Most Critical Steps Of The Educational Planning Is The Evaluation Of Educational Goals.Identifying This Aim Requaires A Tool By Which To Measure The Quality Of Programs.The Aim of This Study was Assessment The Quality And Modeling Educational Services In Distance ...
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Abstract: One Of The Most Critical Steps Of The Educational Planning Is The Evaluation Of Educational Goals.Identifying This Aim Requaires A Tool By Which To Measure The Quality Of Programs.The Aim of This Study was Assessment The Quality And Modeling Educational Services In Distance Education In Iran. The Method Of Research Was Descriptive.In This Research, The Required Data Were Collected From A Sample Of 119 Consist Of Male And Female Ph.D Student And Faculty Member Who Selected By Stratified Sampling Method.The Formal Validity Of The Questionnaire Was Confirmed By The Specialists In The Field And The Reliability Was Calculated By K –Alfa At Laest (0.78).Data were Analized By Descriptive And Inferential (Factor Analysis) statistical Indexes. The Results Indicated That The Quality Of Educational Services Indexs In Curriculum Stractures,Student Services Are Average And The Faculty Member Support Is low And Weakness.In Addition,The Results Indicated That The 3 Factor Model With (RMSEA=0/085) And (CFI=0/97) Has Suitable Fitness.
Electronic learning- virtual
Gh. Montazer; A. Moosavi
Abstract
Focusing on quality and expansion of skill education to train creative and skill ful human resources has had a significant increase over the last years. In this regard، creating E-Training centers is among issues that should be carefully considered by training authorities. In this paper، evaluating ...
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Focusing on quality and expansion of skill education to train creative and skill ful human resources has had a significant increase over the last years. In this regard، creating E-Training centers is among issues that should be carefully considered by training authorities. In this paper، evaluating different models for E-readiness، relying on comparative studies، and analyzing data obtained from national studies، a comprehensive conceptual framework has been designed to study e-training readiness in the country. The achieved model includes three main dimensions: “hard infrastructure readiness”، “soft provisions readiness”، “supervision، and arrangements readiness”، as well as fifteen indexes which offer a comprehensive model to the countries training system and define its position in the development of mass scaled E-learning.
Education technology - Evaluation and testing
D. Jamini; M. Sajadi; M. Sajadi; I. Amraii
Abstract
The purpose of the present study is (a descriptive analysis), to review and assess the level of development between the city of Isfahan in terms of having educational indicators and explain the gap which exists between them. .The data gathered is library data and they are according to the documents of ...
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The purpose of the present study is (a descriptive analysis), to review and assess the level of development between the city of Isfahan in terms of having educational indicators and explain the gap which exists between them. .The data gathered is library data and they are according to the documents of statistics center. In order to achieve the research objectives, 33 indicators of effective teaching techniques were evaluated combined with TOPSIS, cluster analysis and GIS. The results showed the gap between the city of Isfahan in terms of educational indicators, it also revealed that in three cities of, Tiran and Karvan , Khansar and Golpayegan the priority coefficient 0.566, 0.564 and 0.546 higher Rating and three cities of Natanz, Borkhar and Falavarjan the priority coefficient 0.134, 0.120, 0.104, the lowest rank. Also, the results showed that Isfahan province in terms of educational indicators is poor, because about 57 percent of the city's poor level , about 17% at very high levels and 26 percent of the cities are located in average level.
Educational computer games
E Amini Far; B. Saleh Sedghpour; H. Zadeh Dabagh
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a mathematics computer game on students’ mathematics achievement and motivation. By using a simple random sampling technique, forty students who study at grade seven were chosen. Twenty students considered as experimental and twenty as control ...
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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a mathematics computer game on students’ mathematics achievement and motivation. By using a simple random sampling technique, forty students who study at grade seven were chosen. Twenty students considered as experimental and twenty as control groups. Students’ mathematics achievement in both groups was measured using a pre-test. The results showed no statistically significant difference on the students’ pre-test scores. The experimental group was taught eight one-hour sessions during two weeks using mathematics computer game, while the control group was taught through traditional method. Both groups were also given a mathematics motivation questionnaire. After teaching period, a post-test was taken from both groups to measure acquired knowledge about the subjects taught. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to analyze the data. Results clearly indicated that mathematics computer game enhanced students’ mathematics achievement; it impacts on approach motivation and mathematics attitude; but it doesn’t have any effect on avoidance motivation.
English teaching
AliReza Jalilifar
Abstract
This study aimed to account for metadiscourse variations in the discussion sections of articles written in Persian and English and published in Iranian as well as international scholarly journals in English Language Teaching and Psychiatry. For this purpose, 90 research article discussions were ...
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This study aimed to account for metadiscourse variations in the discussion sections of articles written in Persian and English and published in Iranian as well as international scholarly journals in English Language Teaching and Psychiatry. For this purpose, 90 research article discussions were selected, and then hedges and boosters were identified based on the taxonomies of metadiscourse markers. The results of the quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed significant differences in frequency, type, and functions of these devices in the texts. These differences might be attributed to lack of awareness of the conventional rules of English rhetoric, limited and fragile knowledge of academic English by Persian writers, and lack of explicit instruction and exposure to pragmatic and sociolinguistic rules of English by Persian researchers. Further research in other disciplines will help to make more accurate generalizations about the role of metadiscourse markers in research articles.
