نشریه مطالعات آموزش و یادگیری
سال شانزدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 86، بهار و تابستان 1403)

In this study, the researchers attempted to identify the key factors that influence the learning motivation of gifted adolescents, based on constructivism’s philosophical assumptions and epistemological thinking. Due to the increasing trend of gifted students joining the group of gifted underachievers, and with the increased use of non-adaptive strategies of motivational regulation in facing challenging experiences, such as choosing extreme and far-fetched standards, self-evaluative and self-serving bias, and also the tendency to use a wide range of self-harm behaviors in gifted students, trying to understand the determinants of learning motivation from the perspective of gifted learners is of great importance. Based on what was said, the identification of educational motivations or components that form the structure of learning motivation from the perspective of gifted learners can be prioritized for several reasons. First, despite the multiplicity of theories focused on the motivation of academic progress in learners, the constructivist verification of learning motivation in the context of giftedness provides an opportunity to find out whether it is still possible to create motivational structures that were previously not supported by theories. Second, if according to the available evidence, one of the most determining bases explaining the phenomenon of gifted underachievement has a motivational nature, understanding the learning motivation in gifted students is of fundamental importance to address the sources of motivational nutrition of the said phenomenon.

In this study, the thematic analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data obtained from interviews with 30 gifted adolescent boys. The mean and standard deviation of their ages were 16.5 and 0.5 years, respectively, and they were selected using a non-probability targeted sampling method. In this study, a semi-structured interview was used to collect data. In qualitative research, the sampling process continues until subsequent interviews do not add more information to the previous information accumulation and the researchers witnesses the repetition of the same data patterns. In this study, the sampling process continued for up to 30 gifted learners, and after that, the researchers witnessed the theoretical saturation of the data. In general, in this study, it was ensured that in preparing the interview protocol, most of the questions were based on the concept of motivation to progress or motivation to learn in gifted people. Therefore, a total of 12 questions were designed and asked to find out about the sources that provide the learners' progress-oriented efforts and what was effective in specifying the movements aimed at their motivational profile.

From the rich and deep description and interpretation of the existing theoretical and experimental background as well as interviews with gifted learners, 139 primary codes were extracted, which were summarized in eight basic themes. The results of the thematic analysis procedure distinguished two macro-conceptual and explanatory groups of motivational indicators: those derived from a quantitative focus in educational philosophy and those derived from a qualitative focus in educational philosophy (i.e., development concerns). Part of the effort of the gifted students in pursuing their academic concerns is reflected in the framework of conceptual markers such as extrinsic and non-self-directed motivation, non-selfdirected motivation, causal attributions of non-conformity focused on low expectations, poverty in sufficient self-belief, and insecure significant other experience. The textual analysis of the interviews with the gifted learners showed that the most basic components forming the semantic body of the simple conceptual layer of the influencers of the qualitative motivational philosophy included internal motivation, mastery-oriented goal-selection, adaptive attributions, and the secure significant others. According to the findings in this section, basic indicators of motivational structures centered on motivational quantification include combinations of characteristics such as non-process orientation, result-oriented thinking, fear of failure, non-self-directedness, and, in many cases, unidirectional thinking. The most important platforms for a qualitative (developmental) approach to motivation were identified as process-oriented thinking, multidimensional thinking, learning orientation, commitment (willingness), inherent overvaluing of effort, motivational persistence, and emotional regulation.

 Discussion and Conclusion:

In conclusion, the emphasis on the conflict between these two abstract approaches centered on indicators of learning motivation in gifted adolescents implicitly supports the determining role of their social context, which reinforces their basic psychological needs. In other words, the emphasis on the conflict between two opposing philosophies, which is critical to understanding and identifying the indicators of gifted adolescents' learning motivation, realistically implies a distinction between the roles of social environments that encourage quantitative and qualitative concerns. The results of this study, by emphasizing themes such as intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, mastery and performance orientations, adaptive and non-adaptive causal attributions, and secure and insecure significant others, provide additional evidence in defense of the functional characteristics of contemporary motivational theories such as self-determination theory, attribution theory and development goal theory in the field of psychology studies and gifted education

It is essential to focus on the growth of children, who are significant human assets, during their educational development. A key aspect of this development is social-emotional growth (Khajapour Firouzabadi et al., 2014; Nadipour & Aghamohamadi, 2021; Zeinali Dehrajbi & Ashori, 2022). Socialemotional competence and school adjustment are vital indicators of children’s development (Behnam, 2019; Denham et al., 2009; Fathi et al., 2015). Defined by Malti and Perren (2011), social-emotional competence comprises skills that allow individuals to meet their needs while considering others’, with subcategories including self-awareness, social awareness, relationship management, responsible decision-making, and self-control. This competence contributes to school adjustment (Alwaely et al., 2020), which measures students’ success in adapting to the school environment, encompassing social, emotional, and academic components (Chen et al., 2019). Studies demonstrate that social-emotional competence and school adjustment are crucial for children’s performance, well-being, and quality of life. Teaching social skills is one educational method to enhance these areas. Social skills involve behaviors like cooperation, responsibility, empathy, self-restraint, and selfreliance. An indirect method of teaching social skills is through the arts, which can effectively communicate educational content due to their beauty, abstraction, and child-centered nature. Artistic activities not only allow self-expression but also foster acceptance, competence, adaptation, and skill strengthening (Zat Levineh & Khalesi, 2016). Despite various art education approaches, many experts favor the disciplinebased art education (DBAE) approach (Ghaffari et al., 2017; Kazempour et al., 2008; Mehrmohammadi, 2014). DBAE posits that art should be an independent curriculum subject, aligning with student development and ensuring learning tasks are meaningful. This study employed the DBAE approach to assess its effectiveness in promoting social-emotional competence and school adjustment. Given the significance of evaluating educational programs on children’s development, this study aimed to determine the impact of DBAE-based social skills instruction on enhancing social-emotional competence and school adjustment in elementary students. The tested hypotheses were: 1. DBAE-based social skills teaching positively affects primary students’ social-emotional competence. 2. DBAE-based social skills teaching positively influences primary students’ school adjustment.

The study employed a quantitative experimental approach, utilizing a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The research population comprised all school-aged children (8-12 years old) in Tehran’s 11th district in 2022. A sample of 36 girls and boys was selected by convenience sampling method from a community center in the same district. Participants were matched based on social skills, age, and gender, then randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=18) or the control group (n=18). The instruments used in the study included the Gresham and Elliot (1990) Social Skills Questionnaire (parent and child versions), the Zhou and Ee (2012) Students’ Social-Emotional Competence Questionnaire, and the Sinha and Singh (1993) Students’ School Adjustment Questionnaire. Over the course of two months and ten days, the intervention group participated in a group training program focusing on social skills through an artistic approach, spanning 21 sessions. The control group did not receive any training.

Data analysis was conducted using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance via SPSS-21. The univariate analysis revealed that, after controlling for pre-test effects, the educational intervention significantly impacted the total scores of both the social-emotional competence and school adjustment variables. Postintervention, the experimental and control groups exhibited significant differences in these areas. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis, considering the discriminant eta squared for each subscale of social-emotional competence and school adjustment, confirmed that the observed changes were attributable to the independent variable. Thus, the instruction of social skills through an artistic approach markedly influenced the components of social-emotional competence and school adjustment.

This study explored the impact of (DBAE) on enhancing social-emotional competence and school adjustment in elementary students. The findings indicate that the DBAE approach to social skills training significantly improved students’ social-emotional competence, including selfawareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship management, and responsible decision-making, as well as school adjustment, encompassing social, emotional, and academic dimensions. Addressing the first hypothesis, it appears that DBAE not only fosters artistic skills but also strengthens social-emotional competencies due to the creative and expressive opportunities it provides. This approach has been positively evaluated for its effectiveness in enhancing these competencies and facilitating the creation of art. As per Teodoro et al. (2005) and Short (2006), social skills acquisition is central to social development, relationship building, interaction quality, mental health, and social-emotional competence. These skills lead to positive social interactions, disciplined behavior, timely conversation initiation, and adaptability. Regarding the second hypothesis, the artistic approach to teaching social skills has proven to enable students to better understand themselves and others, heighten their environmental and interpersonal sensitivity, and foster a cooperative atmosphere. This conducive environment promotes collaboration (Arefi Sheikh et al., 2022), supporting the study’s scientific rationale for the DBAE approach’s effectiveness in improving students’ social-emotional competence and school adjustment.

In recent years, educational researchers have consistently highlighted the significance of non-cognitive factors in shaping students’ academic behaviors, with a particular focus on the role of motivational constructs. Among these, interest stands out as a distinctive motivational variable that denotes an individual’s preferred engagement with specific objects, such as topics, activities, or ideas. This engagement manifests both as a transient psychological state and a more enduring predisposition towards these objects. The person-object theory of interest posits that interest develops through continuous interactions between the individual and their environment. Interest is categorized into situational interest, which is a temporary state of focused attention and emotional response triggered by immediate environmental stimuli, and individual interest, which is a persistent preference for certain content areas. Individual interest typically evolves from situational interest. Both forms of interest are known to positively affect attention, cognitive performance, and emotional response, with individual interest having more lasting impacts (Luo et al., 2019). Consequently, this study aims to examine the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the academic interest scale, specifically tailored for adolescents studying mathematics and Farsi. Research Questions: We propose the following hypotheses building upon prior research: 1. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) will confirm a four-factor structure for the Farsi version of the Academic Interest Scale for Adolescents (AISA), paralleling the findings of Lou et al. (2019). 2. The Pesrsian version of AISA will demonstrate significant correlations with the Brief Regulation of Motivation Scale (Kim et al., 2018) and the Motivational Persistence Scale (Constantin et al., 2012), indicating convergent validity. 3. The Farsi version of AISA will show adequate internal consistency reliability, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha.

This descriptive survey research comprised two studies. In the first, 350 adolescent girls completed the Academic Interest Scale for Adolescents in Mathematics (Luo et al., 2019) and the Brief Regulation of Motivation Scale (Kim et al., 2018). In the second study, 350 adolescent boys responded to the Academic Interest Scale for Adolescents in Farsi and the Motivational Persistence Scale (Constantin et al., 2012).

Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-18 and AMOS-18. Initially, the data were scrutinized for normality, outliers, and multicollinearity. Univariate outliers were identified through Z-scores in SPSS, revealing no anomalies. Skewness and kurtosis were within acceptable limits, with no values exceeding the cut-off points of 3 and 8, respectively, indicating normal distribution. Multicollinearity was assessed through Tolerance (TOL) and Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) indices, with all TOL > 0.10 and VIF < 3, confirming its absence. Confirmatory factor analysis affirmed the four-factor structure of the Academic Interest Scale for Adolescents (AISA), encompassing emotion, value, knowledge, and engagement. Furthermore, significant correlations between academic interest dimensions and both motivational regulation and persistence validated the criterion validity of the Farsi version of the AISA.

The findings of this study align with those of Luo et al. (2019) and Wininger et al. (2014), reinforcing the four-factor structure of emotion, value, knowledge, and engagement within the academic interest scale for adolescents. This consistency provides robust support for the theoretical underpinnings of the scale and empirically bolsters the interpretative scope of the four-phase interest development model proposed by Hidi & Renninger (2006). Additionally, the observed correlations between the dimensions of the academic interest scale in mathematics and Farsi subjects with motivational regulation and persistence further substantiate the scale’s criterion validity. However, the study is not without limitations. The sample, comprising adolescents from Iranian junior high schools, may restrict the broader applicability of the findings. Future research should endeavor to validate the four-factor interest model of the AISA across a more diverse array of participants, including younger children, older adolescents, and adult learners. Moreover, subsequent studies are encouraged to investigate the factorial invariance of the AISA among different gender demographics. In conclusion, while acknowledging the study’s limitations, the results affirm the theoretical framework of the four-phase interest development model. They demonstrate that the Farsi version of the academic interest scale for adolescents is a valid and comprehensive instrument for assessing the academic interests of Iranian students across various disciplines

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to fundamental changes in all dimensions of personal and social life worldwide. Countries closed schools, and education continued in virtual settings to control the spread of the disease. The absence of students from schools had adverse effects on their skill development as schools are places where children can enhance their social skills (Tarkar, 2020). Social isolation (Ingram et al., 2021), loss of friendships, feelings of stress and anger (Akdoğan & Ergin, 2022) were among the other consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes raised concerns among parents, teachers, school principals, and educational policymakers about a decline in students' social competence (Çelik, 2021) for parents, teachers, school principals, and educational policymakers. Furthermore, there has been a growing interest in the concept of social competence as an important determinant of students' mental health in recent years. Therefore, investigating the physical, psychological, and behavioral changes in children and adolescents after the end of quarantine conditions is essential for a better evaluation of their mental health and for planning potential interventions.

This study employed a qualitative type and was conducted with a postphenomenological approach. The research population consisted of all teachers in Mashhad during the academic year 2021-2022. The sampling method was purposive and homogeneous. Ultimately, 20 teachers from the research population were selected as the sample, determined based on the theoretical saturation of the data. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative content analysis with Krippendorff's method (1980/2013). Validity and reliability were ensured through 1) member checking, and 2) triangulation (researcher consensus). To ensure transferability, a comprehensive description of the participants and the methodology was provided so that users could determine whether there were sufficient similarities between the new conditions and those under which this study was conducted, allowing them to decide whether to generalize the results. Efforts were made to increase confirmability by ensuring that the researchers' prior assumptions did not affect the results and the data were systematically coded.

Based on the analysis of the interviews, teachers indicated that changes in students' social competence encompassed areas such as social-communicational skills (110), cognitive strategies (105), behavioral skills (56), motivation (36), and emotion regulation (20). Interpersonal communication emerged as a significant change in students after the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers mentioned issues categorized as "reduced interpersonal skills", "non-compliance with class and school rules", "reduced respectful relationships", "diminished teamwork skills", and "increased isolation". Interviewees also reported that student interactions with classmates and parents increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, which was classified under "increased academic interactions." According to the participants, students' cognitive skills also changed after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the post-pandemic period, students' knowledge and technology skills increased, along with improvements in self-regulation, selfawareness, adaptability, and appreciation for teachers. However, teachers, noted that learners exhibited inappropriate academic behavior, and lower critical thinking and creativity since the COVID-19 pandemic. Behavioral skills represented another outcome in this study. According to the interviewees, students tend to be more assertive, exhibited daring behavior, become more dependent on mobile phones and virtual spaces, and relied on parents for class exams during the post-pandemic period. They appeared are more self-centered, less resilient, and more likely to choose lying over honesty. Motivation was another component reflecting changes in students' competence. Interviewees reported that learners displayed less motivation for learning, experienced low self-esteem during the post-pandemic period. Additionally, there was a noticeable decrease in motivation for social interaction and communication. Altered emotion regulation was another finding of this study. According to participants, students could express various emotions but struggled to control their emotions well in the post-corona period.

In examining the research question, teachers outlined changes in students' social competence in the post-pandemic period, which were classified into five themes. These themes are consistent with the findings of global studies. The "interpersonal communication skills" theme is an important change in students after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the results, there has been a decrease in interpersonal relationships among students. This finding alighn with research conducted by Lee and Son (2021). Teachers attributed this decrease to insufficient school attendance and reduced eye contact and fewer conversations with teachers and peers, whichdiminished opportunities for communication. The "cognitive strategies" theme correspond with the findings of Felner et al. (1990). Furthermore, Panda et al. (2021) report that mobile phones became the primary means of acquiring and transmitting information during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in students' technological knowledge and skills beyond the curriculum. Although academic performance has declined, learning has shifted towards various content fields. The "emotion regulation" theme, as another component of social competence (Felner et al., 1990), aligns with the category of emotion dysregulation (Rogowska et al., 2020). Undoubtedly, contracting the virus and losing loved ones have evoked various emotions in children. The fear of contracting the virus has created anxiety in children (Imran et al., 2020). Teaching students to manage these emotions to mitigate potential effects on learning is a post-pandemic challenge. The "behavioral skills" theme represents another dimension of social competence, as reported by Felner et al. (1990). Di Pietro et al. (2020) argue that the shift toward remote learning has resulted in behavioral changes among students and exacerbated the unequal distribution of behavioral problems. In the "motivation" theme, academic demotivation is the most significant change among students, as noted by Di Pietro et al. (2020). Many learning activities that used to be conducted in groups have been eliminated or carried out only with family members, leading to a lack of motivation among first to third-grade elementary students who have not experienced preschool or the early years of schooling in a traditional setting. The "emotion- regulation" theme, as another component of social competence (Felner et al., 1990), aligns with the category of emotion dysregulation (Rogowska et al., 2020). Undoubtedly, contracting the virus and losing loved ones have evoked various emotions in children. The fear of contracting the virus has created anxiety in children (Imran et al., 2020). Teaching students to manage these emotions to mitigate potential effects on learning is a post-corona challenge

The technological revolution and the resultant surge in employment opportunities have heightened the appeal of university education as a means to broaden knowledge and enhance income. Consequently, higher education institutions are compelled to elevate the caliber of their offerings and pedagogy to secure a competitive advantage and draw a larger student body. Over the past decade, the pursuit of quality within higher education has emerged as a pivotal concern (Prisacariu, 2015), with a discernible pivot from quantity to quality gaining momentum (McCowan, 2018). It is thus imperative to scrutinize the quality systems within universities and higher education institutions by dissecting the dimensions and factors that shape these systems and their interrelations. Such an analysis is crucial for managing the dynamic shifts impacting these systems and for mitigating qualitative deficiencies and challenges through strategic foresight and policy development. This study endeavors to craft a model for this purpose at Shiraz University employing Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM), aiming to bridge the structural research gaps in this domain and to support policymakers.

The study was structured into qualitative and quantitative phases. In the qualitative phase, a systematic review utilizing the Prisma tool was conducted to pinpoint factors influencing the education quality system. Subsequently, semistructured interviews with three experts in higher education quality were carried out, enriching the existing knowledge base. The emergence of recurring variables from the third expert indicated the attainment of theoretical saturation. In the quantitative phase, the content validity of the identified factors was evaluated using Lawshe’s content validity ratio (CVR). Upon analysis of 12 completed questionnaires, factors scoring below the minimum CVR index value of 0.56 were discarded (Lawshe, 1975). Finally, the structural interconnections among the dimensions influencing the education quality system were examined, leading to the development of a Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM) framework.

The review of literature on education quality from 2000 to 2021, following the Prisma protocol, led to the selection of 38 pertinent articles for content analysis. Complementing this, expert interviews were conducted, resulting in the identification of 26 factors influencing higher education quality. These factors were validated through Lawshe’s content validity ratio (CVR), with those scoring below the threshold being excluded. The study’s findings distilled 10 critical dimensions impacting the education quality system: individual characteristics, professors’ ability and skills, professors’ attitude and behavior, students’ attitude and performance, university employees’ behavior, education quality standards, growth opportunities and community engagement, technologybased requirements, library services, educational physical space, and curriculum and educational-research structure. These dimensions collectively form a comprehensive framework for assessing and enhancing the quality of education in higher education institutions.

The pivotal role of technology-based requirements emerged as the foundational dimension within the education quality system, as delineated by the TISM model. This research distinguishes itself from prior studies by endeavoring to construct a multi-tiered model that elucidates the factors affecting educational quality and their interrelations. The primacy of technology-based requirements in shaping educational quality underscores the need to prioritize this dimension to cultivate an optimal education quality system. Given the centrality of technology-based requirements in this study, it is advocated that the integration of information and communication technology in higher education be considered a core strategy. This strategic focus should guide the development of specific educational policies aimed at bolstering the quality of education.

Counterfactual thinking is a concept in psychology that involves the human tendency to create possible alternatives to life events that have already occurred- something that is contrary to what actually happened. Counterfactual thinking is, as the term suggests "counter to the facts”. These thoughts consist of the "What if?" and "If only..." scenarios that arise when connsidering how things could have turned out differently. Counterfactual thoughts include things that, in the present, could not happened because they depende on events that did not occur in the past. In other words, counterfactual thinking is a cognitive process that considers alternative possibilities for an event or behavior in the past. Counterfactual thinking has adaptive significance for humans as it allows us to learn from past past negative experiences and to avoid negative outcomes in the future. If individuals can consider another outcome based on a different path, they may choose that path in the future to avoid the undesired outcome. The past cannot be changed, but similar situations may occur in the future, thus we view our counterfactual thoughts as learning experiences. For example, if individuals have a poor job interview and thinks about how it might have been more successful if they had responded more confidently, they are more likely to respond more confidently in their next interview. Similarly, when a car accident occurs a driver might think "if only I had pressed the brake faster". The act of contemplating different outcomes can help trigger memories of past events that were successful, enabling individuals to adjust their behaviors in the future. These thoughts assist in understanding the past and predicting future outcomes. Counterfactual thinking begins with a trigger that initiates the thought process and requires significant cognitive effort as the thinker imagines alternate scenarios. This type of thinking tends to have a strong effect on emotions. Research hypotheses: The current study was conducted with the aim of designing an educational package and assessing the effectiveness of the Instructional Package of Cognitive Emotion Regulation based on Counterfactual Thoughts on DecisionMaking Styles. In line with this goal, the following hypotheses were examined: 1. The educational package possesses the necessary validity to influence counterfactual thoughts. 2. The educational package possesses the necessary validity to influence counterfactual thoughts.

In terms of purpose, this study falls under the category of applied research, and in terms of implementation, it is classified as quasi-experimental. The design used in this study was a pre-post-test design with a control group. The Package of Cognitive Emotion Regulation based on Counterfactual Thoughts was considered the independent variable, while Decision-Making Styles served as the dependent variable. The research population comprised all undergraduate students of Yasuj Farhangian University in the academic year 2022-2023. Two separate classes were selected through available sampling and randomly assigned as the experimental group (15 participants) and the control group (15 participants). Both groups were evaluated with a pre-test. Initially, necessary explanations were provided to the members of both groups regarding how to answer the questions, and informed consent was obtained from them. After conducting the pre-test in both groups, the intervention began. The experimental group received the Package of Cognitive Emotion Regulation based on Counterfactual Thoughts program over 12 sessions, with each session lasting 90 minutes. Following the completion of the 12-session intervention, both the experimental and control groups were evaluated with a posttest in the same manner as the pre-test. MANCOVA was used to test the hypothesis regarding the effectiveness of the Instructional Package of Cognitive Emotion Regulation based on Counterfactual Thoughts on the Decision-Making Styles of Yasuj Farhangian University students. Additionally, ANCOVA was employed to determine the effect of the Instructional Package on different Decision-Making Styles (rational style, dependent style, avoidant style, intuitive style, spontaneous style). To test the hypotheses, SPSS-24 software was utilized.

The results of MANCOVA analysis indicated that the instructional package possess suffecient validity. Furthermore, the instructional package could improve the effective rational style and reduce the avoidant and spontaneous styles.

According to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that cognitive emotion-regulation trainning based on counterfactual thoughts can be used to improve decision-making styles of university students.

Given the global experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational systems worldwide have transformed in recent years with the emergence and expansion of hybrid learning alongside traditional and virtual learning. Accordingly, this study aimed to qualitatively elucidate the aspects of expanding virtual education in primary education and to design a hybrid learning model, seeking answers to the following questions: According to teachers, parents, and primary school principals and vice-principals, what factors affect the quality retention of virtual education opportunities and the transition to hybrid education? What factors play contextual and intervening roles? What are the strategies and consequences of implementing these strategies to achieve the central phenomenon of developing hybrid education? Research

This qualitative study used a grounded theory approach based on the causal paradigm model. Data were collected using structured interviews and focus group discussions and were analyzed using Corbin and Strauss's systematic approach. Participants included two groups: teachers, school staff, and parents, who had at least one year of virtual teaching and activity in the second stage of primary school during the COVID-19 era. From the volunteer parents, contact was made with 22 parents, of whom 12 were unable to participate in the study due to their or their family's illness with COVID-19 or due to life and work commitments. Ultimately, eight parents participated in focus group sessions, and two parents were interviewed semistructurally by phone. Parent focus group sessions were held in two 90-minute sessions, one in person and one virtual. The researchers then formed a focus group of teachers, in March 2021 to gather new experiences from teachers and parents in the second year of virtual education, six months into the academic year. Both sessions were held in person and virtually. The in-person session lasted 180 minutes, while the virtual session lasted 75 minutes, with education experts and teachers in attendance. The organization of focus groups and interviews continued until theoretical data saturation was achieved after four focus group sessions with teachers and mothers and eight qualitative interviews, which took nine months to reach theoretical saturation.

The data collected from the interview texts were analyzed using the MaxQDA software for greater accuracy and speed of data analysis. Initially, open coding was performed, then primary concepts and core codes were extracted by aligning the initial codes, and finally, the main categories were formed in selective coding from the relationship between the core codes of the previous stage. From the systematic analysis of the interview data, 833 open codes and 192 primary concepts (core codes) were extracted. Of these, six main categories were identified as causal factors that participants considered to affect the retention of virtual education opportunities and the transition toward hybrid education. According to the study's participant groups, professional, skill, organizational, human-communication, and family factors were identified as intervening conditions in maintaining and expanding virtual education opportunities toward hybrid education. Infrastructure and socioeconomic factors formed the contextual conditions. The central phenomenon in this study is the retention and expansion of virtual education opportunities towards hybrid education in primary school. Strategies, actions, or counteractions taken to control, manage, confront, and respond to the central phenomenon were also identifed.

This research aimed to design and present a developmental model for maintaining and expanding virtual education opportunities toward hybrid education in primary school. In this study, five key strategies were mentioned by participants for expanding and utilizing hybrid education while preserving the advantages of traditional and virtual education: 1- Infrastructural and technological development; 2- Training of hybrid teachers; 3- Proficiency enhancement in class management and hybrid education design; 4- Improving technological and media literacy of parents and students; and 5- Enriching hybrid education with human communication. Practical suggestions from this study include designing and implementing special educational programs and packages for teachers and school staff that help improve their communication, educational, and technological competencies. The primary goal of these programs is to encourage teachers not to limit themselves to reproducing the traditional face-to-face instructional model in virtual and hybrid education and to apply educational innovations in line with the new educational scenario based on their acquired competencies. Additionally, designing and implementing programs, educational packages, courses, and group sessions specifically for parents can help improve their communication, educational, and technological competencies. These actions aim to create opportunities for active and effective parental involvement in their children's academic progress and constructive interaction with schools and teachers in the new hybrid education scenario.

Creativity has been recognized as a critical skill for success in the 21st century. In today’s world, creativity is not just limited to artistic expression but is essential in problem-solving, innovation, and entrepreneurship. As a result, educators have been exploring ways to promote creativity in their students (Scott-Barrett et al., 2023). Teachers play a crucial role in promoting creativity in their students. They are responsible for creating an environment that fosters creativity and providing opportunities for students to develop their creative skills (Hill, 1992; Kozbelt et al., 2010). However, if teachers lack an understanding of creativity, they may not be successful in fostering it. Therefore, it is important to explore teachers' beliefs and practices regarding creativity to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face in promoting creativity in their students. Assessing creativity is a challenging task as it is a complex concept that cannot be easily defined or quantified (Runco, 2014). Creativity involves producing something new or original that has value. It is not just limited to the arts but can be seen in various fields, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In this study, we aim to investigate the beliefs and practices of experienced and novice English language teachers regarding assessing creativity in their students' writing skills.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the beliefs and practices of experienced and novice English language teachers regarding assessing creativity in their students' writing skills. We used a qualitative research method. To that end, a descriptive narrative design was employed, and autobiographical narratives of ten English language teachers (4 experienced and 6 novice) were collected and analyzed. We analyzed the autobiographical narratives through deductive-inductive thematic analysis. Moreover, we addressed the credibility, transferability, and dependability of the study.

The findings showed that experienced and novice teachers had different beliefs about assessing creativity in their students' writing skills. Experienced teachers believed that assessing creativity is important and identified elaboration, fluency, flexibility, and originality as crucial elements. However, their performance did not align with their beliefs. They did not provide enough opportunities for their students to develop their creative skills and did not use creative methods in their classrooms. On the other hand, novice teachers also believed that creativity should be taken into account, with elaboration being the most important element. However, their performance did not match their beliefs. They did not have enough knowledge or experience in promoting creativity in their students.

The lack of alignment between teachers' beliefs and practices suggests that there is a need for more education and training in the field of creativity education. Teachers who are familiar with creativity principles and have gained experience in this field are more likely to use creative methods in their classrooms (Scott, 2015). By providing teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills, we can create an environment that fosters creativity and helps students develop their creative skills. We conclude that there is a need for more education and training in the field of creativity education. By providing teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills, we can create an environment that fosters creativity and helps students develop their creative skills. Therefore, the educational system should familiarize teachers with the concept of creativity, the general methods of assessing it and the techniques for applying creativity, especially during teacher training courses and in-service programs.

The engagement of students in mathematics is a complex issue, often hindered by their self-belief and misconceptions about the subject. Research has highlighted the significance of “mathematical beliefs” - a subtle yet influential factor in students' learning experiences. These beliefs, far from being transient, intensify over time, shaped by various experiences. Hence, it is crucial to address them from an early age. Since mathematics is a staple in educational curricula worldwide, the associated beliefs are ingrained in students' minds from the onset of their schooling and evolve as they progress to higher grades. The elementary school period is critical for the formal formation of beliefs, underscoring the need for extensive research during this phase. However, studies focusing on the beliefs of Iranian elementary students are scarce. Beliefs are continually molded within the teaching and learning context, particularly when students encounter challenging problems. Recognizing the importance of students' beliefs in this process, this study seeks to uncover the beliefs of fourth-grade students regarding mathematics problems. This grade level was selected due to the relative stability of beliefs compared to earlier grades. Additionally, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) targets this grade, providing a rich source for exploring students' beliefs and perceptions during problem-solving. To navigate the subjective nature of beliefs and the challenges of direct questioning, especially among younger students, this study employs “metaphors” as a tool to unearth the deeper, often concealed perceptions of students. The research aims to decipher the metaphorical perceptions of fourth-grade students, both male and female, about mathematics problems, thereby contributing to a better understanding of their approach to the subject. Research Question: What are the metaphorical perceptions of fourth-grade male and female students about mathematics problems?

This study aimed to investigate the metaphorical perceptions of fourthgrade students about solving mathematical problems, employing a descriptive - analytical method. The research population comprised fourth-grade students from Shahrekord, with a sample of 361 students—184 boys and 177 girls—selected via random-cluster sampling. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, which included three problems from the released TIMSS 2019 problems. At the end of each problem, there was a question pertaining to the students’ viewpoints. During the questionnaire administration, students were asked to solve the mathematics problems and express their views on these problems through metaphors. Initially, the responses to the questionnaire were examined, and the metaphors provided for all three mathematics problems were categorized using qualitative content analysis. To assess the reliability of the study’s results, Holsti’s reliability formula was applied, resulting in a reliability coefficient of 0.84. Finally, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency tables and percentages, and inferential statistics, such as the chi-square test, in SPSS-27 software.

Upon analyzing the students’ metaphors and their explanations, categories such as “easy,” “enjoyable,” “requiring effort and high intelligence,” “practical,” “annoying,” and “difficult” were identified. These categories reflect the diverse perspectives of the students. For instance, some students provided metaphors that fell into the “enjoyable” category, indicating their pleasure in solving mathematics problems. Others offered metaphors categorized as “requiring effort and high intelligence,” suggesting that they view solving these problems as necessitating both intelligence and effort. Additionally, there were metaphors that conveyed negative beliefs and discomfort with the problems, which were placed in the “annoying” category. The findings revealed that the “difficult” category was more frequently mentioned than others for each problem. Moreover, students who associated with negatively connoted categories generally exhibited weaker problem-solving performance. The chi-square test results showed a significant difference between the metaphor categories of girls and boys. The insights from this study can be valuable for educational planners and mathematics teachers.

The relationship between students’ mathematical beliefs and their performance is mutually influential. If negative and incorrect views about mathematics become entrenched, they can lead to adverse outcomes. Moreover, altering these beliefs is a slow and arduous process. Since mathematics is a fundamental component of various academic curricula and is applicable in numerous other subjects, erroneous beliefs about mathematics can hinder individuals’ performance and progress. Therefore, understanding these beliefs is beneficial for educational planners and mathematics teachers, aiding them in adopting more suitable approaches to instruction.

The art of questioning is considered as the most effective tool in the field of education. If questions are used appropriately and at the right time, they can be useful everywhere for all situations and all types of learning (Sajadieh & Tusian Khalilabad, 2017). Today, what can be observed in the educational systems is that despite accepting the assumption that thinking opens the way for education, there is not much desire to encourage students to question and think (Shabani, 2008, cited in Keyvani Hafshejani, 2012). A research entitled "Identifying Family Barriers to Student Questioning in Primary School" by Hayati et al. (2018), has been done in which he states that the factor of "not encouraging children to ask questions and not accompanying them in scientific matters" is one of the most important family obstacles affecting primary school students' questioning. In another study conducted by Chin and Osborne (2008) under the title "Students' questions: a potential resource for teaching and learning science", The results showed that the students' questions can help them monitor their learning, explore and frame their ideas, guide their thinking in certain directions. Based on such contexts, the main goal of the current research is to analyze the challenges facing philosophical questioning skills among student teachers. Therefore, this research sought to answer these questions: 1. What are the views of student teachers about the challenges of learning the skill of philosophical questioning in student teachers? 2. What solutions are there to overcome this challenge from the point of view of student teachers?

Since the current research is practical in terms of purpose and qualitative in terms of approach. Therefore, according to the purpose and questions, the method of thematic analysis according to the method of Braun and Clarke (2006) and the semi-structured qualitative interview tool and available sampling were used. The field of research included female and male student teachers in the third and fourth semesters of Farhangian University in the campuses of Kurdistan province in the academic year of 1401-1400. The sample size includes 54 student teachers (33 women and 21 men) with an age range of 19-24 years, who were selected in the undergraduate course of educational sciences.

The findings of the obstacles of students' philosophical questioning plan include 10 themes, 20 categories and 48 concepts. A summary of this part of the findings is presented in Table 1.

The results show the challenges of philosophical questioning skills in student teachers one of the main obstacles to turning to philosophical questioning among student teachers is themselves. This, of course, is the result of several reasons. Among them, the complacency of the new generation in the shadow of unsatisfying growth, virtual space, fragmentation and of course superficial and unsubstantiated analyses. Also, the cultural and educational difference of families in how to deal with children's questions has a significant effect on their philosophical questioning during adolescence and youth. The findings from the solutions to overcome this problem from the students' point of view show that one of the basic solutions in finding skills in philosophical questioning is to strengthen basic skills. Other solutions mentioned include strengthening skills such as: creating equal opportunities for thinking, giving time to think about questions, creating a culture for questioning, etc. Therefore, the solutions are different according to the time and conditions in which the person is and although students lack the spirit and motivation of philosophical questioning; But this is something that can be addressed and requires a multilateral effort. In this regard, Ganji et al.'s research results (Ganji et al, 2012) are in line with some of our research results. Because both of them consider creativity to be one of the main forms of questioning, diversity and as a result deepening of the individual. Also, the result of the current research is almost consistent with Haynes' research (Haynes, 2007). Because it showed that students' participation in open questions leads to an increase in learners' self-esteem.

Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs in the world, and paying attention to teachers' motivation and job satisfaction, in addition to improving their job results, also affects students' academic achievement. Therefore, identifying the factors affecting teachers' job satisfaction and motivation is an essential issue for researchers in this field. According to the research literature, personality traits significantly impact motivation and job satisfaction, and perfectionism, a personality trait, has considerable potential in explaining these constructs. Stoeber and Otto (2006) proposed two opposing types of perfectionism, which were reiterated in this study using the similar concepts of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. Some emotional and motivational mechanisms involved in perfectionism, such as striving for perfection and mastering tasks in perfectionistic efforts, as well as fear of evaluation in perfectionistic concerns, have made the relationship between flow and perfectionism particularly interesting. Flow refers to a state in which an activity is performed by a person not because of external reinforcements or factors, but because of the activity itself. To enter a state of flow, there must be a match between the challenge presented and the individual's skills for that challenge; therefore, there is a semantic connection between flow and motivation. Additionally, since flow is a psychological state characterized by maximum optimism and satisfaction experienced during an activity, equating to complete immersion in work, it seems that flow can predict job satisfaction. Given this context, the job satisfaction and teaching motivation of teachers are crucial for the quality of education, improving educational outcomes, and the academic progress of students. Understanding the predictive factors of these two variables requires a broad and deep perspective. On the other hand, bivariate and linear relationships do not provide profound insights; therefore, it is necessary to investigate mediating variables using structural equation modeling to explore indirect relationships in this field. The general goal of this study is to investigate the mediating role of flow in the relationship between perfectionism and teaching motivation, as well as job satisfaction.

The present study investigates the structural relationships between variables using a correlational research design and the structural equation modeling method. The research population includes all primary school teachers in Yazd and Ashkazar cities who worked during the academic year 2020-2021. The minimum sample size for this study was determined using Cochran's formula, yielding 331 participants, while 374 individuals were selected through random cluster sampling. In this approach, 54 primary schools (23 schools from District One of Yazd, 21 schools from District Two of Yazd, and 10 schools from Ashkazar city) were randomly selected, and nearly all teachers from these schools participated in the study. The inclusion criteria were informed consent from the subjects, being a primary school teacher in Yazd and Ashkazar cities, and having access to virtual space, while unwillingness to participate was the exclusion criterion. The questionnaires were administered online through the Porsline website, ensuring that respondents could not leave any item unanswered. Ethical considerations included informing participants about the purpose of the study, ensuring the confidentiality of information, and providing complete freedom to participate or not. The participants’ average teaching experience was 11 years, with a standard deviation of 8.42 years. The sample consisted of 319 female participants (85%) and 55 male participants (15%).

The research model showed a good fit with the collected data, indicating that the proposed relationships between variables are supported by empirical evidence. The results of structural equation modeling indicated a relatively good fit for the model and demonstrated that flow mediated the relationship between the dimensions of perfectionism and job satisfaction. Additionally, flow mediated the association between the dimensions of perfectionism and teaching motivation. The results also revealed a significant relationship between the dimensions of perfectionism and flow. Regarding the relationship between perfectionism dimensions and teaching motivation, only perfectionistic concerns negatively and directly predicted teaching motivation. Furthermore, the dimensions of perfectionism did not directly and significantly predict job satisfaction. Overall, the results indicate that flow acts as a critical pathway through which the dimensions of perfectionism influence job satisfaction and teaching motivation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate a causal model regarding the mediating role of flow in the relationship between perfectionism dimensions, job satisfaction, and teaching motivation through structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that none of the dimensions of perfectionism could directly and significantly predict job satisfaction. Given that most participants in this study were women, it is possible that, according to the culture of Iran, women direct their perfectionism toward issues other than work-related matters, which may explain the lack of a direct relationship between these two variables. Additionally, the modeling results showed that perfectionistic concerns directly and negatively predict teaching motivation, while perfectionistic strivings do not directly predict teaching motivation. Based on the present findings, perfectionistic strivings positively predict flow, whereas perfectionistic concerns negatively predict flow, highlighting the significant mediating role of flow in the relationship between the dimensions of perfectionism and teaching motivation. In explaining these findings, it can be stated that the constant effort to achieve high standards—one of the indicators of perfectionistic strivings—contributes to the direct positive link between perfectionistic strivings and flow, as this is crucial for both constructs. Conversely, individuals with perfectionistic concerns are often preoccupied with others' evaluations of themselves, which contradicts the self-reflection and immersion in work necessary to experience flow. The positive relationship between flow and teaching motivation aligns with the theoretical foundations of flow and self-determination theory, suggesting that individuals enjoy the balance between skills and task demands and gradually set more challenging goals to maintain this state. By increasing the level of challenge, they expand their existing skills, and as individuals recognize their skill growth, they experience intrinsic motivation. According to the structural model of the research, the mediating role of flow is significant in the relationship between the dimensions of perfectionism and job satisfaction. In justifying this result, it can be argued that when a person experiences flow, they are cognitively efficient, deeply engaged, motivated, and experience a high level of pleasure and happiness. Thus, it seems logical that a person who experiences flow while engaging in an activity has a positive evaluation of that work and feels satisfaction. Given that this study employed a correlational design, causal inferences cannot be drawn. It is recommended that the model of this study be examined among teachers from different cultural contexts to enhance the generalizability of the results. These changes enhance clarity and readability while maintaining the original meaning and structure of your abstract.

The use of virtual education and digital tools in the teaching process does not automatically lead to the success of university education systems or the realization of educational goals; rather, it is the effective use of these tools that contributes to professors' effective teaching. Defining and measuring effective teaching is not an easy task because effective teaching requires two-way communication between the learner and the instructor. In order to teach, the instructor first pays attention to students' individual characteristics and growth levels, and accordingly, adopts teaching strategies. The literature review showed that higher education professors play a key role in the effectiveness of their teaching in the virtual space. This key role is initially observed by paying attention to students' wants and needs, and then by having knowledge of electronic tools and creating content. Therefore, examining university professors' opinions about the characteristics of effective teaching in virtual education is of paramount importance. Given professors' key role in holding virtual classes and their knowledge and understanding of the dimensions and components of effective teaching in virtual space, this study aims to identify the dimensions and skills necessary for effective teaching in virtual education based on the opinions of Tehran University professors.

The qualitative research approach with a descriptive phenomenological method was selected for this study. Accordingly, the data were collected and analyzed using the Giorgi method, a criterion-based purposeful sampling method, and semi-structured interviews with eighteen participants. Giorgi analysis is a precise, clear, and step-by-step method that has five steps: familiarization with the data, identification of semantic units, regrouping of semantic units into clusters, conversion of semantic units into descriptive expressions, and combining and integrating them. To improve the credibility of the study, member checking, peer debriefing, external audit, thick description, and prolonged engagement were employed.

The results of this study led to the identification and classification of four dimensions and twenty-one components to measure effective virtual teaching in universities. These include: 1) the individual dimension (with four components: a- the role of developers, b- the role of professors and their personality traits, c- the role of students and their personality traits, and d- individuals' professional development), 2) the skills, competencies, and abilities dimension (with eleven components: a- pedagogical skills of education, bteaching skills, c- developing skills, d- knowledge of using electronic content, etechnology skills, f- professors' specialized competence and ability, gcommunication skills, h- the skill of developing students' participation, ipsychological skills, j- the skill and ability to relate course materials to the needs of society and the market; the link between theory and practice, k- the ability to evaluate students in a virtual environment, k- classroom management skills), 3) the infrastructure, equipment, and facilities dimension (with two components: aprofessors' and students' lack of access to digital tools and b- high-speed, stable Internet), and 4) contextual factors in effective teaching (including four components: a- the timing of classes, b- the role of the family, c- rules and regulations, and d- attention to professors' and students' physical and mental health).

The findings emphasized the differences between the virtual platform and the face-to-face platform, the redefinition of the roles of developers, professors, and students in the virtual space, professors' and students' personality traits, the importance of professors' skills, competencies, and abilities, as well as the significance of infrastructure, equipment, facilities, and contextual factors. According to the results, it is suggested that professors use self-directed learning methods and professional learning groups based on cooperation and learning communities to improve their abilities in digital skills, digital literacy, digital thinking, technology, content production, and platform usage. Furthermore, in their teaching in virtual classes, professors should pay attention to creative communication and interactive methods, as well as the use of technological capacities to create psychological actions, especially enhancing learning motivation. They should also utilize digital facilities to provide feedback and assign various tasks to their students.