نشریه مطالعات برنامه درسی آموزش عالی
پیاپی 23 (بهار و تابستان 1400)

Course evaluation is widely recognized as one of the most precious means of promoting the quality of teaching and learning. This is mainly because evaluation could lead to efficient feedback for both the university professors and universities with regard to the quality of the elements of the curriculum. Hence, the present study seeks to investigate the reasons, necessities, and ways of course evaluation along with its barriers in Iran universities. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 experts and faculty members of the universities of the country who are considered as experts in the field of evaluation and curriculum. Upon their transcription, the interviews were analyzed as open categories. The findings indicate that there are four pivotal reasons at the bedrock of undergoing evaluation in Iran universities. However, there are also three different reasons lying behind the refusal of going through evaluation in universities: a lack of proper culture of criticism, students' over-obsession with the reaction and feedback of the professors, and the lack of confidence from the part of department, faculty and university heads about students' feedback. The findings also point out that undergoing evaluation can be practiced via extant students, graduates, collogues, and external beneficiaries using computer, interview, questionnaire, and creative methods.

The present study aimed to identify the dimensions and components of the learning community of university faculty members. This research is a qualitative study in which the phenomenological approach has been employed. Participants were selected from among the professors and faculty members of the university. Sampling was based on purpose and snowball sampling method to reach theoretical saturation with 15 participants. The main method of data collection, using semi-structured interviews and data analysis method was done using Granheim's thematic analysis method. The validity and reliability of the present study were assessed by the method of review by participants, review by non-participants (university professors and research colleagues) and also by frequent reference and comparison of various codes and consultations with experts. Findings included 67 basic open codes, 9 core categories and 4 main themes: 1) Common goals and perspectives 2) Collective learning 3) Common professional practice 4) Common professional reflection. Also, the results show that the components included in the model of the professional learning community are steps of a continuous cycle of continuous improvement in the university that can continue until the desired results are achieved.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Skill Training Program at the Teacher Training University. For this purpose, research has been conducted with a qualitative approach and phenomenological strategy. The study population was 79 primary school teachers who have completed their skills training program at Teacher Training University of Zanjan, Iran. From this population, 14 individuals were selected as participants in the study using purposive sampling. Semi-structured (in-depth) interviews were used to collect data. Interviews with the samples continued until the data saturation stage. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. The validity was investigated using two methods of long-term involvement and seeking colleague opinion. Also, reliability was done using the reviews of the participants. The research findings identified five organizing themes as follows: 1) curricula; 2) professors and their teaching; 3) university programs and policies, 4) skills learners; and 5) cultural and social environment. In general, the results showed that the Skills Training Program at Teacher Training University is not effective enough.

The purpose of the research is to explanation the competency of chemistry teachers and to identify facilitating / inhibiting factors for competency-based education in chemistry teacher training. Research in terms of purpose, applied, the method, quantitative and in terms of data collection is a descriptive survey type. From 186 chemistry teachers in Zanjan province, 144 were selected by random sampling and Morgan table. The validity questionnaire with expert opinions and its reliability was obtained cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.918. For explain the existing conditions of competence one-sample t-test were performed. The results showed in six domains of knowledge and skill and three domains of attitude and behavioral trait of competency were acceptable but it is far from ideal.To determine the contribution of facilitating / inhibiting factors to competency-based education descriptive statistics were used. The largest share in the area of knowledge and skills related to teachers' knowledge and skills with 49.8% and in the area of attitude and behavioral traits structural reasons were obtained with 40.3%. Lowest share in the area of knowledge and skill related to philosophical reasons 13/8% and in the area of attitude and behavioral trait related to student-teachers ability and interest was obtained with 10.0%.To determine the contribution of facilitating / inhibiting factors to competency-based education descriptive statistics were used. The largest share in the area of knowledge and skills related to teachers' knowledge and skills with 49.8% and in the area of attitude and behavioral traits structural reasons were obtained with 40.3%. Lowest share in the area of knowledge and skill related to philosophical reasons 13/8% and in the area of attitude and behavioral trait related to student-teachers ability and interest was obtained with 10.0%.

In today’s competitive world, those universities and organization manage to succeed which try to employ their knowledge in action. Therefore, many universities and educational systems have started to shift toward knowledge orientation based on teaching entrepreneurship. The researcher in this study try to investigate and analyze international models of entrepreneurial education in the field of higher education and formulate the pattern of entrepreneurial education elements in the major of entrepreneurship education. This project is done with quality approach to recognize local pattern of educational entrepreneurship, where content analysis is used. the software of  Max QDA is used to analyze quality data with data encryption method, offer categories and extraction of relevant topics and expression and interpretation of findings. Therefore, at first 50 international standard models of entrepreneurial education were selected by the researcher and then all key words in the patterns was coded and 735 open source extraction separately were sent for the people who are considered as experts. The amount of Cohen’s kappa was calculated by SPSS software. Research finding shows that international patterns of entrepreneurial education could be grouped into three categories of usability, personality-oriented, and subject-oriented. Given the frequency of components, it can be used in designing an indigenous pattern of entrepreneurial training for students in the field of entrepreneurship education.

The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the criteria for accepting teacher students in teacher training centers in Finland, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Iran. The approach to this qualitative research is that a comparative method has been used. The required data were identified, selected, organized, and then their similarities and differences were identified and compared and interpreted. According to the results of this study, the criteria for accepting students in teacher training centers of the mentioned countries with Iran are similar in cases such as using different types of exams and interviews, but the most important differences that could be mentioned in this field are the type of interview and its content is in these countries. Accordingly, part of the interview will be dedicated to the volunteer company in the actual teaching process (practical teaching). Also, using interview tools as a supplementary tool (not as the only tool for identifying qualified people) is one of the main features of using interview tools to determine worthy people in the teacher training centers of the mentioned countries which is somewhat different from the student-teacher selection process at Teacher Training University of Iran.

Regarding the problems in postgraduate course, this study has tried to model relationships between psychological factors with educational and practical aspects of self-efficacy on postgraduate students of Iran’s universities. In this regard, the standard and researcher-made questionnaires were employed and the Cronbach’s Alpha for final questionnaire was calculated as 0.813. The statistical population of this study included all postgraduate students of Iran’s universities and the sampling method was simple random and included which led to the selection of 297 students as the final study sample. The results indicate that cognitive disturbance has greatest impacts on student’s self-efficacy and then are placed behavioral performance and cognitive performance.  Among the self-efficacy dimensions, general and educational are underlying dimensions that play a mediator role among dimensions and other factors. Also results of model test show that control variables of gender, age and marital status affect students' self-efficacy, but employment and university level had no significant relationship with students' self-efficacy in research sample.Keywords: Self-Efficacy, Cognitive Disturbance, Cognitive Performance, Behavioral ‎Performance, Postgraduate Students.‎

This study aimed to draw a conceptual model of the failing process of the university entrance applicants. The study was carried out by qualitative method and grounded theory. In this study, the statistical population was all the applicants who had failed the university entrance exam 2020 in different fields of study, in Khodabandeh city, Iran. To this end, 12 applicants of the university entrance exam 2020 in different fields were selected by purposive sampling. They had failed the examination once or twice before. The data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interview. To analyze the data, first, the study used open and axial coding to place the relevant categories into a paradigm model, which is casual factors, contextual, confounding, strategies and consequences. Then, the main category of the research was extracted in the selective coding phase. The results of the research identified 110 sub-themes and 18 main themes. The main category extracted from the themes was "motivation of success in the university entrance exam". This study drew the conceptual model and identified the components related to the failing and how they interact with each other. The results indicated that motivation of the success could link the causal factors, contextual, confounding and strategies.

This study aims to examine the historical trends of undergraduate general education curriculum from 1934 to 2020 in Iran. By using documentary research methodology, relevant published and unpublished documents in well-known Iranian universities and research institutions as well as main Iranian databases were systematically investigated by keywords of “university general units”, “history of Tehran University”, “history of National university”, “university curriculum”, “University of Tabriz”, “University of Pahlavi”, “university general education curriculum”, “acts of Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution’s acts”. Thematic analysis with an inductive approach was used to analyze the data. The analysis of the policies of general education curriculum showed that since 1934 until now, we have experienced three forms of curriculum including: general education curriculum in shadow (1934-1966), obvious general education curriculum (1966-1979), and Islamic curriculum and public awareness (1982 - 2020). Results of this research could raise the awareness in describing the history of general education curriculum and how it was shaped in Iranian university context.

The aim of this study was to investigate the positive and negative dimensions of life in the unisex Teacher Training University from the perspective of professors and teacher-students of this university. This research is an applied research in terms of purpose and a survey research in practice. Yazd Teacher Training University was selected as the population for study and the research tool included a questionnaire designed by Entezari (2018) which was used with some modifications. This questionnaire involves five components: individual and social development, Islamization of the university, academic performance, psychological peace and preparing for marriage. In this study, 120 questionnaires were completed by 20 professors (male & female) and 100 teacher-students (male & female). The findings show that majority of the participants do not give an acceptable grade to the atmosphere in the university for personal and social development, Islamization of the university, academic performance and preparing for marriage. However, they believe that studying at this university has been able to provide the psychological peace of students' parents to a great extent. Based on theoretical studies and quantitative and qualitative findings of this research, it seems necessary to review the policy-documents of this university and to avoid actions for which there is not enough religious and research evidence.

The purpose of the present study is developing the content pattern of ethical competences for higher education students. In terms of methodology, Sandlowski and Burrow’s 7-stage meta-synthesis model (2007) was used as the conceptual model of the research. During the first step, the research question was presented and, accordingly, the members of the meta-synthesis team were assigned. In the second and third steps, the Latin sources of the research, including Scopus, Springer etc. as well as Persian sources including Scientific Information Database, and Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies were determined and inclusion criteria of the articles were determined. In step four, after data analysis, 65 basic themes related to ethical education were extracted, and then the findings were synthesized. During this phase, the extracted basic themes were classified into four second-level categories: educational honesty (e.g., courage, enthusiasm and the spirit of providing service) and lack of educational honesty (e.g., disruptive behavior, ignoring the assigned homework, ignoring the rights of others), research honesty (e.g., research awareness) and lack of research honesty (e.g., copying and pasting, expressing the ideas of others without referencing, machine spirit). The second-level organizing themes were assigned to 26 first-level organizing theme and, eventually, the thematic network of the content of ethical education was developed. The developed model in the current research has provided a framework for teaching ethical competences to higher education students which was not possible previously. In order to verify the model, descriptive verification, and interpretive-theoretical-pragmatic verification have been used.

The aim of this study was to provide a model for improving the educational productivity of distance learning teachers. In this article, first, the elements that make up the educational productivity of distance education teachers were identified, and then the model of improving the educational productivity of distance learning teachers was designed and validated based on local conditions and requirements of the education system around the country. The methodology is applied in terms of purpose and mixed method in terms of approach. The statistical population in the qualitative section of all the experts in the field of distance learning and educational productivity is the sampling method and purposeful snowball and 26 experts from the field of productivity, educational productivity and distance education were selected as the sample of the study. The statistical population is a quantitative part of the research, including all teachers of the distance education system of Islamic Azad University in electronic unit. The population was 164 people, all of whom were selected for sample research using a census method. In order to collect the research data in the qualitative section, a semi-structured interviewing instrument was used which was both reliable and reliable. In the quantitative part, a researcher-made questionnaire was used and the validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by the content-based content validity method and its reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0/92 was calculated. Qualitative data analysis was performed with a thematic analysis method and quantitative part with confirmatory factor analysis method. The results of this study revealed that 21 factors affect educational productivity of teachers of the distant education system have a significant and positive effect on the educational productivity of educators in the educational system. According to the results, if we seek to improve the educational productivity of teachers in any education system from distance, the status of 21 identified factors (teacher's individual abilities, educational system environment, content and content provided, learners' status ) should be improved to desirable levels.