درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

On the northern shore of the Persian Gulf, not far from the coastline of Bandar-e Dayyer (Dayyer Port) in Bushehr Province, remains of a large archeological site can be seen in the form of dense piles of the rubble as well as architectural remnants scattering over ​​approximately 27 hectares, which is known as Bardoo. The remaining and main parts of the site are located in the south and southeast of the city of Bardestan, between a road leading to Bandar-e Dayyer and the western flank of salt marshes on the west bank of huge Bay (xowr), located about 2200 meters from the coastline of Bandar-e Dayyer itself. Archaeological excavations at this site reveal three periods, ranging from Parthian to the early Islamic era. 

The Territorial conquests of the Medes, as Far East as Hyrcania, could be traced from the first half of the seventh century BC onwards. The first Median kings undertook far-flung campaigns to take control of the region and extend their territory. The existence of the fortified settlement in the Gorgān plain could prove the expansion of centralized Median kingdom as far as Hyrcania. The Assyrian sources of the 9th to 7th century BC are also in overall agreement with the results of the archeological studies in the western steppe of Gorgān plain (Hyrcania). As a result, the Median’s dominance over Hyrcania determined the strategies and political guidelines of the Median kingdom and set the foundations for its transformation from a confederation of tribes to a powerful trans-regional state. Accordingly, in the present paper, beside historical and literary sources, archaeological evidences have also been studied in order to determine the Median’s range of territory in the east of their homeland.

The Persian writing system is characterized by features such as the optional omission of short vowels (diacritics) and obligatory letter connectivity, which may increase its orthographic complexity. This study investigated the impact of this inherent complexity on working memory capacity and cognitive load during reading. A within-subjects design was employed with 45 skilled adult Persian readers. Participants read texts under two conditions: (a) Vowelized (with full diacritics) and (b) Non-Vowelized (standard script). Working memory capacity was assessed using a reading span task administered after each condition. Cognitive load was measured via a self-report 9-point Likert scale and a dual-task paradigm (secondary reaction time task). Eye-tracking metrics (fixation duration and regressions) were also recorded. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of script type. Reading non-vowelized texts resulted in significantly higher cognitive load scores (p < .001), longer reaction times in the dual-task (p < .01), and poorer performance on the reading span task (p < .01) compared to the vowelized condition. Eye-tracking data showed significantly longer average fixation durations (p < .05) and a higher number of regressions (p < .01) for non-vowelized texts. The findings indicate that the orthographic complexity of standard Persian script, primarily driven by short vowel omission, imposes a significant additional demand on working memory resources and increases cognitive load during reading. This suggests that visual word recognition in Persian is less automatic and requires more top-down processing, potentially affecting reading fluency and comprehension efficiency. Implications for educational practices and reading models are discussed.

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether metacognition mediates the relationship between self-regulated learning strategies and problem-solving skills among upper-secondary students in Khorramabad. Self-regulated learning and problem-solving are recognized as essential for academic achievement, yet many students have not fully developed effective strategies in these areas. Method: A descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling was employed. The sample consisted of 384 secondary school students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using three standardized instruments: the Self-Regulated Learning Strategies Questionnaire, the Problem-Solving Inventory, and the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire—Adolescent Version. Reliability and validity of the instruments were confirmed prior to analysis. The study tested the direct effect of self-regulated learning on metacognition and the mediating role of metacognition in problem-solving. Results: The results indicated a significant direct effect of self-regulated learning strategies on metacognition (β = 0.357, t = 5.785) and a significant indirect effect on problem-solving through metacognition (β = 0.528, t = 13.855). The measurement and structural models demonstrated strong psychometric properties, with satisfactory factor loadings, composite reliability, and goodness-of-fit indices, confirming the stability and robustness of the observed relationships. Conclusions: Findings confirm that metacognition serves as a key mediator in transmitting the influence of self-regulated learning strategies to problem-solving performance. The results underscore the importance of developing educational programs that simultaneously enhance self-regulatory and metacognitive skills to improve students’ problem-solving abilities and academic outcomes. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, reliance on self-report measures, and the focus on one city, suggesting directions for future longitudinal and multi-context research.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a multisensory educational intervention based on the Fernald method on the information processing speed of elementary school students with processing speed deficits. Method: This applied research used a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. The population included all third- to sixth-grade students in public schools in Kerman during the 2024–2025 academic year. After screening with the Processing Speed Index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fifth Edition (WISC-V), 30 students were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received the Fernald multisensory intervention over one and a half months, consisting of 15 sessions of 45 minutes each, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS 26. Results: After controlling for pretest scores, MANCOVA indicated a significant difference between groups in posttest information processing speed scores (F = 96.52, p < 0.01). The adjusted mean of the experimental group (M = 105.72) was higher than that of the control group (M = 84.67), and the effect size (η² = 0.598) indicated a strong intervention effect. Conclusion: The Fernald multisensory intervention effectively enhances information processing speed in elementary students with deficits in this domain. By simultaneously engaging visual, auditory, tactile, and motor modalities and leveraging neural plasticity, it provides a practical, evidence-based strategy for improving core cognitive functions in educational and rehabilitation settings.

Objective: Academic boredom, as one of the key negative emotions in educational environments, particularly in mathematics, can lead to numerous effects. The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the model of mathematics academic boredom based on metacognitive strategies and goal orientations, mediated by academic procrastination, among high school students. Method: This research was descriptive in nature and employed path analysis. The statistical population included all female high school students in public schools in Tehran during the academic year 2024-2025, from which 400 individuals were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data collection tools included the Academic Boredom Questionnaire (Pekrun et al., 2002), Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (Bouffard et al., 1995), Goal Orientations Questionnaire (Bouffard et al., 1998), and Academic Procrastination Questionnaire (Solomon & Rothblum, 1984). The data were analyzed using path analysis in SPSS 24 and AMOS 2024 software. Results: The results indicated that the proposed model has a good fit. metacognitive strategies (β=-0.13) and mastery goal orientation (β =-0.29), performance goal orientation (β= 0.19), and avoidance goal orientation (β= 0.05) had a direct and significant effect on mathematics academic boredom. Furthermore, academic procrastination mediated the relationship between goal orientations and academic boredom. Conclusions: These findings can inform the design of effective educational interventions to reduce academic boredom, emphasizing the strengthening of metacognitive strategies and promotion of mastery goal orientations as key self-regulatory tools. Such approaches not only mitigate academic procrastination but also enhance overall motivation and academic performance.

This research investigates the interaction between leadership styles and managers' self-efficacy on teachers' psychological empowerment and creativity using a neural network approach. It is a descriptive-correlational study applied to the teachers in Iranshahr city during the 2024-2025 academic year, with a population of 1,800 individuals. A sample size of 317 was determined using Krejcie and Morgan's table, and 310 completed questionnaires were analyzed. Four established questionnaires measured the variables: Leadership Style (Bass and Avolio, 1969), Managers' Self-Efficacy (Bandura, 1986), Psychological Empowerment (Spreitzer, 1995), and Creativity (Amabile, 2001). Validity was confirmed by expert opinions, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, yielding values of 0.92, 0.83, 0.77, and 0.79, respectively. Hypothesis testing employed variance-based structural equation modeling and a multi-layer perceptron neural network, implemented in SMARTPLS 0.4 and SPSS27 software. The neural network model featured three input layers, one hidden layer with two units, and two output layers. The hyperbolic tangent function determined the hidden layers. The training model error was 0.19, while the test sample error was 0.07. The study confirmed the impact of leadership styles and managers' self-efficacy on teachers' psychological empowerment and creativity, with a coefficient of determination of 63%, indicating a significant explanation of creativity influenced by independent and mediating variables. The mediating role of self-efficacy was fully confirmed.

This study explores the rationale behind the decision-making process for selecting educational applications (apps) from the perspective of parents, teachers, and students. The research utilized a qualitative, exploratory approach based on van-Manen’s interpretive phenomenological research to extract the selection criteria from the lived experiences of these primary mediation groups in the Iranian context. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 47 participants, including parents (N=15), students (N=16), and teachers (N=16). Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis of lived experiences. Finding show that parents largely relied on user ratings and developer descriptions as their main source of information. They demonstrated a restricted understanding of learning, often associating it strictly with school curricula (e.g., math, language). They prioritized features related to safety (e.g., age-appropriate, adult permission for purchase) and privacy. The least valued feature for parents was personalization, a feature highly preferred by students. Students often had a more unlimited understanding of learning (e.g., exploration and problem-solving). Teachers emphasized features related to content quality (e.g., avoiding mere textbook review, content accuracy). They also highly valued open-ended design that allows users to create their own content, and the availability of real-time, personalized assessment or performance analysis. Criteria most frequently referred to by teachers were content, assessment, access, and reporting. The least valued features were interaction and cooperative learning. The findings reveal a gap in selection priorities: students and teachers prefer manipulable and constructive apps that offer open-ended and personalized structures, while parents favor instructive apps aligned with the school curriculum.