STUDIES IN EDUCATION & PSYCHOLOGY
Year:2011 | Volume:11 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

This study deals with the degree of faculty members' teaching load, its relationship with their specialties and also the relationship between the teachers' satisfaction and the quantity and quality of their academic responsibilities based on three variables of faculty, gender, and academic rank. This study is both qualitative and quantitative. The required data were gathered through the study of documents and papers (a quantitative method) and interview (a qualitative method) . The population of this study was the faculty members' of Mazandaran University in the educational year of 1385-86.222 faculty members were selected for quantitative part of the study. Among them 16 faculty members were selected as qualified cases for qualitative part. For analyzing the data gathered through documents and interview, respectively, descriptive statistics and Inductive analysis were used. The analysis of the data gathered through documents indicates that faculty members' mean of teaching load during the given time period was 50.68. The results about course variety show that the total course number in the Mazandaran University is 3293. Considering 228 fee faculty member and 222 formal faculty member, each member, in average, has 7 courses. The results indicate that there was no significant relationship between the faculty members' specialty and their course verity. On the other hand, there was a consensus among faculty members regarding the amount of teaching load and the quantity and quality of their academic responsibilities. Based on these variables as faculty, sex, and academic rank, there was no difference in faculty members' opinions. They were unsatisfied about the quantity and quality of their academic responsibilities.

Introduction: Implicit cognitions, especially attentional bias for drug-related stimuli (DA), have been shown to play an important role in sustaining of, progression of, and relapsing to substance abuse behaviors. The present research tested the feasibility of attentional retraining with Drug Attention Control Training Program (DACTP) . Method: Participants were a sample of in-treatment, detoxified durg abusers (N=87), who were randomly divided into a group of controls and a group of trainees; the latter group received three sessions of training with the DACTP. At pre-test, post-test and the first, one month follow-up, participants completed a demographic questionnaire, a drug temptation questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Situational Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ), Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RTCQ), Personal Concerns Inventory (PCI) and classic and drug-related Stroop tests. Also participants' saliva was recorded while they were exposed to dug and neutral stimuli. A brief telephone, six-month follow up (second follow-up) was also conducted to monitor the participants' temptation, SCQ, RTCQ, PANAS, PSS, dose of their medicine intake, and their number of relapses and lapses since the post-test. Findings: The results showed that, compared with the no-training condition, training with the DACTP lead to significant reductions: (a) in DA and PSS at post-test and the first fallow up; (b) in temptation and negative affect at post-test and the second fallow-up; (c) in the doses of medicine at the second follow-up; and (d) in the number of relapses at the first and the second follow ups. Moreover, the reductions were accompanied by increases in SCQ' s social problem at work and positive social situations which were observed at post test and the six- month fallow up. Conclusion. DACTP can be used as a complementary intervention in the treatment of drus abuse.

We investigate the occupational destiny of graduates of School of Educational and Psychological Sciences. Two questionnaires were administered via telephone contacts (N= 129) and the mail (N=157) . Results indicated that about 64% of the graduated had been employed, of which more than 50% were employed through governmental employment systems, indicating the importance role of the government’s economic policies, parliament’s decision-makings on the occupational destiny of the graduates. According to gender, discipline, and student work to join "Student Group" there were some difference in the rate of graduate employment, job stability and having a sense of constant job.Differences were in favor of girls, psychology students, student work to join "Student Group" (and some variables such as type of diploma, bachelor and motivation course differences are not created); graduates related to social work conditions, did not have a good evaluation of >???> . So that in view of the majority of students‚chances and having these people more important than social "skills to" evaluate. the graduates mentioned is also completely negative picture about the field of communication for making employment have in mind. The majority of such people have expressed the {arrangements of familiarity???} with the labor market needs and other requirements were not provided at all.

We tested the effectiveness of cognitive therapy based on self-talking technique on reducing the rate of social phobia and factors of interpretation of events related to the self and others A sample of 8 women out of 27 clients, suffering from social phobia who referred to a counseling center were randomly selected. Participants were diagnosed based on an inventory for social phobia (i.e., SPIN) and DSM-IV criteria. To conduct data collection, SPIN and an inventory measuring the participants’ interpretation of the events related to themselves and others were administered on a pre- and post-test basis. The entire group received a cognitive therapy based on self-talking technique; the results showed a reduction in the severity of social phobia from pre- to post-test. Although factors affecting the participants’ interpretation of the events related to themselves and others also showed changes in the expected direction, the changes were not statistically significant.

The purpose of the present research was to evaluate students’ critical thinking at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) was administered with on 144 undergraduate students in order to measure their critical thinking skills. WGCTA contains 80 items across five domains of critical thinking: Drawing Inferences, Recognizing Assumptions, Argument Evaluation, Deductive Reasoning, and Logical Interpretation. The results of a series of independent t-tests showed no difference across the two genders or across various academic desciplines; however, seniors scored significantly higher on critical thinking than freshmen.

One of the issues that has long been obsessing the minds and spirits of deep-thinking believers is the relationship between religion in all of its aspects and scopes with models of reason and rationality. There are diverse approaches to the relationship between the two areas. Adopting a given approach in the study of the relationship results in a totally different method of religious training, and also a different way of explicating religious issues. In this paper, we discussed two approaches: reason-centered and faith-centered approaches. Our main research question was: Should we adopt a reason-centered or faithcentered approach to explicate the religious training? If educational system adopts a reasoncentered approach to teach religion, what kind of rationality should be raised? And if it is faith-centered, what kind of faith should be considered? To answer these questions, we have elaborated on reason-centeredness and faith-centeredness; analyzed types of rationality and faith-centeredness; and discussed the suitable rationality and faithcenteredness for the religious training through educational system.

The purpose of this research is evaluating used specific teaching principals and teachers features for gifted students who study at Isfahan University. Methodology of this research is – expost facto in other hand it is quantity – quality research. in quantity section we used researcher-designed questionnaire and in qualitative section we used interviews in the semi-organized for collection data. Statistical Society of talented students is equal to the 102 people of whom 70 were selected for study in the questionnaire they were given. For talented students compared with regular students, 70 were also common among students of Isfahan University were selected. Interviewees for sampling, the type of purposeful sampling were used in cases desirable. Research findings on the quantitative section suggest that the talented students and regular students were dissatisfaction about the situation in education. Results in qualitative research shows professionals regarding the three categories of teaching methods, including use of active teaching methods, creative and participatory teaching methods have been emphasized. Experts regarding the characteristics professors, the four categories, being match Teachers with new knowledge, possess critical thinking, being creative and being familiar Teachers with the unique character of learners have emphasized.

The periodical orientations and trends of governments toward centralization and decentralization systems appeared, after a relatively long period of centralization and at the beginning of decentralization experiences since 1970s. Originating generally from political and economic domains, decentralization entered curriculum and education systems.Problems such as deficiencies in professional human resources, the lack of sufficient funds and support, teachers resistance, globalization, and so on resulted in governments' showing interest in recentralization in order to improve the quality of education and solve relevant problems. In the light of centralization and decentralization, especially in education and curricula, we have addressed the main causes of derivation from original objective of decentralization, including a focus on peripheral aspects, such as financial, administrative and managerial (hard approach) and attenuated attention to the main objective of quality improvement and curriculum development (soft approach) . The two types of approach toward decentralization have been practically entered in curriculum and education systems, which have resulted in inaccurate and false perspectives about decentralization. True understanding of the two systems, characteristics and correct approaches and their underlying rationale can help curriculum enhancement. We have also addressed the implications of centralization and decentralization for Irans' curriculum systems in the lights of the country's historical and cultural background and orientation toward its decentralization as well as Iran's current conditions.

The paper studied the mechanism of research priority setting in Educational system of Tehran City. Research has been employed a mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) .The framework of the study has been organized in four steps: 1. Documentary Studies 2.Field study 3. Qualitative survey due to model design 4. Accreditation study.The research used a stratified sampling method to select participants from experts and professionals in education research domains, . Data collecting process was done by a researcher –made questionnaire and data were analyzed by T- one & two sample tests and one way ANOVA.The research also covers items such as definitions, concepts of needs assessment principles, structures & key frames of needs assessment based on reviewing literature, evaluation & validation that results are discussed at the end.

The goal of the present research was to determine the extent to which students use study and learning strategies (SLS), and its relationship with their academic achievement.Participants were 425 students from Literature and Social Science and Engineering schools of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, who were randomly selected among two grades (i.e., Year One and Three) from both types of university admission (i.e., First Admission vs.Second Admission) . Karami's Questionnaire of Study and Learning Strategies in the Persian language was administered. Findings indicated that the students' usage of the SLS could be classified at the intermediate level, with the female students scoring higher than males, and those from the Literature and Social Science school scoring higher than those from the Engineering school. There was no difference among the students in regards with their admission type or grade. Also there was no correlation between the students' scores on their National University Entry Exam with their use of the SLS; however, there was a positive correlation between the students' SLS with their mean scores from their high school and their mean scores at the university from the previous semesters. The results of a regression analysis showed that meta-cognition process of knowledge and self-control had the most important roles in the academic achievement of the students.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching reality therapy in groups on the enhancement of self-esteem of a group of students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The research design was experimental with pre-test, post-test, and follow up assessment. The research sample involved 22 participants, who scored poorly on the Cooper Smith self-esteem questionnaire; they were randomly assigned into one of the two groups. Only the experimental group received 8 training sessions. The results of a series of repeated measures ANOVAs indicated that experimental group, reported higher self-esteem on the post-test and the follow up assessment compared with their their pre-test (p<0.01).

This study was aimed to investigate the relationship among parents' child-rearing styles and Young’s Early Maladaptive Schemata (EMSs) . The Child Rearing Questionnaire and Young’s Schemata Questionnaire (short form) were administered with a sample of 150 female students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (age range 20-27 years) . The results of a multiple regression analysis revealed that child rearing styles predicted changes in the EMSs; Authoritative Style predicted Abandonment / Instability schema (F1, 88 = 6.786, p£0.05) and Permissive Style predicted Entitlement / Grandiosity schema (F1, 88 = 8.764, p£0.05) .