INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
Year:2014 | Volume:5 | Issue:1 (17)|Papers Count:8

This study aimed to investigate the impact of multimedia and simulated environment of training of stock exchange and foreign currency, compared with current methods (lectures, booklets, power point presentation), on students learning at the University of Ilam. The population of the study was undergraduate students in business management, economics and accounting at the University of Ilam. Using random sampling method, 184 of them were chosen as the sample. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by the experts. Its reliability based on Cronbach alpha Coefficient was estimated 0.734. The data from the survey were analyzed using Mann Whitney U test and those from the semi-experimental were analyzed by covariance analysis and t-test. The results suggested a significant difference between mean scores of the two groups in that the experimental group was more effective than the control group. In addition, students from the experimental group were more satisfied with the simulated environment and estimated their learning as qualified.

One of the factors that can cause success or failure in using e-learning is students' readiness to participate in e-learning courses. Among the factors that could be effective in readiness of students to participate such e-learning courses are self-regulated learning strategies and tendency to critical thinking. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the role of self-regulated learning strategies and tendency to critical thinking in students' readiness to participate in e-learning courses. The research method was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population included all students of Kharazmi University in 2013. Using random sampling method, 250 individuals were selected as sample. To collect the data, the Ricketts' tendency to critical thinking and self-regulated learning strategies questionnaires, as well as students' readiness to participate in e-learning scale were used. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation) and inferential (correlation, regression and independent t tests) statistics were used for data analysis. The results showed that the correlation of self-regulated learning strategies with students' readiness to participate in e-learning was 0.23 (R2 = 0.05) and of critical thinking with students' readiness to participate in e-learning courses is 0.24 (R2 = 0.07). So students' readiness to participate in e-learning courses can be predicted through self-regulated learning strategies and tendency to critical thinking. Results of t test showed that there was no significant difference between male and female, as well as graduate and undergraduate students in terms of readiness to participate in e-learning courses.

This research was conducted aiming to study the ICT role on educational justice from the view point of secondary school managers in Mazandaran province. The research method was descriptive survey. Statistical population was all secondary school managers of Mazandaran province. Based on Krejcie and Morgan, sample size determined 238 individuals (149 female and 89 male), who were selected through stratified random sampling method. Information gathering tool was educational justice questionnaire with 40 questions which were answered by the managers. The questionnaire involved the effect of information and communication technology on educational justice in four dimensions: availability broad development, individual learning flexibility, environmental learning flexibility and feedback presentation. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by specialists’ perspective, and the reliability, using Chronbach's Alpha Coefficient, was calculated 0.82. The collected data was analyzed using one sample t test. The research results showed that ICT was influential on educational justice via availability broad development, individual learning flexibility, environmental learning flexibility and immediate feedback presentation.

The present research aimed to investigate the effect of the internet use on social skills of elementary school students. This study was based on semi-empirical, with pre-test and post-test method and control group. The statistical society was the total population of primary school male children in the sixth grade of Sarchehan Area including 185 people in the academic year 2013-2014. Using random cluster sampling method, a number of 120 cases were selected as sample. The measurement tool was a researcher-made questionnaire designed for social skills of the sixth grade elementary school students. Reliability of the test was 0.87 based on Cronbach alpha. Validity of the tool was confirmed by five psychology and education experts as well as applying 20 teachers and principals' opinions. The collected data were analyzed using t test and SPSS software. The results confirmed the main hypothesis that the internet use increased social skills of students. Moreover, the results revealed that internet use enhanced skills of respect for others, responsibility, friend making and group activities participation.

The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of educational computer games on Bloom’s cognitive levels in learning and retention of mathematical concepts in first grade primary school students. The method was quasi-experimental pretest/posttest with a control group. The statistical population included all the first grade primary school students who was studying in private schools in 2012-13 academic year (N= 295). Through cluster random sampling method, 100 students have been selected and divided into two control and two test groups. The research tool was researcher-made mathematics test in two levels (knowledge and comprehension) of Bloom’s cognitive levels. Its validity was confirmed by experts in mathematics lesson, and its reliability, using Cronbach Alpha, was calculated 0.79. Findings showed that educational computer games had positive effect on student mathematical concepts learning. On the other hand, an educational computer game had effect on the knowledge level of mathematical concepts in boy students, but it had no effect on the comprehension level of mathematical concepts in boy and girl students. Also, an educational computer game only had effect on the retention of girl students. In general, the research results indicated that educational computer games had positive effect on Bloom’s cognitive levels in the learning and retention of mathematical concepts.

The aim of this study was to survey the causal relationship between psychological empowerment and IT capability, with mediation of self-efficacy, in female high school principals in Isfahan. The method of the study was descriptive-correlational. The study population was 250 female school principals in the academic year 2013-2014 in Isfahan City. A subset of 152 people was chosen by Cochran's formula and random sampling method stratified based on various regions. The data collecting tools were the psychological empowerment questionnaire of Spritzer, et al., self-efficacy questionnaire of Schwartz and Jerusalem and that of IT capability. The face validity of the questionnaires was confirmed and, using Cronbach alpha, the reliability of empowerment, self-efficacy and IT capability questionnaires were 0.85, 0.80 and 0.82, respectively. The data were analyzed via both SPSS-18 and Lisrel softwares at the level of descriptive and referential statistics with step-wise regression tests, Pearson correlation and structural equations. The results confirmed that there was a positive significant relationship between principals' empowerment and their IT self-efficacy. There was also a positive significant relationship between their self-efficacy and IT capability. Moreover, the significance of psychological empowerment component was the best predictive factor for IT capability. The findings of structural equations revealed that the psychological empowerment through self-efficacy could influence IT capability.

The present study was conducted to determine the contribution of family functioning variables (problem solving, communication, role performance,emotional responsiveness, emotional intercourse, behavior control and overall functioning), sensation seeking and aggression in the prediction of video games addiction among students. The method of this study was descriptive correlational. So, 302 high school boy students from Karaj City were selected with multi-stage sampling method and studied. Instruments of the study were family assessment device (FAD), problem video game playing (PVP), sensation seeking scale (SSS) and Buss & Perry aggression questionnaire. Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis were used for statistical analysis of the data. The results indicated that there was a significant correlation between family functioning in all dimensions (problem solving, communication, role performance, emotional responsiveness, emotional intercourse, controlling behavior and overall performance) and the video games addiction of students (r=0.31, P<0.01). There was a positive relationship between aggression of students and video games addiction (r=0.47, P<0.01). Between sensation seeking of students there was a significant positive relationship with video games addiction (r=0.27, P<0.01). The regression results indicated that among the investigated predictive variables, variables of aggression, role performance (a dimension of family functioning), and sensation seeking were able to predict the video games addiction. In general, 28.4% of the variance in video games addiction was explained with the variables.

Using virtual education helps in creating, managing and developing education effectively, rapidly and economically. The success of virtual education today stands among the most significant subjects in the educational administration. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the factors influencing the success of virtual education including system quality, information and content quality, facilitative factor, teachers' quality, teachers-students interaction and operators' intention. The research method was descriptive and survey. Data gathering instrument was a self-administered questionnaire approved by the experts. The reliability was calculated using Cronbach coefficient with the ratio of 0.92. The statistical population of the study consisted of all experts in the Research Institute of Petroleum industry (RIPI) who had passed the related virtual education in 2012 (N=250). Using stratified random sampling, 156 people were chosen as sample. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviation was used. Inferential statistics including Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, one-sample t test and Freidman test were used to verify the hypotheses. Results showed that the factors influencing the success of virtual education in the (RIPI) were evaluated in an appropriate condition. Prioritizing the factors, it was also revealed that information and content qualify, operators' intention and system qualify stood in better conditions comparing the other factors.