A sustained, school-based approach that offers in-service EFL teachers opportunities for collaboration in creating an environment that promotes their capacity-building and instructional growth is necessary for their professional growth. This study aimed to contribute to the growing body of research on the effect of distributed leadership in teacher professional learning. Specifically, this study scrutinized the connection between distributed leadership and professional learning of teachers, focusing on the mediating role of teacher agency. A cross-sectional survey design was applied, collecting data from 458 teachers in Iran. Teacher Professional Learning Scale, Teacher Agency Scale, and Distributed Leadership Scale were completed by them. Structural equation modelling was run to analyze the relationship between variables. The findings revealed a minimal direct relationship between distributed leadership and the professional learning of teachers, with teacher agency acting as a major mediating factor. These results contribute to existing research by suggesting that distributed leadership may not have a substantial direct effect on teacher learning, but rather indirectly improves teacher agency.

One of the factors that can be the link between our intentions and actions and their external consequences is human agency, which indicates the conscious design and intentional execution of actions by the individual in order to influence future events.Objective and Method: This research with a developmental approach of psychometric method and method 1, examines the psychometric indices of the Human Factor Characteristics Scale using the classical theory of test score measurement and the graduated question-answer theory. The purpose of this study, which included high school students in Tehran, was selected by cluster sampling of 500 people as a sample size and statistical analysis was performed on 481 data. To collect the data, the ion Human Agent Characteristics Scale (2011) was used and the research questions were evaluated using IRTPRO and SPSS software.Results:The assumption of local independence based on Pearson x2 index was established by applying Simjima's calibrated question-answer theory and the assumption of being one-dimensional based on the analysis of multidimensional question-answer theory. Diagnosis parameters with question-answer approach and classical approach Test score Both item 25 approach had the lowest and item 2 had the highest diagnosis parameter. The answer thresholds for all the questions were so far apart that no option was covered by the other option, and the options were independently selected by individuals at intervals of theta. The total scale was calculated with Cronbach's alpha of 0.945, intentionality of 0.894, foresight of 0.780, self-reactivity of 0.871 and rethinking of 0.762. Also, the role of each item in internal consistency was investigated by the loop method, which all questions had a favorable role in internal consistency of this scale. The value of the validity coefficient obtained from the question-answer theory was obtained by marginal method for intentionality 0.92, forethought 0.85, self-reaction 0.91, rethinking 0.83..

In this study, a weak nation-state is identified in a specific geopolitical context relative to other states. this study defines a weak nation-state as a nation-state which has low maneuverability in a particular geopolitical context. Although geopolitical structures provide a weak nation-state with constraints rather than opportunities, a weak nation-state has some geopolitical agency through the formulation of its geopolitical discourses. In a particular geopolitical context, weak nation-states, as geopolitical agents, face not only constraints but also take advantage of the opportunities of geopolitical structures. This study is an attempt to provide a theoretical framework for explaining a weak nation-state’ s foreign and security policies using the concepts of geopolitical culture. The framework focuses on three theoretical points: 1) Geopolitical agency of a weak nation-statein geopolitical contexts, 2) the relationship between the geopolitical visions and codes of a weak nation-state, 3) A weak nation-state’ s construction of territory for its geopoliticalDiscourses. This study analyzes the way-with the help of descriptive and theoretical basis of Geopolitical structure / agencies to prove their hypothesis deal.

A commercial agency is a contractual relation through which the commercial representative (physical person or legal entity) is, independently, responsible for negotiations and entering into business transactions and/or other legal performance in the name and into account of the principal against receiving commission. The commercial agency is known as a contract having the commercial features thereto appertaining i.e. being businessmen of both parties and independence of the commercial representative to accomplish the subject-matter of agency in the name and into account of the principal which its discrimination is one of the instances of agency. In accordance with the considerable importance of the commercial agency contract in the field of domestic and international trade, there are specific rules and regulations spelled out in the rules and regulations of different territories even in international level. In our country, however, there are no specific rules and regulations thereto appertaining. The relevant verdicts must be implied on the strength of the general rules and regulations 0 agency and in the light of the relevant customs and procedures.

Plastic hinge properties play a crucial role in predicting the nonlinear response of structural elements. The plastic hinge region of reinforced concrete normal beams has been previously studied experimentally and analytically. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the behavior of the plastic hinge region of reinforced concrete deep beams and its comparison with normal beams through finite element simulation. To do so, ten beams contain six deep beams, and four normal beams, under concentrated and uniformly distributed loading, are investigated. Lengths in the plastic hinge region involving curvature localization, rebar yielding, and concrete crushing zones are studied. The results indicate that the curvature localization zone is not suitable for the prediction of plastic hinge length in reinforced concrete deep beams. Based on the results it can be stated that in simply supported normal beams the concrete crushing zone is focused on the middle span, but in simply supported deep beams by creating a compression strut between loading place and support, the concrete crushing zone spreads along the compression trajectory. The rebar yielding zone of simply supported beams increases as the loading type is changed from the concentrated load at the middle to the uniformly distributed load.

In the philosophy of action, agency manifests the capacity of the agent to act. An agent is one who acts voluntarily, consciously and intentionally. This article studies the relationship between virtues and agency to learn to what extent agency is conceptually and metaphysically dependent on moral or epistemic virtues; whether virtue is a necessary condition for action and agency, besides the belief, desire and intention? Or are virtues necessary merely for the moral or epistemic character of the agent and not his agency? If virtues are constructive elements of personal identity, can we say that virtues are necessary for action and agency? If we accept that virtues play a role in agency, the principle of “ Ought Implies Can” makes us face a new challenge; which we will discuss. After explaining the concept of action and agency, I will study the relationship between agency and virtues in the field of ethics and epistemology. Ultimately, I conclude that not only in theories of virtue but also in other ethical theories, virtue is independently necessary for the actualization of agency; even if, conceptually, there might not be any relation between the two. In many cases, virtue can also have a crucial role in prudential agency.

Actor-network theory (ANT), as an important theory in the field of science and technology studies, treats artifacts as mediators and agents on the side of human beings in social networks. Human beings and technologies are mediators which transform the essence of each others. So, human actions, agencies and decisions are mediated; we decide and act »with «artifacts not» by« them. Decisions do not stem from an isolated human nature, and action and agency do not exclusively belong to human beings, but are distributed to a socio-technical network of human beings and objects. This approach creates some questions about relationship between artifacts and human beings and agency and human decision-making, including the followings: Does not distributed agency and agency of artifacts take away intentionality and freewill from man? What will happen to ethical and legal responsibilities of human beings? Following the distributed agency is the responsibility too distributed to the artifacts? Attempts have been made to provide answer to these questions in this paper. Based on the Actor-network theory (ANT) ’s approach, it will be demonstrated that network and symmetric approach to artifacts and considering them as mediators and agents, would not take away intentionality from human beings nor will it give intentionality to artifacts nor does it have non-intuitional consequences regarding responsibility.