نشریه راهبردهای آموزش در علوم پزشکی
سال چهارم شماره 3 (پیاپی 13، پاییز 1390)

Different daily emotions have different effects on people and each of these emotions play a facilitating or inhibitory role in cognitive and behavioral performances. The aim of this study was investigating the effect of induced mood on male and female students’ behavioral and cognitive performance.

This quasi-experimental study was performed in 2010 in Tabriz. 36 students were selected among the students of Tabriz University by available sampling method. Subjects were divided into three 12-subject groups of positive mood induction, negative mood induction and control. After applying the 3 levels of mood induction, measurement of dependent variables (behavioral and cognitive performance) was done by chronoscope and a researcher-made test (numbers countdown). Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software using ANOVA method and Tukey’s post-hoc test.

Gender didn’t have a significant effect on behavioral and cognitive performance (p>0.05), but the effect of mood was significant on behavioral and cognitive performance (p<0.05). The interactional effect of gender and mood on behavioral and cognitive performance was not significant (p>0.05).

Induced mood can affect the individual’s performance. Negative mood induction has destructive effects on individuals’ behavioral and cognitive performance and positive mood induction has positive effects. This issue shows the priority of emotion to cognition in struggle of cognition and emotion.

Curriculum is the main context of any educational institute and is also a means of data transfer. The aim of this study was investigating the viewpoint of Qom Medical University students and faculty members about the curriculum of basic sciences course in order to determent the students’ satisfaction rate. In this descriptive study, 107 medical students and 20 faculty members of Qom Medical University were the statistical population and due to the limited number the sample size was the same. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire based on the Likert scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics and SPSS 15 software and one-sample T-test was used regarding the nature of the study questions. 46.4% of samples were male and 53.6% were female. 70 % of the students of Qom Medical University had relative satisfaction with the curriculum of basic sciences course and there was no significant difference between the viewpoints of male and female students (p>0.05). There was a significant difference between comments and views of students and university professors about the basic sciences course curriculum (p<0.05). The basic sciences course curriculum meets the standards of medical education according to the viewpoints of medical students and faculty members of Qom Medical University and most of the students have relative satisfaction with the present curriculum of basic sciences course. Paying attention to their needs in clinical education plays a significant role in quality improvement of the basic sciences course curriculum according to the viewpoints of students.

Applying new cooperative methods in instruction has multiple effects on learning. Therefore, this study was implemented with the aim of investigating the effect of research circles method on improving student's communicational skills, attitude toward research and performance in action research. This quasi-experiment study with control group and pretest-posttest design was performed in 2010-11 academic year. The study population included all students in Shahid Maghsudi Teacher Training Center which where two 44-student classes were selected with purposive sampling method. The experimental action (Research Circles Method) was randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The attitude toward research questionnaire, the communicational skills questionnaire, the action research plans’ evaluation checklist and the action research test were used as data collection tools. Research circles method was implemented in 12 sessions. Results were analyzed by ANCOVA and independent T-test using SPSS 18 software. Research circles had significant positive effect on communicational skills (F=7.89, p=0.001), attitude toward research (F=7.23, p=0.01) and the action research applying score (t=3.18, p=0.003), but had reverse effect on theoric action research score (t=2.33, p=0.024). Research circles method is a new method with multiple effects on students’ development. Therefore, higher education systems are suggested to apply such methods for gaining quality.

Since computer programming is one of the most important courses in computer science, for selecting better teaching methods and performing better student guidance, professors must know that what mental abilities have higher effect on learning this course. This research was carried out with the aim of analyzing the relationship between the programming grades of computer students and their creativity and metacognitive skills. This multiple correlation study was performed in 2010. 200 computer students of Islamic Azad University of Mobarakeh were selected by stratified random sampling method. The CREE and O' Neil & Abedi metacognitive tests were used to measure students’ creativity and metacognitive skills. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, multivariate regression, Pearson correlation, different T-tests and Chi-square test by SPSS 12 software. Students’ metacognitive skills had significant relationship with their academic level (p=0.01), but creativity didn’t have this significant relationship (p>0.05). Creativity (p<0.001) and metacognitive skills (p<0.05) had significant positive relationship with the students’ programming scores. Students’ programming grades had significant relationship with gender and academic level (p<0.05). Computer professors should take appropriate teaching methods in order to increase students’ creativity and metacognitive skills as a tool for better programming learning, instead of emphasizing more review and exercise, because the development of these mental factors has positive effect on independent and self-organized learning of the students.

Since efficiency improvement in service organizations is one of the features of today’s developed societies, evaluating the function of higher education systems is of great importance. The aim of this study was to measure the efficiency of higher education institutions of Sirjan. This descriptive retrograde study was carried out in Sirjan in 2010. The research population was all 6 higher education institutions within the city of Sirjan. The Data Envelopment Analysis technique and the Malmquist Total Factor Efficiency Index were employed to measure the efficiency and variables such as the number of academic staff, number of graduates, number of courses offered in the education sector, number of library books, number of workshops and laboratories, number of research plans and books and articles in the research sector were taken into account. The data envelopment analysis and DEAP2 software were used for the measurement of amounts and the Excel software was used for information organizing. The total factor efficiency mean in research sector was 0.989 indicating a decrease of 1.1% in efficiency within the studied period. The total factor efficiency mean in the education sector was 1.312 indicating an increase of 31.2% in efficiency within the studied period. On the whole, the total factors efficiency shows a decreased efficiency in the research sector of Sirjan’s higher education institutions that can be mainly due to technological changes and the total factors efficiency in education sector shows efficiency improvement that can be largely due to managerial efficiency changes.

In order to meet organizational productivity, high quality and effective training of the employees seems critical. Based on this fact, this study was carried out with the aim of investigating the assessment pattern of virtual education in the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Compan y. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in 2010. 144 managers and staff of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Compan y were selected by stratified random sampling method. The main data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire designed based on professionals’ research tools. Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and one-sample T-test using SPSS 11 software. Technical and technological, social and cultural, educational, legal and administrative and strategic and economic components were all effective and acceptable factors for the assessment of virtual education. All of the pattern components were in acceptable condition for the implementation of virtual education, except for the strategic component. Implementing virtual education is beneficial in technical and technological, social and cultural, educational, legal and administrative and economic fields in the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Compan y.

The statistics of unemployed university graduates represent an inappropriate relationship of higher education curriculum and industry field and careers and potentials that exist in industries. This reveals the lack of necessary specialties in the industries and increasing of educated unemployed people that do not have necessary skills. Competency-based curriculum development is a strategy that can be beneficial for students and professionals and develop basic competences and provide knowledgeable professionals for employment in the industry and consequently reduce the number of unemployed graduates and increase the effectiveness of higher education and industry. This review article was written with the aim of describing the position of competency-based curriculum.

Few researches performed in the field of graduates’ employment in Iran have shown that the curriculums of higher education haven’t been much of a success in flourishing and reinforcement of competencies required in different fields and this leads to the waste of expenditure and efficacy reduction due to lack of competency. Competency-based curriculums can be used in order to train competent graduates. Those who develop curriculums must pay attention to the fact that curriculums must be designed in a way that can create and reinforce essential competencies in graduates for providing their success both in occupational and personal life.

Service-based learning connects educational philosophy and pedagogy with intentional learning. Service -based learning is posed as an educational innovation with a wide range of educational activities from nurseries to universities. In this strategy, students learn and develop through active participation in organized service experiences and their personal and social skills, social responsibility and problem solving skills develop. This strategy leads to the student’s academic progress, being away from traditional training and increased interaction between nursing faculties and the community. This subject poses the necessity of cultural changes in nursing faculties. T his review article aimed at the effects and various aspects of service-based learning and along with reviewing the resources based on service-based learning strategy, the concept, implementation steps, usefulness and multiple aspects of this method were also studied.

The use of service-based learning is growing in universities and the nursing faculties have the largest contribution in applying this approach in education. It is essential that different levels of nursing students gain systematic training in the field of active learning methods, including service-based learning, in a way that the need for research in this filed won’t be forgotten along with conversance with this method and applying it.