Research Paper
Mahza Pakzad; abbas abbaspour; Hamid Rahimian; Ali Khorsandi Taskoh
Abstract
The internationalization of universities, student migration, and the diversity of international students from various cultures have led to elevated communication, interactions, and human commitments. This phenomenon has sparked the interest of scholars in the concept of acculturation and its social, ...
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The internationalization of universities, student migration, and the diversity of international students from various cultures have led to elevated communication, interactions, and human commitments. This phenomenon has sparked the interest of scholars in the concept of acculturation and its social, cultural, political, and psychological impacts. The process of acculturation among international students is recognized as stress-inducing due to various factors. The interaction between these students and the host community plays a crucial role in their cross-cultural adaptation. However, limited research has explored and evaluated such interactions in the context of international students' acculturation. Therefore, the main objective of this study has been to enumerate and evaluate the influential factors affecting international students’ acculturation in the Medical Science universities of Tehran, towards facilitating living conditions and enhancing the academic performance of these students in Iran. Consequently, this research, grounded in acculturation, aims to investigate the alignment between students and the university in various dimensions as predictors of the psychological adjustment of international students in Medical Sciences universities in Tehran. The research population consisted of 56 international students enrolled in Medical Sciences universities in Tehran, who were selected using snowball sampling. To analyze the obtained data, statistical analysis was employed in conjunction with descriptive indices. The results indicated that cultural norms significantly influence the level of acculturation in these students. Additionally, the analysis revealed a significant gender difference in lifestyle factors among female and male students, which, in turn, plays a fundamental role in acculturation.
Research Paper
rasoul saedi; Mahmoud Taajobi; habib ghadermarzi
Abstract
This study aims to explore the lived experiences of educational leaders regarding the implementation of educational supervision in elementary schools in Kamyaran, Iran, and the associated challenges. Employing a qualitative approach within a hermeneutic and participatory paradigm, the study utilized ...
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This study aims to explore the lived experiences of educational leaders regarding the implementation of educational supervision in elementary schools in Kamyaran, Iran, and the associated challenges. Employing a qualitative approach within a hermeneutic and participatory paradigm, the study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis. Ten elementary school educational leaders from Kamyaran (Kurdistan Province) were purposefully selected based on extensive professional experience, outstanding job performance, and participation in educational supervision workshops. Data collection continued until saturation was reached. The findings revealed three main models of educational supervision and guidance: scientific supervision model (offering solutions, clarifying expectations for teachers, raising awareness, and promoting professionalism), trust-based supervision model (providing teacher support, building trust, and ensuring job security), and self-reflective supervision model (enhancing students' academic achievement, addressing educational challenges, improving teaching-learning processes, and fostering a sense of value and being purposeful). Key challenges identified include: structural challenges (insufficient salaries and benefits, centralized organizational structures, and predefined goals), motivational challenges (traditional attitudes toward supervision and guidance, and student dropout), scientific challenges (limited knowledge of educational leaders, appointment-based selection processes, and one-dimensional perspectives), and insight-related challenges (lack of belief in the importance of educational supervision, superficial understanding of its role, and lack of change understanding).
Research Paper
Ebrahim Mazari
Abstract
This study aims to design a model for digital governance in education. The research employed a qualitative approach and, in terms of its objective, is foundational, utilizing the synthesis research method proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). The research corpus consisted of scientific documents ...
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This study aims to design a model for digital governance in education. The research employed a qualitative approach and, in terms of its objective, is foundational, utilizing the synthesis research method proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). The research corpus consisted of scientific documents (articles, theses, dissertations, books, and working reports) accessible in reliable domestic and international academic databases from 2015 to 2023. From these, 30 documents were selected through purposeful sampling for analysis. To analyze the data, codes were first extracted from the texts, and then categories were formed. Finally, a model for digital governance of education was developed. To ensure the validity of the findings, the descriptive and interpretive validity method (which involves a structured process of writing and recording findings and utilizing the vital tools outlined by Glynn, 2006) was employed. For assessing the reliability of the identified codes, the inter-coder agreement method was used, yielding a reliability coefficient of 81.48. The results led to the design of a model consisting of 13 categories for digital governance of education, including: the digital governance approach, digital hard technologies and infrastructures, digital platforms and soft technologies, digital curriculum and content, digital governance actors, digital governance competencies, governance processes and procedures, policymaking, norms, digital rules and regulations, digital regulation, nodes and connections between elements and agents, digital monitoring and supervision, and the contextual backdrop of digital governance of education. It can be concluded that governance, as a discipline integrated with digital technology, positions digital governance of education as a viable solution to the current challenges in the education system.
Research Paper
zoheir haji hosseini; Mohsen Shakeri; Seyed Alireza Hooshialsadat
Abstract
This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of managers of knowledge-based and technology companies in Yazd City, Iran, regarding the causes of bachelor's graduates' unpreparedness for employment. A phenomenological approach was used to examine the experiences of 10 managers from knowledge-based ...
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This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of managers of knowledge-based and technology companies in Yazd City, Iran, regarding the causes of bachelor's graduates' unpreparedness for employment. A phenomenological approach was used to examine the experiences of 10 managers from knowledge-based and technology companies located in the Yazd Science and Technology Park. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, and the collected data were analyzed using Smith’s method. To ensure the validity of the findings, triangulation was employed, including (member checking, peer review, collaborative research, and researcher reflexivity). Coding was performed by the researcher in collaboration with another expert in qualitative research, and the results were compared. The analysis identified three main themes: (1) Weakness in acquiring soft, cognitive, and technical skills (with 11 sub-themes); (2) Poor quality of university education (with 5 sub-themes); and (3) Deficiencies in policymaking and planning (with 5 sub-themes). Based on the findings, educational policymakers and planners can address the factors hindering graduates' employability in knowledge-based and technology companies and take necessary actions to better prepare them for employment in these companies.
Research Paper
Mohammed Samieifar; Mahdi Salehi
Abstract
This article explores the status of the organizational image of the University of Kurdistan from the perspective of stakeholders, and its relationship with the variables of identity, reputation, and organizational commitment. Various factors, such as employee behavior, services, and the organization's ...
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This article explores the status of the organizational image of the University of Kurdistan from the perspective of stakeholders, and its relationship with the variables of identity, reputation, and organizational commitment. Various factors, such as employee behavior, services, and the organization's name, contribute to shaping organizational identity and creating a general image of the institution in people's minds. The research is descriptive and correlational, with a statistical population of 400 faculty members and 500 employees from Kurdistan University. A total of 289 individuals were selected as the sample. The data collection instruments included four questionnaires with appropriate validity and reliability. The results from the structural equation model indicate that the university's image has a direct and significant effect on reputation (β = 0.623), organizational commitment (β = 0.411), and a sense of identity (β = 0.220). Moreover, the effect of reputation on organizational commitment and sense of identity is also significant. The indirect role of reputation in the relationship between organizational image and sense of identity, as well as between organizational image and organizational commitment, has been confirmed. The findings highlight the importance of evaluating and cultivating organizational image within universities, emphasizing that the variables of reputation and perceived organizational identity can serve as mediators to enhance the organizational commitment of employees and faculty members, even in the presence of an unfavorable organizational image.
The indirect role of organizational reputation in the relationship between university organizational image and sense of identity, the indirect role of organizational reputation in the relationship between university organizational image and organizational commitment, and the indirect role of organizational commitment in the relationship between university reputation and sense of identity were confirmed. The research highlights the necessity of evaluating the consequences and creating organizational image in universities.
Research Paper
Samaneh Sadat Musavian; Shirindokh Habibzadeh; Sofia Haidary; Naser poorhabiby
Abstract
Abstract
This study aims to explore the professional competencies of novice teachers based on their lived experiences in the teaching profession. The participants were novice teachers from the field of Persian language and literature from Farhangian University, selected using purposive sampling. This ...
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Abstract
This study aims to explore the professional competencies of novice teachers based on their lived experiences in the teaching profession. The participants were novice teachers from the field of Persian language and literature from Farhangian University, selected using purposive sampling. This research followed a qualitative, data-driven grounded theory approach, combining classical and comparative methods. The data were collected through the analysis of undergraduate theses, and the coding process was performed using the MAXQDA software. Initially, the data were analyzed through an inductive-exploratory method, followed by comparative analysis. In this study, the concept of competency was derived from the theoretical foundations of the Fundamental Reform Document of Education, and four key competency areas were identified from the curriculum: content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, practical modeling, and religious knowledge. The second step involved exploratory analysis and classification of the data. In the third step, five dimensions—systemic, interactive, attitudinal, cognitive, and skill-related—were identified from the data, and these were compared and mapped against the four competency components. The findings suggest that the novice teachers demonstrated competence in most of the dimensions, especially in the critical aspect of analysis in instructional design. However, in the area of content knowledge, they only achieved competence in the systemic dimension, failing to reach higher levels in this component. Furthermore, it was concluded that the novice teachers in this study lack sufficient subject-specific knowledge and skills in their professional field.