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One of the strongest methods used in sending messages in advertisement is to apply a portrait in graphic design, especially when we are addressing a large crowd of ordinary people. Since any advertisement is done thoughtfully and with a certain goal in mind, the portrait can be considered as an element in advertising. The art of graphic is known as a means of communication and media for a long time and its strong capabilities and effectiveness are globally recognized on issues, namely social, cultural, political and economic, etc. The art of portrait can be used as a cultural symbol in advertising

The general purpose of this research was the study of mathematics anxiety among high school male and female students. To assess the students’ mathematics anxiety, Chiu and Henry's “Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC)”, the reliability and validity of which had previously been calculated, was used. The population was consisted of all high school science and mathematics students that studied in four districts in Shiraz, and participants were selected by random-cluster sampling. The finding indicated that: 1- There was no statistical significant difference between girls and boys in respect to mathematics anxiety. 2- In mathematics learning anxiety dimension, there was no significant difference between girls and boys. But in respect to mathematics problem solving and evaluation, girls gained higher mean, while in respect to anxiety created in students through teacher, boys gained higher mean, and these differences became significant. .

The main purpose of this research was to study and compare educational efficiency (teaching skills) among male and female literature teachers graduated from Islamic Azad University, Payamnoor University and State universities. The population of this study was all of teachers of Persian language and literature, employed formally in educational system and graduated from universities named above, and was teaching Persian language and literature in high and pre-college schools of the four educational districts of Shiraz in educational year 2008-2009. The sample was selected by stratified random sampling consisting of 90 teachers (38 males & 52 females). The tested subjects were 900 students and the data related to sampling was obtained from them. A 28 item Likert's type questionnaire was used to conduct this study. The questionnaire measured 3 areas, including pre-teaching skills, in-teaching skills, and post- teaching skills. The result showed that: 1-There was significant statistical difference among male teachers graduated from Islamic Azad University, Payamnoor University and State universities in respect to pre-teaching skills, in-teaching skills & post-teaching skills. 2-There was significant statistical difference among female teachers graduated from Islamic Azad University, Payamnoor University and governmental universities in respect to in-teaching skills. There was no significant difference in respect to the other skills

In accordance with the remarkable effect of information and communication technology (ICT), this study attempts to investigate its application in teaching and learning processes. To collect data, a questionnaire containing five sections (personal information, knowledge, skill, approach, and self-confidence), the validity and reliability of which had previously been calculated, was used. The statistical population consisted of the faculty members of the branches of Islamic Azad University in Fars province. The statistical sample was selected clustered-randomly. The results revealed that:The faculty members’ approach to information and communication technology with the regression coefficient of 0.42 at 0.001 level of significance was the most predicting factor in creating self-confidence in the faculty members to use it. The next predicting factors in creating this self-confidence in the faculty members to use ICT in their teaching were knowledge of software with the regression coefficient of 0.39 at 0.001 level of significance, and software skill with the regression coefficient of 0.22 at 0.005 level of significance. Among faculty members with different experience of teaching, their approach to software was the most predicting factor in creating self-confidence in them to use ICT in their teaching. Also it was revealed that between male and female faculty members, their approach to ICT was the strongest predicting factor in creating this self-confidence in them to apply it in their teaching.

The goal of this research was to study the view of Firoozabad Islamic Azad University students on the effective factors in their educational satisfaction during the academic year 2004-5. The research instrument, evaluating the students’ educational satisfaction from five aspects, was a researcher-made questionnaire based on Likert scale. Its reliability was calculated through Cronbach's Alpha.The population contained all Firoozabad Islamic Azad university students and 1137 students were selected through classified-random sampling method to answer the questionnaire. The finding indicated:- The students were not relatively satisfied with the university. The students’ lowest satisfaction was with communication aspect and their highest one was with faculty members’ aspect. This difference became significant at level 0.01.- Junior students were more satisfied with the university than senior students. This difference became significant at level 0.01. - Female students were more satisfied than male ones. This difference became significant at level 0.01.- Employed students were more satisfied than unemployed students. This difference became significant at level 0.01.

The research was exploring to this hypothesis that instruction of system thinking skills effect on improvement of managers’ irrational beliefs. The study design is experimental type. The participations include 30 managers’(15 experimental and 15 control groups) who were matched together. To gather the required data used system thinking skills inventory (α= 0/85) and managerial beliefs inventory (α= 0/82) that they have made for this research. First of all, the pre – test was done about system thinking skills and managerial beliefs. Then in experimental group, system thinking skills were instructed through a workshop and also by an individually study program. After about 40 days, in both groups, the post – test was done. To analyze the data, were used descriptive and inferential statistics as multi – variable covariance. The result showed that instruction of system thinking skills had significant affect on the managerial beliefs of managers.

Of all guidance-school teachers of the four districts in Shiraz who were participating in in-service training classes of geography and Arabic, and their principals as well as their students, 150 were selected according to clustered-sampling method to investigate the relationship between the effectiveness of in-service training programs and teachers’ teaching skills. The employed instrument contained three scales. The first scale was submitted to the principals to evaluate the teachers’ skills before, during and after their teaching. The second scale was handed to the students to evaluate their teachers’ skills of teaching. The third one, which investigated the level of the effectiveness of in-service training programs, was responded by the teachers themselves. The results revealed that:1-From the view-point of principals, no relationship was observed between the effectiveness of in-service training programs and teachers’ skills for lesson plan preparation, teaching demonstration and students’ evaluation.2- From the view-point of students, a meaningful relationship was observed between the effectiveness of in-service training programs and teaching demonstration skills at p=0.001 level of significance.3-Female teachers were evaluated higher than male teachers in all three teaching skills. Specifically, the difference was meaningful in lesson plan preparation and students’ evaluation skills at p=0.01 level of significance and a meaningful relationship was observed in teaching demonstration skill at p=0.0001 level of significance from the view point of students. From the principals’ view, no significant relationship was observed between male and female teachers in respect to their teaching demonstration skills.5-Work-experience of teachers had no effect on their teaching skills development.

The goal of this research was to study the Islamic Azad University faculty members’ view of the effective factors in job satisfaction. The instrument employed in this study to collect information was Hertzberg's Standard scale, the reliability and validity of which had previously been calculated. The statistical population and sample were all faculty members of Firoozabad Islamic Azad University since they were not large in number. The analysis of data indicated:1. The greatest faculty members’ job satisfaction was with their knowledge of their job and their lowest satisfaction was related to their salary. 2. There was significant difference between female and male faculty members in respect to job satisfaction. 3. There wasn’t a significant difference between assistant professors and instructors in respect to job satisfaction. 4. There wasn’t significant difference between faculty members in respect to their work experience.

Teachers in general and English teachers specifically, are always concerned with the kind of material they are going to present to their students. One of the most challenging kinds of material for English classes is literature. Although some scholars have pointed out to the shortcoming of literature use in practice, it is so vast and so practicable that instructors cannot stop using it. Language learning requires acquiring four skills of reading comprehension, writing, listening and speaking. Some sources provide materials that can meet some of these abilities, but literature has proved a good source that fulfills these four skills. Also, language learning deals with culture, and hence with social understanding. It is this feature of language that demands materials dealing with culture. Literature is culture; that is, it is not to say that literature deals with culture, but it should be said that literature is the culture of the people using that language. Besides, it can be claimed that the use of literature in language classes encourages more thoughtful and purposeful language learning. In this respect, the learners are not only exposed to the real use of language, but also they become critical thinkers. As such, the present paper will debate the reasons behind using literature as a good source in teaching English language.