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The aim of this study was to identify the components of fair classroom assessment and formulate a conceptual framework for it by following the steps proposed by Okoli and Schabram for a systematic review. For this purpose, three databases including ERIC, Elsevier, and Springer were systematically searched. As a result of this research, 39 sub-themes for fair classroom assessment were obtained in the form of 7 themes of "educational fairness", "interactional fairness", "procedural fairness", "distributive fairness", "egalitarian fair assessment", "equitable fair assessment" and "validity". Based on the theoretical definitions provided in the social justice approach and measurement theory, these scattered themes were presented in the form of an integrated and coherent model for fair classroom assessment. This model has a process view of fairness in classroom assessment; thus, the violation of the assessment indicators in each of the stages of "gathering", "using" and "interpreting", in addition to reducing the perception of fairness of one of the seven themes, affects the fair classroom assessment. Also, the violation of fairness in each of these stages affects fairness in the next stage. The presented model will help teachers and professors in recognizing the indicators affecting each of the themes of fairness in the classroom assessment and by increasing their assessment literacy will help them in planning and implementing assessment and educational processes and designing tests that provide a fairer classroom assessment. This model and its concepts can also help assessment researchers to develop a tool for evaluating fairness in classroom assessment and provide the basis for quantitative research to examine the effectiveness of the paths identified in the model.

Peer moderation has been used as a beneficial strategy in asynchronous online discussions to assist student learning performance. However, most studies in peer-moderated asynchronous online discussions (PMAOD) have focused only on learning effectiveness and perceptions of students rather than on students' knowledge dimensions and cognitive processing patterns. This study combined quantitative content analysis (QCA) and lag sequential analysis (LSA) to explore student knowledge dimensions and cognitive processing patterns in PMAOD. The participants were 84 students in an undergraduate blended course from University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia. The Revised Bloom Taxonomy (RBT) was used as the codification scheme to code the discussion transcripts of participants assigned the role of peer moderators in a reciprocal manner over seven weeks. Behavioural distributions and patterns of high- and low-quality discussion groups were compared. Results showed that students were primarily sharing knowledge dimensions and cognitive processes of metacognition and understanding, respectively. Additionally, it was found that there was a modest proportion of off-topic discussions. Nonetheless, by means of LSA, it was found that PMAOD exhibited a certain degree of self-sustainability in knowledge and cognitive process behaviours, with the exceptions of "procedural knowledge" and the cognitive process of "applying" and, in terms of diversity in knowledge dimension and cognitive processing, high-quality discussion groups outperformed low-quality groups.

This qualitative study explores Self of the Therapist (SOT) implementation in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) by therapists aged 28-50. Involving 15 certified EFT therapists with a minimum of one year's experience, the research utilized semi-structured interviews and grounded theory for data analysis. The findings revealed 21 subcategories and 9 main categories, emphasizing the recognition of SOT. The study offers an intermediate theory on SOT's application in EFT, providing insights that highlight the critical role of therapist self-awareness in effective therapeutic outcomes. These insights are invaluable for therapists and researchers aiming to enhance EFT practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Academic procrastination is a common problem that negatively impacts students' academic performance and overall life. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a counseling package based on students' lived experiences in preventing academic procrastination and its effect on improving learning behaviors and their components among female middle school students. Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The sample consisted of 60 female middle school students from Tehran, equally divided into experimental and control groups. The intervention included 12 counseling sessions lasting 60-90 minutes, focusing on various aspects of behavior, cognition, communication, motivation, and emotion. Data were collected using a standardized scale for learning behaviors and analyzed using SPSS version 26 with descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA. Findings: ANOVA results showed significant improvement in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The Bonferroni post-hoc test indicated an increase in learning behaviors and their components in the post-test (p < 0.01), with effects persisting in the follow-up (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The counseling package based on students' lived experiences effectively improves learning behaviors and their components. This approach can be integrated into educational programs to support students in overcoming procrastination and achieving better academic performance and improved mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted with the aim of comparative study of the strategies and challenges of the selected countries in facing the overloaded curriculum in the primary school. The comparative research method is of a qualitative type based on the Bereday approach and the selection of countries was based on the strategy of "different social systems, different educational outcomes ". The method of data collection was documentary searching the Ministry of Education websites, reliable databases and international reports. The findings indicated that similar strategies in both selected countries were in terms of expanding the content, adopting an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, and in terms of content overload, content rearrangement in the areas of learning, clarity and simplification of early childhood documents and programs. Australia's strategy is to use key concepts and big ideas, reduce the scope of content, experimental implementation and interactive curriculum, and Ireland's strategy is spiral approach and self-evaluation of schools. Similar challenges in the content expansion dimension, adding new topics to the demand of influential groups, and in the content overload dimension, content and documents are repetitive and voluminous, and different challenges are the lack of vertical communication and the difficulty in prioritizing content at the local level in Ireland. Finally, suggestions were presented for Iranian curriculum planners, the most important of which is to use an interdisciplinary approach to include new content in available subjects and to identify and remove unnecessary repetitions of content between subjects and grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The emigration of elite athletes from Iran has adversely affected the nation's growth and development. This study seeks to identify the determinants influencing the migration of elite Iranian athletes. Methods and Materials: This research utilized a qualitative approach employing systematic grounded theory methodology. Participants were purposefully selected and included male and female national athletes who had changed citizenship and relocated abroad for athletic purposes. Data collection was conducted through 10 Persian and English articles and 16 interviews. Findings: The data analysis resulted in the identification of 136 initial codes. These codes were consolidated into 12 subcategories, which included personal reasons, sports growth and development, favorable conditions in the destination country, personal weaknesses and psychological elements, resources, facilities and infrastructure, economic problems in the country, financial issues for athletes, sports management weaknesses, political restrictions, cultural challenges, and social issues. Furthermore, these subcategories were organized into three main categories: intra-personal factors, economic factors, and extra-personal factors. Conclusion: The study suggests that senior officials should address discriminatory perspectives, ensure justice within the sports sector, provide equal opportunities, enhance management practices, offer economic support to athletes, combat discrimination, decouple politics from sports, and respect the privacy of athletes, particularly women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: School libraries, as key centers in the learning process, face significant weaknesses in engaging and involving students. Consequently, many students distance from libraries, leading to a weak learning process and a decline in the quality of virtual education. The purpose of this research is to determine the role of school libraries in fostering student engagement within the context of virtual education. Method: The approach of the current research is qualitative and its method is meta-synthesis. The research population consists of 95 articles about the role of school libraries in student engagement in the process of virtual education, which were published in reputable scientific journals between 2000 and 2023. The research sample includes 50 articles that were purposefully collected and selected based on thematic analysis. Data were collected from the qualitative analysis of the studied articles. Findings: Data analysis identified six key roles for school libraries in enhancing student engagement: accessibility of content and tools, information consultation and reference services, teaching information and media literacy, professional development for teachers, teacher collaboration and communication, and integration of new technologies. These roles are associated with educational strategies that can foster student engagement. This study found that school librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to plan student homeworks and conduct collaborative teaching and assessment. Previous research has also highlighted the importance of cooperation between school librarians and teachers. Librarians can share their expertise in emerging technologies with teachers and, through their teaching partnerships, guide educators towards tools and platforms that can be effectively integrated into lessons. Moreover, effective professional development can empower teachers to become technology leaders. Regarding the tools, knowledge and support necessary for teachers in virtual education, educators can enhance their ability to apply skills and knowledge in emerging and advanced technologies. These technologies enable them to locate, evaluate and ethically use information. To strengthen the study, specific examples relevant to educational goals should be provided. On the one hand, the present study showed that content/technology, student and teacher are the three main elements of virtual education. On the other hand, engagement is the main goal of education in the 21st century. Educational engagement is the concept of active participation of students in the education process and an important factor in educational progress, which is associated with the emotional components of passion, motivation and energy. In other words, educational engagement is the quality of effort that students spend on purposeful educational activities that lead to improved learning achievement. Also, in all educational courses, especially in the virtual education process, interaction can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the educational process and, as a result, engage students. The school library plays an important role in creating a bridge between students and teachers and content, as well as engaging students. A school library can create a communication bridge through information literacy education. Student relationships with the library are enriched through multimedia assignments that enhance student learning. Technology creates more opportunities to deepen student engagement with the library through more and more meaningful contacts with librarians. In all the roles played by the school library, including teacher, consultant, information specialist, and leadership, the basic role of the school library is the relationship builder. Therefore, school library efforts should be focused on helping to create a supportive culture that fosters student success and learning, because active and engaging libraries play a vital role in education. Originality/ Value: This research has comprehensively examined the role of school libraries in fostering student engagement within the context of virtual education. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable resource for administrators, teachers and librarians seeking to understand the significance and function of school libraries in the field of virtual learning. This research offers a novel contribution by comprehensively examining the multifaceted role of school libraries in fostering student engagement within the virtual education landscape. By employing a qualitative meta-synthesis approach and analyzing a substantial dataset of articles, the study identifies six key functions of school libraries in promoting student engagement, expanding upon previous research. Moreover, the research underscores the critical importance of school librarians as collaborative partners with teachers in creating the engaging and effective virtual learning environments. This study fills a knowledge gap by providing a deep understanding of the strategies and practices implemented to enhance student engagement through school library services, ultimately leading to improved educational outcomes. Given the high cost of information resources, inadequate infrastructure and limited school budgets, it is recommended that non-governmental organizations provide support to strengthen and develop school libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into account prior research suggesting a lack of student participation in online discussions, this study examines the influence of peer moderator (PM) role assignment on students' participation and that of their peers' participation in online discussions. Eighty-four participants operated in a moderator role, reciprocally. Moreover, the study examines the differences in the level of e-moderation supports enacted by PMs of high-and low-density online discussions. Online participation was assessed using log files of seven-week discussions and social network analysis techniques. Quantitative content analysis was applied with online interaction transcripts of PMs for two groups of online discussions. The results indicated that students in the PM role reached significantly higher level of participation quantity and patterns and their non-posting participation significantly influenced all indicators of group participation. Further, high-and low-density online discussions differed significantly with regards to frequency of PMs' e-moderation supports.

Objective: Academic procrastination is a common issue among students that significantly impacts their academic performance and mental health. This study aims to develop a counseling package based on the lived experiences of middle school girls to reduce academic procrastination. Considering the multifaceted nature of procrastination, this study examines cognitive, behavioral, emotional, relational, and motivational dimensions to create an effective intervention. Methods and Materials: This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of middle school girls with academic procrastination. Participants were purposefully selected from schools in District 5 of Tehran during the 2023-2024 academic year. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method to extract meaningful statements, formulate their meanings, and identify themes. Results: Data analysis revealed five main dimensions in the students' lived experiences of academic procrastination: cognitive, behavioral, emotional, relational, and motivational. The cognitive dimension includes errors in understanding concepts, perceptions of the difficulty of materials, the ability to focus and pay attention, and personal attitudes and beliefs about education. The behavioral dimension encompasses avoidance behaviors, sleep and rest patterns, leisure activities, use of technology and social networks, learning styles, and academic planning. The emotional dimension involves feelings related to academic pressure, experiences of failure and frustration, motivation and enthusiasm for learning, and levels of academic stress and anxiety. The relational dimension refers to interactions with friends and teachers, family relationships, school culture and classroom environment, and the impact of virtual communications. Finally, the motivational dimension includes academic goals, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, self-efficacy beliefs, individual and family values, previous experiences of success and failure, and the importance of education in future planning. Conclusion: The developed counseling package consists of 12 sessions addressing each identified dimension. This program includes sessions on behavioral strategies (sleep, time management), cognitive techniques (error correction, focus enhancement), emotion management (stress reduction, motivation increase), and communication skills (effective interaction with peers, teachers, and family). This comprehensive approach is designed to equip students with the necessary skills to effectively combat academic procrastination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the use of bibliotherapy as an intervention to enhance self-esteem in elementary school students. Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental design with two control groups and two experimental groups consisting of both boys and girls. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted, and an eight-session training program was implemented for the experimental groups. The training program involved using stories as the primary tool for intervention, which were categorized into four types, including stories aimed at enhancing self-esteem and alleviating pain. From the category of self-esteem stories, eight stories were selected and delivered over four weeks, with two 45-minute sessions per week. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Each session lasted two hours per week. Results: The study found that both boys and girls in the experimental groups experienced a significant increase in self-esteem, with the effect size measure indicating that 87% and 71% of the variance in self-esteem could be attributed to the independent variable of bibliotherapy in boys and girls, respectively. A comparison of the effectiveness of bibliotherapy between male and female students in a quasi-experimental study revealed that girls had significantly higher levels of self-esteem compared to boys. Conclusion: The study suggests that presenting selected stories as an alternative approach to boosting self-esteem can provide valuable insights into children's self-esteem. These results are consistent with previous research that supports the effectiveness of bibliotherapy interventions in promoting self-esteem. The study highlights the potential of bibliotherapy as an effective intervention for enhancing self-esteem in elementary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ego network is an individual's social network relationships with core members. In this study, the ego network parameters in online discussion spaces of high- and low-performing students were compared. The extent to which students' ego networks changed over the course were also analyzed. Participation in 7 weeks of online discussions were analyzed for 12 high-performing students and 9 low-performing students. Results suggested that ego networks' compositions of high- and low-performing students were significantly different. Particularly, high-performing students had denser ego networks and tended to exhibit a higher level of centralities than low-performing students. Results of network visualization indicated that high-performing students increased and kept their networks stable over the course in comparison to low-performing students, who had fragmented networks. Several networks' change mechanisms for high- and low-performing groups are also identified and discussed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between students' perceptions of online discussions, participation and e-moderation behaviours in peer-moderated asynchronous online discussions. Using survey data, the learning system's activity log and discussion transcripts, the authors analysed how 84 learners' perceptions of online discussions influenced their participation and e-moderation behaviours. The results showed that Cognitive and Skill II (critical thinking skills) perceptual aspects significantly influenced the quantity posting and participation patterns. Meanwhile, Skill I (reading and writing skills) and Efficacy were critical factors that influenced quantity non-posting participation. It was also found that the perceptual aspects significantly influenced learners' e-moderation behaviours to the extent that Affection and Efficacy were critical factors that influenced lower-level e-moderation supports, while Cognition, Affection and Skill II were critical factors that influenced higher-level e-moderation supports. All e-moderation supports were found to be correlated with peers' quantity posting and participation patterns, except for Access and motivation support.

Parental divorce affects various behavioral, emotional, social, and academic outcomes, and children from divorced families are more likely to experience problems in their lives. This present study aimed to explore the dimensions of post-traumatic growth resulting from divorce parental among young Iranian women. A total of 20 young women living in Tehran, Iran, whose parents were divorced participated in this research. The data were collected by a semi-structured interview and analyzed by Marton's proposed method. The findings of this phenomenography study revealed five outcome spaces of post-traumatic growth. Categories of description included post-traumatic growth in the behavioral dimension, academic-occupational dimension, spiritual dimension, ethnic relationships dimension, and meaning of life dimension. According to the findings, in Iranian society, culture, ethnicity, and religion play an important role in growth after divorce. In general, if they are mature and mentally prepared, they can cope with their parents' divorce and grow in different domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at clarifying the position of environment and heredity in scholastic aptitude by investigating the role of family, educational, and economic factors in the scholastic aptitude of ninth-grade students. This applied study adopted a quantitative approach and a descriptive causal- comparative method in terms of data collection. The statistical population of the research included all 1,234,641 students in the ninth grade of the secondary schools in Iran in the academic year of 2020-2021. The sample size contained 11790 students selected through proportionate stratified random sampling. The data were collected using a 64-question Scholastic Aptitude Test and analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as the MANOVA using the SPSS 25 software. The research results showed that among the family factors, the mother's educational level; among the educational factors, the type of school and educational assistance classes; and among the economic factors, the family income, had a significant role in the students' scholastic aptitude (P < 0.05). Moreover, the linear combination of family factors and educational factors does not have a significant role in scholastic aptitude while the linear combination of economic factors has a significant role. In general, among family, economic, and educational factors, economic factors have a more significant role in scholastic aptitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the number of female heads of households is increasing all over the world, especially in Iran, while everyone agrees that they are a vulnerable group, which needs to be supported. This support is often provided by families and friends, as well as governmental and quasi-governmental institutions. However, it seems that their perceptions about these supports are more important than the supports themselves. This study was designed with the aim of investigating these women's perceptions about social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in first and second movements in research methodology led to emergence and development of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Second movement in research methodology emerged with an objective of rectifying certain shortfalls in the first movement; however, the second movement, itself, was not exempt from some shortfalls. These have led to the emergence of the third methodological movement which resulted in the birth of mixed methods research. Researchers are finding this movement to be a new opportunity to study complex phenomenon. They are also finding that the new opportunity comes with its own challenges. Some of the currently discussed challenges among educational researchers are philosophical and epistemological aspects of mixed methods research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The thought of one's own death is a fearful subject that is not easy to deal with. Fear of death can have various psychological effects on a person. Advances have been made in the measurement of death concerns leading to the development and validation of several scales as it varies according to social and cultural conditions. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties, content validity, concurrent validity, and factor structure of a Persian version of the revised Fear of Personal Death Scale (FPDS-R) in an Iranian population. Methods: This study was conducted on residents of Tehran, Iran, using the online version of the FPDS-R, Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale questionnaires. Finally, data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 21). Moreover, the Pearson correlation coefficient and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used for data analysis. Results: Among 313 individuals who completed the study, the fit of the five-factor model in CFA was confirmed using standard indices (root mean square error of approximation = 0.06; chi-square = 0.34). Reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha (> 0.8). Cronbach's alpha values for the reliability of "deprivation", "loss of self ", "forgotten", "other-oriented" and "mystery" were 0.93, 0.88, 0.81, 0.86, and 0.88, respectively. The findings of this study confirmed the five factors model developed by Burris and Bailey (2009) on Iranian sample. Conclusions: The Persian version of the FPDS-R in Iranian society has good reliability and validity and can be used for personality research, identification and treatment of clinical disorders, and cross-cultural comparisons in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]