نشریه اسلام و پژوهش های تربیتی
سال هفدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 33، بهار و تابستان 1404)

Due to its significant importance in drafting the “Fundamental Transformation Document in Education” and, consequently, its impact on organizing and reforming the education system in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the “Theoretical Foundations of Fundamental Transformation” requires continuous scrutiny and revision. This article reviews the definition and objectives of education outlined in this document—framed as the "quiddity" (nature) and "reason" (rationale) of education—and highlights the deficiencies that need re-evaluation and correction. The study employs both internal and external critique as its methodological approach. The key shortcomings in the "quiddity " of education include ambiguity and methodological flaws, overlap in key conceptual definitions, and vagueness in the concept of identity. In the "reason" for education, major deficiencies are the use of inappropriate terminologies, ambiguity in the ultimate goal of education, lack of clarity in the overall objective, absence of criteria for articulating intermediate objectives, failure to document sources and reasons for intermediate objectives, unclear linkage between intermediate objectives and the overall goal, and the incompleteness of intermediate objectives.

Inferring the stages of moral education from religious texts is an important component of moral education in Islamic teachings and requires specific rules and principles. Among these principles, the criterion of logical sequence plays a key role in formulating and deriving these stages. This study mainly deals with the rules governing the inference of moral education stages based on logical sequence criteria from the perspective of Allameh Misbah Yazdi, a prominent theorist in Islamic ethics. Using the descriptive-analytical method and library resources, this research seeks to address this issue through a thorough examination of Allameh Misbah Yazdi’s works and logical reasoning. It is concluded that the rules for inferring moral education stages with a logical sequence criterion are as follow: 1. Logical precedence of virtuous actions after removing obstacles; 2. Logical precedence of insights, inclinations, and actions; 3. Logical precedence of ethical acts over faith; 4. Logical precedence of spiritual cultivation over physical training; 5. Logical precedence of self-improvement over self-knowledge.

The aim of this study is to analyze the challenges of religious education and its validation in the school system. The mixed method is used in this research. In the qualitative phase, the participants included experts and professionals such as educational supervisors of the "Religion and Life" course for upper-secondary schools, officials in charge of the Quran and Itrat (Prophet’s Household) programs, school principals and vice-principals, selected through purposeful sampling. The participants’ perspectives were analyzed through semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the challenges of religious education include weak educational policymaking, ineffective ethical and emotional educational atmosphere, overly idealistic and inflexible goals, misalignment with students' needs, inactive and impractical educational programs, deficiencies in explanatory and implementation methods, teachers' shortcomings in personality traits, specialized knowledge, religious beliefs, professional expertise, and commitment, as well as poor management of virtual spaces. To validate the findings, a researcher-developed questionnaire was used to survey the perspectives of "Religion and Life" teachers from upper-secondary schools in five provinces of the country. The majority of the identified components were confirmed.

Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study aimed to explore teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of the challenges in teaching the Quran to first-grade elementary students during the 2022–2023 academic year. The target group included parents and teachers from Yazd, selected through criterion-based purposeful sampling, with 17 teachers and 4 parents participating. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed via Colaizzi’s seven-step technique. During initial coding, 212 open codes were generated, which were reduced to 103 codes through condensation. The identified challenges were categorized into 4 main themes and 19 sub-themes. Challenges related to the design and development of the Quran textbook with 8 sub-themes, shortcomings in the implementation of the Quran curriculum with 5 sub-themes, challenges arising from the inherent nature of Quran as a subject with 3 sub-themes, and sociocultural and belief-related challenges with 3 sub-themes. The findings suggest that addressing challenges related to promoting Quranic culture in society requires collaboration with cultural institutions and synergy among governmental bodies.

Following the Islamic Revolution, there emerged a need for transformative change in universities. Despite the implementation of diverse policies, this transformation has yet to materialize, as Iranian universities continue to align with global frameworks. This is evidenced by international rankings which implicitly show that not only the structure of universities but also their academic and research activities adhere to global standards. Conversely, the ineffectiveness of universities in addressing societal challenges has drawn criticism, even from academics, with some describing the current state as a "crisis of higher education." Using the broad definition of science in the Islamic culture, which encompasses modern disciplines, in this article, we propose the idea of an "Education-Centered University." This model aims to revolutionize Iranian universities by reorienting their existing structures and activities with minimal systemic disruption. This study introduces the idea of education-centered university which is grounded in complex systems theory.

This study aimed to present a model for cultivating children’s thinking based on Islamic epistemology within the Philosophy for Children program. The qualitative method and content analysis were utilized in the research. Data collection instruments included systematic literature reviews and semi-structured interviews. To determine the validity of the questionnaire, content and construct validity were assessed, while Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability were used to measure reliability. The results confirmed the instrument’s validity and reliability. Data analysis was conducted through thematic analysis using MAXQDA software, encompassing basic, organizing, and global themes. Findings showed that cultivating children’s thinking in P4C, grounded in Islamic epistemology, comprises 159 indicators, 32 components, and 7 dimensions including 1. Moral development of the child and understanding value-based issues, 2. Fostering rational, logical, and rational thinking, 3. Intuitive and philosophical perspectives, 4. Enhancing political and economic understanding 5. Advancing epistemological and ontological comprehension 6. Disciplining and educating the child, and 7. Understanding theology. The model also emphasizes creating an open environment for discussion and critique, encouraging questioning and deep thinking, presenting Islamic philosophical issues in simple language, promoting critical thinking and multifaceted understanding, and nurturing abstract thinking abilities.