درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

In the digital economy era, the widespread use of smartphones has brought about new information security threats, increasing the risk of data leakage from personal devices. Digital literacy, defined as the skills and knowledge needed to navigate digital life effectively, offers new perspectives and motivation for safeguarding personal information security. This study investigates the relationship between digital literacy and smartphone users’ intention to protect their information security. Drawing on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and Technology Threat Avoidance Theory (TTAT), a theoretical model was developed to examine both the direct and indirect effects of digital literacy on users’ information security protection intentions. Questionnaire data from 372 smartphone users in China were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results reveal that digital literacy has a significant positive impact on users’ response efficacy, self-efficacy, and their intention to protect information security. Moreover, digital literacy influences protection intention indirectly through self-efficacy and response efficacy. However, perceived threat, although positively influenced by digital literacy, does not have a significant effect on users’ protection intention. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and businesses in promoting a secure mobile environment and provides practical recommendations for enhancing personal information security in the digital age.

Geopolitics is among the influential elements in the field of foreign policy. During the Pahlavi era, the country, influenced by geopolitical factors, faced many ups and downs in the realm of foreign policy. Countries, as actors in the power and politics arena, have aimed to centralize and exert central influence over other players. The more centralization an actor achieves, the higher the ranking, more extensive connections, and obtaining a more desirable position be-come. The aim of this article is to investigate the impact of geopolitics on Iran's foreign policy during the second Pahlavi era. The main question posed is: What impact has geopolitics had on shaping Iran's foreign policy during the second Pahlavi era? The hypothesis suggests that geopolitics acted as the main and influential factor in Iran's foreign policy during the second Pahlavi era, leading to an increase in the country's power. The results of the article indicate that the Middle East, during the second Pahlavi era, functioned as a geopolitical network with various sub-networks. Eleven geopolitical sub-networks can be identified, among which the most significant include the Islamic sub-network, energy, democracy, and the resistance sub-network. Iran held a central position among Middle Eastern countries in these geopolitical sub-networks during the second Pahlavi era. Iran's centrality in the Western sub-networks of security and economy allowed it to better and more extensively pursue its national interests. The research methodology employed is descriptive-analytical, based on library studies.

The objective of this study is to explore the social interaction patterns of children with speech disorders from the perspectives of their parents and teachers. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews to gather in-depth data from 20 participants, including 10 parents and 10 teachers of children aged 4-10 years diagnosed with speech disorders. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a diverse range of experiences. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis focused on identifying common themes related to social interactions, communication strategies, and the emotional impact of speech disorders. Three main themes emerged from the data: the impact of speech disorders on social interactions, the role of the environment in social interaction, and strategies for facilitating social interactions. Children with speech disorders faced significant challenges in peer relationships, often experiencing social isolation and bullying. The home and school environments were critical in shaping social experiences, with teacher support and family encouragement playing pivotal roles. Parents and teachers employed various strategies, such as positive reinforcement, visual aids, and behavioral interventions, to support children's social interactions. Collaboration between parents and teachers was essential for providing consistent support. The study highlights the multifaceted nature of social interaction challenges for children with speech disorders and underscores the importance of supportive environments and collaborative strategies. Effective interventions require a comprehensive approach involving parents, teachers, and speech therapists. Future research should focus on larger, more diverse samples and include the perspectives of children with speech disorders to develop child-centered interventions. Practical recommendations include implementing inclusive practices in schools, enhancing parent-teacher collaboration, integrating speech therapy services into schools, and promoting community awareness to reduce stigma.

Anxiety undoubtedly plays an influential role in the experience of foreign language learning. This affective factor has attracted lots of researchers and has been the subject pool of scholarly research worldwide. However, research on the effect of demographic variables on foreign language anxiety (FLA) and the effect of FLA on the learners’ intention to continue their English language education is still limited. Therefore, to bridge this gap, the present study intended to explore the role of gender and age in EFL learners’ FLA level. In addition, the potential effect of learners’ FLA in their decision whether to continue their English studies was tested. To this end, a sample of 295 university EFL learners completed FLA questionnaire and a demographic form. The findings showed that there was no significant correlation between the age of the learners and their FLA level. FLA differences with respect to gender did not reach the statistical significance either. However, it was found that FLA could significantly affect the learners’ willingness to continue their English language education. The findings were discussed and implications were made.

The present explanatory mixed methods study was designed to investigate the difference between the effects of using the pyramid model of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and Communicative Tasks (CTs) on reducing Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' speaking barriers. The participants were 57 Iranian EFL learners selected based on convenience sampling from a language institute in Tehran. The Preliminary English Test (PET) results verified their homogeneity. To foster a stronger spirit of cooperation among the participants, they were placed in three different classes based on their tendencies; hence, the researchers could consider them as three groups: the Pyramid Model Group (PMG), the Communicative Tasks Group (CTsG), and the Conventional Approach Group (CAG) each including 19 participants. The PMG received instructions pertaining to the six levels of PM in willingness to communicate (WTC), while the CTsG received instructions based on information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion gap activities. The CAG relied on the Audio-Lingual Method (ALM), which the institute regularly followed. Accordingly, the three groups went through pretesting, intervention, and post-testing. The participants completed a speaking barriers survey as pre- and post-tests. Then, ten participants from the three groups were randomly selected and interviewed about the impact of the methods they had experienced on their speaking barriers. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed the priority of the pyramid model of WTC over communicative tasks and conventional teaching in reducing learners' speaking barriers. The interview results also confirmed the quantitative findings indicating that anxiety, learners' low self-confidence, along with linguistic and instructional barriers could be reduced through being exposed to the pyramid model instructions. The results can be helpful for ELT professionals, EFL teachers and learners, and other stakeholders to hold more thriving L2 speaking classes.