JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS
Year:2015 | Volume:14 | Issue:55|Papers Count:9

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of science myth buster teaching method on critical thinking of students. In this study, quasi-experimental design and unequal control group was used. Participants were consisted of 60 middle school third grade students in Tehran (1392-93 academic year). The students were selected by convenience sampling method and they were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group examined scientific myths related to human and movement, adjustment and communication and puberty and adolescence with group discussion for 8 sessions. However, the control group received the current academic curriculum. The results of analysis of covariance showed that science myth buster teaching method increased the critical thinking of students in the experimental group. Other findings of the study indicated that %70 of the development of critical thinking of students comes from science myth buster method. The results confirmed that science myth buster teaching method can be used as learning activity in textbook development and also it could be used as a method in teaching science concepts in classroom.

The purpose of this research was to study the amount of observance of the intended principles of evaluation in Thought and Research (TAR) Course curriculum at primary school sixth grade. It was an applied research with survey and analytical-descriptive design. The research population of the questionnaire section included instructors, experts and teachers in Isfahan and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces. Due to the shortage of instructors (40), all of them were selected as research sample. To select the teachers and experts, random stratified sampling method was used and 286 teachers and experts were chosen as research sample. In observational section of the study, 95 classes were observed and 180 instructors, experts and teachers were purposefully interviewed using a semi-structured method. The data was collected using questionnaire, interview, and observation. Both content and construct validity of the research instruments were checked. Reliability of questionnaire was checked using Cronbach’s alpha, reliability of observer was checked using observer reliability relating to criteria, and the reliability of the interview was checked using the transcription of interviewee speech. Findings showed that based on the viewpoint of teachers and experts, the intended principles related to evaluation of Thought and Research (TAR) Course curriculum at primary school sixth grade were applied at moderate level (`X=3.34), and from the viewpoint of observers it was applied at a low level (`X=2.58). Results show that attention to intended evaluating scientific principles like using purpose-oriented, cooperative, and collective evaluation has been moderatly observed instead of goal-oriented evaluation.

Deconstruction is an approach which has been systematized by Derrida and has been used in different areas. Based on this approach, each text has different opposite poles, each one of these poles dominates the other poles and in this manner the hierarchical relationship crystallizes. This approach has been used in education and deconstruction can be used in the teacher-student relationship to deconstruct it to make a balanced relation between them. The results showed that the teacher is in the dominant and the student in the passive pole. This relation can be redefined and the student can be transferred to the dominant pole so that the way for fair and balanced relation could be opened. Paying attention to concepts such as helper, guide, simplifying learning by teacher, teaching the way of learning things instead of teaching them, the learning of teacher from the student and playing a more active role by the student in the educational process indicate a balanced relation between teacher and student.

This study carried out to investigate internal consistency and factor validity of Collective Teacher Efficacy Belief Scale developed by Tschannen-moran & Barr (2004) among Gonabad's teachers. In this study, 290 primary school teachers at Gonabad and its country were selected using stratified sampling method. The scale's internal consistency was checked by Cronbach’s alpha method and factor structure of the scale was investigated using exploratory principal axis factor analysis. The results indicated that Cronbach’s alpha for scale is 0.92 and all of items have high correlation with total items. Also, exploratory factor analysis with principal axis indicated one component that explained 54.95% of the variance. Findings emphasized that Collective Teacher Efficacy Belief Scale has high internal consistency in Iran, similar to the developed countries, but likely it has one-factor structure in Iran unlike two-factor structure obtained in these countries. Findings indicated that Collective Teacher Efficacy Belief Scale is a suitable instrument to assess collective self-efficacy of Iranian teachers in various researches.

The main objective of this study was to find the role of the student-level and school-level on students’ academic achievement. Research population included students, principals, vice-principals, and academic counselors of Tehran’s vocational and technical schools in the academic year 1391-92. 10 regions from 5 Tehran’s educational districts and 2 schools from each region were selected, with a total of 906 third-grade students from these schools and from 39 classes using multi-stage cluster sampling. 59 school staffs from the same classes and schools were also chosen to take part in this study. Standard AMS and MSLQ questionnaires were used for academic motivation and academic engagement, respectively, as well as researcher-made questionnaires for peer-assisted learning and quality of education. Reliability of the questionnaires were assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and their content and construct validity was checked using exploratory factor analysis. Academic achievement was calculated using the average of three scores including GPA (grade point average) of the previous year, GPA of three core courses and GPA of practical courses. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and multi-level analysis. According to the unconditional model for the school-level, the average academic achievement of students in different schools was significantly different. For the school-level model, 6.13% and 12.05% of the variance of the academic achievement were originated from the student-level and school staff, respectively. In conclusion, 18.81% of the variance for academic achievement was related to the school-level. Findings of the research showed the importance of school level factors -at higher level- influencing other variables in predicting academic achievement.

The purpose of this study was to explain the dropout according to the views of teachers’ council members and its documents in Izeh city. Given that dropout imposes huge costs on educational system every year, it seems necessary to give a comprehensive idea about this topic for those involved in education. Statistical population consisted of minutes of teachers’ councils of all girls and boys’ highschools and conservatories of Izeh city in 56 educational unit. The research sample consisted of 25 minutes of teachers’ councils which were selected through purposeful sampling method. Also, 6 teachers, administrators and assistants were interviewed as key informants. After studying 19 minutes, we got a theoretical saturation. We checked all minutes for sure. Results of data analysis, in three stages of open coding, axial coding and selective coding consisted of 30 categores in paradigm model which included: causal conditions, field conditions, intermediatory conditions, steratagic conditions and consequences reflects teachers’ council view about dropout.

The proportion between classroom space and teaching methods plays an important role in conveying the content of courses by teacher. Creativity, thinking, exploring and the ability to conduct social relationships are of the most important concepts that can be taught to students through the teaching methods. But primary studies of this research on adopted standards of Iran for designing educational setting indicated that classrooms are designed for one method, they are non- conforming to other methods such as exploring, group methods and sporadic method. The purpose of this study was to provide an analysis of the relationship between the architectural space of the classroom and the implementation capacities of teaching methods. It was a qualitative research with phenomenology design. To do so, first, classroom space phenomenology and teaching methods phenomenology should be studied, respectively to determine design requirements. This analysis has been done using Schultz and Dehghani methods that originated from Heidegger’s phenomenology in architecture, and “having been” and “presence” are the main concepts for the analysis of methods. The results showed that each model has its own requirements for classroom space and finally mixed pattern spaces can be responsive to more teaching methods.

Reference to resources used in compilations and research reports validates them and supports academic honesty of author. Using a standard method of referencing in scientific literature is necessary to determine the correctness of referencing to resources. There are different referencing methods, however, due to the widespread use of American Psychological Association (APA) style in social sciences, in this paper a brief description of this style is introduced. At first, in-text citation and key points in creating a reference list would be discussed and then using some examples, how to cite resources would be explained.