Payame Noor University

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the design of a model based on the impact of information technology on the empowerment components of professors with mediating role of social resilience in the Payame Noor University of Mazandaran province. The research method was descriptive-correlational. Method: The statistical population of this research included all professors (scientific and invited) in Payame Noor University of Mazandaran (2539 people). In this study, 280 people were selected as the sample from three branches of Mazandaran Payame Noor University using randomized cluster method. Three standard questionnaires used as the measurement instruments in this research were Ghasemi’s information technology questionnaire, Spreitzer’s empowerment questionnaire, and Connor and Davidson’s resilience questionnaire. In the descriptive statistics part, plotting charts and calculating the statistical indices were used to describe the hypotheses. Structural equation modeling test was used to analyze the data. The data were analyzed using SPSS22 and Amos software. Results: The findings of this research indicated that the design of the model based on information technology influences the empowerment components of professors with mediating role of social resilience in the Payame Noor University of Mazandaran province and all the paths of the effect of the exogenous variables on endogenous variables and endogenous variables on exogenous variables are significant at the level of a = 0.05. Also, all direct and total effects of the endogenous and exogenous variables were significant (p0.05), and all indirect effects of the exogenous and endogenous variables on the endogenous variables were significant. In the final model of information technology and faculty empowerment variables, the highest path coefficient was for the path from information technology to faculty empowerment (0.72) and then from the components of faculty empowerment to resilience (0.71). Conclusion: Information technology and mediating empowerment components have a resilient effect on empowerment components and have shown their mediating role well.

The present study aims at identifying the appropriate approach to improve the quality of e-learning in Payame Noor University. The research is applied in terms of purpose, is descriptive in terms of nature, and is a mixed method in terms of implementation applying an interview and a survey. The research population consists of all professors and students in e-learning department of Payame Noor University studying in academic year of 2016-2017. The research samples, consisting of 327 students and 291 professors, were selected through stratified random sampling. For data collection, in the first stage, after reviewing the related literature and conducting a semi-structured interview with distance education professionals and experts, the quality indexes in e-learning were identified. Then, in the second stage, two researcher-made questionnaires, based on a 5-likert scale, were prepared and after verifying the content and construct validity and calculating the reliability through Cronbach's alpha formula above 0.70, they were distributed among students and professors. The results of study suggest that if we are to take steps to improve the quality of e-learning in PNU, in addition to paying attention to maintaining the current quality and keeping its improvement through two components of strategies, policies, and general objectives and technology infrastructures, which had the greatest impact on e-learning quality, we should also take action through these factors to increase the impact of other components. Also, in order to improve the quality of e-learning in PNU, strategies such as paying attention to the quality of interaction, preventing significant changes in management decisions at the university, and paying attention to the empowerment of all human factors were suggested.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of philosophic mindedness training on the effectiveness of students’ virtual training components. The present study was a quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this study includes all student’s master’s degree of curriculum in Payame Noor University, south Tehran branch in 1399-1400 academic year. The sample consisted of 32 students who were selected by goal-based random sampling method and randomly assigned into two experimental (n=16) and control (n=16) groups. After conducting pre-test on both groups, the experimental group received Smith's philosophical mentality dimensions (Comprehensiveness, Penetration, Flexibility) (1956) in six sessions of sixty minutes and within six consecutive weeks by e-learning method, but the control group received no intervention. The research tool was a 34-item researcher-made questionnaire. The content validity confirmed by judgment of experts and professors, and its reliability was calculated and at an acceptable level. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis of covariance (Ancova). The results showed that there is a significant difference between the two groups of experimental and control in the effect of philosophic mindedness training on the effectiveness of virtual training. Therefore, it can be concluded that by training and enhancing the dimensions of philosophic mindedness of students of the target community, it can be increased the effectiveness of virtual training courses.