CURRICULUM PLANNING KNOWLEDGE & RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
Year:2013 | Volume:10 | Issue:10 (37)|Papers Count:14

The present study was conducted with the aim of checking the amount of considering the citizenship education components presented in the social science textbooks of the secondary school. Since there was no specific course for citizenship training in Iranian education system, social science textbooks of the secondary school were analyzed. Citizenship education components were categorized into three sections including knowledge, skills and attitudes. The research samples were consisted of all social science textbooks at the secondary school level in the academic year of 2009-2010. Shannon entropy method was used for content analysis. The units of analysis were text, questions, exercises and pictures. The results of research demonstrated that from the total of 3194 counted units, 248 units were allocated to knowledge of citizenship, 99 units were allocated to citizenship skills and 103 units were allocated to citizenship attitudes. It should be taken into consideration that all of the components of the research categories were not equally attended and textbooks did not address citizenship categories in a proportionate manner too.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the external effectiveness of the curriculum of undergraduate courses in Bandar Abbas branch of Islamic Azad University on the competencies of the graduates. The statistical population for this study was included all of the undergraduate alumni from human sciences group, engineering, natural resources, science, law and theology courses who have already graduated in 2006. Their data was recorded at the Alumni Association of the University and all of them are already employed. 159 subjects were selected by using the available sampling method. The model of the three dimensional eye of competence (International Project Management Association, 2008) was used to design the questionnaire in order to be distributed among all members of society. Data were analyzed by using inferential statistical methods. The results showed that:1- The fields of technical, behavioral and contextual competencies of the graduates were less than desirable. 2- In all fields, the external effectiveness of the curriculum based on the technical competency in the male graduates was higher than female graduates. 3- In all fields, the external effectiveness of the curriculum based on the behavioral and contextual competencies in the female graduates were higher than male graduates.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the pedagogical dimensions of Islamization of universities’ curriculums of human sciences courses. The survey methodology was descriptive. The main purpose of the study was to determine the basic components of Islamic pedagogy of universities’ curriculums. The population of the study was included all of the academics and clergies of Isfahan universities in the field of education and curriculum in 2010-2011. In total, 165 subjects were recruited for the study. To ensure the validity of the used model, the followings were used: face validity (using a number of expert opinions for commenting about the appearance of the questionnaire), content validity (the use of experts viewpoints for commenting about the compliance of questionnaire with the research purposes) and structural validity (to determine the extent of questionnaire compliance with explanatory construction of the used theories). The results of this research showed that items of dimensions of Islamic pedagogy of universities’ curriculums were as follows: philosophy and purposes of the model (3.453), model fundamentals (3.786), conceptual framework of the proposed model with the component values learning in the Islamic religious systems (4.348), orientation research based on Islamic resources (4.674), institutionalization of humanistic habits and behaviors (4.012), localization of curriculum theories according to the Islamic sources (3.593), competence-oriented approach (3.328), creating unity based on Islamic teachings and strengthen the spiritual soul (4.243), developing the students’ thinking (4.268). developing the students’ responsibilities (3.568), the steps of proposed model (4.754), evaluation system of proposed model (4, 234). Finally, the proposed research model was confirmed (4.963), with t=2.743 and p<0.001, which was significant above average level of respondents.

The philosophy history of education has been faced with five vital and important words. These words have defined five positions in discussing about teaching and learning in the modern world. The words are including: mind, democracy, oppression, socialization, anecdotes and stories. The first three terms are respectively associated with the names of Frederick Herbart, Dewey and Paulo Frère, that have been raised in the United States, Latin America and Africa. Socialization by using the knowledge tool is relevant to Marxism, which has been interpreted mainly in Brazil, France and Italy. The term of stories and anecdotes is also used by different people in different parts of the world and is the term considered by proponents of modern pragmatism. Many experts believe that perhaps the most significant development in American philosophy in the recent times could be the renaissance in pragmatism or the neo-pragmatism. Due to the raised cases, the main purpose of this article was the evaluation of educational theory and curriculum approach from the perspective of the modern pragmatism. The study was a cross-sectional research. Previous studies have shown that the foundations of modern pragmatism should be searched among the ideas of people such as Rorty, Quien, Pathnam, Bernestien, West, Davidson, Dewey, Shusterman and Brandon. Neo-pragmatism emphasizes on principles such as rejection of fundamental epistemology, language, uity of knowledge, social cohesion instead of pure objectivity and education for democratic wise citizen. From the perspective of neo-pragmatism, an educational theory should be practical with three features, descriptive, explanatory and specific. They have been mentioned five steps for training including the anecdote, linking an anecdote with the issues of life, creating new anecdote, reviewing the story and comparing it with national and collective stories. They have introduced the best curricula approach for pre-university as an integrated approach and project-based approach for the time after the university.

Education has always been one of the greatest philosophical issues ever discussed. Among the great philosophers of education, there are ones who have comprehensively considered impression, objectives, principles, methods and the necessity of this important process. One of these great philosophers is Farabi who is named the second teacher and known as the father of Islamic philosophy. This study reviews and compares his educational views and opinions. To achieve this important goal, the research method of qualitative content analysis has been used. Information was collected by using a library method and then was analyzed through applying the inductive categorization system. Results indicate that Farabi considers the purpose of creation to achieve perfection and bliss. Bliss is not possible unless through acquisition of excellences education. Consequently, this great mentor regards the education as an essential core issue and in the process of educating the people. He considers an important role for both the society's and the humankind’s will and choice. In addition, Farabi believes that the human's soul and sprit should be directed to cognition of truth and beauty, so they view the ultimate purpose of education in gaining the good idea and knowing the God. In connection with the educational implications, the viewpoint of this teacher is that he believes education goals including physical, chimerical, moral, intellectual and social objectives. From Farabi viewpoint, the course content directs the human towards cognition of God, closeness to God, trust in him, follow his instructions and then leads to cognition of the human himself as the God's creature and caused. On the teaching approach, Farabi focuses on the two persuasive and argumentative methods.

Hidden curriculum should be considered as one of the conceptual capitals of the curriculum course. This concept has avoided looking at the curriculum as a superficial phenomenon, and considered it at the implementation level with tracking its dynamics. However, Phillip Jackson initially introduced it in 1968; the concept has drawn massive attention from curriculum theorists in the recent decades, each exploring it from an exclusive vantage point. Nowadays, journals can attest to thousands of papers and books published in this regard. On the one hand, this variation of perspectives has enriched theoretical foundation of the “hidden curriculum”, while on the other one making it difficult to understand by others. In this article, it has been tried to provide a holistic image of the nature, levels and dimensions of this concept through exploring the related literature. To this end, valid international and internal writings were analyzed (thematic analysis) based on the following questions and a meta-theory emerged through common characteristics: What is the nature of hidden curriculum? What are its functions? Who cannot see this curriculum? What factors shape this phenomenon? What are the consequences of hidden curriculum? At what levels this curriculum is effective? The theories can be divided into six categories: nature-based theories, functional theories, dimensional theories, factorial theories, consequential theories and level-based theories.

This study has been conducted to examine the content of the textbooks (Farsi literature, Islamic culture, Religious education, Social education and history) of middle schools in development of the culture of self-sacrifice and martyrdom in 2011-12. The study methodology is descriptive with a survey approach. The study population was included all of 826 teachers of Nishapur. By using the crèche & Morgan table, 262 teachers were selected from a random sampling. The used instrument in this study was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 37 statements made by educational experts and teachers. Its validity and reliability were confirmed and ready to implement by the calculated Cronbach’s alpha of 0.957. The obtained results of this study suggested that the content of middle school textbooks by using the T-test are involved within the culture of self-sacrifice and martyrdom, increasing the students' beliefs, the holy defense, respect for veterans groups (veterans, prisoners of war and the families of martyrs), students understanding of martyrs’ students characteristics and the propagation of holy defense. Friedman test was used for the subscale ratings.

This study was conducted with the aim of the investigation of curriculum approaches among the graduate students in curriculum course. The research method regarding to the purpose was practical as a descriptive survey. The statistical population was included all of the 51 students of curriculum course (MA and PhD students) in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad at 2010-11. All students completed the Ornstein’s approaches to curriculum questionnaire. This questionnaire was based on the Ornstein curriculum approaches (behavioral, systematic, managerial, scientific, humanism and neo-conceptualism) in the form of 30 questions with a four-item Likert scale. The data were analyzed by using the descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (one-track and multi-track ANOVA). The results showed that: 1- The dominant approach for the studied students was the humanism approach and the lowest average was behavioral approach and the student's trend to non-technical approach. 2- There was no significant difference between male and female students in technical and non-technical approaches (p>0.05). 3- There was no significant difference between technical and non-technical approaches in grade (p>0.05). 4- There was no significant difference between academic year in technical and non-technical approaches (p>0.05). Considering that, students in this study were trended to non-technical approach, it was understood that such inference in most of students is challenging with traditional curricula, teaching methods and adapt to the new education policies.

This study has investigated the relationship between self-efficacy of science teachers on motivation, attitude and academic achievement of fifth grade elementary school students. The Methodology of the research was correlation and 80 teachers of the fifth grade of elementary school teachers, out of 223 teachers, in Zahedan were randomly selected. Then, they were categorized into three different groups based on their self-efficacy levels. Among each group, five teachers were selected randomly and for each teacher, 20 students were randomly selected, totally 300 students. Tschannen - Moran (2001) teacher self-efficacy questionnaire was used in order to measure the teachers’ self-efficacy levels. Gardner (1986) motivation questionnaire has been implemented to measure the students’ motivation. Teacher-maker test has been implemented to measure educational achievement. Finally, McCoach and Siegll (2003) attitude questionnaire has been used to measure the students’ attitude level. The data was analyzed by using one-way ANOVA and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The results of the study were indicated that the teacher self-efficacy level has a positive impact on the students’ achievement, motivation and attitude. They also showed that there was a positive correlation between the students’ achievement and attitude.

The purpose of this paper was analyzing the content of religious books and revealing the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum in terms of fitting with the social and emotional needs of the learners. In this study, all three religions and life books of high school were considered and by using content analysis, books on two major components of social and emotional needs and 35 sub-components individually for each subject as the unit of analysis were considered. According to the obtained findings, the highest frequency was related to the third-grade textbook of faith and life with 387 cases. Among these, the highest frequency component was in addressing the family and marriage with 20.91% and the lowest component were in education of spirit trust, expression of social relations and etiquette, dealing with marriage and family, explanation of moral corruption and explaining the instinctive needs with 0.258 percent. There were 340 frequencies in the second-grade textbook of religion and life and among them, the highest frequency components was related to explaining the death and resurrection with 20.91% and the lowest frequency was related to explanation of respecting the rights of others and explaining the need for religion and the divine messages with about 0.227%. The third-grade textbook was addressed social and emotional needs more than the other books, but in general, all of the books were addressing the social and emotional needs at a lower level. Therefore, it is necessary to revise the textbooks to meet the social and emotional needs.

The present study was conducted with the aim to investigate the effectiveness rate of components of citizenship values in curriculum of the primary school. The research method was descriptive survey. The statistical population was consisted all of primary school teachers of Urmia. In order to determine the sample volume, 219 teachers were selected by using the clustering-randomized sampling method at the probability level of 95% and with the probability precision of 0.05. The measurement tool was the researcher-made questionnaire including 59 items according to Likert scale consisting of responsibility, respecting others' rights, patriotism and personal discipline. Content reliability was used for determining the reliability of the research tool. The validity of the questionnaire was estimated based on the cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.85. Data was analyzed in two levels of descriptive statistics including percentage, mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics including one-variable-T, independent-T, correlated, one-way variance analysis and LSD tests. The findings showed that the mean score of the efficiency of citizenship values has been 3.99 for the responsibility, 3.89 for respect to others' rights, 3.85 for patriotism and 3.81 for personal discipline. Observed F at the level of P£0.05 was significant. Therefore, there was a difference between the effectiveness rates of citizenship values. The highest rate of effectiveness was related to responsibility and the lowest rate was related to personal discipline. The comparison of mean score of effectiveness of citizenship values from the viewpoint of teachers based on gender, educational degree and service records showed the difference between female and male teachers regarding the patriotism.

The aim of the present study was analyzing the text content and images of mathematics textbook of secondary school first-grade, 2011 edition, based on William Rummy’s technique and analysis of in-class exercises, activities and problems in lessons based on Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive domain. The used methodology in this study was content analysis. The research population was mathematics textbook, 2011 edition of secondary school first-grade. The findings revealed that text engagement rate was 0.53, which indicated that this textbook was written in an active manner. The engagement rate of images was 1.2 and this showed that the pictures of the textbook involved the students in learning. In activity-based index-analysis of the textbook, the engagement rate of 0.75 indicated that it was activity-based. In the performed analysis based on Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive domain, it was revealed that 81 percent of the exercises, activities and problems in the textbook are at comprehension level. This analysis showed that the number of exercises, activities and problems at higher levels of cognitive domain in this textbook are very few.