Year:2003 | Volume:20 | Issue:1 (39)|Papers Count:12

There is a profound and multiple relationship between child, literature and children's literature criticism. Children's literature criticism, if based on an integrated and comprehensive theory, might have a vast and deep influence on the interaction between child and her/ his literature. As children's literature theory is to consider "object" and "method" of children's literature, we use philosophy and theory interchangeably in this research. The first topic is the place and characterizations of children's literature and then characterizations and problems of philosophy of children's literature are discussed.

Teachers have always been concerned with formative evaluation's contribution to learning. Many believe that the use of formative evaluation produces greater student achievement and affects more positive attitudes toward learning. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the use of formative evaluation improves learning outcomes. A total of 112 Shahid Chamran University teacher training students, enrolled in a measurement and evaluation course served as subjects of this study. They were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups and were given a pre-test. No significant difference was found between the two groups regarding their knowledge, skill and understanding (p<0.5). The experimental group participated in five formative tests and a final examination, whereas the control group received only the final. Instructional strategies were the same for the two groups except for the experimental treatment (formative evaluation). The results showed a significant difference between the post-test of the two groups. This finding indicates that teachers should pay attention to the contribution of formative evaluation in student achievement.

The objective of this study was to examine parental beliefs about child rearing and children's intelligence with regard to their educational status. One hundred parents including 72 mothers and 28 fathers with different educational levels who had first grade children participated in this study. These parents responded to two questionnaires regarding child rearing and intelligence. Two questions were posed in this study: (1) whether parents with different educational status differ in their emphasis in relation to child rearing, (2) whether these parents differ in their beliefs about children's intelligence. The results of the first question showed that, there was no significant difference among parents with different educational levels regarding child rearing. Also, the results of the second question showed that, in regard to intelligence beliefs, parents with high school diplomas had higher beliefs than parents with higher education (P<0/05). Statistical analysis of intelligence subscales showed that parents with high school diplomas had higher beliefs (P=0/01). Parents with intermediate and lower education had higher beliefs regarding academic achievement than parents with higher education as well (P=0/038).

The aim of the present study was to compare the evaluations of students' behaviors by students themselves, their teachers, and their parents. For this purpose, from a large study that consisted of 1784 students (elementary and Junior high school) in Shiraz, 220 students were selected whose behavior rating scales were completed by students themselves, their teachers and their parents. The instrument used in the study was Brown's and Hamill's Behavior Rating Profile. This instrument consisted of self-rating (student), teacher's rating and parent's rating. The reliability and validity of the scales were confirmed in the present study. The results showed that there were positive and significant correlations (P<0.0001) between the sub-scales (home, school and peer) of student-rating form, that is an indication of the construct validity of student's form. In addition, self-rating of student's behavior evaluation had positive and significant correlations (P<0.01)with parent's and teacher's behavior evaluations, While there was no significant correlation between parent's and teacher's behavior evaluation. In order to test the significant differences between means of behavior evaluation of student's himself/ herself, teacher and parent, the multiple analysis of variance for repeated measures (MANOVA) was employed. This statistic showed significant differences between all the means. Also, the above differences were tested for both sexes (boys and girls) separately. The results showed that there were positive and significant correlations between student's self-rating with parent's and teacher's behavior evaluations of the students. In other words, the evaluation of parents and teachers of the students' behavior were in the same direction as student's self-rating. Also, the mean differences of behavior evaluation showed that teachers perceived student's behavior less favorable than parent's whereas, parents perceived their children's behavior less favorable than their teachers and students themselves.

This paper is about functions of "body language" and "effective listening" skills to improve relationships and job performances in organizations. The research method used was Quasi-Experimental in "one-shot" case design and the sample included 45 professionals of Natural Resources Organization in Fars province. They were organized into three workshops. The data collection instrument included systematic observations and questionnaires (open- ended and closed), and their validities were established by face-validity. Each workshop was carried out in three stages: First, open- ended questions on two skills were asked. Second, the necessary instruction and exercises of skills in improvement of relationships and job performances were distributed among participant. Content analysis, and Descriptive and Non parametric analyses to open-ended and closed questions were used, respectively. Findings indicate differences between before and after holding workshops, showing that the participants had higher agreement on the functions of "effective listening" skill in improvement of human relationships and job performances than "body language" skill. The comparison of participants' ideas indicate that participants of 20-30 age group have more agreeable ideas on the functions of "body language" skill, but the participants of 41 age group and over have more agreeable ideas on the functions of "effective listening" skill in improvement of human relationships and job performances. It is suggested that these skills should be offered to the more professionals through workshops as well as other skills.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between self-regulated learning strategies (based on Wolters' self-regulated learning model, 1998) and academic achievement of a group of college students. In this regard, three research questions were addressed: First, what strategies do students use to regulate their motivational problems? Second, is the use of these strategies dependent on contextual factors? Third, how are cognitive, meta-cognitive, and volitional self-regulated strategies related to each other and, in some with motivational regulations, predict academic achievement? Self-report data were collected from 184 volunteer students from Shiraz College of Education and College of Arts & Humanities (98 females, 86 males), by using an open-ended questionnaire. The students were enrolled in three sections of a developmental psychology course, being taught by the same teacher. The students were asked to report their self-regulated strategies with regard to four motivational problem situations which could maintain their level of effort and motivation for academic success. Findings provide evidence that students regulate their level of effort and motivation in academic tasks by using those strategies that suit specific situations. Results also confirm that intrinsic regulation is a successful predictor of cognitive strategies and school achievement. In addition, among different cognitive and meta-cognitive learning strategies, it was only rehearsal that could predict students' achievement. Some recommendations about using self-regulated learning strategies are presented.

Societies will face many challenges due to the new effects of the technologies in the third millennium causing great changes in their philosophical, scientific, cultural and economical institutions .As a result they will display characteristics of the postmodern era. The educational system can play an important role in unifying, balancing and assimilating of societies under new conditions. One of the roles of the educational system is to prepare the background for the educated human resources in order to be able to use their skills and abilities based on the needs of the time. To do this important task, it is necessary to have a new look at the educational objectives, content of courses and methods applied as well as an evaluation of the needs for new jobs and vocations by economic and industrial centers. The aim of this paper is to analyze the problems which prevent the educational system to be linked with the job market and to make the educational strategists aware of those skills and abilities needed for the future job market. So the essential questions asked are: What are the most important and essential skills and abilities which the young people must have in order to participate in different economical and industrial activities? What should the educational system do to emphasize such skills? Is it possible to train young people with the present standards of the educational system? What kind of educational system is needed to help the young people to participate in the society in order to improve and develop the society economically?

In recent years, one of the tasks, which frequently has been used to study cognitive functions is recognition memory. In this task, visual or auditory stimuli is presented to subjects at an interval of time. Then, exposed stimuli mix with similar stimuli, and subjects are asked to recognize the "old stimuli". Traditionally, statistical analysis of these tasks are based on the number of correct responses between the two or more control and experimental groups. Recent research has shown that using the number of correct responses, called as response sensitivity (d'), could not be the only criterion to evaluate the data of such a research and could lead to wrong results. Thus, it is proposed that, in this case, the researcher should use signal detection theory (SDT) before using usual statistical methods. Based on this theory, in addition to response sensitivity, there is another important factor, called "response bias" ß, which is the subject's tendency to say "yes" or "no" whatever the task is. Accordingly, a high d' value indicates high sensitivity of subjects to discriminate between old stimuli from new ones and a high ß value would correspond to a conservative criterion for accepting recognition of old words. In sum, the usefulness of this method has been confirmed by many researchers (e. g. Holly et al, 1994). In this paper, after presenting a definition of recognition memory, the scientific measurement of the task is discussed. Then, the main elements of the SDT which are False Alarm, Correct Rejection, Hit and Miss are introduced. Also, the calculation of d' and ß are explained.

This research reports the relationship of culture with the interpersonal conflicts among the male intermediate managers of Mellat Banks in the city of Kerman. The sample of this statistical society was measured on the basis of the Hofstede model, and the procedure of the interpersonal conflicts taken by them was measured on the basis of the Thomas model. Forty nine subjects took part in this research. The Biserial correlation coefficient was used for the analysis of the data. The results of this research show that: 1. There is a direct relationship between the power distance and using the accommodation method against the boss in organizational conflicts. 2. There is a direct relationship between the power distance and avoiding method against the subordinate. 3. There is a direct relationship between collectivism and using the avoiding method against the peer. 4. There is a direct relationship between uncertainty avoidance and using the collaboration method against the boss. 5. There is a converse relationship between feminism and using the forcing method against the subordinate. According to the results of the research it is suggested to the managers to pay particular attention to the «culture» in solving organizational problems, especially the problem of conflict.

External efficiency or academic achievement of agricultural college graduates has been a major concern of most educational planners when they try to revise their curriculum. This research was designed to study the relationship between agricultural students' academic achievement and their employment success after graduation. This descriptive research used survey technique and a validated and reliable questionnaire. The population consisted of all agricultural graduates for the years 1370-1374 at Shiraz University who amounted up to 1000 and a sample of 368 responded to the questionnaire. The following factors showed significant correlation with students' success and achievement: the kind of high school they graduated from, the year they started study at university, their fathers' educational level, their involvement in students unions, their contact with advisors, their attitudes toward the faculty members, and their perception of usefulness of their major courses and college programs. Based on the findings some recommendations are made.

In this study postural alignment of male and female students at Shiraz University was investigated. Subjects were 181 male and 194 female students who took part in a general physical education course. The results showed that most students have one or more postural problems. However, females have higher postural positions than male. Chai square was used to compare the level of postural deviation among males and females. The results showed a significant difference among male and female students. The highest postural deviation was the flat foot which 73.2% of female students had. Lordosis was the highest one in males with 56.7%. The lowest postural deviation in females was hypnosis with 6/2% and the lowest one in males was upper trunk toward back with 0/6%. This study also showed that females and males need physical activities to improve their posture.