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The aim of the current study was to investigate whether Podcasts would have an effect on Iranian autonomous and non-autonomous EFL learners’ listening comprehension ability at pre-intermediate level. For this purpose, 60 Iranian pre-intermediate EFL learners at some Iranian institutes participated in the experiment of the study. Then they were divided into two groups based on an OPT and an autonomy questionnaire. The participants of each group were assigned randomly into two experimental groups (N=15) and two control groups (N=15). A pre-test was administered to the four groups of the study and then, the experimental groups received 5 sessions of teaching podcast. After the treatment, a posttest of L2 listening comprehension was administered to all groups of the study and finally the data were analyzed via a series of paired sample t-tests to see whether there is progress between the pretest and posttest scores of the groups, and a Two-way ANOVA was used to see the differences between posttests. The results revealed that Iranian autonomous and non-autonomous EFL learners’ listening comprehension ability got better after the treatment.

Job creation, income generation, and natural resources conservation, all are pillars of sustainable development for industries using new technologies. Despite the importance of new technologies, developing countries face many limitations, such as economic and political problems, which make the development and transfer of technologies more difficult. In this study, we focus on development of new technologies in Iran’s petrochemical industry, including nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, and membranes. Solutions are proposed to improve the current unsatisfactory status. For that matter, taking into account experts’ viewpoints, a new technology tree is suggested for Iran’s petrochemical industry. The literature on technology assessment and prioritization is reviewed, and then primary indicators are proposed based on ability, attractiveness, and patent features. Forty industry experts are surveyed and the results are analyzed using face validity, reliability test, and factor analysis, by which the current status of new technologies is assessed.

The purpose of this research was to identify the skills and abilities learners need in a digital learning environment during the Corona crisis. The research approach was applied in terms of objective and the data collected using the mixed-method approach. In the first part, using a qualitative approach and a document search method, 33 components (related to the skills and abilities of e-learners) were identified, and then19 components out of 33 with the highest frequencies were selected. The target population for this study included all MA students of the University of Tehran who had the experience of studying in an online learning environment, then 374 individuals were selected as a sample using the random sampling method. In the second part, using a quantitative approach and a descriptive-analytical research method, the questionnaire developed by the researcher relies on 19 components identified in the previous step. The experts' opinions proved the validity of the questionnaire—moreover, its reliability in 0.94 (Cronbach alpha). The data was analyzed by SPSS and LISREL, and the results of the data analysis demonstrate that the proposed model is a good fit. Among the 19 components surveyed, all are above average. Finally, the results indicated that the most critical components from e-learners’ view which more critical in digital learning were effective communication, use of the computer, active learning, learning skills, resilience, motivation toward e-learning, emotional intelligence, interaction with e-learning system, self-direct learning, time management, flexibility and adaptability, critical thinking, creativity, asking someone for help, leadership skills, stress management, self-organized, cognitive skills and self-assessment

This study aimed at evaluating PISA-like reading test developed by teachers participating in the teacher training for teaching PISA-like reading. To serve the purpose, an experimental test was administered to 107 students aged 15-16 using a set of text and questions constructed according to the criteria of PISA Reading test Level 1. Item analysis was performed following the sampling using Rasch Measurement, deemed essential for determining the ideal index of test items relative to students’ ability in making correct response. The component of the calculation comprises reliability, separation, dan standard error. The Rasch model was constructed manually using Microsoft Excel to obtain the result of the calculation, and a Wright Map was also made manually to illustrate the result of the calculation. The results of the item analysis indicated that the test and the items the teachers constructed have met good criteria. The results revealed an even distribution of test item difficulty at the targeted level. The samples’ ability to make correct answers, however, was decentralized towards the test items of moderate level of difficulty. Only a limited number of students have showed good ability in their response to test items of higher difficulty.