مطالب

In the Iranian academic setting, the current investigation aimed to identify the assessment literacy (AL) components that experienced and novice English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers with and without TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) backgrounds comprehended. We designed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study, and selected 100 PhD male and female ESP educators from various branches of Islamic Azad University via criterion sampling in order to complete the teacher assessment literacy scale (TALS). The standard deviation as well as mean of the TALS were computed. The mean scores of the TEFL/non-TEFL and novice/experienced teachers on the seven TALS components were then independently compared using two multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVA). After administering the scale to 100 ESP teachers and analyzing the results, 20 of the instructors were chosen via convenience sampling for observation during the study's qualitative phase. Afterwards, the qualitative information was collected through the use of the observation notes. Employing axial/open coding and content analysis of themes, all of the notes were classified and examined. The results showed that in terms of knowledge of assessment literacy components, instructors with TEFL backgrounds understand much better than teachers without TEFL backgrounds. Similarly, the means of all TALS components were greater for inexperienced teachers than for experienced ones. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative phase demonstrated that the novice TEFL teachers performed AL components more effectively than their non-TEFL counterparts as well as the experienced TEFL/non-TEFL instructors.

This quantitative correlational study explored the effects of different types of dynamic assessment on the writing proficiency of Iraqi female EFL learners. Fifty-four upper-intermediate female students, aged 17-25, from the Global English Institute in Baghdad, Iraq, participated in the study. The participants were selected based on their performance in the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) and were subsequently divided into three groups: interactionist experimental, interventionist experimental, and control. The study employed several instruments, including a participation consent form, the OPT, a writing pre-test and post-test, and writing practices administered during the treatment phase. The intervention covered a full semester, with each group receiving tailored instructional strategies. The interactionist group focused on the Dynamic Mediation Process, while the interventionist group employed targeted interventions based on individual needs. The results, analyzed through pre- and post-tests, demonstrated the efficacy of dynamic assessment techniques in enhancing writing skills, suggesting their potential for broader application in EFL contexts.

As a national high-stakes test of English proficiency, MSRT needs further scrutiny of reliability. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate different sources of variation that may impact the MSRT test-takers’ reading comprehension. Accordingly, some factors including the reading topics, item types, and participants’ general proficiency were delved into based on the scores obtained from 60 MSRT prospective candidates. Upon administering a sample of the reading subtest taken from a recent version of MSRT, the collected data was dichotomously scored and then analyzed in terms of internal consistency, inter-correlations, and causal patterns. The yielded results showed an overall reliability of 0.86 for the reading module, while a moderate interrelationship was obtained amongst the passages (r = 0.47) as well as the item types (r = 0.44). Furthermore, the Mixed ANOVA results demonstrated that topic and item type significantly affected the reading performance, whereas the proficiency factor did not play a conspicuous role in distinguishing the participants’ reading accomplishment. Both theoretically and operationally, the results reported through this study may stress the need for reconsidering the influence of such test-method facets as topic and item type in the MSRT reading subtest to upgrade the test’s unidimensionality and fairness. 

Introduction: Independence or autonomy is one of the fundamental rights of patients that must be respected by health professionals in all medical interventions and diagnostic and therapeutic measures. In conditions of infectious disease, the health system, in order to fulfill its moral and legal duty to protect the health of the community, is sometimes forced to violate this principle and limit the autonomy and right to choose of patients. This ethical dilemma is the subject of discussion in this article. Material and Methods: The present study is a review of articles, books, and ethical charters in the field of patient and community rights. To achieve the goal, articles and books published between 2000 and 2024 were reviewed. Conclusion: It seems that although violating the principle of respecting the patient's right to autonomy in conditions of widespread disease is morally justified, complete disregard for this right and arbitrary restriction of it without sufficient evidence, in addition to violating the patient's fundamental rights, will also damage public trust and the social capital of the health system, and will make it difficult for this institution to achieve its major goals and attract public participation.

Introduction: Given the expansion of numerous applications of artificial intelligence in the daily activities of human societies and the ethical obstacles that may arise in this direction, the need for a detailed and comprehensive examination of these issues is felt more than ever. Therefore, this study was developed with the aim of examining the challenges of ethical use of artificial intelligence technology. Material and Methods: This study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection. Library methods, searching through electronic sources, and field study were used to collect data. In the field method, a questionnaire was used. The research community is experts and specialists in the field of artificial intelligence, 15 of whom were selected through purposive sampling (snowball sampling). By reviewing the literature, 6 obstacles related to the ethical use of artificial intelligence were identified; the DEMATEL method and Excel and MATLAB software were used to analyze the data and evaluate the cause-and-effect relationships between the obstacles. Results: The results show that among the 6 identified barriers (lack of accountability, lack of transparency, lack of legal regulations, possibility of bias and discrimination, violation of data privacy, and violation of social justice and livelihood of individuals), the barrier of lack of transparency, followed by the lack of legal regulations, are considered to be the most important and influential barriers to the ethical use of AI. Also, the barriers of data privacy violation and violation of social justice and livelihood of individuals were identified as the most influential barriers among the aforementioned barriers. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the importance and causal relationships governing the existing barriers to the ethical use of AI and can help experts and managers in this field in designing AI systems and making decisions in order to comply with ethical principles.

Introduction: The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between moral development and wisdom through the mediation of moral intelligence and emotional intelligence. Material and Methods: The research method was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population included students of the University of Jyväskylä in the year 2024. A sample of 120 students was selected using a multi-stage cluster random method. The measurement tools included Webster's Self-Esteem Questionnaire (2007), Schering's Emotional Intelligence (1999), Lennick and Keel's Moral Intelligence (2005), and Graham's Moral Foundations (2007). The structural equation modeling method and Amos23 and SPSS22 software were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that the conceptual model of the study had an appropriate fit. Examining the coefficients of the effects of the research variables on each other, it seemed that moral development had a direct standardized effect coefficient of 0.53 on intelligence. Also, the standardized effect coefficients of moral development on moral intelligence were 0.51, moral development on emotional intelligence were 0.11, moral intelligence on intelligence were 0.32, and emotional intelligence on intelligence were 0.21. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, attention to effective moral variables and appropriate moral education on the one hand, and the promotion of emotional intelligence and attention to social and individual well-being resulting from the proper functioning of this intelligence in individuals on the other hand, are essential for the development of various areas of human wisdom.