NEW THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION
Year:2008 | Volume:4 | Issue:1-2|Papers Count:14

To explore the effects of implementing a marital enrichment program on marital satisfaction, a sample of 30 couples was selected through cluster sampling method from among the parents of elementary school girls in Isfahaan. Half of the parent couples were randomly assigned to the experimental condition of learning how to implement an enrichment program. Data were collected using a researcher made instrument designed to measure marital satisfaction. The comparison of the two groups scores both before and after the learning period, and in the follow-up, revealed significant improvement. Gender did not seem to make any difference in learning how to implement the enrichment program. The impact of the implementation appeared significant in all areas of satisfaction (sexual, conflict resolution, main family relations, and social activities) except for one (domestic management).

To find out what factors affect school cheerfulness, and to what extent, from the point of view of the school personnel, a sample 282 Principals, Counselors, and Teachers was selected in a random categorical fashion from among all Isfahani high schools for girls. The findings show that there are personal, educational, sociocultural, and physical factors that affect school cheerfulness. From among leadership styles it was the cooperative style that the respondents indicated as a factor involved. There was a significant difference between the views of the three groups of teachers, principals, and counselors on all factors except personal factors and the commanding style of leadership.

Teaching methods are among the most important topics in education. One method that is based on asking questions (inquisitive) can be evaluated from the Godamer's perspective on hermeneutics. Godamer considers distinguishes between question and explanation although they have similarities. The concept of "true question" can be understood and used by teachers. Such method of teaching has three characteristics which are the inseparability of method and content, the acknowledgement of the imperfection of one's knowledge, and being cyclical.

The concept of independence of thought reminds us of Bacon, Descartes, and Kant. It was the latter who through the analysis of errors in thought opened a new chapter in epistemology. Pearce, the founder of the Pragmatism, claimed that thinking, by its very nature, is similar to a dialogue and as a result dependent upon language and other social conventions. Dewey, expanding on the Pearce's epistemology, explained the development of goals within a problem solving framework, with experience being the very core of educational process. Wittgenstein considered the effect of language within the framework of linguistic games as the very root of the way we think and view the world. It seems that based on these views, educational systems that promote special mental frameworks, do not necessarily make the development of wisdom possible. Based on an historical approach, post-structuralist perspectives considered critical thinking with emphasis on language, as an educational objective. In Psychology, with a non-historical approach, also critical thinking is considered as a goal. The combination of these two approaches and the way it makes for the inclusion of critical thinking as an educational goal in the curriculum are discussed herein.

Post structuralism as a branch of post modernism has certain characteristics like deconstruction, negation of meta-narratives, denial of absolute truth, focusing on language and culture, pluralism, decentralization of reason and rationality, and the negation of representation. To explain these characteristics and describing the ways that this theory can be applied to education are among the main objectives of this paper. Based on the studies conducted on the relationship between education and post structuralism it can be concluded that the implications and consequences of applying post structuralist views to education would include emphasis on critical thinking, improvement of general culture, paving the way for doing socio-cultural studies, negation of the common standards for educational evaluation, and doubts about predetermined educational goals. The results of using this theory in education are discussed herein.

People's beliefs and cognitions affect the way they communicate. As such they cannot be overlooked when considering family and marital life. To explore the role of such beliefs in family functioning and marital adjustment, a set of 200 volunteers who had come to a family court house to file for divorce were given a questionnaire on communication beliefs, adjustability, and family functioning. Data analysis yielded the following significant results: family functioning is negatively related to spouse's lack of adjustability and sexual perfectionism among men respondents; spouse's lack of adjustability is related to sexual differences among women respondents; women's adjustability was negatively related to their spouse's lack of adjustability; men's communication beliefs were positively related to their adjustability. Thus, pointing out the necessity of paying attention to the correction of irrational thoughts through educational courses and cognitive behavioral approaches aimed at improving the family functioning.

Moral openness or having a high capacity for patience and tolerance is among the necessary characteristics for being a successful educator. The aim of this paper is to discuss the concept of moral openness and its status in the educational arena. To this end, in addition to discussing both positive and negative ease, the historical background from the perspective of western thinkers, especially that of William Hair, is reviewed and both Islamic and Quranic evidence are presented. Furthermore, it is reasoned that tolerance has an anthropological and sociological foundation throughout history. Finally, it is summed up and concluded that the said points can be summarized along four identifiable axes.

Classroom management consisting of design and organization, leadership and monitoring, and evaluation is closely related to the classroom atmosphere and effective teaching. To show this relationship, a sample of 40 classroom-teachers was selected from among all guidance teachers in Oroomiyeh. Each classroom-teacher was observed every two or three weeks and totally in 12 sessions throughout the school year. The collected data show that the first two constituents of classroom management were above average, while the third constituent was scored below average. The classroom atmosphere was also scored above average. Yet the relationship between different components of management and atmosphere was significantly high (0.85) indicating that more than %75 of the variability in classroom atmosphere is explained by classroom management.

To study the relationship between teachers' regular activities and characteristics on the one hand and students' creativity, on the other, a sample of 59 first grade teachers and 590 first graders were randomly selected from among all teachers and their students in Zaahedaan. A total six questionnaire were administered regarding students' creativity, teachers' teaching methods and backgrounds. Results show a significant correlation between levels of schooling, length of employment, length of time being first grade teacher, having in-service training, and methods of teaching on the one hand, and students' creativity on the other. Among all these factors, the status of in-service training was ranked first as the predictor of students' creativity.

Four reasons for attending in-service training courses were identified: the need for advancement, the need for acquiring occupational skills, cultural factors, and economic reasons and then the opinions of 135 teachers (85 males and 77 females) were surveyed regarding their ranked importance, The sample was randomly selected from among all teachers attending the in-service training centers in Tehran, Results show that teachers attending these centers consider the fulfillment of their need for advancement as the most pressing reason for doing so, while the need for acquiring occupational skills ranked second and cultural factors as third. Obviously the economic reasons were ranked the lowest.