Higher education

This study aimed to identify effective factors to the development of blended learning from the perspective of faculty members of PNU. For this purpose, after the study of contemporary research findings, effective factors to the development of blended learning were divided in five groups of structural, planning, information systems, nature and workplace and support factors for each of these components were determined. In order to assess the effective factors to the development of blended learning from the perspective of faculty members, a researcher-made questionnaire was designed. The questionnaire was with 40 questions using a Likert scale. Its validity was confirmed through content validity and its reliability through Cornbrash's alpha (α=91%). After determining the sample size using Morgan table by simple random sampling, questionnaires were distributed to faculty members. The research findings were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. To analyze the data, SPSS and LISREL softwares were employed. Results indicate that among the identified factors, the most important and influential factors to the development of blended learning from the perspective of administrators was related to structural factors.

M-learning is the enhanced form of e-learning that focuses on three common components i.e. place, time, and wireless device. The aim of this research is to identify the perceptions of the students regarding M-learning at Kandahar University. To this end, 191 male and female students responded to a questionnaire designed to ask their perceptions in this regard. The results from the study showed that students have positive attitudes towards M-learning and they are ready for M-learning approach in respect to using wireless devices, the Internet, and necessary applications. Additionally, they can also afford to buy the devices which support m-learning, however, half of the students ask for the providence of Internet through their respective university. Moreover, the Internet connection is also a big challenge especially for students who live in villages and areas far from cities. The study concludes with some issues for further research and some recommendations to authorities in higher education for better implementation of M-learning.

Purpose: Theorizing chairs play an important role in improving theories and the position of the university in compared to other universities. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of providing a model of promoting theorizing chairs in universities and higher education centers. Methodology: This research in terms of purpose was applied and in terms of implementation method was mixed (qualitative and quantitative). The research population in the qualitative part was the university experts of the theorizing chairs in Tehran province and in the quantitative part were the faculty members of Tehran province. The research sample in the qualitative part were 17 people who according to the theoretical saturation principle were selected by purposive sampling method and in the quantitative part were 343 people who according to Cochran's formula were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research instrument in the qualitative part was a semi-structured interview and in the quantitative part was a researcher-made questionnaire (32 items), whose psychometric indices were confirmed. Data were analyzed with using methods of coding in MAXQDA software and exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling in SPSS and AMOS software. Findings: The results showed that for the promoting theorizing chairs 32 indicators, 9 components and 3 categories were identified. The leadership factors category were included six components of open-mindedness, rationality, driving force, religious debates, specialized debates and moderation, administrative category were included one component of administrative and university category were included two components of innovation and productivity. Also, the factor load of all components on the relevant categories and categories on the model of promoting theorizing chairs was significant. In addition, the fit indices of the mentioned model indicate the appropriate fit of the model and the component on the relevant categories and the categories on the model of the present study had a significant effect (P <0.05). Conclusion: Considering the approval of the model of promoting theorizing chairs in both qualitative and quantitative parts, planning seems necessary for the implementation of theorizing chairs in universities and higher education centers.

The expansion of mobile wireless technology into education in recent decades has offered an incredible opportunity to design learning differently and to enhance students' learning experiences that extend beyond the typical teacher-led classrooms. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent closure of educational institutions around the world, distance/mobile learning has become a widely accepted form of information and communication technology-enhanced education. Given the infancy of technology-enhanced education at Iraqi educational institutions, this study was conducted to determine how Iraqi EFL learners preferred information and communication technology-enhanced education and how ready they were to adopt mobile learning for English learning purposes in higher education. This study also examined whether there were any significant differences in the learners' preferences and readiness for mobile learning considering their gender. Methodological triangulation was undertaken using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with some Iraqi EFL learners at four public universities so as to seek the research objectives. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the data from the questionnaire. The data of the interviews were then analyzed using thematic analysis to identify and report the common themes of the two coders of the interviews. The findings revealed a plethora of evidence indicating learners' positive attitudes towards using mobile learning as a viable medium for language learning purposes in intra- and extramural situations, as it expanded the boundaries of learning beyond the limitations of traditional pedantic educational settings. Besides, no significant differences were found in the preferences and readiness of Iraqi EFL learners considering their gender for the adoption of mobile learning in higher education, though females liked mobile learning better than males.  

This work takes a critical and cursory look at the term ‘education’ as well as the challenges of higher education in Nigeria. The paper explicates these issues from Hegel’s model of development. It argues that education is imperative for the development of any nation and underscores the relevance of man to his social-cultural milieu. It insists that the current problems or challenges bedeviling higher education in Nigeria is a systemic one, especially given the long, total neglect by the Nigerian political institution. The article concludes that Hegel’s view of society as containing intrinsic or inner contradictions; exemplified by the dialectic of history—portrayed by the triadic movement could not be sustained when x-rayed vis-à-vis the enormous problems plaguing higher education in Nigeria. However, the view of the paper is that though the challenges are not insurmountable, determined and pragmatic efforts must be made by all stalk-holders to address the ills bedeviling Nigerian education sector.

The ICTs have invaded not only the fields of business, economics, and different sciences, but also the field of education and particularly language teaching and learning. This article addresses a crucial issue related to the use of ICTs at the university in Morocco and its impact on the academic performance of students. Many studies in the review of literature are presented and they mainly revolve around similar issues related to advantages and disadvantages of ICTs in general, however little attention has been devoted to the relationship between ICTs and academic performance. Thus, this article seeks to answer a set of research questions along with hypotheses which are tested and discussed following some statistical procedures. The researcher looks at the correlation between the use of ICTs in higher education and students’ academic performance. A questionnaire was designed and submitted to a sample of students composed of 108 students from four major universities in Morocco. Cronbach’s alpha was obtained to test the reliability of the instrument. The findings indicate that the implementation of ICTs in higher education is positively correlated with the academic performance of students. The implications of this study suggest that integrating ICTs into higher education can lead to improved academic performance of students. This has significant implications for educators and policymakers who can use this information to design and implement effective ICT-based teaching and learning strategies to enhance student learning outcomes. The study also highlights the importance of considering the relationship between ICT use and academic performance in educational research and policy-making. The results provide a foundation for further research on the use of ICTs in higher education and their impact on student success.

Purpose: While it is true that concern should be expressed with the incessant conflicts in Africa, it is also true that the ramifications are very wide. One recurring conflict in the 1990s Nigeria’s educational institutions is the conflict generated among rival cult groups that seemed to defy solution. Several students and, in some cases, lecturers have lost their lives yet there seems to be no end to these killings which seem to occur unexpectedly. Methodology: Applying a sub-cultural group theory, this article analyzed the prevalent factor responsible of this phenomenon. Starting with the analysis of the relations between what it takes to survive in Nigeria and the emergence of violence on campuses of institutions of higher learning, the article suggests that the failure of higher institutions to effectively perform its integrative role, thereby becoming a space for delinquent gang groups, may be connected to failed economic policies. Findings: it argues that it may not be totally true to call the various students groups involved in the on-campus conflict ‘cult’ as their activities and rituals are devoid of any spiritual or religious elements but more about contestations about space and survival. It concludes by suggesting some probable solutions. Conclusion: the educational institution needs to rethink the curricula in relation to the survival of the society wherein what is taught is not based on ‘individualistic but communal virtues.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is derived from the umbrella term ESP, which means to meet learners’ and employers’ needs. It has gained a noticeable role as a language of knowledge dissemination, which has developed into an ongoing need for the improvement of language proficiency among non-English major university students. This has highlighted the significance of EAP courses, which are dominant in the context of Iranian universities. Although there is a reasonable body of contemporary research in the realm of ESP/EAP instruction nationwide, much of the literature in the Iranian EAP setting has been concentrated mainly on quantitative survey-based or experimental studies examining the syllabus and teaching contents with little or no attention to the teaching methodology. Moreover, there is scant research on the body of current EAP literature demonstrating a holistic picture of the running courses in terms of syllabus and methodology in EAP. The present paper aims at shedding light on the existing status of EAP courses for Iranian Islamic students in the tertiary educational system of Islamic universities of Iran through a comprehensive review of some major studies conducted in the related realm. Furthermore, it examines some of the major challenges and criticisms levelled at EAP instruction and EAP courses for Islamic students in Iranian higher education, with a focus on two major dimensions: syllabus and teaching methodology. The paper concludes by giving some practical and pedagogical implications for EAP practitioners, emphasizing the role of teaching methodology, aiming to raise the practitioners’ awareness in promoting the efficiency of EAP courses.

Purpose: The development of educational organizations plays an important role in creating a competitive advantage for organizations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to presenting the development model of educational organizations with emphasis on the entrepreneurship drivers in higher education. Methodology: This study in terms of purpose was applied and in terms of implementation method was descriptive from type of cross-sectional. The research population were included all faculty members of Golestan province universities, numbering 1023 people. The sample size was calculated based on Cochran's formula 279 people, which were selected by stratified random sampling method. The research tool was 80 question researcher-made questionnaire on the development of educational organizations with emphasis on entrepreneurial drivers, which whose content validity according to the opinion of experts was calculated as 0.74. Data were analyzed with exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling methods in SPSS-21 and Smart PLS-3 software. Findings: The findings showed that the development of educational organizations with emphasis on the entrepreneurial drivers had 80 items in 12 components and 5 dimensions. Dimensions were included entrepreneurial and knowledge-based education and research (with two components of entrepreneurial and knowledge-based research and entrepreneurial and knowledge-based education), structural-organizational (with four components of structure and organization, leadership management, human resources and financial resources and academic independence), technological development and growth (with one component of technological development and growth), policy making of science and technology and the governance system of the higher education system (with two components of development of entrepreneurial mission and perspective and policy making) and contextual factors (with three components of support factors, interaction and communication and cultural-social factors) which whose factor load of all was higher than 0.60, their average variance extracted was higher than 0.50 and their reliability with using Cronbach's alpha and combined methods was calculated higher than 0.70. Also, the development model of educational organizations with emphasis on the entrepreneurship drivers in higher education had a good fit. In addition, the development model of educational organizations with emphasis on the entrepreneurship drivers in higher education on each of the dimensions and each of the dimensions on its components had a direct and significant effect (P<0.001). Conclusion: The development model of educational organizations with emphasis on the entrepreneurship drivers in higher education designed in the present research can help the experts and planners of the higher education system in designing plans to improve educational organizations.

Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to higher education institutions, necessitating a robust resilience framework to navigate disruptions and ensure continued educational excellence. This study aimed to design a resilience pattern for higher education institutions based on grounded theory, drawing insights from the experiences of stakeholders in Islamic Azad Universities in Tehran, Iran. Methodology: The present study in terms of purpose was applied and in terms of implementation method was qualitative. The target population was all students, employees, and faculty members of Islamic Azad Universities in Tehran, Iran. The sample size of this study was determined based on the principle of theoretical saturation, resulting in a total of 29 participants who were selected by the purposive and theoretical sampling method and were underwent to a semi-structured interview. Interview validity was established using triangulation, and reliability was assessed using the intercoder agreement coefficient method, yielding a value of 0.72. The data obtained from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding techniques in ATLAS.ti qualitative software version 9. Findings: The analysis showed that the resilience pattern of higher education institutions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic had 189 concepts, 39 subcategories and 10 main categories based on the systematic grounded theory. In this pattern, the central phenomenon was the resilient response of higher education institutions to the Covid-19 pandemic. Causal conditions were categorized into three main categories: individual (6 subcategories, 29 concepts), organizational (7 subcategories, 41 concepts), and social (3 subcategories, 11 concepts). Intervening conditions consisted of national factors (4 subcategories, 18 concepts), while context were represented by global factors (4 subcategories, 16 concepts). Strategies included prediction and prevention (3 subcategories, 17 concepts), response and coping (5 subcategories, 24 concepts), and adaptation and compatibility (3 subcategories, 18 concepts). Consequences were classified into short-term (2 subcategories, 8 concepts) and long-term consequences (2 subcategories, 7 concepts). Finally, the resilience pattern of higher education institutions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic based on grounded theory was designed. Conclusion: The proposed resilience pattern serves as a valuable guide for higher education institutions to proactively address the challenges posed by unforeseen disruptions, fostering adaptability and sustainability in an increasingly volatile world. The framework emphasizes the importance of resilience not only at the organizational level but also among students, staff, and faculty members. By incorporating this pattern into their strategic planning and operational practices, higher education institutions can enhance their capacity to navigate crises such as Covid-19 pandemic and emerge stronger amidst adversity.

This research seeks to determine the dimensions of organizational forgetting management and prioritize them in university. Current research in terms of purpose is applicable. In terms of data, it is quantitative. In terms of method, it is a descriptive-survey research. In this research, for determining the validity of measurement tool, content validity has been used and for calculating the reliability, Cronbach's Alpha method has been used. The population of this research includes the faculty members and employees of Islamic Azad University in region 8. Also the researcher-made questionnaire has been used for information collection. In this research, a framework consisting of quadratic dimensions of the process management, technology, culture and structure for evaluation of organizational forgetting management was considered. With regard to the comparison by using of the mean index, the quadratic dimensions were evaluated in two eligible and available situations. It is determined that with regard to the difference between two available and eligible situations, in fact the level of process dimension is low and it is in available situation, also it can be concluded that culture in available situation is very posterior than ideal and eligible situation. In two technology and structure dimensions, this mean difference is less than two other dimensions. In available situation, the most gaps and deficits at first exist in culture dimension and then in two technology and structure dimensions; and finally there is weakness in the process dimension. Totally in different dimensions, there is a relatively large difference and gap between the mean indexes of two eligible and available situations.

The aim of the present study was to identify dimensions and dimensions and components of improving the educational quality of graduate students (master). The statistical population included all faculty and students of Islamic Azad University, Science and Research in the city of Bushehr. The sample size in accordance with the Morgan table was estimated about 201 faculties and 351 students, and that number was randomly selected from the population; Data collection instrument was a questionnaire with 93 questions, five-point Likert's scale, and the alpha coefficient of 0/95. The collected data was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. The obtained results identified 10 dimensions and components of the students economic conditions, student facilities, library services, faculty, students, curriculum, teaching and learning methods, good communication, academic facilities and administrative services as dimensions and components of improving the educational quality of graduate students ( Master) Azad University of Bushehr, and the overall impact of these factors was 56%.

This research aimed to identify the dimensions, components, priorities and distinction between existing and desired condition, organizational forgetting management and provides a model for appropriate mechanisms for controlling it at university. The research in term of goal is practical and giving quantitative data and method is descriptive-survey research. In order to validate the measurement, content validity has been used and to assess the reliability the Cronbach's Alpha has been applied. The study population consists of faculty and staff at Islamic Azad University in district eight. Considering the total size of faculty and staff at Islamic Azad University (13117), sample size is determined (375). According to the main question of this research, some theoretical studies and exploratory ones based on existing documents, questionnaires and interviews with experts were done. Questionnaires have been distributed and analyzed, then current and ideal situation were identified. Therefore, the statistical tables were prepared and described. To do so, inferential statistical methods have been used with SPSS and Lisrel so that the relationship between variables can be measured and the four management aspects of the research consisting of process, technology, culture and structure are determined to evaluate the organizational forgetting management. By comparing the conditions and dimensions in current and ideal state, a considerable gap was found between the two mentioned states. On the basis of the analyses, the strengths and weaknesses were found and the mechanisms to eliminate this gap were expressed.

The positive effect of social networking, particularly social networking sites (SNSs), on improving the process of learning has been acknowledged by many recent types of research. The relationship between features and characteristics of SNSs and the development of students' social networking was of interest to past researchers. As social networking is primarily perceived as intelligent thought and action in both real and virtual environments, there seems to be a need for a qualitative exploration of the influential factors of students' social networking. The study has been conducted using the case study method to look at the identified factors retrieved from previous research. A semi-structured in-depth interview was used to investigate the viewpoints and experiences of socially proactive and successful students at Iranian universities. Findings explain students' social networking due to three factors categorized as central, causal, and contextual. The personal learning system has a critical position among the various factors affecting students' social networking. Therefore, despite the facilitating role of social networking in promoting the learning process, students' social networking would be useless without utilizing a personal learning system. We can see a dynamic and interactive cycle of learning and social networking in the university context. The research has been founded on critical consideration of previously studied factors affecting social networking that were mainly limited to online technologies according to qualitative exploration. As a result of this research, different learning and social networking levels regarding diverse meaning, function, and complexity were identified.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to present and explain the establishment pattern of the fifth-generation university in Islamic Azad Universities. Future thinking and the university system's policy in higher education have become necessary with the effectiveness of virtual and electronic learning. Higher education based on digital developments has entered a new era where competition and quality are its main characteristics. One of the challenges facing universities in the new millennium is the concept of the fifth-generation universityMethod: This research was conducted using a qualitative-inductive approach and the Strauss-Corbin grounded theory method. The research tool (data collection) is a semi-structured interview. Using the grounded theory method, the data obtained from the interviews, conducted with 10 professors and managers of Islamic Azad University, were analyzed during three stages of open, central, and selective codingFindings: 20 general categories in the form of a paradigm model including factors including causal conditions ( knowledge development; new social needs; internal organizational factors; external organizational factors; mechanisms of first-generation universities, second-generation universities, third-generation universities, and fourth generation universities) central phenomenon (establishment of the fifth generation university), underlying conditions (creating social, cultural and political in the university; economic development of the university; organizational support platforms), intervening conditions (the existence of a dynamic environment and structure in the university) and strategies (changing the educational approach; environmental re-engineering; academic effectiveness; development architecture) and consequences (elite development; comprehensive effectiveness of the university; The emergence of the characteristics of the fifth generation university) is the result of this investigationConclusion: The establishment of a fifth-generation university in higher education can lead to the optimization of the resource allocation behavior of different stakeholders and prevent the waste of resources (financial resources, life or time of students, etc.), which leads to the overall effectiveness of the university; The establishment of the fifth generation university and the development of civilization. 

The present study investigates the emotional experiences of ten English as a foreign language (EFL) female students during an English vocabulary-building course, through the lens of Barrett’s Theory of Constructed Emotion (TCE). The data were collected using a background questionnaire, reflection paragraphs, and semi-structured interviews and were analyzed primarily by applying thematic analysis methods. The TCE was used to explain the wide range of emotions experienced and the reasons for fluctuations within a single EFL vocabulary course. The results revealed a diverse spectrum of emotions, including enjoyment, confidence, pride, anxiety, boredom, embarrassment, and blame, underscoring the TCE's premise that emotions are intricately constructed and influenced by personal learning experiences, the appraisal of learning events, contextual factors, and social interactions. Moreover, the study found that emotions are not only influenced by the situational context but also shape the situational context in turn. Thus, the findings highlighted the open and interactive nature of the systems students use to construct their emotions. Importantly, the study uncovered the strategies students employ to manage their emotions, highlighting the active role students play in shaping their emotional experiences. The findings provide valuable insights for EFL teachers, suggesting the need for a supportive and empathetic teaching environment that acknowledges the emotional dimensions of EFL vocabulary learning. By understanding and addressing these emotional aspects, teachers can better assist learners in managing their emotions, thereby optimizing vocabulary acquisition and enhancing overall learning outcomes. 

Introduction: Academic faculty members need to emphasize ethical principles in order to improve higher education, with the understanding of this importance, the current research was conducted with the aim of designing the ethical model of academic faculty members in Iran's higher education. Material & Methods: This research is a type of qualitative study that uses foundational data theory. The participants, including experts and faculty members of the country's public universities, who were responsible for the promotion of academic members, were selected as key informants through a targeted sampling method of 45 people. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The reliability and validity of the data were obtained from the two methods of reviewing the participants and recoding by experts. Data were analyzed by open, central and selective coding. Results: The results showed that the moral model of faculty members in Iran's higher education is explained in 10 main categories and 27 subcategories. Major and core categories in the form of 6 dimensions of causal conditions including (individual factors, organizational factors), core (cultural-educational, educational ethics, research ethics, scientific-executive), background conditions (higher education policies, moral activism), intervening conditions (environmental factors), strategies (micro level - university, macro level - higher education) and consequences (individual and organizational) were elevated to a higher abstract level and finally the research paradigm model was presented. Conclusion: The regulations for the promotion of academic staff members in Iran require a detailed revision of the content with an ethical and qualitative approach in order to make the indicators of the promotion regulations efficient and effective.