Educational Leadership Research

Abstract This study has been carried out for the purpose of investigating the relation between the value system and cultural quotient of the presidents of Allameh Tabataba’i University. The statistical population comprises all presidents serving with the university, coming to 70 subjects, out of whom 56 responded to the questionnaires and their emerging data were analyzed. In order to measure the value system variables, questionnaire developed Allport - Vernon - Lindzey and in order to measure cultural quotient as a general concept and its variables, the Cultural Quotient Questionnaire (CQS) was used. Research findings suggest that the levels of variables of political value, theoretical value, and economic value are high in the value system, and the level of variable of artistic value is medium, and levels of variables of social value and religious value are low. The levels of variables of metacognition and motivation are high, and those of cultural quotient as a general concept and behavior are medium, and the level of the variable of cognition is low. Ranking of the value system among the presidents is as follows: 1. Political value, 2. scientific value, 3. economic value, 4. Artistic value, 5. social value, 6. religious value; and ranking of cultural quotient as a general concept and its variables is as follows: 1. metacognition, 2. Motivation, 3. Behavior, and 4. Cognition.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the status of DL in senior high  schools
in Sanandaj and the extent to which DL components are believed by the teachers
to be present in the principals’ behaviors. The quantitative approach was used in
this study. Statistical population consisted of all teachers (male and female) in
public  senior  high  schools  in  Sanandaj.  A  sample  of  377  teachers  from  31
schools was selected through the access sampling method and a researcher-made
questionnaire  with  Cronbach`s  Alpha  0.95  was  used  for  collecting  the  data.
Moreover,  this  questionnaire  demonstrated  four  major  components  such  as
Teachers  Professional  development  &  School  improvement,  Traits  of
Leadership Team, Democracy  and Comprehensive Support  after the exploratory
factor  analysis.  Results  of  the  chi  square  test  showed  that  teachers  generally
believe that principals'''' DL is at an average level. Also, the results of the T-test
indicated that female teachers believe their principals utilized more DL related
behaviors in their profession area than  the male teachers. Finally, based on the
results of Aanova, variables of experience and educational level had no impact
on  the  teachers''''  evaluation  of  their  principals''''  DL,  that  is  they  reported  the
principals DL at the same level.

Abstract This  study  is  aimed  at  investigating  the  relationship  between  locus  of
control  and  self-control  and  organizational  commitment  of  the  staff
serving with Education Department of Sabzevar. To this end, a group of
70  staff  members  were  selected  as  the  sample  from  among  the  120
personnel by means of the simple random sampling method and involved
in the study. The research data were gathered by means of Rotter’s Locus
of  Control  Scale  with  a  reliability  coefficient  of  0.83,  Newstorm  and
Davis Self-control Questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.65, and
Allen  and  Meyer  Organizational  Commitment  Scale  with  a  reliability
coefficient  of  0.79.  The  collected  data  were  analyzed  with  SPSS  18
application and Pearson correlation test, multivariate analysis (MANOVA)
and  some  other  supplementary  tests.  Results  suggest  that  there  is  a
positive relation between locus of control, self-control and organizational
commitment.  Furthermore,  locus  of  control  and  self-control  are
independently related to organizational commitment.

Abstract The  purpose  of  this  study  is  to  analyze  of  the  challenges  and  solutions
regarding  conversion  of  Allameh  Tabataba’i  University  student
dormitories  into small learning  communities. This  piece of  research has
been carried out by means  of mixed research  methods of exploration and
development  of  tools  both  qualitatively   and  quantitatively.  Respondents
in  the  qualitative  section  include  25  faculty  members,  dormitory
administrators and dormitory students  who  have been interviewed using
the  purposive  sampling  method  and  the  snowball  method.  Moreover,  in
the  quantitative  phase,  the  statistical  population  consists  of  the  3150
students  living  in  dormitories  at  Allameh  Tabataba’i  University  out  of
whom  340  students  were  identified  and  studied  using  the  stratified
random  sampling  method.  In  order  to  collect  the  quantitative  data,  two
researcher-developed questionnaires of challenges and solutions designed
at the qualitative phase were applied the reliability of which were put at
87% and 96%  respectively through calculation of the Cronbach’s alpha.
Theoretical  foundations,  previous research as well as qualitative findings
of this study indicate that the challenges of  changing student dormitories
into small learning communities and their corresponding solutions include
four  axes:  a)  structural  and  management,  b)  cultural  and  social,  c)
scientific-professional and d) intrapersonal. In the quantitative study, the results indicate that the respondents have confirmed all the challenges and
solutions identified in the qualitative study based on the above topics. In
addition, the results show that there is no significant difference between
respondents'  views  on  the  challenges  and  solutions  associated  with  the
conversion of Allameh Tabataba’i University student dormitories to small
learning communities by dormitory, gender and educational level.

Abstract Education is the most effective mechanism for dealing with one of the biggest
challenges  of  this  century,  i.e.,  sustainable  development.  Sustainable
development  needs  a  holistic  human  being  with  systemic  thinking  and
interdisciplinary  and  intra-disciplinary  vision  who  is  informed,  creative  and
participatory.  Production of such qualified human  resources needs high quality
elements  and  factors  of  the  educational  system  (input,  process,  output,  and
outcome)  in  line  with  sustainable  development.  Higher  education  and  expert
human  resources  play  a  key  role  in  sustainable  development  of  any  societies.
Universities,  as  places  for  study  and  research,  should  strive  for  sustainable
development.  Higher  education  should  acquire  the  best  way  to  exploit  limited
resources  and  facilities.  In  this  article,  developing  a  model  for  assuring  the
quality  of  higher  education  system  in  order  to  reach  sustainable  development
based on systems approach is discussed. To reach sustainable development, we
should provide coordination and interaction among the parts of development. A
descriptive-analytic method, similar to library studies, is used in this article.

Abstract This study investigates the validity of Cipp assessment model in assessing
the function of the instruction centers. It is conducted through descriptiveanalytic  method.  The  statistical  population  consists  of  90  managers  and
experts  of  the  instruction  centers  of  National  Iranian  Petrochemical
Company. After studying the initial statistical population and agreement
of their conditions with the research needs, 60 people were selected as the
statistical  sample.  The  data  were  collected  through  questionnaire.  The
questionnaires  validity  was  measured  through  Chronbach’s  α  and  a
coefficient of 87% was obtained which indicates an acceptable correlation
of  the  questions  and  absence  of  significant  dispersion  among  them.
Furthermore,  some  experts  confirmed  face  and  content  validities  of  the
questionnaires. Cipp model was tested through structural equations model
and  the  data  were  analyzed  through  binomial  test,  Friedman  variance
analysis  test,  correlation  test,  and  t-test.  The  results  indicate  that  the
experts have confirmed the four  dimensions of the model and its twenty
criteria and further verified their ability to assess the instruction centers.
In  addition,  there  is  a  significant  relationship  among  the  dimensions, criteria, and variables. This indicates that the overt variables measure the
covert variables significantly.

Abstract Senior leadership has been identified as a critical factor in fostering Enterprise
Resource  Planning  systems  success.  Although,  previous  studies  have
investigated  the  impact  of  transformational  leadership  on  Enterprise  Resource
Planning from various angles, however, the role of transformational leadership
on Enterprise Resource Planning systems success at the University has not  been
studied.  The  purpose  of  this  study  was  determine  the  role  of  transformational
leadership on Enterprise Resource Planning systems  success at the University.
The  research  model  was  tested  through  a  survey  in  Allameh  Tabataba'i
University, University of Economic Sciences, and Ministry of Science, Research
and  Technology.  Correlation  analysis  of  multivariate  data  was  done  on  the
completed  questionnaires  by  200  employees.  The  results  of  the  Structural
Equation  Modeling  showed  that  Transformational  leadership  is  positively
related  with  Enterprise  Resource  Planning  systems  success.  Organizational
culture  mediates  the  relationship  between  transformational  leadership  and
Enterprise  Resource  Planning  systems  success.  However,  transformational
leadership is not positively related with ERP explicit knowledge sharing. Also,
the  results  showed  that  organizational  culture  and  ERP  explicit  knowledge
sharing  is  positively  related  with  enterprise resource planning  systems  success
and  ERP  explicit  knowledge  sharing  mediates  the  relationship  between
transformational  leadership  and  enterprise  resource  planning  systems  success.
The research findings can provide guidelines for the top executives to facilitate
appropriate organizational culture, so as to foster ERP knowledge sharing and
achieve business benefits with the assimilation of ERP systems.