Original Research Paper
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
M.R. Heydari; E. Zaraii Zavaraki; M. Vahedi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: After the Corona epidemic, educational systems were forced to move to online instruction and learning. Despite its advantages, online instruction could not overcome some of its challenges, such as the sense of presence of learners; therefore, the importance of using the blended ...
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Background and Objectives: After the Corona epidemic, educational systems were forced to move to online instruction and learning. Despite its advantages, online instruction could not overcome some of its challenges, such as the sense of presence of learners; therefore, the importance of using the blended learning approach for the educational systems of the world, especially the educational system of our country, was clearly clarified. Blended learning, which overcomes the challenges of online learning and face-to-face learning by blending online and face-to-face learning, and brings benefits such as increased flexibility, increased cost effectiveness, and time saving, has attracted the attention of teachers and learners. However, a fundamental challenge for the teachers is designing, implementing and evaluating a blended learning in order to achieve high-level learning and presence. In this regard, it is important to pay attention to cognitive presence and teaching presence, which are elements of the community of inquiry framework. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of blended learning on the level of cognitive presence and teaching presence of elementary school students in the science course.Methods: The research method was a semi-experimental of pre-test-post-test type with a control group. The statistical population included all fifth-grade students in Shahryar, who were studying in the academic year 2022-2023. Using available sampling method, 60 students were selected; 30 students were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 30 students to the control group. The experimental group spent six sessions in the form of blended learning and the control group spent six sessions in the form of face-to-face learning. In order to check the changes before the intervention, a pre-test was performed on both groups, and after the intervention, a post-test was performed on both groups. The data collection tool in this research was the questionnaire of cognitive presence and teaching presence of Arbaugh et al. (2008). The reliability of the questionnaires of cognitive presence and teaching presence was calculated based on Cronbach's alpha values of 0.91 and 0.83, respectively. To analyze the research data, statistical methods were used at two descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (correlated t-test and multivariate covariance analysis) levels.Findings: Based on the results of paired samples t-test, there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test stages in the variable of cognitive presence in both experimental and control groups and in the variable of teaching presence only in the experimental group (p≥ 0.001). The results of covariance analysis showed that the effect of blended learning on cognitive presence and teaching presence was greater than that of face-to-face learning (p≥0.01).Conclusion: The results of the research showed that blended learning and face-to-face learning are both effective in increasing cognitive presence, but only blended learning is effective on teaching presence. Blended learning has a greater impact on cognitive and teaching presence compared to face-to-face learning. Therefore, blended learning by blending face-to-face and online learning has more effectiveness in the amount of cognitive and teaching presence and can be a suitable alternative to fully face-to-face learning in the educational system of our country, and it is suggested that the educational system adopt this approach in formal mainstream education.
Original Research Paper
Virtual Reality
F. Tahmasbi; S.K. Salehi; O. Golpira
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The expansion of new technologies has led to the emergence and increasing diversity of efficient educational methods. By utilizing the potential capabilities of these technologies, new opportunities have been provided for the effective transfer of knowledge and learning tasks. ...
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Background and Objectives: The expansion of new technologies has led to the emergence and increasing diversity of efficient educational methods. By utilizing the potential capabilities of these technologies, new opportunities have been provided for the effective transfer of knowledge and learning tasks. Among these technologies, virtual reality (exergaming) technology with recent advances has led to the opening of new ways for effective teaching and learning of skills by utilizing capabilities such as simulation of educational environments, providing real-time feedback, increasing activity and energy expenditure, and deep immersion of the learner. In this regard, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of practices based on virtual reality technology and Real-world ones on learning selected perceptual-motor skills in football.Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental research with a practical purpose. In this study, among the male students studying in the third to fifth grade of primary schools in the District 4 of Tehran, a total number of 30 participants were selected according to the research objectives and and based on the pre-test scores, they were assigned to three groups of 10 participants, including exergame, real practices, and control groups. To collect data, a demographic questionnaire, Speed Dribbling Test, More- Christian Pass and Shot Test (with content validity and test-retest reliability of 0.90 to 0.93) as well as the Xbox 360 device were used. After completing the personal information questionnaire and the consent form, the participants first received preliminary training about the criterion task and received the necessary information, and after participating in the pre-test, they entered the acquisition phase. At this stage, the experimental groups (exergame and real practices) practiced the intended skills (passing, dribbling and football shooting) separately for eight sessions of 45 minutes. For all participants, after the last training session, the post-test and 72 hours later, in order to measure the motor learning phenomenon, the retention test and ten minutes after that, the transfer test was performed and their scores were recorded. To analyze the data, the Shapiro-Wilk test, Levene's test, and Mixed ANOVA were used.Findings: The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the scores obtained by the experimental groups of virtual reality practices (exergame), real practices and control in both the acquisition, retention and transfer test (p<0.05) and this difference in the virtual reality practices groups and real practices was more significant. This means that these groups performed better than the control group both in the acquisition, retention and transfer test. In addition, no statistically significant difference was found between the performance of virtual reality practices and real practices in the research phases (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this research emphasized the usefulness and importance of using practices based on virtual reality technology and real practices in instruction of perceptual-motor skills to children. Based on the results, teachers and trainers are suggested to use practices based on virtual reality technology in order to improve children's motor learning in addition to real practices.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
F. Sedaghat; F. Khodadadi Azadboni
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the education system worldwide, leading to a sudden shift to virtual and electronic learning. With the closure of schools, remote learning has become a major challenge for every education system. It is clear that if new physics ...
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Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the education system worldwide, leading to a sudden shift to virtual and electronic learning. With the closure of schools, remote learning has become a major challenge for every education system. It is clear that if new physics content is taught using traditional (conventional) methods and not utilizing innovative teaching methods appropriate to the content, the new goals of the physics curriculum will not be achieved. Physics, by providing the ability to understand the relationship between observed phenomena and the concepts and laws governing the natural world, expands the mind in such a way that prepares individuals well for participation in society and solving future problems and crises through scientific methods and precise planning. The use of active teaching methods, especially a context-based approach, plays a fundamental role in understanding physics concepts. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of context-based physics education on the learning, self-regulated skill and effectiveness of students in the virtual learning environment.Methods: The present research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test - post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study included all 8th-grade students of the first secondary school of the Enghelab school in district 2 of Mashhad in the academic year 2020-2021. Using the available sampling method, 60 female 8th-grade secondary school students were selected from the Enghelab public school. These individuals were randomly divided into two groups of 30 students, an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received a 90-minute Curriculum-Based Instruction intervention for eight sessions while the control group received traditional instruction. The subject of the research was static electricity. To collect the data, the standard self-regulation questionnaire by Bouffard et al. (1995) and the standard self-efficacy questionnaire by Sherer et al. (1998) were used. In this research, researcher-made questions were used to assess learning. The test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instruments. Both groups were evaluated before and after the intervention in the virtual space using the researcher-made learning questionnaire, the Bouchard self-regulation questionnaire, and the Sherer self-efficacy questionnaire. The results of both groups were examined and compared using analysis of covariance, standard deviation, and regression.Findings: The results of the analysis of covariance test showed that the difference between the post-test of the two groups in the variable of self-efficacy (P=0.001, F=72.86) and self-regulated learning (P=0.001, F=80.90) was significant at the level of.01. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference in the scores of self-regulated learning and self-efficacy between the experimental and control groups in the post-test. The results also showed that the adjusted mean of the physics scores of the experimental group is higher than the control group, so the physics education with the context-based approach has an effect on increasing the learning of students in the first year of high school.Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, despite the educational limitations in the virtual space, it can be concluded that the use of a context-based approach in teaching physics has a positive impact on the self-efficacy, self-regulation, and learning of middle school students. This method, by creating diverse learning opportunities, leads to increased knowledge and a broader understanding of the topics in electricity physics. Since physics covers a wide range of subjects that prepare individuals for participation in society and solving future problems and crises, the use of active and context-based methods in physics classes can create an effective and practical educational system. It is suggested that to achieve a dynamic and creative educational system, active and context-based methods should be used. This will lead to the creation of intellectual transformation and fundamental changes in the structure, methods, patterns, ideas, and attitudes.
Original Research Paper
Education technology -training course
M. Sheybani; N. Yaftian
Abstract
Background and Objectives: One of the fundamental difficulties in educational systems has been the academic decline of students in basic subjects such as mathematics. Various factors, such as the low level of self-directed skills of students, affect their mathematical progress. Becoming independent is ...
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Background and Objectives: One of the fundamental difficulties in educational systems has been the academic decline of students in basic subjects such as mathematics. Various factors, such as the low level of self-directed skills of students, affect their mathematical progress. Becoming independent is one of the goals of self-directed learning and the necessity of the math classroom. Most of the time, students are dependent on the teacher in math lessons and are unwilling to solve challenging problems. Cultivating independent learners who can be curious, creative and able to lead their learning is one of the main goals of any educational system. Self-directed learning can increase self-confidence, independence, learning capacity to remember material over a long period of time, and students' ability to transfer concepts and develop lifelong learning skills in themselves. Active teaching methods can be used to improve students' self-directed learning level. One of the active teaching methods is gamification teaching. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of gamification teaching on the mathematical self-directed learning of the tenth-grade technical and professional students.Methods: The current research was conducted using semi-experimental method with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the research included female students of the 10th grade of Varamin studying at technical and vocational high school, and the sample included 194 students (96 people in the experimental group and 98 people in the control group) who were selected by convenience sampling. During eight sessions, the students of the experimental group were taught some of the challenging math concepts with the help of gamification, and in the control group, the conventional and traditional method was used to teach the same math concepts. The research instrument was a mathematical self-directed questionnaire that included 15 items that measured the components of learning motivation, planning and implementation, self-monitoring and interpersonal communication. Cronbach's alpha of the math self-directed questionnaire was 0.892 and Cronbach's alpha was obtained for the components of learning motivation, planning and implementation, self-monitoring and interpersonal communication, as 0.846, 0.787, 0.735 and 0.704 respectively. For data analysis, descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution tables, mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics such as multivariate covariance analysis were used.Findings: The results of the multivariate covariance analysis test showed that teaching by gamification in the experimental group, except for the learning motivation component (F=2.648, Sig=0.105) on other components of students' mathematical self-directed including planning and implementation (9.524) =F, Sig=0.002), self-monitoring (F=10.248, Sig=0.002) and interpersonal communication (F=5.598, Sig=0.019) had a significant effect so that the average scores the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group, and also the mean of learning motivation component increased in the experimental group, but the difference was not significant.Conclusion: The results of the data analysis showed that teaching by gamification has an effect on promoting the independence and responsibility of students' learning in mathematics and on the three components of self-directed learning in mathematics. In other words, teaching by gamification had a positive effect on students' self-directed learning by creating a feeling of need to learn and accepting their role and responsibility in it. The research results showed that teaching by using games had a positive effect on their mathematical performance by increasing the level of interactive learning and creating independence in students. Teachers, authors of textbooks, planners and educational experts can benefit from the results of this research to improve and modify educational methods.
Original Research Paper
Virtual Reality
A. Sedaghati; B. Motiei
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Motivation plays a fundamental role in the academic success of architecture students. It appears that students in architecture colleges lack the necessary motivation to learn theoretical courses, especially technical and construction-related courses. Given the nature of the ...
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Background and Objectives: Motivation plays a fundamental role in the academic success of architecture students. It appears that students in architecture colleges lack the necessary motivation to learn theoretical courses, especially technical and construction-related courses. Given the nature of the architecture field and its distinctiveness in education compared to other disciplines, the goal of this research was to investigate the use of computer simulation as a transformative tool in the dynamic landscape of education and its impact on the motivation of architecture students.Methods: This applied research employed a quasi-experimental design with a control group for data collection. In order to collect the required data, Harter questionnaire was used, which was analyzed for reliability and subjected to a preliminary analysis of covariance with a covariance test. The population of the study consisted of students of Building Construction II course at Urmia Azad University. After conducting a preliminary test with students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group, they were selected in a way that the average scores of both groups in the mentioned test were equal.Findings: Based on the research findings, it can be said that one of the main factors in human performance and behavior is motivation. Motivation leads individuals to move and act, and in educational environments, motivation has a direct correlation with the learning, memorization, and academic progress of students. The more motivation there is, the more academic progress will be made. Motivation is divided into two components: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation; the statistical analysis confirmed the research hypothesis regarding the impact of using computer simulation on the motivation of students in the course of building construction II. In the realm of intrinsic motivation, there was a significant and meaningful difference between the experimental group and the control group. A noticeable increase in intrinsic motivation grades of the post-test compared to those of the pre-test was observed in the experimental group, and there was also a minimal difference in pre-test and post-test scores in the control group, indicating the effect of using this technology in increasing the intrinsic motivation of architecture students. In the extrinsic motivation component, the experimental and control groups showws a significant difference in post-test scores. The extrinsic motivation of students who were trained using computer simulation technology differed from those trained using conventional methods, and the higher average scores of the experimental group in the post-test demonstrated an increase in motivation among the students in this course.Conclusion: The use of computer simulation in teaching technical courses in the field of architecture led to a significant increase in motivation among architecture students. The noticeable improvement in the final exam grades of students who used this technology for learning compared to those of the control group confirmed the positive impact of using computer simulation. The effectiveness of simulation materializes when the mental principles and basics of courses are taught through other methods, and then simulation is used for supplementary teaching. In general, it is more effective when it is used alongside traditional methods- that is, simulation serves as a complement to traditional teaching methods in courses.Methods: This applied research employs a quasi-experimental design with a control group for data collection. The Harter questionnaire serves as the primary data collection tool, with analysis conducted using the analysis of covariance test. The study targets students enrolled in Building Construction II at Urmia Azad University. Two groups of 30 students each are formed with statistically equivalent average scores to ensure comparability. Findings: Based on the findings, it can be said that motivation mobilizes individuals and has direct correlation with learning, memory, and academic progression in educational environments. Motivation is divided into intrinsic and extrinsic, as the statistical analysis confirms the research hypothesis regarding the impact of using simulations on students' motivation in the building construction II course. Intrinsic motivation shows a significant difference between the experimental and control groups. A significant increase in post-test intrinsic motivation scores compared to pre - test scores in the experimental group, as well as a minimal difference in pre - test and post - test scores in the control group, indicate the effect of using this technology in increasing students' intrinsic motivation. Additionally, in the extrinsic motivation component, there is a significant difference in the post - test between the experimental and control groups. The extrinsic motivation of students who were taught through computer simulations differs from those taught in the conventional method, with higher average scores in the post - test in the experimental group indicating an increase in this motivation.Conclusion: The use of computer simulation in technical education leads to a significant increase in motivation among architecture students. A notable improvement in the end - term grades of students who utilized this technology compared to the control group supports the positive impact of its use. Its effectiveness is evident when mental principles and concepts are taught through other methods first and then supplemented with simulation for further learning. Overall, it is most effective when used in conjunction with traditional methods, serving as a complementary tool to conventional approaches.: The use of computer simulation in technical education leads to a significant increase in motivation among architecture students. A notable improvement in the end-term grades of students who utilized this technology compared to the control group supports the positive impact of its use. Its effectiveness is evident when mental principles and concepts are taught through other methods first and then supplemented with simulation for further learning. Overall, it is most effective when used in conjunction with traditional methods, serving as a complementary tool to conventional approaches.
Original Research Paper
Technology-based learning environments
F. Kadkhodavand; A. Momeni rad
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Education and learning are based on correct communication and this communication is dependent on choosing the right media. Multimedia is one of the most effective media for learning due to its many advantages. But in some cases, despite spending a lot of time and cost on multimedia ...
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Background and Objectives: Education and learning are based on correct communication and this communication is dependent on choosing the right media. Multimedia is one of the most effective media for learning due to its many advantages. But in some cases, despite spending a lot of time and cost on multimedia design, the results are not satisfactory. Failure to pay attention to the principles of educational design, individual characteristics of learners, learning processes, and human cognitive structure in many cases leads to ineffective multimedia design and production that prevent learning. One of the influential theories on educational design is cognitive load theory. In poor designs, such as the effect of split attention, where complementary and essential information is not located near each other, it imposes an additional load on the memory and disrupts the processing and learning. As a result of the split attention due to the limited capacity of active memory, it is assumed that if the image and the related text are placed in the vicinity of each other, the cognitive processing of the two contents will be done at the same time and optimal cognitive resources will be consumed. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of split attention in multimedia on learning and the perceived cognitive load of students with self-regulation moderation.Methods: This research was practical in terms of purpose and in terms of method, it was quasi-experimental research with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all the female students of the third-grade primary schools in Hamedan in the academic year 2022-2023. In this research, Rah Noor 1 girls' primary school was selected using the available sampling method. Among 24 third-grade students, 12 were placed in the experimental group and 12 in the control group using random assignment. To determine the level of students' self-regulation, Buford’s (1995) self-regulation questionnaire was used. For education, the researcher made two educational multimedia, which included educational multimedia with the effect of dividing attention and educational multimedia without this effect. A week before the training, the learning pre-test was performed on the students of both groups. The students of both groups completed the PASS (1992) cognitive load (mental effort) scale in the middle and at the end of the training and immediately participated in the learning post-test. In this research, SPSS statistical software was used to provide descriptive statistics (dispersion and centrality indices) and inferential statistics (Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, ANCOVA, and independent t-test) for data analysis.Findings: The results showed that the control group performed better in the learning tests than the experimental group (split attention effect) and received less cognitive load. However, the findings indicated that self-regulation had no significant moderating role in learning and the perceived cognitive load of students who were under multimedia education with the effect of split attention.Conclusion: If the text and image information are integrated, there is less need to search and process. Therefore, less additional load is imposed on the memory and thus facilitates learning. Self-regulating students do not have the possibility of optimal processing without training appropriate strategies for processing non-optimal designs, because they face two types of additional load imposed on their memory.
Original Research Paper
Blended Learning
Sh. Fazli; S.R. Emadi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Mathematics is one of the basic skills that is considered as as one of the important and fundamental subjects during education, and a significant number of students face challenges in this subject. The teaching and learning of mathematics is not only limited to transferring ...
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Background and Objectives: Mathematics is one of the basic skills that is considered as as one of the important and fundamental subjects during education, and a significant number of students face challenges in this subject. The teaching and learning of mathematics is not only limited to transferring concepts and definitions to students, but the math program is responsible for developing and generalizing concepts, creating motivation, fostering creativity, and applying and creating connections between students' learning. However, it can be seen that the traditional methods of teaching mathematics, despite a long history, have not been able to positively affect the process of learning and teaching mathematics of students. Researchers have sought to find a way to solve the problems of the teaching and learning process so that students can better understand the basic foundations of mathematics. With the advancement of technology and the use of computers in various branches of science, the way was paved for the use of technology in education. Among the applications of this technology, which is receiving more attention every day, is the role it can play in the learning process. With the growth and expansion of the use of computer technology in the learning process, the design of graphic learning environments has become increasingly important, and one of these graphic methods is vector graphics. Drawing can be an effective educational medium in education, because it enables the teacher to present information with different media through sound, text, animation and image. In other words, teaching with the multimedia graphic design method provides the right context to complement the teacher's efforts to attract attention, improve understanding and involve the person in learning. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of vector graphics on the learning and engagement of students in mathematics.Methods: The research method was an experimental with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population included all fifth-grade female students of the Qahavand district in the academic year of 2020-2021, which was 188. The statistical sample consisted of 30 people (15 subjects in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) who were selected from the female students of the fifth-grade primary school through an available sampling method. The experimental group was trained through Illustrator software during 8 sessions, and the control group received the usual training. The data collected by Reeve's (2013) academic engagement and learning (researcher-made) questionnaires in mathematic. Descriptive statistics indicators such as mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data, and multivariate covariance analysis was used to check the research hypotheses.Findings: The results showed that teaching with the help of vector graphics had a greater effect on the level of learning and engagement of students in mathematics lessons compared to teaching in the usual way. Based on the results of vector graphics training, it had a positive and significant effect on students' learning (F=9.34, P<0.01) and engagement (F=27.17, P<0.01) of students.Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that the use of vector graphics teaching method is effective on the level of learning and academic engagement in mathematics. Considering the importance of multimedia patterns in education and the attractiveness of multimedia methods such as graphics for learners, it is suggested that teachers use vector graphics in teaching mathematics. Also, education can increase the quality of education by empowering teachers to use multimedia technologies, and considering multimedia principles in the design of textbooks, and helping students learn better.
Original Research Paper
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
M. Omidi Shal; B. Bandali; Mahmood Abolghasemi; S. Saadati
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Reading and writing, in addition to being considered as the human necessities for today life, are one of the pillars of literacy and basic skills in education and learning. One of the goals of the literacy is to develop and strengthen the reading and writing skills of students. ...
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Background and Objectives: Reading and writing, in addition to being considered as the human necessities for today life, are one of the pillars of literacy and basic skills in education and learning. One of the goals of the literacy is to develop and strengthen the reading and writing skills of students. However, some national and international studies have shown the weakness of Iranian students in these two skills. In addition, weakness in reading and writing causes problems in understanding other subjects as well. Therefore, due to the important role of reading and writing skills in the learning and academic progress of students, as well as the need to investigate the factors affecting the academic performance and the efficiency of the educational system, the investigation of this issue was considered in this research. Given the components of reading and writing skills, as well as inefficient teaching methods resulting in this failure, one of the activities that can play an effective role in solving the problem is storytelling. With the development of technology in different fields, digital storytelling has also been used in education. Previous research revealed the positive effect of using traditional and digital stories in teaching different subjects, competencies and skills among learners, but no comparison was made between them. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to compare the effect of two teaching methods based on digital and traditional storytelling on the reading and writing skills of first-grade primary school students.Methods: This was an applied study carried out with quantitative approach and quasi-experimental design. A sample of 50 students of the first grade of an all-boys primary public school in Rasht, Iran in the academic year of 2022-2023 were selected through convenience sampling method to participate in this research. They were assigned to experimental and control groups. Five letters of the first primary Persian Literacy were taught in the experimental group by presenting a digital story. In the control group, the same letters were taught through the same stories in a traditional way by the teacher. The stories were approved by educational experts and first grade school teachers as well. After teaching each letter, both groups took part in a test developed by the team leader of first grade teachers district 1 of education department in Rasht. The validity of the tests was confirmed by educational experts and elementary teachers. To ensure reliability, the measurement process was repeated for five letters of the Persian alphabet, all research processes were documented and the subjects' normal conditions were maintained in the evaluation process. The data were analyzed via inferential statistics methods including Anderson-Darling test, the Mann-Whitney U test and independent samples t-test.Findings: Results showed that the mean scores of both groups in all tests were similarly above the theoretical mean and no significant difference was found considering the performance of the two groups.Conclusion: Considering the capabilities that storytelling has in improving learning outcomes, it can be said that using stories, both in traditional and digital form, can be used as an effective method in teaching Persian and improving the reading and writing skills of primary school students. Also, accuracy in educational design and appropriate learning activities can enrich the use of traditional and digital stories in the education process.
Original Research Paper
E-Lerning
M. Abedin; E. Pazouki; R. Ebrahimpour
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Learning has consistently been one of the aspects of human development since the beginning of human existence on the Earth, encompassing all aspects of human life and holding a special place in human life plans. On the other hand, technological advancements in recent decades ...
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Background and Objectives: Learning has consistently been one of the aspects of human development since the beginning of human existence on the Earth, encompassing all aspects of human life and holding a special place in human life plans. On the other hand, technological advancements in recent decades have rapidly brought about significant changes in the realm of education and learning. One of the most prominent impacts of technological progress in the field of learning is the emergence of e-learning; a tool that enables learners to access educational resources at any time and place. Regarding the fact that every person has individual traits, preferences, and tendencies, traditional education's "one-size-fits-all" approach can be seen as one of its fundamental flaws. Learning styles, as one of the most important factors influencing learning, represent an individual's preferences and ways of processing and understanding information. Therefore, providing adaptive education based on learners' learning styles, with the aim of enhancing educational efficiency and reducing cognitive load during teaching, is both essential and inevitable. This research aimed to investigate the impact of adaptive education based on learners' learning styles. In order to achieve this, learners' learning styles were identified using an online platform and the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Indicator questionnaire, and educational content was automatically generated and presented to learners accordingly. Finally, the performance of the learners and cognitive load during instruction were examined.Methods: A total number of 37 male and female undergraduate computer science students with an average age of 20.3, participated in this study. Initially, the participants were divided into two groups, and their learning styles were determined using the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Indicator questionnaire. Subsequently, one group received educational content tailored to their learning styles, while the other group received content not aligned with their learning styles. After studying the provided material, the cognitive load and learning outcomes of the participants were assessed using the NASA Task Load Index questionnaire and a designed performance test, respectively. Finally, the significance level of the results obtained from the two groups was evaluated using an independent t-test.Findings: Based on the obtained results, no significant difference was observed in the test scores of the two groups' performance. However, when comparing the cognitive load between the two groups, the average cognitive load of the group that received content aligned with their learning style was significantly higher than the group that received incongruent content, with a value of 0.02 (p < 0.05).Conclusion: According to the research findings, providing educational content based on learners' learning styles significantly reduce cognitive load during learning. Therefore, offering personalized education based on learning styles plays a crucial role as one of the adaptive teaching methods in e-learning, enhancing performance, and reducing cognitive load for learners.
Original Research Paper
Educational Technology - Artificial Intelligence
M. Rajabiyan Dehzireh
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In recent decades, artificial intelligence has become increasingly prevalent in our lives and has had a significant impact on various fields including education. In the 21st century, education is undergoing a profound transformation, and at the heart of this revolution is artificial ...
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Background and Objectives: In recent decades, artificial intelligence has become increasingly prevalent in our lives and has had a significant impact on various fields including education. In the 21st century, education is undergoing a profound transformation, and at the heart of this revolution is artificial intelligence. AI is reshaping the way we teach and learn, providing numerous opportunities to enhance the learning experience for both teachers and students. AI-powered educational platforms have the ability to collect and analyze vast amounts of data, allowing them to gain insights into students' strengths, weaknesses, and learning preferences. The purpose of this research was to identify the challenges and capabilities of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning and to propose solutions.Methods: A qualitative phenomenological research approach was employed using an exploratory strategy. The study commenced with a systematic review of relevant literature and articles. After a thorough review of the existing research and the identification of initial indicators, interviews were conducted with experts in the field. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The population of this study included all experts and faculty members in the fields of educational technology and artificial intelligence. A purposeful sampling method was used to select 15 participants, ensuring theoretical saturation. Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection tool. The data were coded using an interpretive thematic analysis approach. To ensure the reliability and validity of the data, the criteria of reliability and final validity were employed.Findings: Research findings indicated the identification of 112 basic themes, 29 organizing themes, and 3 overarching themes. In this regard, the challenges and issues associated with artificial intelligence included educational, ethical, legal, and security, social and interactive, technological and infrastructural, cultural, and economic challenges. Based on the research findings, the capabilities of research included improving assessment and evaluation processes and providing feedback, ensuring global access and educational equity, enhancing faculty capabilities in the educational process, teaching various disciplines, content production, instructional design, innovation in the educational process, fostering creativity and thinking, making education interactive, education and support for students with special needs, strengthening scientific skills, encouraging learning, innovating in the delivery of educational services, artificial intelligence as a teaching assistant, and adapting education to individual needs using artificial intelligence. Research findings revealed that the solutions to these challenges included using artificial intelligence as a teaching assistant, reviewing and evaluating data generated by artificial intelligence, developing policies, laws, and protocols in the field of artificial intelligence application, producing, building, and designing artificial intelligence applications, interaction between experts in the field of artificial intelligence in education, developing the necessary hardware and software for artificial intelligence applications, improving performance evaluation methods with artificial intelligence, and promoting a culture and education on how to use artificial intelligence.Conclusion: Creating comprehensive AI literacy programs is essential to ensure that learners and educators can navigate the AI landscape effectively. These programs should not only address technical aspects but also data privacy and ethical considerations. By equipping individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills, institutions can promote the ethical use of AI and mitigate potential risks.
Original Research Paper
Electronic learning- virtual
H. Dehghan; L. Mahdavi; Z. Zare
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Teaching in the flipped learning method is a relatively new approach in the world that involves students in learning, and the main role of the teacher in this method is educational design. Considering the importance of experimental science courses in the national curriculum ...
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Background and Objectives: Teaching in the flipped learning method is a relatively new approach in the world that involves students in learning, and the main role of the teacher in this method is educational design. Considering the importance of experimental science courses in the national curriculum and since biology as one of the experimental science courses has an important role in health, hygiene, industry, environment, etc., it seems necessary to deal with the new model of education in learning this lesson. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of reverse teaching using multimedia method on the motivation and academic progress of students in the biology course according to previous studies in this field.Methods: The research was semi-experimental with two experimental and control groups. The statistical population included male students of the 10th grade of experimental sciences in Taft, Yazd province in the academic year of 2023-2024. The study sample consisted of 45 people who were selected by the "available sampling" method and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (22,23 participants). The instruments for measuring the variables were the researcher-made academic achievement test and Harter's standard academic motivation questionnaire. The validity of the tool developed by the researcher was determined eliciting the opinions of expert teachers and their reliability was determined by retesting. The research implementation method was based on comparative teaching between the tested groups. In this research, the teaching topic was selected from the fourth chapter of the 10th grade biology book titled "Circulation of substances in the body". In the class of the control group, teaching was done through the conventional traditional methods of biology lessons, while in the class of the experimental group, class management and teaching were done based on the design of the learning unit with the model of " flipped learning ".The training in each of the studied groups was conducted in 8 sessions of 90 minutes in accordance with the objectives of the research and the chapters selected from the 10th biology book and in both groups by the researcher. And the test was taken in the ninth session. SPSS26 statistical software and statistical tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Pearson correlation and t-test) were used to analyze the data.Findings: The data obtained from the pre-test and post-test among the students were analyzed at two descriptive and inferential levels, with the aim of the effect of flipped learning method on the progress and academic motivation of the biology course of the tenth-grade students and the difference between this method and the traditional teaching method. The results showed that flipped learning had a significant effect on the academic motivation and academic progress of tenth grade students in biology (P<0.005). Also, according to the mean values for the two groups, this difference was in favor of the group of students who were under flipped learning.Conclusion: In general, flipped learning is a new method for teaching and learning and can facilitate and improve learning. According to the positive results presented in this research, it is suggested that other courses of experimental sciences should also be measured and evaluated in terms of the effectiveness of this educational method, and it is also suggested that this effect be compared among the statistical population of girls and boys to compare the level of learning and interest of male and female students.
Original Research Paper
Education technology - higher education
F. Shamsi Ashteani; H. Kalantari Dehaghi; M. Nazarzadeh Zare
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Nowadays, the development and deployment of technologies in educational settings seem not to be enough to take advantage of their benefits; rather, this development and deployment require the possession of a series of other skills, such as communication skills. Faculty members, ...
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Background and Objectives: Nowadays, the development and deployment of technologies in educational settings seem not to be enough to take advantage of their benefits; rather, this development and deployment require the possession of a series of other skills, such as communication skills. Faculty members, as one of the determinants of communication in the university environment and as one of the most important pillars for maintaining quality in higher education, need to have the necessary communication skills for teaching, especially in virtual spaces. In addition to having communication skills, the use of ethics in educational settings can also help establish a worthy, constructive, and productive relationship between individuals. Therefore, one of the most fundamental criteria of the higher education system that faculty members are obligated to observe in their profession is professional ethics. In addition to having communication skills and professional ethics in the use of technology, the acceptance of technology by users is also of great importance, as there is always resistance to the acceptance of new technologies. A review of past research regarding the research variables at the domestic and international levels indicates a significant relationship between communication skills and professional ethics in the studies conducted at the domestic and international levels. Accordingly, the main objective of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of technology acceptance in the relationship between communication skills and professional ethics of faculty members in the course of virtual education.Methods: The present research method was a descriptive-correlational study of the structural equation modeling type. The statistical population of the present study included all 288 faculty members of Arak University, of whom 168 were selected using a simple random sampling method based on the Krejcie and Morgan table. In this research, three questionnaires on communication skills, professional ethics, and technology acceptance were used to collect the required data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data in SPSS and PLS software.Findings: The findings of the present study indicated a significant effect of communication skills on professional ethics (0.323), a significant effect of communication skills on technology acceptance (0.334), and a significant effect of technology acceptance on professional ethics (0.257). Additionally, the other findings of the study indicated an indirect and significant effect of communication skills on professional ethics through technology acceptance (0.086). Furthermore, the measurement and model fit indices also indicated the model's desirability.Conclusion: Overall, the results of this research showed that the communication skills of professors in the virtual education environment would play a central and decisive role in improving their professional ethics. These skills had a positive effect on the professional ethics of professors in several ways: 1. the communication skills of professors in the virtual education environment directly improved their ethical behaviors and interactions with students, 2. professors with strong communication skills would be able to apply the principles of professional ethics more effectively in the virtual education process by creating an environment based on trust, respect, and empathy, 3. the communication skills of professors, indirectly and through increasing the acceptance of educational technologies among them, strengthened professional ethics in the virtual education environment, and 4. having strong communication skills, professors would be able to facilitate the process of accepting and using new educational technologies in their work environment. This, in turn, would lead to the improvement of teaching quality, more effective interaction with students, and, as a result, the promotion of professional ethics in the virtual education environment. In general, improving communication skills and facilitating the process of technology acceptance among professors are effective strategies for promoting professional ethics in virtual education. Therefore, paying attention to these components in the design and implementation of professional development programs for professors can play an important role in promoting their professional ethics in the virtual education environment.
Original Research Paper
Educational technology- primary school
S. Akbarpoor; F. Hamidi; F. Shapourian
Abstract
Background and Objectives:The review of previous literature indicates that paying attention to the development of spatial visual perception skills in elementary school students as a basic principle in art education, in addition to helping to improve their performance and academic achievement in art lessons, ...
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Background and Objectives:The review of previous literature indicates that paying attention to the development of spatial visual perception skills in elementary school students as a basic principle in art education, in addition to helping to improve their performance and academic achievement in art lessons, as an important factor in Their creativity is also considered. Visual spatial perception skills help students to better understand different images in their surroundings and communicate with their thoughts. These skills allow students to create more creative ideas and progress in art lessons as one of the important aspects of their creativity; and since art is considered as one of the main elements of children's personality development, this influence can play an important role in their full development. However, the investigation of the background of the research indicates a theoretical gap in this field because most of the studies have either considered spatial visual perception as a dependent variable or considered its relationship with other subjects and in the form of other subjects such as mathematics. The effect of these skills on students in various stages of education has been studied, and less studies specific to elementary students have been done. Based on this, this research was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of visual spatial perception skills training on creativity and academic achievement in the art lesson of elementary school students.Methods: The method of the present research was practical in terms of its purpose and semi-experimental in terms of implementation with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population in this research included all the female students in the art class in the academic year of 1401-1402 in the fifth grade of elementary school in district 5 of Tehran and the research sample included two experimental and control groups; the experimental group from one school and the control group from another school were chosen. For this purpose, 36 students from the fifth grade were selected in two schools and were randomly divided into two groups of 18, experimental and control. Torrance's creativity test was used to measure creativity. After the pre-test, the experimental group was exposed to the independent variable (visual spatial perception skills training) and the control group was not exposed to training with this content and learned the art lesson in the conventional way. Covariance analysis was used to analyze the data.Findings: The results indicated that the adjusted averages (post-test average with pre-test score control) showed that the average creativity in the experimental group was 84.33 and in the control group was 78.73, which showed that the average of the experimental group was 5.60. The score was higher. Considering that the significance level is less than 0.05, the intervention of spatial visual perception skills in the experimental group increased creativity and its three components, i.e., fluidity, initiative, and the ability to develop students in the art course, but considering that the significance level is more than 0.5 0, the intervention of visuospatial perception skills had no significant effect on flexibility.Conclusion: The examination of visual spatial perception skills on the creativity variable and its 4 components showed that the effectiveness of the intervention of visual spatial perception skills on the total creativity variable, fluidity component, originality component and elaboration ability component was confirmed; however, the effect of this intervention on the flexibility component was confirmed was not placed. Also, the findings indicated that the intervention of spatial visual perception skills increasesd the academic progress of elementary school students in art lessons. In other words, it can be said that spatial visual perception skills through art lesson have a significant impact on students' learning and academic achivement and can be used as an important factor in students' academic achivement. Based on this, it is suggested that teachers used new teaching methods and increased students’ participation, valued students' creativity, encouraged students, considered prizes for their creativity, and used art classes to increase creative thinking. Moreover, students were hold in environments outside the classroom. Also, considering the limitations of the research, it is suggested that future researchers conduct similar researches in the long term and in different periods of time, either with a qualitative method or by considering different statistical samples.
Original Research Paper
Educational Technology - Augmented Reality
A. Tavangar; H. Rezghi shirsavar; F. Ahmadi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The world of tomorrow differs from today’s world. It belongs to those who hold the reins of policy-making and planning, capable individuals who understand the demands of their time and plan accordingly. The education system serves as a key to the future, being one of ...
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Background and Objectives: The world of tomorrow differs from today’s world. It belongs to those who hold the reins of policy-making and planning, capable individuals who understand the demands of their time and plan accordingly. The education system serves as a key to the future, being one of the most vital social institutions in any country’s development. Its aim is to nurture creativity and talent among students. In this context, emerging technologies like the Metaverse have the potential to revolutionize education, creating a new civilization where place, time, and territory no longer constrain learning. This research focuses on forecasting through future-oriented planning based on scenarios. It delves into uncertainties and changing conditions, painting a panorama of diverse futures for policymakers. Its goal is to envision the future of Metaverse technology in educationMethods: This research was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-combined (synchronization-data transformation model) based on scientific resources, documents, observations, field surveys, and software analysis in terms of research method. The research population included experts in education and technology units of provincial departments who were active in smart schools, media literacy, and electronic content production. A purposeful sampling method (snowball) was used to select 17 participants. In the qualitative section, all statements from the expert panel (10 webinar sessions, totaling 20 hours) were reviewed several times, important points were extracted, and structured questionnaires with Likert scale questions were prepared. Afterwards, the problem definition and identification of components began, and through the analysis of driving forces and existing uncertainties, the development and description of scenarios and the recommendation of strategic options were concluded. Qualitative data identified five key factors affecting the future of metaverse technologies in cultural-social, managerial, structural, physical, and economic dimensions through the expert panel. Quantitative analysis was based on the use of SPSS software, and qualitative data analysis was done through Vensim, MICMAC, and Scenario Wizard software, and strategy presentation was done with the SWOT analytical model. The research tools in the quantitative section included structured interviews with 42 items, which were prepared through the expert panel, and the face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts, with an alpha coefficient of 0.82 calculatedFindings: The structural analysis matrix of the drivers was calculated using the MicMac software and then through the Scenario Wizard software, the golden scenario (with 2 scenarios), the disaster scenario (19 scenarios), and the believable scenario (3 scenarios) were calculated. Also, through the SWOT table, the internal and external matrix was calculated, the coefficient and final score of internal factors were 1.94 and the score of external factors was 2.2, which indicates the internal weakness of the system and the average condition of the external system.Conclusion: Despite the relative progress in the field of quantitative growth of education and technology compared to developed countries, the educational system of Iran has not had much success and technology and the use of virtual reality in the classroom has no meaning and the practionters are only satisfied with the purchase of technological equipment in the school; it is necessary to create a suitable platform to reach the golden scenario. If the goal is
Original Research Paper
e-learning
kh. paseban-khamari; M. R. Rabiei; A. Shahvarani-Semnani; M. Rostamy Mal-khalifeh
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden expansion of virtual education have created unprecedented challenges in educational systems, particularly in the area of effective and accurate assessment. Assessment is a key element in the learning process that directly ...
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Background and Objectives: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden expansion of virtual education have created unprecedented challenges in educational systems, particularly in the area of effective and accurate assessment. Assessment is a key element in the learning process that directly impacts the quality of teaching and student learning. In this context, the decline in learning levels, especially in mathematics, has become a significant issue in education. This research investigates the impact of implementing a designed electronic assessment protocol on students' learning in mathematics. The main research question was whether implementing the electronic assessment protocol can help improve students' mathematics learning.Methods: This research was experimental-empirical. The experimental group was influenced by the independent variable (implementation of the electronic education evaluation protocol), while the control group did not experience this intervention. The dependent variable was the academic progress of students in mathematics. Confounding factors, including educational level and type of school (gifted, witness, and regular), were also considered in the statistical model. The statistical population included all female middle school students in Golestan Province during the 2020-2021 academic year. A sample of 204 students (experimental group) was selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. To compare and control, 379 female middle school students (control group) were selected in proportion to the type of school. In the first stage, the electronic content for the mathematics lesson was designed and produced by the participating teachers. Additionally, a training workshop was held for the teachers to educate them on evaluation concepts and to develop an operational protocol in the virtual learning environment. In the second stage, the protocol was implemented in both experimental and control groups, and its effectiveness was assessed. For data analysis, descriptive statistics (mean, variance, etc.) and inferential statistical tests (analysis of covariance and multivariate and univariate tests) were utilized using SPSS software version 27.Findings: The results showed that there was a significant difference in the academic progress of students in the experimental and control groups after the implementation of the e-learning evaluation protocol. In other words, the implementation of the protocol led to a significant increase in the academic progress of the students. Additionally, a significant effect of educational level on the academic progress of students was observed. The type of school also has a significant impact on the academic progress of students.Conclusion: The findings of this research confirmed the effectiveness of the electronic evaluation protocol in improving students' mathematics learning. Utilizing evaluation strategies that align with educational objectives and course content, along with the implementation of integrated evaluation methods instead of relying on a single approach, can enhance the credibility of assessments and improve students' academic progress. These findings offer suggestions for designing and implementing more effective evaluation systems in electronic education. The execution of the electronic evaluation protocol not only increases the accuracy and reliability of assessments but also plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of education by motivating and encouraging students to learn. Integrated evaluation methods, by providing precise and reliable feedback, can assist teachers in identifying students' strengths and weaknesses and adjusting their educational programs based on their actual needs. Therefore, it is recommended that educational systems adopt electronic and integrated evaluation methods to improve the learning process and prepare students for future challenges.
