Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
Kh. Mirzaei; H. Saadi; S.H. Movahedmohamadi; R. Movahedi
Abstract
Background and Objectives:E-learning is the newest form of distance learning and is called an approach to curriculum planning in which, in addition to using inclusive methods, computer tools and the Internet are used. The first generation of e-learning, or web-based learning programs, focused on providing ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:E-learning is the newest form of distance learning and is called an approach to curriculum planning in which, in addition to using inclusive methods, computer tools and the Internet are used. The first generation of e-learning, or web-based learning programs, focused on providing physical classes based on educational content and the Internet. Today, many universities and educational institutions around the world have stepped in to design and offer e-learning programs and courses to meet the growing demand for education. One of the desirable features that can play an important role in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of this type of training is the personalization of the learning environment according to the characteristics of learners. This adaptation is in order for the user to be able to benefit from the learning content and other services of the system according to their goals, knowledge and preferences, and the system, instead of treating everyone equally, treats everyone according to its own characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effective factors of e-learning adoption in agricultural higher education universities of Iran and to determine the most effective structures on the acceptance of this technology by the faculty members and graduate students. This research was performed to measure the acceptance using survey and the multivariate statistical technique of path analyses. Method and Materials: Statistical population of this research consisted of faculty members and postgraduate students in Iran’s higher agricultural education centers. Total Cronbach Alpha of the questionnaire, for the reliability of the 68 items of the questionnaire, was 88.5 % that is an acceptable figure which demonstrates the high reliability of the questionnaire. In total, 646 questionnaires were collected from 4 universities (Tehran University, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hormozgan University and Torbat Heydariyeh University). After multivariate statistical analysis ‘Path analysis’ and through calculating Beta Coefficients for different routes, the importance of each path was determined. Findings: The results showed that if members of the faculty and postgraduate students of higher education of agriculture in Iran get this reflection that the use of e-learning to carry out their educational activities is useful and reliable at higher agricultural education centers, even those people are not consistent with their subjective norms and have risks, they will continue to use e-learning. From the perspective of the respondents, e-learning is a safe and appropriate education. Therefore, possible risks in such training in virtual environments does not affect their attitude towards this type of training. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be said that if faculty members and graduate students of agricultural higher education in Iran come to the mentality that using e-learning to carry out their educational activities in agricultural higher education centers is "beneficial" as well as "reliable”, even if it is not compatible with their "mental norm" and has a "perceived risk", they will still use e-learning.
Original Research Paper
Education technology -training course
E. Reyhani; Z. Sharifi
Abstract
Background and Objectives:One of the most important concepts in mathematics, which has always been difficult for students to understand, is the concept of limit. Due to the connection of this concept to many other concepts such as infinitely large and infinitesimally small, continuity, derivative and ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:One of the most important concepts in mathematics, which has always been difficult for students to understand, is the concept of limit. Due to the connection of this concept to many other concepts such as infinitely large and infinitesimally small, continuity, derivative and integral, its correct understanding and comprehension is of particular importance and this has led to its teaching and learning by math educators. Although this concept has been explored many times in educational research by researchers, it is still difficult for students to understand. There are several ways to identify problems in understanding concepts, including the concept of limit. One of these methods is to study how concepts and structures are formed that students create to learn concepts in their minds. The aim of this study is to assess students, understanding of the concept of limit in the third year of secondary school based on the APOS theory. APOS theory is a theory of learning that is used in academic mathematics. The theory categories students’ understanding of concept across the levels, and is able to models mental structures that person to understand of the concept. Method and Materials: This research is a descriptive study using survey. The sample of this research is 234 students in third grade from Qarchak city who have been randomly selected. The instrument is a researcher-made questionnaire with six questions. The reliability of the test was estimated by Cronbach’s alpha and is approved in the amount of 0.82. Findings:The results show that most students do not have a good understanding of the concept of limit and they mostly can do the limit problems correctly, if they have a routine way to solve them. The weak structures affect not only their understanding of the concept, but also depend on the understanding of the concepts such as continuity. Conclusion: When introducing the concept of limit, the teacher can prevent the construction of correct schemas of the concept of limit by using slang and giving the initial idea. Because the role of the teacher in constructing a concept of limit is very important, if the teacher teaches in an inappropriate way, it may prevent the student from absorbing the concept of limit. Another reason for stopping the growth and development of the concept is the continuous evaluations in educational environments that do not emphasize the need for conceptual understanding of the concepts and are limited to routine methods to achieve better results. For this reason, doing research in the field of teaching and learning any concept in mathematics, such as the concept of limit, can lead to more effective teaching strategies.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
M. Baghdarnia; Gh. Ahghar; A. Ahmade
Abstract
Background and Objectives:The rapid spread of information and communication technology around the world in recent decades, the increasing scientific interest of business in disparate information problems and the application of communication technology and the construction of information society among ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:The rapid spread of information and communication technology around the world in recent decades, the increasing scientific interest of business in disparate information problems and the application of communication technology and the construction of information society among all countries in the world has expanded. While it is widely accepted that ICT has the potential to create economic opportunities, promote social and political change in society, provide access to knowledge, provide incentives and opportunities for practical sharing in the best possible way in all walks of life, real awareness processes around the world are completely asymmetric. On the contrary, while the digital revolution has pushed the boundaries of the global village, the vast majority of the world has not been separated from this obvious event. The purpose of this study was to design and validate ICT training model for employees. Method and Materials: To design, compile and construct research instruments, some components including basic concepts of information technology, computer use, word processor, spreadsheets, databases, presentations and internet have been extracted using interviews and qualitative analysis. Based on the above components, a questionnaire including 35 items was developed. The statistical population of the research was the staff of the Ministry of Education headquarters in the academic year of 2016-2017. The sample size of the study was 280 people, who have been selected using random sampling for external validation. The reliability of the questionnaire in this research was estimated to be 0.92 which indicates a high reliability for the designed instrument. In order to study the validity of the model, structural analysis of confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis methods, path analysis and fitting were used. Findings: The exploratory analysis results included seven components, all of which had a positive correlation. Finally, the result of the analysis of the confirmatory factor was obtained and the fitting indices in the components of ICT education were evaluated, that indicated a proper and desirable fit. Conclusion: Necessary measures should be taken to turn the proposed model of ICT skills training into a codified training program. These measures include reviewing the current ICT training method, compiling training materials and developing guidelines and implementing rules, and providing the necessary arrangements for implementation. In taking the necessary steps to develop and implement ICT training, coordination with the model of the seven types of ICDL training skills proposed should not be forgotten. Independent training should be called computer skills, and a book of the same name, a teacher's guide, and other teaching aids should be designed and compiled, or be done in a multimedia fromat. Due to the implementation of these trainings, a new function in the field of headquarters of the Ministry of Education can be given to all teachers in the country and with the necessary review and information at the beginning of staff recruitment as well as in-service courses.
Original Research Paper
Educational computer games
Z. Nevisi; M.E. Shiri; B. Minaei
Abstract
Background and Objectives:The ability to read is one of the abilities effective in quality of life. From among the children with normal intelligence and more, dyslexic students have a significant lack of readability due to their age and their ability to intelligence. In any planning and designing a treatment ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:The ability to read is one of the abilities effective in quality of life. From among the children with normal intelligence and more, dyslexic students have a significant lack of readability due to their age and their ability to intelligence. In any planning and designing a treatment plan for these people, diagnosis is a necessary first step. Early and timely recognition of this disorder is essential to prevent the negative consequences of impairment. Method and Materials: The tool that is used for data gathering is an intelligent computer game that designed and developed during this study. In this study, we looked for a method for predicting dyslexia that is not read-based, so that treatment with dyslexia can be initiated before they begin to teach. The purpose of this study was to develop an intelligent diagnostic system in the form of a computer game based on artificial intelligent and supervised machine learning to predict dyslexia based on the cognitive differences of dyslexic children with other children. Games can provide a less stressful or a stress-free way for the children so that the child do not even realize that it is being measured. The intelligent diagnostic system was trained with the help of thirty students. Findings: The results of the study on performance of this intelligent system showed that the provided computer game has the ability to predict dyslexia with a probability higher than 97%. Conclusion: In this study, a smart computer game is presented that has the ability to predict dyslexia in children. This system uses to predict a cognitive difference between resuscitated and dyslexic children. The high accuracy of the system in diagnosis shows that dyslexia can be predicted by relying on cognitive differences and this prediction can be done at younger ages and before providing reading instruction to children. In this case, it is possible to prevent the various negative effects of dyslexia on the child, family and society by timely intervention. This method is presented in the form of a computer game, and the advantage of games is that games can provide a way with little or no stress and interesting for the child so that the child does not even realize that he is being tested. The next advantage is the availability of games.
Original Research Paper
science education
Z. Khoshneshin
Abstract
Background and Objectives:The world of communication in the third wave of communication approaches has brought a new way of life in the form of new tools, which has led to it being called the electronic hut. Rapid developments resulting from the application of technology, including productive technology ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:The world of communication in the third wave of communication approaches has brought a new way of life in the form of new tools, which has led to it being called the electronic hut. Rapid developments resulting from the application of technology, including productive technology and information technology in human life have caused dramatic changes in the industrial, economic, political and civil structures of societies, and these changes have had a significant impact on the life and work of people around the world. It has seriously challenged traditional methods of teaching, learning, and managing education. With the help of new educational tools, there is an opportunity to make new choices to combine the knowledge of students and students, including the use of blended teaching methods in an environment based on e-learning technology. Blended instruction is the preparation of an active environment and the introduction of dynamic training methods through which it is possible to use educational facilities with its minimum and maximum benefits. In this environment, it is possible to move from face-to-face learning to combining it with virtual classes and finally using fully online facilities. Blended learning as a new paradigm in educational context undergrounded in using ICT when learning occurs both in the classroom and online situation. The paper explains students' achievement in learning science through blended method at a secondary school in a city in Iran. Method and Materials: Research sample includes 160 students in 6 classes and in 3 grades. 60 of learners after revising of their pre - test score on the basis of scores' variances randomized as control and experimental group.30 of them considered as experimental group learned in blended method and the same sample participated as control in classic styles of learning. Data were analyzed by T test and covariance analysis. Findings: Findings showed that blended learning method could promote achievement results in experimental group on learning science conceptions. Conclusion: Learning is formed with a blended approach based on activity-based principles and the learner is required to reflect and decide on events and facts online or offline and explain the reality by reflecting group or individual processes effective in problem solving or decision-making, reviewing the solution and reviewing the effective feedback on solving the problem. Using the teaching method in a blended way and in fact combining education by using the computer as a powerful medium in the learning and teaching processes in addition to improving the teaching of science concepts, after direct teaching in the classroom and in combination with the curriculum assignments related to daily life, can be effective in improving the learning of learners.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
T. Esmaelzade; A. Allah Karami; F. Mosavi
Abstract
Background and Objectives:One of the most suitable methods whose main purposes is to teach problem-solving skills is Philosophy is for children. The interest in teaching thinking skills dates back to the late 1960s, when Professor Lippmann was teaching philosophy at Columbia University (New York) and ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:One of the most suitable methods whose main purposes is to teach problem-solving skills is Philosophy is for children. The interest in teaching thinking skills dates back to the late 1960s, when Professor Lippmann was teaching philosophy at Columbia University (New York) and realized that his students lacked the power of judgment and clear reasoning. After a while, he realized that it was too late to strengthen the thinking power of these students. Strengthening these abilities should have been done in their childhood. In other words, when these students were in childhood and adolescence, they had to start a series of special courses in critical thinking or problem solving or any other skill related to formal and non-formal logic. Different educational content can be provided to learners with various tools from books and lectures to the Internet or even computers. Given the importance of philosophical content for children and considering the capacity of new technologies such as multimedia and metamedia, it is possible to use them to provide effective and continuous learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of multimedia of philosophy for children on K-6 students’ problem solving in Javanroud town. Method and Materials: To attain this aim, researchers used quasi pre-test and post-test experimental method with experimental and control groups. The statistical population included all the sixth grade elementary school students in Javanroud town studying in academic year of 2016-2017. Sixty students were selected through randomized cluster sampling to represent the experimental group (30 students) and control group (30 students). The instruments used in this study was Heppner's problem solving. Both groups were given a pretest, and at the end of the course a posttest was administered. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics including covariance analysis. Findings:The findings showed that multimedia of philosophy for children is effective on improving the assertiveness. Conclusion: Other researchers are advised to study the effectiveness of teaching philosophy to children in the context of technology on other important variables in education. It is also suggested that similar research be conducted in other educational levels. The most important limitations of the present study were the limited statistical population to sixth grade elementary school students. Also, the mere use of questionnaires and not using other methods of data collection such as observation and interviews are other limitations of this study.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
F. Jafarkhani
Abstract
Background and Objectives:To motivate learners to learn, their needs for security, belonging, and respect must be met, and they must be encouraged to make cognitive and developmental choices. In many ways, the only effective way to achieve this goal is to set up an education in which all learners feel ...
Read More
Background and Objectives:To motivate learners to learn, their needs for security, belonging, and respect must be met, and they must be encouraged to make cognitive and developmental choices. In many ways, the only effective way to achieve this goal is to set up an education in which all learners feel somewhat successful. This sense of accomplishment leads to a realistic level of expectation. The feeling of success encourages the urgent need for progress and prepares success for future progress. Any method of ranking that makes learners feel defeated is irrational and destructive and damages their motivation for academic achievement. Thus, there is a need for some kind of evaluation that can help maintain motivation to be aware of the learner's strengths and weaknesses without imposing personal opinion. One of the applications of fuzzy logic is in evaluating educational functions. The expansion of fuzzy collections has extended its applications to other sciences and technologies, as it is widely used today in the fields of control, image processing, medicine, social and economic studies, and intelligence in various fields. The need for systems of measurement and evaluation that could take into account other aspects of growth as well as cognitive aspect, has been one of the challenges in education. Method and Materials: This paper, using fuzzy logic measures, evaluated the performance of the multimedia production course unit for a group of 30 female students randomly selected among Allameh Tabataba’i university students who added the course unit in their sixth semester (50 people). The scoring was implemented using MATLAB software. The results were correlated with the common scoring method by Pearson correlation (0.78), which indicated strong structural validity with the fuzzy method. Findings: The results showed that qualitative variables affecting multimedia production (subject, message design, instructional design and production skill) can be evaluated using fuzzy method possibilities. Therefore, due to the need to enhance operational and practical skills of the students in real life, it is possible to use the fuzzy system capability in instruction and evaluation so that other growth aspects of the learners such as emotional aspect, creativity or production skills will not be ignored. Conclusion: It is suggested that this method be used in the evaluation of other practical courses such as designing learning environments, web-based teaching and other skills required by student-teachers. Especially in environments where the emphasis is on the learner and the students should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their learning process. It also provides a platform to define evaluation rules with the consent of learners according to the analysis of their characteristics and needs. In this way, by maintaining motivation, one can hope to continue learning.
