Iranian Distance Education

The Instructional design plays a key role in the effectiveness of various educational courses. Studies have shown that the Instructional design is one of the key factors that affect the quality of e-learning courses; however, not enough attention has been paid to the instructional design for designing and implementation of e-learning courses. As a result, we face courses and programs which lack quality. Therefore, exploring the effective components of e-learning designing in the literature and offering an e-learning instructional design for higher education was the purpose of this study. To this end, the study used a systematic review and some keywords related to the instructional design were searched for in scientific databases. After reviewing the articles, 33 studies, conducted between 2015 and 2019, were reviewed. The findings showed that needs analysis, content analysis, learner analysis, instructional principles and strategies, learning environment design, electronic content development, messages design, guidance and support, and assessment and evaluation were the primary components affecting the effectiveness of e-learning. Finally, having reviewed and analyzed the results, examined their relevance to the instructional design, and taken into account the experience of authors in the field of e-learning, a framework was proposed for e-learning instructional design, hoped to be utilized by researchers and e-learning   practitioners.  

Although social softwares are interactive and communication tools that play an effective role in the field of learning and teaching, unfortunately, the interactive educational method using web2 tools is a new approach in Iran. In the other hand, the learning management system used by many virtual universities to improve the learning and learning process of students has some shortcomings and problems. According to research conducted by researchers, the combination of a learning management system and a social software in universities has reduced many of these constraints. The purpose of this research is to provide a model for utilizing social soft wares in a learning management system. In this regard, the research strategy is to provide a research model and validate it. This research is applied in terms of purpose, and in terms of information gathering, it is a descriptive survey. The data gathering tool was a researcher made questionnaire. Sampling method is targeted judgment. Therefore, by reviewing the literatures, first, the capabilities of various social softwares (wiki, blog, social networking, podcast and tag) were identified in the field of learning and education and a model for using these softwares in each module of the learning management system in order to overcome some of the problems caused by these systems in virtual universities were provided. Then, the proposed model was approved by a survey of 15 experts in the fields of e-learning and communications and media. Based on the findings of the analysis of the collected data, the use of various social softwares in the LMS modules was confirmed and ranked in importance.

In the last decade, the tendency to use Blended learning across the globe has grown steadily due to its benefits and attributes, and to address the weaknesses of e-learning and face-to-face Instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Blended Learning based on Gardner's multiple intelligences on students' learning and to compare it with the face-to-face approach. The study population included all students enrolled in Tehran Farhangian University of Primary Education. This quasi-experimental study was carried out with pretest-posttest with  a control group in the academic year of 2016-2017. A total of 40 female college students participated in this study. They were selected by the available sampling method and randomly divided into two groups. Data collecting tools was a questionnaire of multiple intelligence profiles with 80 items, a questionnaire measuring the level of learning by comparing pre and post-test. Both experimental and control groups trained in eight 90-minute sessions. The control group was taught using face-to-face traditional Instruction and the experimental group along with Blended learning and network-based learning, went under Blended Instruction based on multiple intelligences using articulate engage software with educational media (text, audio, image, animation and video). To design learning activities, learners were grouped according to their predominant intelligence, which was measured through the multiple intelligence profile. In both groups, the pre-test and post-test were the same academic achievement. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 19 software. Findings of the research indicate that the level of students' learning in the experimental group has significantly increased in comparison with the control group after having participated in the Blended Learning based on multiple intelligences

This research aimed to study the relationship between learning styles among two groups of electronic and traditional students in PAYAM NOOR University and its relationship with the satisfaction. The research method was descriptive and co relational research. The study population included all male and female master students of electronic (virtual) (N=1400) and traditional (N=1600) courses of PNU in 1395-1396.Using Cochran formula, the estimated sample size of students for traditional and electronic courses were equal to 310 and 302 respectively (totaled 612). The sample size was selected by stratified random sampling method with proportional assignment. In order to collect data, Kolb (1999) learning styles questionnaire and Bahrani and Jokar (1378) critical student satisfaction questionnaire were used. For both, traditional and electronic groups, between learning styles (convergent, divergent, assimilator and accommodator) and satisfaction, there was a significant relationship. The results showed that in the traditional course converging, diverging, assimilator and accommodator styles have the highest relationship with the academic satisfaction. In electronic courses, divergent, assimilator, and convergent styles have the most relation to academic satisfaction. The study of the status of learning styles in the electronic group showed that the convergent learning style with (14.57%), has the least frequency, divergent with (30.79%) has the highest frequency, the assimilator style has (28.14%) and the accommodator has (26.49%) frequency. Regarding the status of learning styles in the traditional group, convergent and accommodator style have the least frequency and the assimilator learning style has the most frequency. In terms of quality assessment, most students were not satisfied with the traditional courses and in contrast, the electronic group had more academic satisfaction.  

The present study was based on research findings designed to identify the characteristics of an independent learner in a distance education system and to develop a standardized test to measure the characteristics and skills of an independent learner in a distance education system with e- learning. Based on the theoretical foundations of the research and the background of previous studies, while identifying the characteristics of an independent learner, a tool was developed under the name of “Independent Learner’s Characteristics Test (ILCT) in the distance education system with e-learning”, and the reliability of the factors of each item in the tool was measured and standardized using the exploratory factor analysis method. The present study, also, discussed and scrutinized the development and standardization of ILCT. The present study is an applied research which uses both field and documentary methods. It was carried out with a mixed method with quantitative and qualitative strategies. In order to develop and standardize ILCT, the characteristics of motivation, intelligence, and emotional intelligence were selected and evaluated as necessary characteristics of a learner from among other characteristics using the Delphi method according to the views of experts and professionals of educational and cognitive psychology sciences. Data on each characteristic was collected using available standardized questionnaires2. The questionnaires were prepared electronically in the form of a “temporary website of the questionnaire” and the website URL was provided to the virtual students of the Payame Noor University. A total of 452 postgraduate e-students studying at Payame Noor University of Iran answered the questions. The results were analyzed using SPSS (21.0), STATISTICA (8.0) and LISREL (8.7) softwares using an appropriate statistical method. In the end, the final test based on extracted results and standardization of the items was introduced under the name of “Independent Learner’s Characteristics Test (ILCT) in the distance education system with e-learning” for use by learners, teachers, planning authorities, content producers, etc. in distance education systems

Assessment of function is considered as an important strategic process in organizations. Using assessment of function with a consistently implemented viewpoint causes upgrading and improving the response of executive agencies in government section and also increasing public confidence in the performance of organizations. It helps the efficiency and effectiveness of the government too. Assessment of function is based on a balanced scorecard model for implementation of virtual training centers' strategies was the purpose of this survey research. A stratified random sampling method with a proportional volume allocation technique was used to achieve the goal. The statistical population of this research with 350 persons includes available staff working in the centers of Kerman province in 2017 and the sample size was estimated 184 persons by using the Cochran formula. Data collection was done using documentary and field methods. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to measure each of the components of the research. According to experts, research was confirmed validity and reliability of the questionnaire using Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated 0.81. The statistical method is a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Examination of hypotheses showed that there is a direct relationship between the implementation of the BSC and the related factors (learning, innovation, and competence), (financial), (internal process of S) with organizational performance. But there was no relationship between performances of the agent (more satisfaction). The overall results showed that the implementation of the BSC model has a direct relationship with organizational performance.