university students

While the advantages of cooperative learning activities have been extensively acknowledged in L2 literature, this type of pedagogy has not received due attention in the Iranian EFL context. Indeed, the traditional reading method still dominates in most Iranian EFL university classes even though it fails to meet its main objective which is training competent EFL readers. In an attempt to address this challenge, the current case study incorporated cooperative learning pedagogy into two EFL reading comprehension classes in a medium size university in Iran and sought learners’ behaviors and reflections toward the student-centered activities they engaged in during an academic semester. To serve that end, two volunteer cohorts of learners (less and more experienced) from two EFL reading comprehension classes were recruited. Class observation field notes along with focus group interviews comprised the data collection instruments of the study.  While the learners’ behaviors and activities were recorded in observation field notes throughout the semester, the two focus groups were interviewed right after the course had finished. Data analyses indicated that the learners expressed favorable attitudes toward the new approach they were involved in, even though some issues were raised by the interviewees. Some pedagogical implications and recommendations are proposed for efficient incorporation of cooperative learning activities in EFL reading comprehension classes which have traditionally been dominated by teachers based on the findings of the current study.

This research was carried out in order to predict the social anxiety based on the level of stress and timidity in students of Islamic Azad University of Boroujerd. The present research was fundamental in terms of purpose, and it was descriptive-correlation with the type of prediction in terms of method. The statistical sample of this research was composed of two-hundred undergraduate and master students in Azad Islamic University of Boroujerd, and all of them participated in this study. Data were collected by using social anxiety (SPIN_2000), Stofford's timidity and stress (DASS_21) questionnaires. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Multivariate Regression Analysis were applied to analyze the data by step by step method. Data Analysis showed that social anxiety is predictable based on stress and timidity, and these two variables could predict twenty-six percent of variant variance of social anxiety. Research findings indicated the significance of stress and timidity in social anxiety. Most of the university students encounter different stressors and factors that cause their anxiety in social occasions to be appeared. Also, these findings can raise the importance and role of timidity in outbreak of social anxiety disorder to a great extent, however it has not still considered as a separate disorder.

Recently, numerous studies have investigated the influence of technology use within the educational settings pointing that the perception of the students as well as the instructor towards technology use is indicative of how well technology might be integrated in instruction. Therefore, this study was designed to explore university lecturers’ perceptions toward instructional technology, their actual versus perceived ICT literacy, the extent to which they integrate technology in their instruction and the challenges they face in successfully integrating instructional technology in academic context. The study adopted a mixed method design and was of exploratory nature. The population consisted of 711 male and female university students studying in different majors including Science, Engineering, Humanities, and Art. Also, 111 instructors teaching different fields took part in the data collection process. Two different questionnaires were devised for the instructors and the students. Besides, for gathering more reliable data, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 51 instructors and 135 students together with an observation to give more depth to the data. The data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study concluded that university lecturers had positive attitude toward ICT and were moderately proficient in the use of ICT while university students had different levels of ICT knowledge and were mostly willing to experience digital learning. However, some limitations were mentioned in the study which shows an urgent need for some measures to be taken for continuous training of university lecturers in ICT which in turn leads to training more knowledgeable digital generation.

Background: Over the past several years, a lot of talks have been produced and published in Iran about the controversial and disputed position of academic ethics. Some evidence shows normative weaknesses or even anomalies in the universities. This means worrying signs of an anomic situation, at least in the range of academics and students. In this discussion, I will concentrate on those parts of the claims and speeches that declare about the shaking position in the academic ethics of students, such as the prevalence of academic credentials, a rare passion for learning, trifling courses, plagiarism and academic fraud, black market dealing thesis (Enghelab avenue phenomenon), the so-called "copy and paste" behaviors in the preparation of articles, negligence in academic norms and academic assignments, fake numbers and forging articles, lack of sense of responsibility, self-centered individualism, and low motivation for group work, the lack of serious acceptance from learning communities and so on. Conclusion: We are less concerned about what the "conditions of possibility" are for the ethics of student in this country. Some important conceptual and critical researches have been taken into account in ethical research topics on world collaboration for human morality. The question of the current study is as follows: how much is the cooperation of the current Iranian society, higher education system, and management of university and class with our students for the ethics of their studying and their proper socialization. In this study, moral luck theory is used, which is a part of the major issues of modern science and moral philosophy. Nelkin, Nagel and Williams have discussed it. At the end, reflection on "student as victim" is also viewed from the perspective of ethics.

Purpose: The aim of this research was determining the relationship between cognitive appraisals and social problem solving with coping styles with stressful factors in university students. Methodology: The present study was cross-sectional from type of correlation. The research population was all undergraduate students of Islamic Azad University of Saveh branch in 2019-2020 academic years. There were 418 of them the sample size was calculated according to Cochran's formula 220 people who were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research tools were the questionnaires of cognitive appraisals (Folkman & Lazarus, 1985), social problem solving (D’Zurilla & et al, 2002) and coping styles with stressful factors (Endler & Parker, 1990). Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling method with using path analysis in LISREL-8.8 software. Findings: The findings showed that the primary appraisals had a significant negative effect on problem-oriented style and a significant positive effect on emotion-oriented and avoidance styles, secondary appraisals had a significant positive effect on problem-oriented style and a significant negative effect on emotion-oriented and avoidance styles, adaptive social problem solving had a significant positive effect on problem-oriented style and a significant negative effect on emotion-oriented and avoidance styles and maladaptive social problem solving had a significant negative effect on problem-oriented style and a significant positive effect on emotion-oriented style (P<0.05), but maladaptive social problem solving had no significant effect on avoidance style (P>0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results, to improve coping styles with stressful factors (increase problem-oriented style and decrease emotion-oriented and avoidance styles) can be designed and implemented programs to increase secondary cognitive appraisals and adaptive social problem solving and decrease primary cognitive appraisals and maladaptive social problem solving.

One of the common problems among university students is self-harm behavior which has many negative consequences for the people involved and the society. The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency of occurrence of self-harm behavior in university students. The participants of this descriptive study include the entire undergraduate students of the University of Guilan in the academic year 2019-20. A total of 508 students (368 females and 140 males) are selected based on Convenience Sampling. For data collection, the Self-harm Inventory Questionnaire (SHI) is employed; moreover, descriptive statistics as well as Chi-square test are used. According to the findings, 17.8% of students have self-harm behavior. The results of Chi-square test reveal that there is no significant difference between male and female students in terms of the frequency of occurrence of direct, indirect and general self-harm behavior (P> 0.01). Burning the body, recklessness in driving, alcohol abuse and deliberate loss of job in male students and being involved in relationships that expose one to sexual abuse and deliberate self-starvation are more common in female students (p< 0.01).  Also, local and non-local university students and different age groups of students show significant different behavior in terms of direct and indirect self-harm (P<0.01). Based on the findings, it can be stated that self-harm is relatively common behavior among university students. As a result, these people need to be identified and treated in a timely manner to reduce the negative consequences of this kind of behavior.

Purpose: Decision making self-efficacy and academic field satisfaction is one of the most important variables for students. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of constructionism training on career decision making self-efficacy and academic field satisfaction among university students with academic burnout. Methodology: The current research method was semi-experimental study which conducted with a pre-test and post-test design along with a control group with a follow-up period. The statistical population included all the students of Islamic Azad university, Isfahan (Khorasgan) branch who referred to the university counseling center in 2020. From them, 30 student were selected by convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned in the experimental group (15 people) and control group (15 people). The data were collected using Betz et al's Career Decision Making Self Efficacy Questionnaire (1996) and Ahmadi's Academic Field Satisfaction Questionnaire (2010) in the pre-test, post-test and follow-up stages. Constructionism training protocol was performed in 8 sessions (one session per week) for 75 minutes. To analyze the data, repeated measure analysis of variance and SPSS.26 software were used. Findings: The results indicated that constructionism training was effective in enhancement of career decision making self-efficacy and academic field satisfaction of university students with academic burnout (p<0.01), and this effectiveness was permanent until the follow-up period (p<0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded that constructionism training is effective on increase of career decision making self-efficacy and academic field satisfaction of university students with academic burnout, therefore this training can be used for university students in university counseling centers.

This study aims to analyze the factors associated with motivation and attitude towards English learning through the application of structural equation modeling (SEM). A quantitative, ex post fact, cross-sectional and explanatory study was carried out on 1202 university students. Eight motivational factors were examined, namely: Motivational Intensity (MI), Attitude towards Learning English (ATLL), Integrative Orientation (IntO), Instrumental Orientation (InsO), Interest Towards Foreign Languages (ITFL), Evaluation of English Teaching (EET), Desire to Learn English (DLE), Evaluation of the English Course (EEC). The multiple regressions showed that EET, DLE, InsO, and EEC are predictors of the MI. It was found that DLE, InsO, and EEC are predictors of ATLL. The SEM showed a weak positive influence of InsO on DLE, ITFL, EET, EEC, MI and ATLL. IntO had a weak positive impact on DLE, EET, EEC, and ITFL. There was a weak positive impact of DLE on ITFL, ATLL and MI, and it had a strong effect on EEC. Finally, EET had a weak positive effect on MI, whereas EEC had a weak positive impact on ATTL and MI. This research provided information that serves to understand the factors affecting the intensity of motivation and attitude in L2 learning

The purpose of this research was to predict love stories based on attachment styles and self-differentiation in students. This was a cross-sectional correlational research. The statistical population of this research consists of students of Rasht university in 2022-2023. 223 people were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The Love Stories Scale (Sternberg, 1996), Revised Adult Attachment Scale (Collins & Reid 1990), and Differentiation of self-inventory-short form (Drake, 2011), were used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using SPSS-24 software and multivariate regression analysis method The findings of the study showed that attachment styles and self-differentiation can predict the love as a story of students, and the contribution of self-differentiation components was higher (41.3%). The value of the standardized regression coefficient (Beta) for the reactivity component (β=0.243, P<0.01), my position (β=0.169, P<0.01), emotional fault (P<0.01, β=0.194), and mixing with others (P<0.01, β=0.203). Thus, it was concluded that self-differentiation positively and meaningfully predicts love stories in students. The results of the current research show the importance of the role of self-differentiation and attachment styles in students, which can be effective in designing counseling programs in university counseling centers.