JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PLANNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Year:2014 | Volume:20 | Issue:1 (71)|Papers Count:10

Appropriate uses of information technology in teaching-learning process can promote the quality of teaching and lead to learning achievements. However, there are various types of information technology used in classrooms which can be included on one spectrum. A side of which consists of power-point and the other side consists of mixed electronic learning systems. Despite this, all mentioned types might not end up in improvement of learning and teaching quality. Therefore, the question is that whether the use of information technology leads to promotion of quality of teaching and learning in a certain condition. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between the amount of information technology used by faculty members and their quality of teaching in Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences and Faculty of Social Sciences in University of Tehran. Co relational method as a type of descriptive-analytical research was used as research method. A total of 30 faculty members from University of Tehran’s Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences and Faculty of Social Sciences participated in this study. For selecting the study sample stratified sampling method with sufficient sample size was utilized. Required data was gathered through two questionnaires: i) The Use of Information Technology Scale, and ii) The Quality of Teaching Scale. Then, the data was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation method. The reliabilities of these scales through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were .87 for The Use of Information Technology Scale, and .90 for The Quality of Teaching Scale. Also, adequate content validities of both scales have been reported by several studies. The results demonstrated that: i) the faculty members of Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences and the faculty members of Faculty of Social Sciences adequately applied information technology in teaching-learning process, and they could be rate in optimum level concerning to quality of teaching; ii) There is a significant positive relationship between the amount of information technology used by faculty members and their quality of teaching. On the basis of the results of the current study following suggestions were proposed: 1) facilitating educational conditions for faculty members about information and communications technology in order to inform them of modern and up-to-date technologies, 2) holding workshops about teaching methods, and 3) inviting successful faculty members in teaching to present their effective experiences.

A major question for higher education financial planners at macro level is the current pattern of financial resource allocation within colleges and what factors effect on interuniversity financial resource allocation. To answer this question, it is necessary to identify the interuniversity resource allocation pattern. The purpose of present research is to survey and determine the factors that have most contribution on colleges financial resource allocation. In other words, the aim is to answer the question of, what factors do universities consider when they want to allocate financial resource to their colleges in financial scarcely years? In this paper, we utilized descriptive-correlation and regression analysis methods with longitudinal-cross data to analysis resource allocation function. The population was all public universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The sample was 15 colleges and 4 research centers in 4 years’ time period (totally 76 cases). The research instrument was the Financial and Educational Data Form. Because of few colleges in sample, we used panel data approach for regression analysis with fixed effect. In these methods, time series data with cross-sectional data are combined. The result showed that “number of faculty per college” have greatest positive effect on amount of financial resource allocation per college. The “number of students in college” had no significant effect on resource allocation function, and showed that financial resource allocation within Iranian public universities is not “per student”.

Nowadays, supply of appropriate and sustainable job opportunities for graduates are one of the main concerns of higher educational systems in any country. The issue of employ ability has been proposed in this regard as a new mechanism in policy making and guiding related processes. The purpose of this study was to rank the key skills delivered thought curriculum content for employability formation among agriculture students. Statistical sample included 1491 agricultural students at University of Tehran that of whom 310 students were randomly selected. To measure the research constructs a questionnaire was employed. Its face validity confirmed by expert panel and its reliability estimated at 0.81 by Cronbach''s alpha coefficient. For data processing, second order confirmatory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling method was employed. The empirical results indicated that employability is depended on three dimensions including business development skills, personal development skills and academic skills. A comparison among three dimensions showed that business development skills role was more important. As a result, paying attention to the curriculum content, in a way that will lead to further business development skills, is the most important priorities in developing agricultural higher education in Iran.

Students’ cheating on exams is one of the common problems in higher education system in Iran. The investigations indicated that the condition of academic cheating in Iran has come to a crisis phase. The purpose of this study was to identify effective factors in Gorgan Islamic Azad University students’ cheating. The research method was descriptive-correlational survey. The target population included all bachelor’s students in Gorgan Islamic Azad University (N=401). By using simple sampling method and Krejcie & Morgan’s table, 196 people were selected and finally 180 filled questionnaires were collected. The research instrument was structural questionnaire with close-ended questions which its validity and reliability was confirmed by panel of experts and Cranach’ sapha test, respectively. Descriptive and nonparametric statistical methods were used to analyze information. The descriptive results showed that the main methods of respondents for cheating on exams were as follows: “permitting other students to see my paper” (86.70%), “coping fromother students’ exam sheet with their cooperation” (80%), and “using sign language especially fingers for correct choices” (70%). The results of correlation coefficient showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between respondents’ demographic and psychological variables with their cheating behaviors. The results of the bivariate regression revealed that 39 percent of variability in students’ cheating behavior stems from attitude toward cheating on exams, motivation for cheating on exams, age, and years at the university.

Epistemological beliefs represent fundamental orientations about learning. Therefore, it is considered as the most common cause of sustainable development in academic and social lives of students. The aim of present study was to identify and analyze the dimensions of students'' epistemological beliefs. The research method was descriptive -survey and a sample of over 361 undergraduate and postgraduate students of Shahed University in medical and non-medical colleges were investigated. The research instrument was Schumer's Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (1993) in which its construct validity and reliability were determined according to educational expert's view, and calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient (.79), respectively. In descriptive and inferential analysis of the data, means comparison, Univariate t and two independent groups t tests were used. The results indicated the lack of beliefs in students’ simplicity and certainty of the knowledge structure and inherent ability to quickly learn the concepts. The analysis of results on the moderator variables also has shown that postgraduate students have had lower naive epistemological beliefs than undergraduates. But in the epistemological beliefs of male and female, as well as medical and non-medical students, no significant differences were observed.

Approaches of faculty members toward curriculum planning area base for application of their teaching methods, teaching strategies and evaluation techniques. The general purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Shiraz University faculty members’ preference of curriculum development model and their performance in teaching strategies and methods, and evaluation techniques in teaching-learning process. A descriptive and explanatory research method was chosen for this study. The statistical population included 661 faculty members at Shiraz University in 2010-11 academic-years. By cluster sampling method, 171 faculty members were selected. The research instruments included a researcher made scale based on 3 models of curriculum and faculty members’ performance in teaching-learning process (Lester & Bishop, 2000). The data was analyzed by using Freedman test and multivariate analysis of variance. The results of research showed that semi- centralized model was the preferred curriculum model for faculty members at Shiraz University. The interaction between curriculum development model and teaching experiences had significant relationship with teaching methods, but it didn’t have significant relationship with assessment strategies and skills. The interaction of faculty members’ preference of curriculum development model had significant relationship with faculty’s academic rank, but it didn’t indicate significant relationship with teaching methods, teaching strategies and assessment techniques.

The current environment of universities is a field to produce new knowledge and information. If this strategy is based on the personality traits of employees, progress and development will be doubled. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between personality traits, organizational intelligence, and intellectual capital management at the Bu-Ali Sina University of Hamedan in 1390-91academic year. The research method was descriptive- co relational. The statistical population consisted of all non-faculty staff (N=294).A total of 167 people were selected by using Cochran formula. Data were collected by using three questionnaires: Personality Traits of NEO-FFI, Organizational Intelligence of Albercht, and Intellectual Capital Management of Bontis, Pike et al. To determine the validity of the questionnaire, content validity was used. Cronbach''s Alpha coefficient was used to assess reliability (.82, .97 and .92 respectively).Data were analyzed through Independent t-test, Pearson correlation and multiple regression tests. Results suggest that the level of personality traits of employees are moderate. Meanwhile, their level of organizational intelligence and intellectual capital management are above average. Pearson correlation coefficient showed a significant positive relationship between personality traits, organizational intelligence, and intellectual capital management. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that between components of personality traits, deontology factor, and components of organizational intelligence, knowledge application had the highest impact on the prediction of intellectual capital management.

Research and theoretical attempts of several experts have led to extend explanation and an alyzation of factors related to academic performance. Whereas, academic performance is considered as an important criterion for quality of high education system, it is particularly important to study its related factors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship among personality characteristics, social support and life satisfaction with academic performance. This study was a descriptive- correlative survey. The population of this research included students of Faculty of Humanities'' at University of Kashan and 250 subjects were selected by stratified sampling. Data were gathered using NEO - Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and MOS-Social Support Scale (MOS - SSS).The reliability coefficient of NEO - Five Factor Inventory for five factors (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness) are estimated 0.88, 0.80, 0.79, 0.76, 0.83 respectively and the reliability coefficient of Satisfaction With Life Scale and MOS-Social Support Scale are estimated 0.97, 0.87 respectively. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation test and step wide regression. Results indicated a significant relationship between neuroticism and conscientiousness with academic performance. Also, the results indicated a non-significant relationship between social support and academic performance. Whereas, the results revealed a significant relationship between life satisfaction and academic performance. In general, findings demonstrate that academic performance has related to stable personal characteristics and traits of students and their satisfaction with life situations. Hence, it is important to notice individual and environmental factors influencing academic achievement of students and recognizing factors influencing their satisfaction.