مطالب

Iran has undergone unique demographic changes in the recent decades. This paper aims to project the natural population growth rate -NPG over the next decade (2024–2034), which would offer a comprehensive perspective into the future of Iran's population dynamics. In this regard, to accomplish the above task, this work deals with the projection of most important demographic measures that characterize the population process, namely the Crude Birth Rate -CBR, the Crude Death Rate -CDR, and the Population Doubling Time- PDT. To this end, a deep neural network modeling approach was developed and applied. Forecasting with deep neural networks is one of the most important and influential techniques used in machine learning and artificial intelligence. The data-driven model, based on data obtained from the Statistical Center of Iran, was subsequently implemented for model development in MATLAB.Results from the paper indicate that the CBR drops from 11.3 per thousand in 2024 to 9.3 per thousand in 2034. On the other hand, the CDR increases from 5.2 per thousand in 2025 to 6.1 per thousand in 2034. With this effect, the NPG decreases from 6.1 per thousand in 2025 to 3.2 per thousand in 2034. Lastly, PDT for the population is forecasted to rise from 114 years in 2025 to 218 years in 2034.This study presents a deep neural network model for describing and forecasting the complex dynamics of population changes in Iran. Constructing this model helps policy-makers and planners use the forecasted population dynamics to design and implement programs and policies with greater precision.

SUBJECT & OBJECTIVES: Educational experts have examined the importance of incorporating art and aesthetics into education. They argue that despite the well-documented benefits of art in achieving educational objectives across intellectual, emotional, religious, and ethical domains, its integration into educational settings remains incomplete.  There is a need for extensive research on the effectiveness of artistic and aesthetic approaches in various educational curricula, including medical and higher education. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of engagement with art and aesthetics on the intellectual, emotional, religious, and ethical education of artists’ lived experiences.METHOD & FINDING: The current research utilized a qualitative and phenomenological approach, focusing on diverse artists representing various art forms. The participants in this qualitative and phenomenological study were 19 artists from different fields of art in Kerman, a province of Iran, who were chosen via purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with MAXQDA software (version 2021), using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Artists’ experiences demonstrate that engagement with art and beauty triggers significant transformations in various aspects of life, influencing habits, preferences, modes of expression, and even appearance.  The study shows that education involving art and beauty encourages reflection, thinking, understanding, and hands-on learning. CONCLUSION: Special attention should be paid to the relationship between art and beauty and its influence on formal and informal education. Moreover, the principles of aesthetics should be taken into consideration in curriculum planning and teaching, and classroom methods.