Journal of Iranian Distance Education
Volume:1 Issue: 1, Summer 2017

The main purpose of this research is to explore various countries experiences about developing blended learning system in distance education universities. Blended learning, as a third wave in developing learning environment, has become commonplace after the resident and e-learning environments in universities. The goal of this movement is improving learning qualities, extending the boundaries of education and decreasing educational costs. In this study, a qualitative approach and a comparative method were used. The qualitative method was used to understand the social contexts of distance education universities and comparative approach was applied to compare universities in terms of observable categories. Among 17 distance mega universities in the world, four universities, including Indirah Gandhi National Open University in India, Anadulu Open University in Turkey, Open University of China (OUC), and Alberta Open University in Canada were selected using purposeful sampling. The data collecting tool consisted of a checklist that was prepared with emphasis on 10 categories of social and cultural features of the countries including general situation of public and higher education, distance education, policies related to blended learning, learning management system, content development and presenting method, learning activities and resources, support system, interaction systems, teaching and assessment method, and evaluation system of learning quality. The required data were also collected through note taking procedure from sites of universities and related articles and books. For data collection and analysis, George Brody's four-step method (Description, Interpretation, Proximity, and Comparison) was used. At first, required data was gathered from articles, university web sites, and interaction with informed people through note taking. Next, data were interpreted after continuous review with regard to university social and cultural contexts. In the third stage, data was organized and categorized based on similarity and differences and then were compared. Results showed that each four universities uses British open university framework in organizational structure. Each university included blending learning in their system based on their polices. Along with self-learning textual content, the universities started providing electronic content and designing learning activates with using ICT possibilities, while the Athabasca University emphasizes on individual and group learning activities. In each four universities, using educational TV as a learning aid is common place. Support services system in each university is Commensurate with social and cultural conditions. Online synchronous and asynchronous teaching is part of teaching activities in each university, but its quality is different. Learning assessment in different in four universities, but formative and summative evaluations are emphasized in all universities. Quality assurance system in Athabasca and OUC is based on PLAR, in Anadolu University based on the Bologna scheme, and in Indirah Gandhi, based on Council of Higher Education. In this research, for developing blended learning in Payame Noor University, a framework is provided at the end.

Textbooks are the most important forms of media in open and distance universities. As a result, they should have features that enable the distance learners to attain in-depth learning without the presence of an instructor. This study aims to design a comprehensive model for open and distance university textbooks through analyzing the textbook concept using the hybrid model. In the initial stage, a review of literature up to 2011 was done (119 cases) using several databases. Then, a field study was carried out by assessing 2 textbooks from open universities of England. Finally, data collected from the two previous stages were analyzed and evaluated, using Strauss and Corbin's method, and a proper model was proposed for open and distance university textbooks.

This study aimed at evaluating the elements of electronic curricula in the Humanities Department of Islamic Azad University. The statistical population of this descriptive survey consisted of all students (4515) and professors (287) of electronic learning of Islamic Azad University. Sample of the study included 354 students and 164 professors who were selected using stratified sampling method with Cochran formula. The research instrument was two researcher-made questionnaires consisting of 59 items based on 5-Likert scale for teachers and students, whose validity and reliability were confirmed. Results showed that, in general, respondents evaluated the current state of the elements of goals, contents, and learning activities better than other elements, while, to them, there was a gap between the current and desirable states of the elements of the curricula. This gap is particularly visible in some elements such as learning materials and grouping.

Distance education pedagogy to be successful requires teachers with different levels of computer, information, and multimedia literacy. Teacher's computer literacy has caught considerable attention due to the great opportunities provided by modern technology for promoting language education. The present study explored computer, information, and multimedia literacy of 255 Iranian EFL teachers. To collect data, we developed and validated Computer, Information, and Multimedia Literacy Questionnaire for EFL Teachers (CIM-LQ for EFL Teachers), a five-point Likert scale questionnaire containing three sections to examine the participant's responses. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. The findings revealed that the level of EFL teacher's multimedia and information literacy ranged from low to moderate which necessitates improving teacher's training courses and preparing them for implementing technologies in real language teaching contexts. The findings have implications for both teacher education programs including both pre-service and in-service teacher training courses and EFL teacher's practice.

This research is conducted aiming to study the relationship of self-directed learning, information technology and communication, and educational motivation with entrepreneur curriculum in distance education. This research is practical, quantitative, and descriptive - correlational (non-experimental) study. Target population of this research included all 550 female students of smart secondary schools in Esfahan city in Academic year of 2016-2017. Using Morgan formula, 225 research samples were selected through clustered sampling method from regions 2, 3, and 5 of Education Administration of Esfahan city. Library and survey methods were used for data collection. The instruments included researcher made questionnaires about entrepreneur curriculum of distant education, educational motivation, self-directed learning, and ICT. The validity of questionnaires was confirmed by ten professors and experts in this field and its reliability was calculated through alpha Cronbach that was 0.73. For analyzing data, SPSS software, version 21, was used to present descriptive and inferential statistic. The results showed that self-directed learning, ICT, and educational motivation have positive significant relationship with entrepreneur curriculum of distance education. It also shows that all of three variables of self- directed learning, ICT, and educational motivation are important in preparing entrepreneur curriculum. Educational motivation have maximum importance with β= 0.43 and information technology has minimum importance with β= 0.23.

The present study aims at investigating the efficacy of blended learning in distance education on educational performance of 7th grade secondary school students in the lesson of art in Gonabad city. The research method is quasi experimental with post-test, pre-test and control group design. The statistical population consists of all female students in the 7th grad secondary school in Gonabad city who were studying in the academic year of 2016-2017. The research sample was 58 participants selected through available sampling and assigned into two experimental and control groups who were homogeneous based on educational achievement. The experimental group was given instruction based on blended learning system and the control group was under traditional teaching style. The pre-test of educational performance of the lesson of art was performed on both experimental and control groups and after 12 instruction sessions in blended learning to experimental group, the post-test of educational performance in art was administered among both groups. The results were analyzed using Covariance Analysis in SPSS software. The findings indicated that the educational performance of experimental group in Iranian painting, designing applicable objects based on fruit and flower patterns, new ideas and new pattern of objects, and educational performance in regular design textures have been enhanced and there was a significant difference between educational performance of experimental and control groups in art lessons with a higher achievement of experimental group.