Postgraduate

Various studies suggest that it is important to determine students' personality charecteristics and assertiveness and make them aware of these differences in order to improve learning process and outcomes. This study aimed to find out how much of the variance in postgraduate students’ assertiveness is explained by five personality characteristics (i.e., Openness, Neuroticism, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) and which one of these characteristics significantly predicts the students’ assertiveness. To this end, 66 postgraduate students within the age range of 22 to 35 participated in this descriptive correlational study. They were majoring in English language teaching at Islamic Azad University,Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran. The College Self-expression Scale (CSES) and Big-Five Personality Inventory were used to assess the students’ level of assertiveness and their personality characteristics, respectively. In order to answer the research questions, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out. The results revealed that about 14 percent of the postgraduate students’ assertiveness is explained by five personality characteristics and out of them, only Extroversion has a significant contribution to their assertiveness. The pedagogical implications are presented for teachers, students, syllabus designers, and materials writers.

The purpose of the present study was to identify the organizational attractions of physical education faculties of state universities from the viewpoint of post-graduate students and graduates. The present study was qualitative research using a thematic analysis approach. The statistical population included all postgraduate students and graduates of physical education departments and faculties at state universities. The participants were purposively selected using the snowball sampling technique. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 13 individuals until theoretical saturation was achieved (10+3), and coding was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the organizational attractions of physical education faculties encompass three main themes: structural, conceptual, and technology and innovation, along with 19 sub-themes and 71 concepts. The sub-themes comprised organizational order, organizational branding, organizational facilities, organizational climate, geographical environment, intra-organizational communication, extra-organizational communication, up-to-date status, educational, research, social status, remuneration, sports environment, educational sequence, sports events and competitions, departments, freedom of action, meritocracy, and amenities. The study’s findings provide valuable insights into the organizational attractions as perceived by postgraduate students and graduates who are prospective applicants for physical education departments and faculties.