مطالب

In recent years, attention to environmental education especially in rural environments has attracted the attention of many educational experts. The aim of the present study was to investigate the experiences of teachers in relation to environmental education in rural schools. To serve that end, a qualitative approach and phenomenological method were used. Consequently, unstructured interviews were conducted with 13 teachers using the purposeful sampling method. To analyze the data, thematic analysis was used. The analysis of the interviews revealed three main themes (regressive approach, progressive approach, and indifference approach), 13 sub-themes, and 31 refined themes. The findings of the research indicated teachers' lack of real involvement in environmental education, lack of trust in the efficiency of environmental education, absence of employing of new methods, superficial knowledge about the environment, and absence of attempts to use new methods in education. It is concluded that teachers play a significant role in environmental education, so training and preparing them can improve environmental education.

In the present study, I have briefly revisited Brown and Levinson’s (1987) universal theory which has attracted the attention of many linguists to the notion of politeness as an essential feature of communication. Although in studies on politeness Brown and Levinson’s model is more or less considered the standard model, it seems that there is not an agreed-upon consensus that the complex concept of politeness can be simply captured through this linear and static model. In addition, there is a paucity of investigations into the applicability of this model in various cultures. Therefore, I analyzed and identified the strategies found in Iranian English speakers’ requests and apologies following this theory. To this end, adopting a qualitative research approach, data was collected through a multiple-choice discourse completion test and think-aloud protocols. The results of the study revealed that Brown and Levinson’s model can account, to a large extent, for people’s choice of politeness strategies in making both requests and apologies. In particular, the findings pointed to the ubiquitous presence of three influential factors in the degree of politeness; that is, power relations, social distance, and rank of imposition in the participants’ choice of politeness strategies. However, the findings of the study indicated that there are a few shortcomings associated with Brown and Levinson’s model. The study suggests that the weight of politeness cannot be simply measured based on a linear, static basis. The findings supported that for the individuals who participated in this study, politeness was a heavily context-bound and highly dynamic concept. On this basis, I hypothesize that a systematic model of politeness can better explain the variations of individuals’ choice of politeness strategies.

As one of the main goals of Iranian Islamic Revolution, achieving a modern Islamic civilization derived from Islamic rationality is faced with some challenges. As the most fundamental for an intellectual system, such intellectual challenged can be named “rationality”. On this basis, using attributional analysis type of the qualitative research method, this paper is to answer the following question: “Based on the Islamic revolution leaders’ viewpoints and at the regional level, which most fundamental intellectual challenge does the Islamic revolution face on its way for achieving its depicted high level goals, i.e., bringing up a modern Islamic civilization, and how could they be overcome? The findings indicate that “Takfiri rationality” is the most fundamental challenge at the regional level. Challenge gaps between Takfiri rationality and Shia rationality at the region can be worded as “adhering to texts versus narrations”, “opposing the reason“, “monotheism and accusing Islamic sects”, “believing in and relying on the Prophet companions’ fairness” as well as “opposing emulation”. Criticizing such a rationality, Shia rationality emphasized on “monotheism in Shia school of thought and being free of superstition”, “emphasizing on the necessity of empowering the Islamic revolution and the Islamic axis of resistance”, “the necessity of annihilating ISIS as the main promoter of Islamophobia all over the world”, “opposing any kind of violence and act of terrorism” as well as “denying whatsoever kind of dividing Islamic sects”. Hereupon, operational solutions for dealing with the challenge of Takfirism are proposed in three categories, namely intellectual-scientific, cultural, political and military-security.

This qualitative study aimed to investigate the perceptions of teachers regarding the impact of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) on teaching listening skills. The research was conducted with 20 instructors, comprising 14 males and six females, with an average age of 32 years, who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire that consisted of four fundamental questions. The following results indicated that TBLT significantly impacted teaching listening skills. The findings revealed that TBLT provided a practical framework for teaching listening skills, allowing students to communicate authentically. The instructors reported that TBLT helped students develop their listening skills by providing opportunities to practice listening in different contexts and situations. Moreover, TBLT encouraged students to use their existing knowledge and skills to solve real-life problems, enhancing their motivation and engagement in learning. The instructors also highlighted the importance of task design in TBLT. They reported that well-designed tasks could facilitate the development of listening skills by providing students with clear goals, instructions, and feedback. Additionally, the instructors emphasized the need for appropriate assessment methods in TBLT, which should align with the learning objectives and provide students with opportunities for self-reflection and improvement. Overall, the study revealed that TBLT is a practical approach to teaching listening skills, as instructors acknowledged that TBLT provides students with opportunities to engage in authentic communication and problem-solving. The findings revealed that TBLT significantly and undeniably impacts teaching listening skills.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a huge potential to transform industry and society. Its benefits are widely recognized, and it has become a tool of strategic importance for the European Union and a major driver of economic development. However, as with any technological development, it also comes with challenges that must be assessed and, if necessary, addressed by policy makers and businesses. Artificial intelligence has been a big challenge for the insurance industry for decades and is creating fundamental changes in the way this industry operates. The application of artificial intelligence to eliminate repetitive tasks and improve efficiency is visible in the market of porter insurance and commercial insurance. On the contrary, personalization of insurance through artificial intelligence is limited to personal lines and SME business. However, its application in commercial insurance including various marine levels will be widely involved in the near future. It is likely that AI will have a broad impact on the insurance value chain, from underwriting and claims management to distribution and customer service to asset management. As a result, insurance executives should be familiar with the new technologies involved in this change and how artificial intelligence can help organizations produce innovative products, gather valuable insights from new sources, streamline processes, and improve customer service. The purpose of this article is to make interested people and people involved in the insurance matter familiar with the potential benefits related to artificial intelligence applications and to motivate academics to study controversial topics in this field. For this purpose, we have only referred to the study of existing articles and research regarding the use of artificial intelligence in the insurance industry, especially marine insurance, and its effects on the compensation of losses caused by it.

Iran as a maritime country, despite having a strategic position in the Middle East, and about 4,900 km of coastline along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and the transit communication axis between the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf, plays a decisive role in regional and international trade, therefore, it must have comprehensive and complete maritime laws so that it can comply with the international community and national and international issues. The importance of maritime rights should be evaluated according to various factors, including the strength of the national fleet, the level of movement and activity of the country's ports, and the country's geographical position in the region. The present study is descriptive and analytical in terms of nature and library method. In this study, the qualitative method of data analysis was used. In collecting sources and data, relevant books and laws were referred to, and the method of recording study slips was used. In the end, suggestions have been made to improve Iran's maritime law conditions.