فصلنامه نوآوری های آموزشی
پیاپی 31 (پاییز 1388)

This evaluation project was performed to evaluate the ability of fifth elementary grade students in reading the Quran (accuracy and speed). The main questions of the study were as follows: 1 – How the students perform regarding Quran reading accuracy? 2 - How the students perform regarding Quran reading speed? The sample consistd of 2500 students (boys and girls). They were selected using multistage random sampling from among 212 schools (12 students from each school). The schools were selected from 20 educational districts of the center of the provinces,13 urban and 17 rural educational districts.Data were collected using 4 tests on reading speed and accuracy. Major research findings were as followsAverage score of fifth grade students in reading phrases and verses of fifth grade Quran textbook and Quranic verses and phrases out of the textbook, with reducing 0.25 of score for each reading error, was 14.5; based on reducing 0.5 score for each reading error, was 9 and based on reducing 1 score for each reading error, was zero (0) (based on 0-20 scores).If we consider the performance up to 75% as the criteria for good performance, about 52 percent of students gained the desired score and obtained the desired learning outcome. It should be mentioned that based on the research findings, about %5 of total students become fluent readers. Comparing the performance of bilingual students with monolingual ones (just Farsi speakers), using the statistical analysis, it became clear that there was significant differences in their reading speed and accuracy to the benefit of monolinguals. And comparing the student's performance according to their sex, it became clear that female outperformed the males.

The current study investigated the role and application of ICT in primary school curriculum from the viewpoint of teachers and experts engaged in curriculum planning and educational technology in Tehran. The research aimed at examining the role and application of ICT in determining goals, developing and selecting the content, teaching and learning methods and the process of primary school curriculum evaluation.The current study was a survey research. The participants consisted of 120 primary school teachers of Tehran who were selected by cluster sampling, as well as 30 experts on curriculm planning & educational technology, selected via access sampling from universities of Tehran along with Educational Research and Planning Organization. All participants answered a researcher-made questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was computed using Cronbach Alfa and its valididty was determined using content validity.The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency table, percentile frequency graph, cumulative frequency).The findings suggested that ICT can be used in determining and developing the objectives and content proportional to the needs and interests of learners, the needs of society and everyday life. Moreover, ICT provides the possibility of individual learning, using active teaching methods, various types of assessments, question analysis, assessment tools & results and comparing educational progress of students among different schools.Furthermore, the ICT provides teachers with the ability to communicate their ideas about programs and content of the courses with each other.

The aim of this research is to identify the components of the application of Information Communication Technology (I.C.T) and to investigate barriers on the application of it in Iran's education system. Having a look at the theoretical basis and the research literature, we identified the components of the application of Information communication Technology (I.C.T) using the questionnaire of ICT component evaluation. The questionnaire consisted of 229 items and after assuring its validity and reliability, necessary information were collected from the sample including 434 people (109 managers and 325 employees).The research was carried out using descriptive–survey method. The data has been analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as factor analysis, correlation test, percentage and mean by Spss software. With regard to the barriers on the application of Information Communication Technology, we identified 16 factors, out of identified factors after examining test score differences (the differences of scores between the real status and the desired status). Also, by emphasizing the theoretical basis of the draft model, a model was designed. Then questionnaire no. 2, based on the above mentioned factors, has been designed and using retest method its reliability has been % 91.According to the evaluation, in general, %86 of the persons have given a score greater than 5(from7) for proportionality rate of the model. Therefore, it can be said that the model was unanimously verified.

Literacy development is one of the central objectives of educational planning and has developed increasing significance in recent decades. In part, the emphasis on literacy has grown out of a perception that literacy is fundamental to contemporary economic systems and that economic development depends on the provision of adequate levels of literacy to a wide segment of the population. In response to such goals for literacy, educational planning has traditionally taken the form of determining how to inculcate literate capabilities in as wide a segment of the population as possible. The key planning dimension of education, then, has been to determine first, the definition of literacy and second, how best to provide as much literacy training as possible within the resources available to the country. Literacy has many different definitions. These definitions are influenced by the "autonomous" and "ideological" approaches to literacy. The "autonomous" approach to literacy disguises the cultural and ideological assumptions that underpin it, so that it can then be presented as though they are neutral and universal. On the other hand, the alternative, ideological approach to literacy, offers a more culturally sensitive view of literacy practices as they vary from one context to another. This approach posits that literacy is a social practice, not simply a technical and neutral skill.In this paper, the theoretical approach underlying the definition of literacy in the curriculum of two developing country (Indonesia and Senegal), four developed country, i.e., America (the state of New Jersi), Canada (the state of Alberta), England and Singapore, and finally the curriculum of Iran is discussed. We tried to clarify that the curriculum of these countries especially Iran's are to what extent influenced by the "autonomous" and "ideological" approaches to literacy.

The main purpose of this study was to survey the "cultural and psychological background of society" and "the student's capability" to learn English" at elementary level of education. In this study, descriptive–survey method was used. The sample was computed using Cochran formula. It consisted of 314 secondary school's English teachers who were selected through random classical sampling method, from four cities (Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Kerman). To access deeper information, 10 experts including university professors in English language, curriculum studies and psychology from the same cities were interviewed. They were selected via purposive sampling method. The data was collected using a 60 item researcher-made questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The face and content validity of questionnaire and interview questions was determined using the specialist's views and the reliability of the questionnaire was estimated 0.89 using Cronbach's Alpha method. To gather the data, two methods were used: quantitative (a researcher-made questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interview). A group of experts assessed content validity of the questionnaire and the interview questions. Reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.89.The interview data were analyzed using categorization method, and the questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (including frequency, percentile, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics such independent sample t-test, ANOVA, post hoc Tuckey test and shared sample t-test. The results indicated that from the teachers and expert's point of view, the "cultural and psychological background of society" and "the student's capability to learn English language" is more than average. In other words, there is both "cultural and psychological background" and "enough capability" to learn English in elemntary level of education.

The purpose of this research was to study social science textbooks of primary schools based on teaching social skills to students. In addition to the analysis of the contents of the above mentioned textbooks, the researcher tried to benefit from the viewpoints of teachers. The research population included:1) Primary school's social textbooks (grades 3, 4 & 5), in which civil education section is selected and analyzed, 2) the teachers of primary schools (831 teachers) working in two districts of Orumiye. The sample which consisted of 262 teachers was estimated with Cochran formula. The research instrument for collecting the teachers’ views were questionnaires developed based on Likert scale. Also, the social skills presented in the above mentioned textbooks was investigated using the researcher-made checklist of social skills. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and post hoc sheffe test.The results showed that the amount of social skills available in social science textbooks was totally at a middle level & lower than middle. The number & percent of social science categories at the third-grade textbooks were more than the forth- grade one and the number & percent of the above mentioned categories in both textbooks were more than the fifth-grade textbooks. The sequence & consistency-which are the two principles of content organization- are appropriately considered regarding the social skills presented in the above mentioned textbooks. Most of the teachers believed that the content of social science textbooks is not proportional to the time allocated to teaching them. The pictures available at social science textbooks were at average level. Also, the amount of pictures at third-grade textbook were more than that of the fourth-grade and in third and fourth-grade textbooks were more than that of the fifth grade textbook. In general, third-grade teachers believed that the contents of social science textbook allocated to third-grade could help the third-grade students to learn the social skills, however, fourth and fifth-grade social science textbooks do no help the students to learn social skills as good as the previous textbook.

This paper is an attempt to identify and rank the factors affecting employee's organizational commitment in Yazd education departments. The research method was descriptive – survey. The research population consisted of Yazd education departments employees from whom, 116 persons were selected using random sampling method. In this way, using the expert's views and Delphi technique, thirty five indicators that affect employee's organizational commitment were identified and classified into four dimensions. Then, the MADM techniques such as AHP and TOPSIS were used to rank these factors.The findings showed that organizational/ managerial factors are the most important factors that affect Yazd education department employee's organizational commitment. Also, there has been some suggestions to improve the organizational commitment of Yazd education department employees.