NEW THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION
Year:2009 | Volume:5 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Social adjustment, though dependent on social interaction and communication, is influenced by many tacit factors. One such a factor, the use of new technologies, figures prominently among the youth, as they spend a lot of time using the web, playing computer games, and watching satellite television. To assess the hypothesized relationship between social adjustment and the extent of using new technologies, a sample of 233 high school sophomores was randomly selected and then asked to fill the social adjustment and the technology usage questionnaires. The analysis of the collected data did not reveal any significant relationship between the two constructs, yet it seems that the more time spent on the web or playing computer games, the higher the adjustment scores while the more time spent watching satellite TV, accompanies lower scores of social adjustment.

To explore the type of attachment and image of God held by divorce-seeking and non-divorce-seeking women of Kaashaan, a non-representative sample of married women, half of whom were seeking divorce, were asked to fill two questionnaires measuring the two mentioned constructs. The analysis of the data revealed that there is a significant correlation between the two constructs and a significant difference between the two groups in both attachment and God's image. The divorce-seeking women in the study showed more of the insecure type of attachment and more negative images of God.

To determine the internal efficiency of elementary school across Iranian provinces, based on the internationally recognized criteria, the available data for the 2005-2006 academic year were used. The results of the analysis carried out on the data are indicative of overall ideal efficiency as the national coefficient of internal efficiency was calculated to be %91.8. The city of Tehran with %97.0 efficiency, and the province of Systaan & Baloochestaan with %74.8 efficiency were ranked the highest and the lowest of all. Close to the city of Tehran were the provinces of Tehran, Maazanderaan, and Ardabeel while provinces like Kermaan, Khoozestaan, and Hormozgaan were on the bottom of the list.

To quantify the relationship between emotional intelligence and strategies used for conflict management, a sample of 113 high school principals were given two questionnaires measuring these two constructs. The results show that principals using the problem solving strategy have a higher El score, while those scoring low, preferred strategies that emphasize control and indifference.Furthermore, there were no significant differences in El and conflict management strategies between male and female principals.

To decrease test anxiety among students, three different teaching methods were used. A sample of 80 students chosen from among 450 test-anxious students were divided and then assigned to four classes. In three of the classes three different teaching methods emphasizing Psycho-immunization, study skills, and combination of the two were used and then their effect on test anxiety compared. Results show that all three experimental groups were significantly lower in test anxiety compared to the control group.

To explore the thinking styles of vocational students in Tehran, and their relationship with the basic skills in Information and Communication Technology, a sample of 250 such students were selected using a cluster sampling approach. Measures used were the Sternberg Thinking Style Questionnaire and the ICT Skills Questionnaire. The analysis of the collected data shows that the extent of basic ICT skills learnt is a function of three styles of thinking: administrative, judicial, and legislative. The data show that the learning of ICT skills is negatively correlated with the administrative style of thinking while its correlation with the other two styles is positive.

To survey the opinions of Payaam Noor University's students and faculty members on its educational facilities and services, a national sample of 70 branches of the university was selected from among all such entities across 30 provinces. The instruments used were two separate questionnaires for the two groups of respondents attending the selected branches. The questionnaires were constructed and tested for reliability through test-retest procedure and calculation of Cronbach's alpha which is 0.82 and 0.80 respectively. The results show that both groups of respondents agree on the inadequacy of the quantity, quality, and distribution of educational facilities and services.