Original Research Paper
Mobile learning
S. Rezaeian; G. Salimi; M. Mohammadi; E. Heidari; A.R. Nikseresht
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In recent years, significant advancements in digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have fundamentally revolutionized the structure of higher education. This transformation, coupled with increasing complexities in educational environments, has created new challenges ...
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Background and Objectives: In recent years, significant advancements in digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have fundamentally revolutionized the structure of higher education. This transformation, coupled with increasing complexities in educational environments, has created new challenges in the professional development of faculty members. Recent empirical studies and theoretical investigations indicate that traditional professional development programs, despite substantial financial investment and institutional commitment, have encountered significant limitations, including a lack of temporal and spatial flexibility, an absence of personalization, limited continuous feedback, and failure to adapt to evolving educational needs. Mobile learning technologies and AI systems, with their advanced capabilities for analyzing complex learning patterns, personalizing educational content based on individual preferences, and providing intelligent real-time feedback, can effectively address these multifaceted challenges. This research aims to design an innovative conceptual framework for AI-based mobile learning tailored to support the systematic self-improvement of faculty teaching competencies in higher education institutions.Methods: This applied, interdisciplinary study employed a design-based research approach implemented through four iterative cycles: (1) Problem analysis and identification through systematic literature review based on PRISMA guidelines across three domains: mobile learning, artificial intelligence, and professional development with a focus on teaching competencies, resulting in the selection of 37 articles from Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and PubMed databases; (2) Design and development of the conceptual framework through synthesis of theoretical and empirical findings using thematic analysis; (3) Validation involving 15 experts in educational technology, artificial intelligence, and higher education fields; and (4) Redesign and finalization of the framework. Research validity and reliability were ensured through a design grounded in robust theoretical foundations, data triangulation, expert validation, and transparency in the research process.Findings: The proposed framework comprises four key dimensions and 20 sub-components: Input dimension (identifying individual needs and characteristics for developing personalized pathways); Processing dimension (analyzing data using artificial intelligence algorithms); Output dimension (delivering actionable services and content); and Support dimension (providing necessary infrastructure and services). The self-improvement process is designed as a cyclical and continuous framework encompassing five distinct phases: initial assessment, development pathway planning, implementation and learning, continuous evaluation, and reflection and modification. Validation results from 15 experts demonstrated that the framework was significantly supported across all evaluation indicators, including comprehensiveness, applicability, innovation, and logical coherence (p < 0.001).Background and Objectives: In recent years, significant advancements in digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have fundamentally revolutionized the structure of higher education. This transformation, coupled with increasing complexities in educational environments, has created new challenges in the professional development of faculty members. Recent empirical studies and theoretical investigations indicate that traditional professional development programs, despite substantial financial investment and institutional commitment, have encountered significant limitations, including a lack of temporal and spatial flexibility, an absence of personalization, limited continuous feedback, and failure to adapt to evolving educational needs. Mobile learning technologies and AI systems, with their advanced capabilities for analyzing complex learning patterns, personalizing educational content based on individual preferences, and providing intelligent real-time feedback, can effectively address these multifaceted challenges. This research aims to design an innovative conceptual framework for AI-based mobile learning tailored to support the systematic self-improvement of faculty teaching competencies in higher education institutions.Methods: This applied, interdisciplinary study employed a design-based research approach implemented through four iterative cycles: (1) Problem analysis and identification through systematic literature review based on PRISMA guidelines across three domains: mobile learning, artificial intelligence, and professional development with a focus on teaching competencies, resulting in the selection of 37 articles from Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and PubMed databases; (2) Design and development of the conceptual framework through synthesis of theoretical and empirical findings using thematic analysis; (3) Validation involving 15 experts in educational technology, artificial intelligence, and higher education fields; and (4) Redesign and finalization of the framework. Research validity and reliability were ensured through a design grounded in robust theoretical foundations, data triangulation, expert validation, and transparency in the research process.Findings: The proposed framework comprises four key dimensions and 20 sub-components: Input dimension (identifying individual needs and characteristics for developing personalized pathways); Processing dimension (analyzing data using artificial intelligence algorithms); Output dimension (delivering actionable services and content); and Support dimension (providing necessary infrastructure and services). The self-improvement process is designed as a cyclical and continuous framework encompassing five distinct phases: initial assessment, development pathway planning, implementation and learning, continuous evaluation, and reflection and modification. Validation results from 15 experts demonstrated that the framework was significantly supported across all evaluation indicators, including comprehensiveness, applicability, innovation, and logical coherence (p < 0.001).
Original Research Paper
Emerging Technologies
Z. Hamed Ghafarian; F. Khodadadi Azadboni
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Teaching physics concepts, particularly Newton’s laws, in lower secondary education faces challenges such as incomplete understanding and student misconceptions. These issues often arise from traditional teaching’s emphasis on memorizing formulas and neglecting ...
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Background and Objectives: Teaching physics concepts, particularly Newton’s laws, in lower secondary education faces challenges such as incomplete understanding and student misconceptions. These issues often arise from traditional teaching’s emphasis on memorizing formulas and neglecting the cognitive construction of concepts. The Action-Process-Object-Schema (APOS) model focuses on active knowledge construction, identifies cognitive weaknesses, and facilitates effective instruction. The inquiry-based approach further enhances conceptual understanding by encouraging active participation and reflective thinking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of classifying learning levels using the APOS constructivist model, combined with inquiry-based teaching, on the performance of ninth-grade students in learning Newton’s laws. The objectives were to evaluate the approach’s effect on improving learning levels, identify the Newton’s law most influenced by it, and determine the learning level with the greatest progress. The study sought to provide strategies to enhance physics education and address misconceptions in dynamics.Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test/post-test design. The population consisted of all ninth-grade students in Mashhad during the 2022-2023 academic year. A sample of 29 female students was selected using convenience sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made test assessing learning levels for Newton’s laws. The test’s content validity was confirmed by physics education experts and teachers, and its reliability was established with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7. The educational intervention was conducted over six 100-minute sessions, including direct instruction with real-world examples, group problem-solving, and group discussions to foster reflective thinking. Activities such as inertia experiments, acceleration analysis, and object collision analysis were designed. Quantitative data were analyzed using statistical software and the McNemar test at a 0.05 significance level. Qualitative data from observations of student behavior were analyzed through inductive content analysis.Findings: The results showed that the APOS constructivist model with an inquiry-based approach significantly improved students’ performance in learning Newton’s laws. In the pre-test, mean correct response percentages were 59.2% for Action, 28.7% for Process, 27% for Object, and 16.6% for Schema, indicating weaknesses in higher learning levels and incomplete mental constructs. Students struggled with deep conceptual understanding and analytical problem-solving. In post-intervention, these values increased to 89.1% (Action), 88% (Process), 84.5% (Object), and 71.3% (Schema), with changes of 29.9%, 59.3%, 57.5%, and 54.7%, respectively. The McNemar test confirmed significant differences (p<0.05) for the first law at Process and Object levels, the second law at Object and Schema levels, and the third law at Process, Object, and Schema levels. The second law (dynamics) showed the greatest improvement with a 53.5% average increase. Qualitative analysis confirmed students’ progression from the Action level to higher levels.Conclusion: The APOS constructivist model with inquiry-based teaching reduced misconceptions, such as the need for continuous force for motion or non-zero resultant action-reaction forces, by fostering reflective thinking and active participation. Using this constructivist model in physics education enables meaningful learning, leading to students’ awareness of applying laws, principles, and formulas. Teachers are recommended to adopt this model to enhance learning levels.
Original Research Paper
Technology-based learning environments
F. Dabaghian; H.R. Azemati; B. Ssaleh Sedghpour
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Architectural design as a thoughtful construction of space requires complex and multi-stage processes that involve spatial visualization, understanding, and mental rotation. Spatial thinking is one of the main factors of human intelligence that helps to understand, recognize ...
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Background and Objectives: Architectural design as a thoughtful construction of space requires complex and multi-stage processes that involve spatial visualization, understanding, and mental rotation. Spatial thinking is one of the main factors of human intelligence that helps to understand, recognize and manipulate shapes and images. Education using technologies such as virtual reality, 3D modeling tools, and software can effectively enhance students' spatial thinking. These technologies not only help to provide better spatial concepts and skills, but also affect the ability to analyze, recognize and think to solve problems. SketchUp, as a type of 3D design software, is a powerful tool for creating accurate and realistic models of buildings so that the use of this software in the architectural design education process can help students to strengthen their spatial thinking skills and provide the best design methods. Therefore, this research focuses on the use of SketchUp in architectural design education and its impact on students' spatial abilities.Methods: The present study adopted a quasi-experimental within-group design conducted in three phases: pre-test, SketchUp training, and post-test. The initial step involved assessing the spatial abilities of the students before SketchUp training using a questionnaire consisting of 10 visual questions. The second step consisted of SketchUp training conducted over 21 sessions, each lasting six hours. Training was delivered through instructional videos and practical offline projects. Following the completion of the training, the spatial abilities of the students were reassessed using a post-test questionnaire containing 2 visual questions.The study population included 51 female students from 11th-grade architecture classes in a vocational school during the summer 2022 and summer 2023. A sample of seventeen students was selected using purposive sampling. Data collection utilized a researcher-designed visual Likert-scale questionnaire, validated through expert opinions for content validity. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.864. Data analysis was performed using paired samples t-test with SPSS version 26, assessing the impact of SketchUp training on students' spatial abilities. This methodology aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of SketchUp training in enhancing spatial thinking skills among high school students studying architecture.Findings: The findings showed that teaching through sketch with test (t=2.286) and (p=0.036) had an effect on students' spatial ability and the difference between the mean scores before and after the test was significant. Also, training had a significant effect on spatial visualization with the test (t=2.814) and (p=0.012) and it had been strengthened during the projects. Commands to COPY (t = 2.63), UNION (t = 3.20) and Commands to SLOPE (t= 3.10) were the most used and effective. Moreover, due to the lack of significant effect (P>0.05), the difference between the mean scores before and after the test was not significant and Sketchup training had no effect on Spatial Perception. In addition, based on the non-significance level of the test (t=1.499) and (P>0.05), teaching with Sketchup software did not result in a difference between the mean scores before and after the test and did not have significant effect on the students' mental rotation.Conclusion: Teaching through Sketchup software has led to a significant improvement in students' spatial ability and spatial visualization. These results show that Sketchup can be an effective tool for teaching spatial and architectural skills. But it had no significant effect on students' spatial Perception and mental rotation. Therefore, to strengthen these skills, the use of other tools and methods and the need for more diverse training programs are recommended.
Original Research Paper
Emerging Technologies
M. Esmaeili; K. Nazari
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Academic enthusiasm and the factors influencing it are among the key indicators of educational success and the enhancement of students’ psychological well-being. In this regard, life skills — as a set of cognitive, emotional, and social abilities — can affect ...
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Background and Objectives: Academic enthusiasm and the factors influencing it are among the key indicators of educational success and the enhancement of students’ psychological well-being. In this regard, life skills — as a set of cognitive, emotional, and social abilities — can affect academic enthusiasm. Moreover, with the increasing use of social networks among students and their dual role in either facilitating or weakening educational interactions, it has become increasingly necessary to examine how these platforms influence the relationship between life skills and academic enthusiasm. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of social networks in the relationship between life skills and academic enthusiasm among upper elementary school students.Methods: From the perspective of research design, this study was descriptive, and in terms of purpose, it was applied. The research method was a descriptive survey of a correlational type, based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of 4,521 upper elementary school students from District 4 of Qom. Using the Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample of 384 students was selected through simple random sampling. To measure life skills, the Babadi and Meshkani Children’s Life Skills Questionnaire was used, which assesses four components among students: social skills, self-regulation, self-control (self-management), and social responsibility. To assess students’ academic enthusiasm, the Fredricks et al. (2012) Academic Engagement Questionnaire was utilized, which measures three components: behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement. To measure the use of social networks among students, the Jahanbani Social Networks Questionnaire was employed, evaluating three components: level of use, type of use, and level of trust in users. The content and face validity of the questionnaires were confirmed by 10 faculty members from the Department of Educational Sciences and Educational Management. Reliability was assessed in two stages — before and after the main implementation of the study. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for all questionnaires were above the 0.70 criterion, indicating acceptable reliability. Data were analyzed using correlation and t-tests, Sobel’s test for mediating effects, path coefficients, and model fit indices within the framework of structural equation modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS software.Findings: The results showed that social networks play a mediating role in the relationship between life skills and students’ academic enthusiasm. Moreover, life skills had a significant effect on social networks, with a t-value of 7.629 (p < 0.001). Similarly, social networks had a significant effect on academic enthusiasm, with a t-value of 6.26 (p < 0.001).However, the findings indicated that life skills alone did not have a direct and significant effect on students’ academic enthusiasm at the 95% confidence level (t = 0.535, p > 0.05). Nonetheless, through the enhancement and improvement of social network use, life skills indirectly contributed to an increase in academic enthusiasm.Conclusion: The findings indicated that life skills indirectly, and social networks directly, influence students’ academic enthusiasm. Accordingly, it can be concluded that teaching life skills, alongside the purposeful and informed use of social networks, can play an effective role in enhancing students’ academic enthusiasm. Moreover, social networks provide a significant pathway for transferring the effects of life skills to academic enthusiasm, and their mediating role is statistically validated.
Original Research Paper
E-Lerning
H. Ziafat; Gh. Azariarani
Abstract
Background and Objective:
Educational data mining, as a modern and interdisciplinary field, plays a crucial role in analyzing learners’ behavior, identifying factors influencing academic success or failure, and supporting educational decision-making. With the growth of e-learning systems and ...
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Background and Objective:
Educational data mining, as a modern and interdisciplinary field, plays a crucial role in analyzing learners’ behavior, identifying factors influencing academic success or failure, and supporting educational decision-making. With the growth of e-learning systems and the increasing volume of educational data, the need for intelligent methods to extract hidden knowledge from these data has become more pronounced. Although traditional machine learning methods have been widely used in numerous studies, they face limitations in terms of accuracy and generalization capability when dealing with complex, nonlinear, and high-dimensional educational data. In this context, deep learning–based models and artificial neural networks have attracted significant attention due to their strong ability to model complex relationships. The main objective of this study is to develop and evaluate an intelligent hybrid model based on feedforward neural networks, including Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Extreme Learning Machines (ELM), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), combined with advanced feature selection methods, to identify key variables affecting students’ academic performance and significantly improve the accuracy of academic status prediction.
Methods:
In this study, a comprehensive set of educational data was utilized, including demographic, socio-economic, enrollment-related information, educational records, and students’ academic grades. The data were collected from university educational systems as well as reputable public datasets. After performing necessary preprocessing steps such as data cleaning, handling missing values, and feature normalization, the feature selection process was carried out using three methods: MRMR, Chi-square, and ReliefF. Subsequently, the three neural networks—ANN, ELM, and MLP—were trained using 90% of the data, while the remaining 10% was used for testing and model validation. Finally, the outputs of the networks were integrated into a hybrid model using a majority voting strategy. The performance of the proposed model was evaluated using standard metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and the F-measure.
Findings:
The experimental results demonstrated that the ReliefF method outperformed the other feature selection techniques in identifying influential features. Using the top 20 features selected by this method, the proposed hybrid model achieved an accuracy of 81.44% and an F-measure of 72.09%. In the evaluation of individual neural networks, the ELM model exhibited the best performance with an accuracy of 82.8%, which was on average 2–4% higher than that of ANN and MLP. Moreover, comparison with traditional machine learning approaches revealed that the hybrid neural network model improved prediction accuracy by more than 7% and classification accuracy by over 4%, indicating the significant superiority of the proposed approach.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that combining feedforward neural networks with appropriate feature selection methods provides an efficient and reliable approach for predicting students’ academic status. The proposed model can serve as an intelligent decision-support tool in educational systems to enable early identification of students at risk of academic failure. Future research may focus on incorporating attention mechanisms, more advanced feature selection techniques, deeper learning models, and larger and more diverse datasets to further enhance the accuracy and generalizability of the model.
Original Research Paper
Materials Evaluatio
M. Keshavarz; N. Soolmaz
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In today’s world, where technology is advancing and evolving more rapidly than ever, educating skilled, creative, and technologically literate human resources has become increasingly essential. A society that equips its future generations with technological skills can ...
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Background and Objectives: In today’s world, where technology is advancing and evolving more rapidly than ever, educating skilled, creative, and technologically literate human resources has become increasingly essential. A society that equips its future generations with technological skills can take stronger steps toward sustainable development, innovation, and scientific and economic competitiveness. Therefore, educational systems have a significant responsibility to design purposeful curricula and use appropriate teaching tools to nurture capable students who are not only familiar with technological concepts and tools but also able to apply them creatively in solving real-life individual and social problems. In this context, textbooks, especially Work and Technology books for the first year of secondary school, play a crucial role in achieving educational objectives. Analyzing the content of these books through the lens of technological education can provide a clear picture of their effectiveness in meeting today’s educational needs.Methods: This study is categorized as applied research, quantitative in nature, and uses the content analysis method with Shannon's entropy technique. The research population consisted of Work and Technology books for lower secondary education published in the 2024–2025 academic year. Sampling was not considered in this study, and all Work and Technology books for grades seven, eight, and nine were analyzed. The data collection tool in this study was a content analysis checklist based on the components of technological education, which included four main components: technology education, technological literacy, technological thinking, and technological competencies, along with their corresponding subcomponents. The method for determining the validity of the content analysis checklist was based on the face and content validity derived from Mehraban's study [14]. To determine the reliability of the tool using the simultaneous method, two work and technology teachers from lower secondary education analyzed a specific lesson from the Work and Technology books of this level simultaneously with the researcher, achieving an agreement coefficient of %92.42. Findings: The findings indicate that the highest frequency and implementation of technological literacy components in the lower secondary school Work and Technology books pertain to “Technology Education” and “Technological Literacy,” followed by “Technological Competency,” and finally “Technological Thinking.” Furthermore, the highest informational load and significance coefficient of these components in the seventh-grade book is associated with “Technology Education,” while in the eighth- and ninth-grade books, it is linked to “Technological Literacy.” The lowest informational load and significance across all books in this educational stage is attributed to the component of “Technological Thinking.”Conclusion: Overall, it can be concluded that “Technology Education” and “Technological Literacy” have the highest, and “Technological Competency” and “Technological Thinking” the lowest levels of implementation in lower secondary Work and Technology books. Based on the results of the research questions, it is evident that “Technological Thinking” has received less attention compared to other components. Therefore, it is recommended that the development of Work and Technology books move more toward problem-solving approaches to better foster technological thinking. Additionally, strengthening collaboration between schools and technology centers on the one hand, and holding specialized training courses for teachers on the other, can provide students with real-world experiences and support the effective implementation of technological education programs.
Original Research Paper
Educational Technology - Smart Organization
M. Nori Ghalehno; S. Salimi; A. Bahari
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In today's world, information systems have become one of the fundamental pillars in the management of various organizations and institutions, and the field of education is no exception. In this regard, integrated student systems are known as efficient tools for managing and ...
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Background and Objectives: In today's world, information systems have become one of the fundamental pillars in the management of various organizations and institutions, and the field of education is no exception. In this regard, integrated student systems are known as efficient tools for managing and processing educational information in schools and educational systems. The SIDA system, as a prominent example of this type of system, is designed with the aim of integrating and facilitating educational and administrative processes in schools. By collecting and managing various information from students, teachers, administrators, and parents, this system attempts to place all data related to educational processes in a single and centralized platform.Methods: The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying and ranking the strengths and weaknesses of the SIDA system (integrated student system) in Zahedan city using a mixed exploratory research method (qualitative-quantitative). The statistical population of the qualitative and quantitative sections included all executive vice presidents of schools in Zahedan city who were familiar with the SIDA system. Using a purposive sampling method of the criterion type, 16 executive vice presidents with at least five years of service experience were selected as a sample for the qualitative section and five of them were selected as a sample for the quantitative section. To collect information in the qualitative section, a semi-structured interview was used, and in the quantitative section, a researcher-made questionnaire derived from the data of the qualitative section was used. The validity in the qualitative part was confirmed by the review method through the interviewed members and in the quantitative part through content validity through item analysis by the supervisor. Also, the reliability of the qualitative part was obtained through the Kappa coefficient of 0.79 and the reliability of the quantitative part through the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the advantages and disadvantages of the SIDA system were 0.76 and 0.81, respectively.Findings: The results of the qualitative part showed that the strengths of the SIDA system include seven items, software capabilities of the system, high security of the system, comprehensiveness and connection to other systems, support and being online, improving school work processes, standardizing the grade recording process, and parents' access to student information. The weaknesses of the SIDA system also include seven disadvantages: weak infrastructure in the system, weak Internet infrastructure, poor information and media literacy, creating conflict between the work and life of executive deputies, inconsistencies of external factors of the school, lack of training courses, and internal factors of the school. Also, the results of the quantitative part through Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) showed that the strengths in order of importance include comprehensiveness and connection to other systems, improving school work processes, high security of the system, standardization of the grade recording process, parents' access to student information, software capabilities of the system, and support and being online in the end place. On the other hand, the weaknesses in order of importance include weak infrastructure in the system, weak Internet infrastructure, inconsistencies of external factors of the school, lack of holding training courses, it ranks, media and information literacy is, inconsistencies in internal factors of the school, and creating work-life conflict between executive assistants is ranked end.Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, it is recommended that education planners and policymakers and designers of the SIDA system take necessary measures to improve the performance of the system, including improving the system infrastructure. When a program, plan, or system is to be implemented in the country's education system, necessary planning and action should be taken to familiarize students with new plans and systems.
Original Research Paper
Modern Educational Approaches
F. Azizabadi; R. Moradi; B. Yasbalaghi Sharahi,
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Learning artistic skills is one of the most important current challenges in the basic sciences, and various approaches have been adopted to improve students' performance in the process of learning these skills. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of a ...
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Background and Objectives: Learning artistic skills is one of the most important current challenges in the basic sciences, and various approaches have been adopted to improve students' performance in the process of learning these skills. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of a peer-to-peer teaching approach on the learning of art skills among fourth-grade elementary school students in Arak city, Iran, during art lessons.
Methods: The research implementation method is quasi-experimental, with a pretest and posttest design and a control group. The statistical population of the research includes all female fourth-grade elementary school students who were studying in Arak city in 2024. The convenience sampling method was used to select the sample. In this way, 50 students were selected from among fourth-grade students of Rezvan School in Arak and randomly placed in experimental (n=25) and control (n=25) groups. A researcher-made checklist for learning art skills was used to collect data. The experimental group was trained in 60-minute sessions using a peer-to-peer approach, and the control group was trained under normal conditions over nine weeks. Statistical methods were used at descriptive (measures of central tendency and dispersion) and inferential (variance analysis) levels to analyze the data. The present research was conducted with the assumption that the peer education approach has a significant effect on the learning of artistic skills for fourth-grade elementary students in the art lesson.
Findings: The assumptions of this test were assessed using univariate Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) before testing the research hypothesis. First, Levene's F test was used to assess the assumption of equality of error variances in the artistic skills variable; a variance test was used to check the regression slope, and the regression slope assumption was confirmed for artistic variables at a significant level (p<.05). Also, the result of Box's M test to check the assumption of equality of the variance-covariance matrix was confirmed at a significant level (p<.05). Finally, for the variable of artistic skills, after adjusting for pretest scores, the difference between the two experimental and control groups was significant, which emphasizes the influence of the peer approach on the artistic skills of fourth-grade students in the art lesson (p<.05).
Conclusion: Overall, the results of this research showed that the peer teaching method can be a powerful educational strategy to improve learning of art skills in elementary students. The current research recommends that the proposed approach be used as a complement to traditional methods of education in schools, and in this context, training courses should be planned for basic application of this strategy for teachers.
Original Research Paper
Educational Technology - Blended Learning
F. Farzin; E. Zaraii Zavaraki; Z. Jamebozorg; M. Vahedi
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Teaching abstract chemistry concepts to students with hearing impairments is one of the fundamental challenges of the educational system. Mental rotation ability, as a core component of spatial thinking, plays a central role in understanding chemistry concepts, and research ...
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Background and Objectives: Teaching abstract chemistry concepts to students with hearing impairments is one of the fundamental challenges of the educational system. Mental rotation ability, as a core component of spatial thinking, plays a central role in understanding chemistry concepts, and research has shown that the blended learning approach could help improve learning in students with special needs. In blended learning, students with special educational needs simultaneously benefit from online learning and in-person instruction and can work independently at their own pace. Additionally, this approach allows teachers to act with greater flexibility and dedicate more time to individual interaction with students. Given the lack of comprehensive studies in this field, this research aimed to systematically review studies conducted on the impact of blended-learning educational programs on the mental rotation ability of students with hearing impairments in understanding chemistry concepts.
Methods: This research was a systematic review study conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Article searches were performed in five databases – Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, and Google Scholar – for the period between 2014 and 2025. Inclusion criteria included original research articles related to chemistry education for students with hearing impairments, the use of blended learning approach or assistive technologies, and examination of the impact of intervention on learning or mental rotation. From among the 172 articles, after removing duplicates and reviewing titles and abstracts, 37 articles were selected for full-text review, and finally, 11 articles which met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Betten et al.'s checklist was used to assess article quality. Data regarding intervention methods, type of technology used, and results were extracted from the articles and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Findings: Qualitative content analysis of the articles revealed four main themes: Educational Challenges (with three sub-themes: difficulty understanding abstract concepts, communication limitations, and lack of appropriate educational resources, with a total frequency of 18 cases), Technology Benefits (with three sub-themes: improved content accessibility, increased interaction and participation, and opportunity for repetition and practice, with a total frequency of 21 cases), Instructional Design Considerations (with three sub-themes: use of visual elements, language simplification, and immediate feedback provision, with a total frequency of 22 cases), and Educational Needs (with three sub-themes: teacher training, specialized content production, and infrastructure improvement, with a total frequency of 20 cases). Results showed that the blended learning approach helped to improve learning through four main mechanisms: creating a multi-sensory learning environment, enabling deep content interaction, providing immediate feedback, and personalizing the learning path. Identified effective technologies included molecular simulation software, virtual reality environments, 3D visualization tools, and new game-based approaches such as block-based games and gamification methods.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that success in teaching chemistry to students with hearing impairments requires a systematic and multifaceted approach in which new technologies are intelligently integrated with traditional methods. For successful implementation of this approach, investment in three areas is essential: development of technological infrastructure, production of specialized educational content, and continuous teacher training. Recent advances in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and game-based approaches have created new opportunities for improving education, but their successful implementation requires attention to issues of accessibility, cost, and educational equity. The main limitations of the research included the small number of high-quality studies, limited sample size in some studies, and the geographic concentration of research in specific countries. It is suggested that future studies examine the long-term impact of educational interventions, the role of individual and environmental factors in the success of programs, and analyze the cost-effectiveness of different interventions.
Original Research Paper
Emerging educational technologies
Z. Vazifeh; Sh. Tahmasebi Boroujeni; E. Arabameri
Abstract
Background and Objectives: High-level competitions require exceptional physical and cognitive abilities. Decision-making, as a key cognitive skill, plays a crucial role in sports activities. If this skill improves in any of the players, it will contribute to the success of the team and the group. Accordingly, ...
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Background and Objectives: High-level competitions require exceptional physical and cognitive abilities. Decision-making, as a key cognitive skill, plays a crucial role in sports activities. If this skill improves in any of the players, it will contribute to the success of the team and the group. Accordingly, identifying effective training methods and technologies that can enhance decision-making is essential, as such improvements may indirectly boost athletic performance. These methods should include a variety of exercises along with environmental control. Among emerging technologies, virtual reality (VR) has shown mixed effects on athletes’ performance, while video simulation also presents both strengths and limitations that warrant further exploration. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the impact of virtual reality and video simulation training on the decision-making abilities of novice basketball players.Methods: Participants included 51 novice female basketball players (mean age: 19.88 ± 0.68 years), who were randomly assigned to three equal groups: virtual reality (VR), video simulation, and a control group. The study consisted of two phases: a pre-test and a post-test. During the tests, participants viewed 10 video clips, each lasting 10 seconds, extracted from critical moments in basketball games involving changes in direction and course. At the 8th second of each clip, an auditory cue was played, and the screen went black for 2 seconds, signaling the participant to respond. At the end of this interval, the same cue indicated the end of the response period, and the next clip was displayed without interruption.Participants were instructed to indicate their predicted directional decision - right, left, forward, or backward — as the next move of the player in the scene. Throughout three training sessions, the VR and video simulation groups each watched 20 specialized clips containing critical scenarios and decision-making situations. The control group, by contrast, watched a regular basketball game for 15 minutes in each session. In the post-test phase, participants were again shown 10 clips similar to the pre-test and asked to make decisions regarding the next move. For statistical analysis, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare pre- and post-test results within each group, and the Kruskal–Wallis test was employed to examine differences between the groups.Findings: Indicated that within-group comparisons revealed a significant increase in decision-making scores from pre-test to post-test in both the virtual reality and video simulation groups (P < 0.05). However, no significant change was observed in the control group (p > 0.05). Post-test comparisons between groups revealed that the virtual reality group scored significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.039). However, there were no significant differences between the video simulation group and the control group (p = 1.00), nor between the virtual reality and video simulation groups (p = 0.066).Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that training with virtual reality and video simulation technologies can significantly enhance decision-making abilities in novice basketball players. Both methods led to improvements compared to the control group; however, virtual reality demonstrated a stronger effect than video simulation, although the difference between the two experimental groups was not statistically significant at the post-test stage. These findings suggest that emerging technologies, especially virtual reality, hold promise as effective tools for training and improving sport-specific cognitive performance.
