Teaching and Learning Process

Abstract Purpose: Smart schools are schools equipped with electronic devices and advanced technology where innovative and new way of learning is taught by processing data and communication within the context of suitable curriculum. Methodology: The basis of current research has been designed to compare the effectiveness of developing creativity between two groups of female high schoolers attending smart schools versus female students attending non-smart schools. Furthermore, all the female subjects were attending 3rd grade which is equivalent of 11th grade students worldwide. The method utilized in this research is the comparison evaluation type. The statistical society of research subjects included female high schoolers of Tehran’s District 8 which encompasses of 10 public schools, 6 non-public or private schools, and one smart high school, with the total population of 1020 in which 300 students were selected by classified random method as the sample group of research. The mentioned random groups were selected from all above-mentioned schools accordingly to their populations. Initially, in order to assess the level of creativity, part A of the Torrance test was given to all subjects at the beginning of the school –year. Part B of the same test was given at the conclusion of the school-year. Finding: The yielding outcome of both tests were analyzed with T test, variance method, and Schaffer's follow-up test final and total assessment and evaluation of all the results a conclusion was reached indicating that the type of smart or non-smart schools had no effect in developing and advancing creativity. Discussion: However, the dual comparison between private and public schools demonstrated a real and factual significant differences with respect to developing creativity. This fact implies that private high schools are more equipped and suited to develop creativity.

Purpose: The school principals’ competence plays an important role in improving the education system. As a result, this study aimed to investigate and present the competency model of high school principals. Methodology: The current research was applied in terms of purpose and mixed (qualitative and quantitative) in terms of implementation. In the qualitative part, the research population was the educational management experts of Guilan province in the academic year of 2021-22, and according to the principle of theoretical saturation, 15 of them were selected as a sample using targeted and snowball sampling methods. In the quantitative part, the research population was the principals of the second year high school in Guilan province in the academic year 2021-22, and according to the table of Krejcie and Morgan, 127 of them were selected as a sample by stratified random sampling method. The research instrument was a semi-structured interview in the qualitative part and a researcher-made questionnaire in the quantitative part, whose psychometric indicators were checked and confirmed. The data of the qualitative part were analyzed by open, axial and selective coding method in Maxqda software, and the data of the quantitative part were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis method in Amos software. Findings: The results of the qualitative section showed that 137 indicators, 17 components and 5 dimensions were identified for the competence of high school principals; so as to include the dimensions of belief (with the components of cognition, belief, value and behavior), rational (with the components of discretion power, future studies and effective decision-making), personal (with the components of creating a positive environment, needs assessment, mental health and the flourishing of talents), managerial (with the components of human/general skills, perceptual/maturity skills and specialized/leadership skills) and educational (with the components of teaching and learning process, educational supervision and guidance, and educational evaluation). Also, the results of the quantitative section showed that the factor load and the average variance extracted of the dimensions and components were higher than 0.50 and their content validity and reliability ratio with Cronbach’s alpha method was higher than 0.80. In addition, the Competency model of high school principals had a good fit and each of the dimensions had a significant effect on the corresponding components and each of the components had a significant effect on the corresponding indicators (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the competency model of high school principals, planning to improve and promote the competence of school principals through the identified dimensions, components and indicators seems necessary.

Purpose: Students' learning style is one of the important factors that help teachers to prepare conditions for students' learning. So, the aim of this research was to identify the dimensions and components of education based on flipped learning in elementary school. Methodology: This study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive in terms of qualitative type. The research community were experts in the fields of elementary education, curriculum planning and educational management. Sampling was done with targeted and snowball sampling methods and continued until the research reached theoretical saturation, i.e. 19 people. The research tool was a semi-structured interview with experts, whose validity was confirmed by the triangulation method, and its reliability was calculated by the method of the agreement coefficient between two coders of 0.88, and the data analysis was done by thematic analysis method in MAXQDA-12 software. Findings: The findings indicated that education based on flipped learning in elementary school has 45 indicators, 9 components and 3 dimensions of input (with 3 components of equipment, learner and teacher), teaching and learning process (with 3 components of learner preparation, teacher preparation) , learning activities and interaction) and output (with 2 components of implicit results and objective results). Finally, according to the identified dimensions and components, a teaching model based on flipped learning was designed in the elementary school. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that in order to improve education based on flipped learning, the dimensions and components identified for it should be given special attention and the ground for their improvement and promotion should be provided.