مطالب

Purpose: This paper addressed this issue by presenting a model for promoting the professional competency of EFL teachers in Iran. Methodology: In order to accomplish the purpose of the study, the grounded theory was adopted to investigate EFL expert teachers’ (key informants) articulations, experiences, and concerns about the subject and to develop a theoretical model across the participants; therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted to 21 EFL experts (EFL faculty members, teacher trainers, supervisors and EFL teachers) who were selected by snowball sampling. Interview data, were analyzed with a grounded theory approach using constant comparison method. Findings: Major findings of the study suggested a multi-dimensional model of professional competency highly relevant to EFL teachers: cognitive/language skills competence; attitudinal/behavioral competence; and management competence. The interviewees also suggested that these competencies are under the effect of such influential factors in Iran as curriculum, individual characteristics, management and organization support, community, information technology, and media Conclusion: Furthermore, as a consequence of professional competency, it was clarified that EFL teachers' competencies affect their values, enthusiasm, communications and practice and most importantly supports their professional life long development. Policy makers and teacher training programmers can hopefully benefit from the presented competency model while making adaptations in teacher training both at pre-service and in-service levels.

Purpose: Considering the quantitative growth of university growth and technology centers in the country and the need for solutions to facilitate the success of these companies in global competition, this study identifies the indicators of innovation ecosystem of university growth and technology centers with the knowledge-based economy approach with data foundation approach. Methodology: This research was based on empirical philosophy and has been done with a deductive-inductive approach. From the perspective of the goal, it was a fundamental research that has been done with a mixed research method. The study population of this study includes entrepreneurship professors and managers who have work experience in knowledge-based companies. Sampling was done by non-probabilistic and purposeful sampling method. Data collection tools are interviews and questionnaires. In the analysis of the interviews, the data theory of the foundation (selective, open and pivotal) was used. Also, the identified indicators have been validated by fuzzy Delphi method. Finally, the final model of the research is presented. Research data analysis was performed in the qualitative phase with MAXQDA software and in the quantitative phase with Matlab software. Findings: To achieve the objectives of the research, by analyzing interviews with experts, a set of practical indicators of the innovation ecosystem were identified. In the open coding stage, 517 codes were identified, which with the observed observations, 9 main categories and 41 sub-categories were obtained. Conclusion: Based on the achievements of this study, issues such as organizational management, growth center rules and regulations, innovation ecosystem infrastructure, knowledge ecosystem, innovation ecosystem, ecosystem capital, economic ecosystem, innovation ecosystem challenges and key players are key elements in the success of these universities in knowledge-based economy was considered. These cases also interact with each other in 41 minor areas.

Language teacher immunity has recently attracted the attention of the scholars interested in teacher psychology. Following the previous line of research in teacher psychology, the present study explored the immunity types among 260 Iranian EFL teachers working in schools and language institutes. Drawing on Hiver’s (2017) categorization, this study found that the participants were classified into productively and maladaptively immunized teachers through cluster analysis. It was also found that gender played a significant role, and female participants were more productively immunized than men. Regarding the role of teaching experience, it was found that EFL teachers’ immunity fluctuated in the late stages of their practice to a more fossilized, negative one. Regarding age differences, the results also suggested different immunity types among the participants of different age groups. The results implied that teacher education programs should enhance EFL teachers’ understanding of language teacher immunity as an important factor in their effectiveness and well-being as well as students’ achievement.