Search

The aim of this current research was to investigate airborne fungi in indoor environments at primary schools. The study also examined the correlation between these fungi and building characteristics, as well as some geographical and meteorological parameters. To achieve this aim, a passive sampling method was used. In this study, 148 samples were collected from the indoor environments of 24 schools located in Qom, Iran. To collect the samples, passive sampling was performed using Petri plates containing Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). The characteristics of school buildings were evaluated by checklist. The mean ± SD fungal load of indoor air in selected schools was found to be 10.1 ± 14.0 colonies (CFU/dm2 / h). According to the IMA standard, the majority of the classes (71.7%) were in very good condition. The dominant species were as follows: "Aspergillus niger," "Aspergillus candidus," and "Aspergillus flavus." Furthermore, the fungal load of girls' schools was significantly higher than that of the boys' schools (p < 0.05). The correlation analysis using the Pearson test showed that there was a direct correlation between the mean fungal load of classrooms and the number of students (p < 0.01). The highest concentration of fungi was found on the ground floor and in poor ventilation conditions (p < 0.05). During the study, it was found that schools located in the western part of Qom, Iran, had a higher concentration of fungi. This can be attributed to their exposure to the prevailing winds and the penetration of outdoor dusty air into indoor environments. The large number of students in each class and the inappropriate ventilation, which are the causes of airborne culturable fungi of these classes, call for the need for proper operation of school buildings.

Achievement of a positive identity and its transition to adulthood is the most important task of the adolescent era. This cross-sectional explanatory mixed-method study sought to better understand barriers to identity development in female adolescents in Iran by explaining their own experiences and using a Positive Youth Development model as a framework. A total of 573 female secondary-school students were recruited through multistage sampling and were asked to complete the questionnaire of Developmental Assets Profile (DAP). Positive identity in DAP consists of four assets (personal power, self-esteem, a positive view of the personal future, and sense of purpose). Quantitative data analysis showed that among above mentioned four assets, personal power and self-esteem gained lower scores. A qualitative study held six individual interviews and two focused-group discussions were conducted to explain the barriers to personal power and self-esteem. Results showed that considering personal power, there were two categories as follows: (1) barriers to a sense of control over life and future (subcategories: being limited by failures, deprivation of liberty, and dissatisfaction from being excessively controlled by parents). (2) Barriers to adequately dealing with the challenges and problems (subcategories: expressing feelings inappropriately, isolation, and blaming). Barriers to self-esteem included categories of negative emotions due to weak academic performance, weak religious performance, weak communication with parents, and previous mistakes. The results of the present study highlighted the areas that need intervention in the field of promoting positive identity in adolescent girls and their parents.

This study was designed to investigate the impact of visual mnemonic technique on young and adult Iranian English learners' vocabulary learning. The current study followed a quasi-experimental design. 48 female students were selected based on their performance on the Quick Placement Test. The participants were divided into four groups, two experimental and two control groups. Prior to the treatment, the participants of both groups were given a pre-test to determine the knowledge of vocabulary. Then, the experimental groups received the visual mnemonic technique for 8 sessions. The control groups went through a traditional method of teaching vocabulary. After 8 sessions, a post-test was administered to all groups. Two-way ANOVA between groups was run to the results of the vocabulary tests. The results exhibited that the experimental groups who received instruction on mnemonic technique outperformed their counterparts in post-test of vocabulary. However, the differences between the effects of mnemonic technique for young and adult learners who received the specific treatment were not statistically significant (P=0.05).

Globalization is a multi-dimensional phenomenon as it leads to high mobility in social, political, economic and value fields and besides reduction of the gap between time and place presents new interpretations of politics, economy, culture, government, authority and security. The present study aimed to explain the educational and cultural dimensions of globalization in the views of Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli. The study method is Transcendental logic analysis and sampling method is purposive. The Transcendental logic analysis consists of two stages of description and determines the conditions. In description stage, qualitative content analysis method of comparative categorization and paragraph and three-stage subject coding including open coding, axial coding and selective coding are used. The results showed that according to Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli, globalization is assumed as it is based on anthropological basis in common meaning of humanity-ignoring the climatic and historical conditions and epistemology basis is as the knowledge of that common reality is provided. Therefore, the views in which no unit reality is accepted at ontology aspect and considers relativity of reality or in epistemology dimension, achieving reality is impossible, relativity of understanding is mentioned and from epistemological and logical aspects cannot defend globalization.

This article aims to analyze the views and teachings of Islam and the Islamic religion in order to determine the requirements of interaction and media use. This article is of qualitative kind and content analysis approach and has done based on the study of Islamic texts and sources associated with the media. Because of the multiplicity and diversity of sources for better organization, it was used all available printed and digital written. Data collection method was library and accordingly, used the resources available in libraries, databases and electronic Journals and slip and form data collection tool were developed by researchers. In order to analyze the data, first the theoretical foundations were examined through the study of literature and taking notes and then using content analysis concepts and major themes were categorized and extracted according to the individual relationship with God, self, others, the world, life, and life about Media. To increase the credibility of the analysis of people out-of-range use and after review, reformation was carried out. The results and findings of this paper shows that by deeply looking at the Islamic religious teachings can introduce a human and society which would help him/her in the recognition and interaction with tools such as Media and before this powerful communication tool fades and captures human with its own graces and creates a dependency in his/her behavior, it uses media in line with human and Islamic goals better. Among this, the special attention to interactive approach and competition, due to the growing trend and unpredictable emerging technologies is reflected against Attraction approaches, avoiding or apathy. Also extracting Islamic requirements in interaction with media causes to prevent, security and reliability of the Muslim movement and vaccinating him/her in the stormy sea of media waves and hide and reveal goals/targets. What was taken for granted, rich Islamic teachings in interaction with the media provides individual requirement dimensions in order to facilitate the person's relationship with God, self, others, the world, life and the Hereafter, strengthen and the more better background of his/her self-management in interaction with any man-made instrument including the mass media.

This study was aimed at comparatively analyzing morals and democracy from John Dewey and Khawaja Nasir al-Din Tusi's viewpoint. It also sought the effect of the two philosophers' viewpoint about morals and democracy and behavioral reflections. The purpose of this study was also to become familiar with the effect of morals and democracy on behavioral reflections of John Dewey (as the west representative of the behavioral reflection). It also tries to familiarize the readers with Khawaja Nasir al-Din Tusi's view point as the Iranian and Islamic representative of the behavioral reflections. The similarities and differences existed among the mentioned philosophers were identified. This was a descriptive and analytical research study. The study investigated the philosophers' opinions with regards to human beings, morals and democracy and their effect on the education and training. The results of the study showed that there are differences between John Dewey and Khawaja Nasir al-Din Tusi's view point about human beings, morals and democracy. The differences were effective on their behavioral reflections, too.

This study focused on perceived technology knowledge and acceptance of Iranian university students. Survey data were collected from 215 freshmen students of 12 majors from a state university of technology in Tehran, Iran. The survey was comprised of 29 items arranged into two scales, namely technology knowledge and technology acceptance (with three sub-scales: perceived technology self-efficacy, ease of use, and usefulness) as the dependent variables. Descriptive and MANOVA analyses were conducted to explore participants' perception towards these factors, the possible impact of gender, computer ownership, and major of study as independent variables on technology knowledge and acceptance, and the correlation between the dependent variables. The majority of participants perceived themselves as novice or slightly-better-than-novice users of technology. While the results yielded a generally positive technology self-efficacy, the respondents appeared largely uncertain about usefulness and ease of use of technology. The findings supported that male participants demonstrated more self-efficacy towards technology compared to the females. A statistically significant difference was found in technology knowledge of respondents majoring at computer engineering with the rest of the participants. Further, students with a personal computer demonstrated higher levels of technology knowledge and perceived technology easy to use. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients indicated that technology knowledge positively correlated with the three constructs of technology acceptance. Addressing students' technology proficiency and acceptance is a critical step for designing and/or redefining technology-enhanced courses and programs.

This article reports a mixed-method research probing the effect of utilizing a blog-buddy system on English for academic purposes learners' writing performance. Sixty Iranian undergraduate engineering students at Iran University of Science and Technology Virtual Campus participated in this study. Our analysis of the students' writings indicated that blog-integrated writing instruction accompanied with the implementation of a blog-buddy system resulted in a significant improvement in students' writing performance. Further, the results of an attitudinal survey revealed that students who received feedback from blog-buddies showed higher positive attitudes toward utilizing blogs for their writing classes. For further investigation, data were gathered through comments the participants left on the weblog and the forums, semistructured interviews, and teacher observations. Four themes emerged, which were used to come up with a framework based on the learner-centred approach. The framework integrates web-based trainings and learners' learning styles and fosters the learners' control of their learning experiences.

In this study we explored the effect of podcasting on the motivation of the students in an online English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course at the university level (N = 179). By using a mixed-method approach, we analyzed the data collected on the learners' impressions about using podcasts as a learning tool. The particular aim of this study was to help learners do research in English in their specific academic field. In their EAP course the learners are expected to study various types of English texts, listen to media and give lectures on their academic findings. The findings of this study revealed that males found podcasting significantly more relevant and attractive than females. Females, on the other hand, were significantly more satisfied with using podcasts in their EAP class. Further, results showed that learners who had no prior experience of podcasts for academic purposes outperformed the learners with medium experience. For further qualitative investigation, several sources were used for data collection including interviews with the learners, the course forums, emails, the class groupblog, podcasts and open-ended questions. Overall podcasting proved highly effective in motivating the students to learn in the online environment.