درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

This study aims to explore the insights of educators on the implementation and impact of peer-mediated instructional strategies within inclusive education settings. A qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 22 educators currently working in inclusive educational settings. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a diverse representation of experience with peer-mediated instructional strategies. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis to identify key themes and subthemes related to the implementation, benefits, and challenges of peer-mediated instructional strategies. The study identified five key implementation strategies: training and professional development, collaborative planning, resource availability, student pairing, and monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Educators reported numerous benefits, including academic improvement, social skills development, increased inclusion and acceptance, peer leadership, motivation and engagement, and behavioral improvements. However, they also highlighted significant challenges, such as time constraints, lack of resources, diverse student needs, teacher preparedness, peer dynamics, administrative support, and difficulties in evaluation and assessment. Based on these findings, the study recommends policy changes, enhanced teacher training programs, the development of collaborative networks, flexible implementation models, and increased student involvement. Peer-mediated instructional strategies show great potential for enhancing inclusive education by fostering academic and social benefits for all students. However, successful implementation requires addressing challenges related to resource availability, teacher preparedness, and administrative support. By prioritizing comprehensive training, collaborative planning, and adequate resources, educators and policymakers can improve the effectiveness of inclusive education practices.

This study aims to explore the impact of social support networks on the mental health of gifted students. The study utilized a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach to capture the lived experiences of gifted students. Twenty-seven participants aged 12 to 18 were recruited from diverse educational settings through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, which provided in-depth insights into the participants' perceptions of social support and its impact on their mental health. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically, with themes emerging through iterative coding and constant comparison until theoretical saturation was achieved. The findings revealed that emotional, academic, and peer support are critical for the mental health of gifted students. Family support, characterized by parental encouragement and emotional reassurance, and peer support, through empathetic friendships and social inclusion, were particularly significant. Teacher support also played a crucial role in addressing both academic and emotional needs. However, several barriers to support were identified, including stigma, lack of resources, overemphasis on achievement, peer competition, and reluctance to seek help. These barriers exacerbate feelings of isolation and stress, impacting the overall well-being of gifted students. Social support networks are essential in mitigating the challenges faced by gifted students and promoting their mental health. Creating inclusive and supportive environments in educational settings, addressing barriers, and providing targeted interventions can enhance the well-being of gifted individuals. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and the intersectionality of giftedness with other demographic factors to develop comprehensive support strategies.

The current study explained the structural relationship between readiness for change, social capital, and teachers' tendency to participate. The current research was applied in terms of purpose and was a correlation type in descriptive-survey research. This study's statistical population includes all education teachers in Fars province in 2021-22, and 500 were selected using random class sampling. The research tool included three questionnaires on readiness for organizational change, the tendency to participate, and social capital, which were distributed and collected after calculating validity and reliability. This research showed 1) a positive and significant relationship between teachers' perception of social capital and teachers' tendency to participate and 2) a positive and significant relationship between teachers' readiness for change and their tendency to participate.  In addition, the simultaneous relationship between readiness for change and social capital with teachers' tendency to participate concluded that the variable of readiness for change is a positive and significant predictor of the tendency to participate, but social capital does not significantly predict the tendency to participate

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Knowledge-based Leadership on the innovative educational activities of first-secondary teachers in Durood City with the role of mediator in Making Schools Smart Plan. This study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of data collection method and structural equation modeling. The statistical population includes all the teachers of secondary schools of Dorud City and 135 of them were selected as a sample by stratified random sampling method. Data collection was done with Donit and DePablo's (2015) Knowledge-based Leadership questionnaires, Saatchi, Kamkari, and Askarian's (2010) innovative educational activities questionnaire, and Smartening Schools scale Jafari Hajti's (2015). Average Variance Extracted, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and composite reliability (CR) were used to measure the validity and reliability of the tools, and the results of all the indices confirmed that the questionnaires have a suitable and acceptable condition. The final analysis of the data using SPSS software and Smart PLS was done. According to the standard coefficients of the path, the direct effect of knowledge-based leadership on innovative educational activities is 0.532; The amount of indirect effect is 0.270 and its overall effect is equal to 0.802. Also, the smartness of schools directly explains innovative educational activities by 0.428 (42.8%). Knowledge-based leadership is one of the effective leadership styles to strengthen innovative activities in organizations especially in schools. Smartening schools by strengthening learning-teaching processes and creating an interactive environment can facilitate innovative educational activities.

This study examined the differences between the effects of reasoning gap tasks and opinion gap tasks on young EFL learners’ classroom engagement. The participants comprised 63 Iranian young EFL learners within the age range of 9 to 12 years old. These 63 learners were selected out of an initial number of 100 male and female EFL learners at the intermediate level based on their performance on a Flyers test. The 63 selected participants were divided into two intact groups consisting of 31 learners in the opinion-gap task experimental group and 32 learners in the reasoning-gap experimental group. Then, an engagement checklist was used by two raters in the two groups as pretest. After that, for ten sessions each lasting for 90 minutes, in one of the groups, the researcher carried out opinion-gap tasks while reasoning gap tasks were implemented in another experimental group. Upon finishing the treatment, the two raters used exactly the same checklist and obtained the posttest engagement scores. The analysis of the data through the parametric test of paired sample t-test indicated that both task types significantly impacted young EFL learners’ classroom engagement. Besides, the results of Mann-Whitney U Test revealed that there was no significant difference between the effects of reasoning gap tasks and opinion gap tasks on young EFL learners’ classroom engagement. Based on the results, EFL teachers are recommended to use both task types to enhance EFL learners’ classroom engagement.