CURRICULUM PLANNING KNOWLEDGE & RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
Year:2007 | Volume:20 | Issue:12|Papers Count:7

Considering the vital role of pedagogical infrastructure on the realization of goals and policies of the virtual universities, and the lack of theoretical basis the present research attempted to suggest an appropriate model considering the pedagogical dimensions of virtual universities using a descriptive-survey research methodology. In order to do so, 96 dimensions and components of virtual pedagogy were chosen by studying the theories and the related research literature in Iran and the other countries. These components were later reduced to 88 after piloting. Then, a model that includes five main sections was proposed initially. In order to determine the appropriateness of the model, a questionnaire having five main sections using likert scale was constructed. In order to determine the suitability of the model, the questionnaire was administered on a sample of 111 participants that included faculty staff and professionals that were highly familiar with information and communication technology, and virtual education. To analyze the data, descriptive statistical measures (e.g., mean, standard deviation, and variance) and inferential statistical measures (one sample t-test), and factor analysis were used. The main findings of this research were as followings: (1) Construction of the proposed model for the pedagogical infrastructure of virtual universities based on five main. (2) Determining the appropriateness level of the model using factor analysis and t-test. The philosophy and goal section with a significant value 4.517 and a mean of 4.18, the theoretical basis section with significant value of 3.578 and a mean of 4.021, the operational stage section with significant value of 4.208 and a mean of 4.40, and the assessment system of the model with the significant value of 2.084 and a mean of 4.36, in comparison with the baseline mean of 3, were all stood above the average and were confirmed. However, for the third section, i.e., the conceptual framework, since the number of the components and the sub-components were high (i.e., 24), a second order factor analysis was done, which resulted in 5 factors. Also, 9 sub-components were discarded from the 88 sub-components, since they had more than one identical factor loading. The remaining 79 sub-components were distributed (i.e., pedagogical dimension) on the 5 factors. The model was confirmed with the proposed structure with the exception of the conceptual framework section. In the conceptual framework section, the composition of the sub-components and the components were changed, and at last, the final model was constructed. In conclusion, the proposed model having a mean of 4.02 in comparison with a baseline mean of 3, and the t value of 15.313 (P<0.001) stood significantly higher than the baseline mean of 3, was confirmed.

The Present study aims of investigate the effect of biology film book on students rate of achievement. High school first graders in Jay educational district in the city of Isfahan Comprised the target population of the study from which four sample groups of 27 each were randomly selected. The samples were Then divided into control and experimental group. A pre-test, Post-test control group design was utilized to attest the typo thesis. Teacher-made tests employed in the stud served as per and post-tests. The results indicated that the treatment group who benefited from a math-major teacher and a book film showed a better performance on the post-test compared with the group who was taught by taught by a non-major math teacher using a book film (P£0.01). However, the performance of the students in the non-major math group utilizing a book film did not differ statistically from the group who was taught by a major-math teacher only (P£0.05). The average performance profile of the group with a major-math teacher plus a book film was higher than that of the group who was taught by a math-major teacher only (P£0.01). Finally, the students taught by a non-major math Teacher and a book film out-performed the group who was taught by a non-major math teacher only (P£0.01).

The purpose of this research was to verify the quality of work life of faculty members of Isfahan public universities (University of Isfahan, Medical Sciences University and Isfahan industrial University). The research questions were examined while considering the demographic variables (age, gender, academic field, scientific degree , employment status and university of service location). The research method was descriptive and survey type. The statistical population consisted of 1505 faculty of members of Isfahan public universities in 2005-2006(1384-1384 S.C.) academic year which through random  classified sampling method 205 persons were chosen as the sample. The information gathering tool was quality of work life questionnaire with 23 items. By use of cronbach alpha coefficient, reliability coefficients was obtained equal to   for quality of work life questionnaire. The data was analysised through descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics(LSD test , independent t test , single loop variance analysis). There wasn’t significant difference between faculty members quality of work life considering the variables of age, gender, academic field, and university of service location.

Today, attaining Total Quality Management (TQM) for viability and sustained competitveness on national and international areas is must. Continued training of employees is a major tool in achieving TQM. The principal aim of this study is to analyze the effect of TQM training on bringing a change in the organizational culture and behavioral patterns of Telecommunication employees in chaharmahal and Bakhtiyari. The design of this study was quasi experimental. For this purpose, using a randomized simple technique, some 25 and treatment of the experimental goup with 22 three-hour long sessions on TQM and another non-registered group of 25 specialists matched with the first group were selected as the control group. Then were measured for behavioral pstterns by Soosman and Depe's (1989) Organizational Culture lnventory and the researcher developed inventory, both the experimental and control groups were measured using the same inventories. Upon initial administration, the reliability of the inventories using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was 0.81 for organizational culture and 0.84. Professors confirmed the validity of the inventories. The results of analysis of covariance showed that treatment with TQM training for the experimental group in the post-test scores of organizational culture and behavioral patterns were improved (P<0.01). In a repeated follow-up within six months, it was established that there still a significant difference between the mean score for the experimental group and that for the contro group. Thus, a significant leve yielded both for the organizational culture and the employee's behavioral patterns (P<0.01). Thus, it can be concluded that the effect of training on organizational culture and behavioral patterns in the experimental group was positive.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of higher education and university on Iranian women achievement in different dimensions such as academic, cultural, social, and economic. In present study research method was descriptive. The sample consisted of 252 women (138 graduates 89 students and 25 faculty member of Islamic Azad University-Mazandaran) randomly selected from the general population. Participants were requested to complete a structured questionnaire consisting of 20 items. Questionnaire was designed on the basis of five - scale measurement of Likert. The subjects should tick one of the following choices: strongly agree (5), agree (4), neutral (3), disagree (2), strongly disagree (1). The range of the marks given in the questionnaire was 20 for minimum and 100 for maximum. The face and content validity of the questionnaire were established using a panel of. A Cronbach's alpha reliability of 0.89 was obtained of the questionnaire in a pilot study with 40 subjects. In this research four hypotheses were tested. Results revealed that: 1) Higher education and university have effect on academic achievement in women (t=83.59, p<0.05). 2) higher education and university have effect on sociocultural achievement in women (t=38.98, p<0.05). 3) higher education and university have effect on economic achievement in women (t=72.05, p<0.05). 4) Effect of higher education and university is different between academic, sociocultural, and economic achievement in women (f=72.05, p<0.05). However, the evidence clearly shows a clear role of higher education and university on Iranian women achievement and success.

The appraisal of academic entrepreneurship center is the responsibility of entrepreneurship development plan administration at different universities, which operates under the center for academic research and assessment studies and national academic assessment organization. The present research aims at specifying the rate activities performed according to entrepreneurship development plan to achieve this end, a descriptive survey research design and research-developed questionnaire were employed. Since the target population was limited in under, the whole active members working in the entrepreneurship center-including both specialist and university student-were selected as the statistical sample. SPSS software was utilized for analyzing the obtained data at both descriptive and inferential statistical levels. The former used such techniques as frequency distribution, percentage and average values as well as standard of deviation, whereas the latter enlisted single-variable t-test, independent t-test, hoteling test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and tuke4y test and kalmogorof Smirnoff. Special opinion was used for measuring the validity of the questionnaire and chronbach's alpha-coefficient was used for calculating its reliability which happened to be 0.97. The findings revealed that the six fearures under investigation; business and job planning training, discovering entrepreneurship contexts, setting up business and job plans training and referring students with a jobber business plan to supportive centers had avlues equal to 2.89, 2.98, 3, 2.94, 2.97 and 2.57 respectively all of which happened to be below the average level.