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This article engages the reader with a critical and challenging issue in teacher education domain. The issue chosen is the structure of the program which extends itself quite naturally to the issue of implementation in terms of institutions involved. The author argues that although there is no definite answer to the question of which pre-service teacher education program assures training of effective teachers, a viable teacher education curriculum should consist of four elements, together forming an image of a square. The four elements are described as: content (disciplinary) knowledge component, general educational knowledge component, content specific professional knowledge coupled with practicum and induction, which refers to a one year monitoring and coaching of novice teachers. The four-sided program needs to be implemented in a cooperative spirit which involves the higher education sector and public education sector, thus depicting a cross-sectoral picture of the task of teacher education. The first two components come naturally under the expertise of universities and the last two are components for which the public education sector is better prepared. The implementation scheme discussed in the article presents a serious challenge to the current thinking and policy direction in Iran which has recently rested the case for teacher education by awarding all the responsibilities to the public education sector and exempting the higher education from performing any meaningful role in this respect. The policy has manifested itself in the 2012 enactment of a legislature authorizing the establishment of a single university run by ministry of education to assume the full responsibility for teacher education.

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The main purpose of this research is to derive Seminary virtual education effectiveness criteria. Seminary education has main differences with tertiary or professional education. Therefore, to assess their effectiveness, we must take into account these differences. In this research we have used qualitative methodology and set a semi-interview mechanism with 15 experts in e-learning, all employees in Seminary educational institutions established in Qom. Data analysis was done in three stages: open encoding, axial encoding and selective encoding. In open encoding stage 114 codes was detected. In axial encoding stage these codes were categorized around six basic categories. With recurrent reviewing of interviews in selective coding stage we reached one inclusive category. Based on these research findings, to assess Seminary virtual education’s effectiveness, there are two layers, i.e. surface and deep. In surface layer we must consider six categories which include: Seminary’s essential values, seminary educational aims, curriculum design, teacher skills, learner skills and behavioral and attitudinal outcomes. But in deep layer, based on Seminary essential values and interactions among six categories, it boiled down to one inclusive category which we called “Seminarian traits”. This concept involves elements such as: Seminarian style, religious inquiry, propagation skills, observing the teacher’s dignity, developing an inner feeling and life-long learning.

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This paper presents a report on the level of achievement in the third grade of high school courses of physics and laboratory. This research is assessment-oriented and evaluative and in collecting of data follows the grounded theory method. Curricular goal achievement was assessed with evaluating mathematics and science students (N=369) from five districts in Tehran via academic achievement test. The analysis of data showed that: 1- The goals of physics curriculum in cognitive domain had been achieved. 2- There were no significant differences between male and female mathematics and science students in goal achievement in cognitive domain. 3- There were significant differences in cognitive domain in between students who studied in different districts of Tehran.

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Abstract: The main purpose of the present study was to gain insights into effective teaching in higher education as a phenomenon. Using professional experiences of university faculty, we wanted to develop a conceptual framework in order to enhance the pedagogical and theoretical foundations of teaching.using phenomenography, which is one of the qualitative strategies we interviewed 12 Faculty from University of Kurdistan. Participants were selected using typical sampling until we research theoretical saturation while conducting deep and semi-structured interview.  Using inductive procedure, we coded the data in three steps of open, axial, and pattern coding. The finding showed that effective teaching had four main dimensions according to participating faculty: (1) Communicative skills, (2) learner and instructor characteristics, (3) pedagogical skills, and (4) background factors. Comparing the existing literature, we argue that learner characteristics and background factors are new ideas in effective teaching.
 

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Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the situation of homeschooling in Iranian system of education. The results of this study derived from a qualitative research performed in 2012. The research population was selected by snowball method. The participants were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured. The concepts in each interview were extracted. The study showed that all parents in the sample come from middle and upper-middle class of the Iranian society and are highly educated. Participants’ involvement in the education of their children and risk-taking in this regard was high. They didn’t have a positive view toward the formal system of education, but their decision for homeschooling their children were mostly educational, not ideological. They consider the formal system of education as a unilateral system, which destroys the creativity of children, merely emphasizes memorization, and neglects some subject like sport, English language, music and arts. According to them, school is a closed space where everybody should take a seat, just listen and hide their real personality. The Iranian homeschooling method is not limited to the textbooks and carries on mostly in natural space. It is mainly based on short-term skills, is not time-bounded and is flexible like its global counterparts. The findings show that this kind of education has increased parents’ relationship with themselves and their children. Their children are self-adjusted and independent in learning. However, because of the novelty of this kind of education, and its non-legal state, it is not accepted by the society at this stage. Occasionally, the homeschooling children and their parents confront several different challenges including mocking, anxiety about the future of their children etc.
 

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Abstract: This researchr examines educational aims and goals of preschool stage in Iranian national curriculum. This examination is based on Islamic theory of action in childhood and carried out by using conceptual and comparative analysis methods. In a holistic view, it seems that these aims encounter 4 challenges. The first challenge is related to psychological requirements of children during their maturation. The second one is about the vagueness of its value hierarchies. The third challenge is the ambiguity of terms and vocabularies. Disorder in defining the aims is another challenge. It is important to note that some of these aims may overlap each other. In this regard some modifications have been done. Comparative analysis of the national curriculum aims indicates that these aims can be settled in 4 categories. The first group includes those aims which are concordant with the correspond ones in Islamic theory of action. These aims are appropriate. The second and third classes consist of those aims which have essential or inessential oppositions to Islamic theory of action. Upon our investigation, we propose that these aims should be modified or omitted. The last one includes those aims that are neglected in this document. In this case, we suggest some new aims.
 

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Abstract: Curriculum has always been the main element in any educational system and a relatively large number of research has been carried out in this area. Using quantitative approach and document content analysis, this study investigates the methodologies applied in research on higher education curriculum. Among the existing literature, 30 studies from 13 journals that were carried out by Iranian researchers, and 30 studies from 14 credible journals carried out by foreign scholars were selected through purposeful sampling, and subsequently analyzed.  The results reveal that in foreign studies on curriculum, qualitative approach was dominant, employed in sixty percent of the studies. Within this portion, case studies and phenomenological approach with %50 and 37.5% were used most by the researchers. The study also found that quantitative approach was the dominant approach applied in Iranian studies (fifty percent), among which survey methodology was the most widely used (%85.8). Moreover, this study indicates that both Iranian and foreign research are moving from quantitative to qualitative and mixed research, although this trend is stronger in foreign research.  

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Abstract: The objective of this research was to study the feasibility of integrative approach in physical education course at the elementary level from the point of view of experts. The researchers used descriptive survey method for this study. The statistical population consisted of physical education experts majoring in curriculum development or management and planning who were familiar with physical education courses of public universities in Tehran. The research data was collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. Data was collected through both T-solo and linear-algorithm sample statistical methods. Results through T-solo sample showed that in terms of professionals who set the objectives, selection of content and coherence of learning experiences was meaningful in integrated delivery of physical education curriculum. Results through linear-algorithm method showed that experts' opinion was significantly correlated to their gender and attitude towards integrated physical education curriculum. Also there was significant variation regarding the experts' years of experience. In addition, there was no significant correlation between these three factors, i.e. gender, attitude towards integrated curriculum and teaching experience. According to the findings of this study, the experts agreed that development of an integrated physical education curriculum was feasible if curriculum development elements were taken into consideration. In terms of gender and attitude towards an integrated curriculum, experts agreed that development of an integrated physical education curriculum was feasible. In terms of teaching experience and background, and interrelation between these three factors there is difference of viewpoint among experts.  

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Abstract: In 1996 at the first Iranian Mathematics Education Conference (IMEC1) that was held in Isfahan. I obliged myself as a mathematics educator, to inform the mathematics community at large by presenting a paper entitled “what is mathematics education?” to pave the way for the establishment of the master program of mathematics education in Iran. Now, after 16 years, we need to reflect on this rapid development and ask ourselves that “what is not count as mathematics education”. In responding to this serious question, a metaanalysis was conducted that its data consisted of the PDF files of all the rejected research papers to the IMEC12 that were coded and all the personal identification for them were removed.  The main purpose of this study is to reflect on what has happened in last 16 years, hoping to “learn from the past to avoid its repetition!”       
 
     

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Abstract: In the late 70's, in reaction to both "New Math" movement in the United States and "mechanistic mathematics education" approach to mathematics education in Netherland, Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) has been introduced by Freudenthal and his colleagues. In this educational approach, Freudenthal considered mathematics as a human activity. Based on this approach, education should give students the opportunity to re-invent mathematics by doing appropriate activities. Recently, the National curriculum of Islamic Republic of Iran has been developed by the Ministry of Education to provide educational policies. In this document, an implicit emphasis on so called “realistic” aspect of the program can be seen in the mathematics curriculum framework section. In this paper, I first, introduce the different aspects of RME, and then this educational approach has been traced in the newly written mathematics textbooks in Iran.    

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Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is introducing modelling and application as a research domain in mathematics education through reviewing related literature. The first purpose of this review is to give a more clear meaning of modelling and application, and base on that, makes the distinction between modelling in mathematics education & modelling in other scientific domains. There are some other terms like Numeracy Quantitative literacy Mathematization and Word Problems that with some tolerance, are taken as equivalent term to modelling. However, modelling has salient differences with every one of them. Second purpose of this paper, is to introduce modelling cycle and its steps. Third, some researches who are working in the domain of modelling and application will be reviewed and then methodology and results of one of them will be mentioned. Finally, several open research questions for future research in the domain of modeling and application will be announced.    

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Abstract: In the first part of this study, first a brief introduction of problem posing was present and then, some frameworks and classifications of problem posing were reviewed. In the second part of the study the research that has been conducted in Iran was introduced. This quasi-experimental study was conducted with experimental and control groups which aimed to investigate the impact of fostering mathematics problem posing skills on 8th grade students’ ability to solve mathematical problems. The findings of the first part showed that problem posing skills was associated with problem solving ability, creativity and divergent thinking, and they improved each other. Problem posing process also could be used as a tool to gain a greater awareness of what's going on in the minds of students. T-test analysis of the second part of paper showed that doing problem posing activities in the classroom made a significant difference in students' problem solving skills.    

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The aim of this research is to search for a model for the curriculum planning of the parents' cultural capital growth and to facilitate the children's Progress in school. The correlation of the parent's cultural capital dimensions with the educational achivement of the students was studied, and an efficient plan for the growth of the family's cultural capital was designed, implemented and evaluated. The theoretical framework of this research is derived from Bourdieu theories. Basis on the Pierre Bourdieu's viewpoint, cultural capital has three subtypes: institutionalized, objectified, embodied. The research method is quasi-experimental and it has two evidence and test groups. The tool for gathering information in this research is the questionnaire for ascertaining the cultural capital elements and also the Baum rind questionnaire. Its validity was obtained 83% by the experts and specialists through conducting experiments on 30 persons. The statistical population consists of 54 families that are selected randomly from north and south of Tehran who their children were in grade 4 in high school. They were interviewed by professional interviewers and the experimental group participated in a training workshop for introducing families with cultural capital elements. Assumptions of the research were: 1) Training of parents influences their cultural capital (interest in the art works, music, painting and calligraphy and foreign language). 2) Training of parents influences their cultural capital (improvement of relationship with book, drawings, computer, media, camera, and library membership). 3)  Training of parents influences their cultural capital (participation in the courses that results in getting skill certificate). 4) Training of parents influences their way of child rearing. 5) Teaching the cultural capital elements to the parents influences their children's school achievement. For doing descriptive analysis of data, the statistics of frequency, mean and standard deviation, and for inferential analysis of data, the analysis method of one-way and co-variance (ANCOVA) were used. The findings showed that regular training of parents in the level of P environment for the children's educational success.

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This study aims to identify and explain the experience of teaching art in the elementary school teachers was conducted. In this context, an essential question is examined: primary school teachers, learning how to experience the arts curriculum? Using qualitative research methods, semi-structured in-depth interviews and purposive sampling, 10 cases of primary school teachers Mehdishahr city were interviewed in depth. Theoretical saturation was confirmed at the end of my interview. Data were analyzed using coding techniques and the three criteria of validity and acceptability, reliability and scalability approval was obtained. The findings of the research, experience in teaching art in the elementary school teachers in the three main axes showed weakness honor the art, the lack of education, lack of parental interest. Based on these findings, teachers have not been successful in teaching the art curriculum and have failed to benefit from the potential for teaching art lessons. Despite the interest in the issue of teachers' verbal art unimportance among other courses in the teaching of practical arts curriculum for teachers is obvious. This is because art teachers from time to compensate for falling behind their modules to use. Facilities generally will address the curriculum of art as much as it abstained. Based on theory and research findings, strategies to overcome the challenges of art education in primary schools is recommended, including art lesson plans independently, providing specialized service training courses, particularly arts teachers, creating suitable for exchange of experiences among teachers, funding and facilities in accordance with the requirements of art lessons, parents and families to raise awareness of the importance of arts education.
 

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The present paper aims to investigate the amount of multi-cultural education components in the textbooks of secondary schools from 2013 to 2014. It is conducted through text-analysis. The components of Multi-cultural education were initially collected from theoretical text and research background using document analysis and then they were numbered in the textbooks of secondary schools. The units of analysis were sentence, question, picture, activity, and the poem in the textbooks. Research tools were bibliography cards and inventory form in document and text analysis respectively. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The statistical population is the textbooks of secondary schools from 2013 to2014 and samples were Iran and International History I, Iran and International History II, History (Pre-University Schools), Social Studies (Secondary Schools), Sociology I, Sociology II, Social Studies (Pre-University Schools) which were expected to contain multi-cultural education components. The most significant results are as follows: out of 180 frequencies in the text books of secondary schools, History I with 76, i.e. 42.22% contained the most multi-cultural education components and Social Studies of secondary school with 5, i.e. 2.77% contained the least components. Among the components, “introducing various cultures to students in the content of textbooks” had the largest number of frequencies, i.e. 59 and “helping to understand and tolerate different opinions from various cultures, and defining multi-culture homework for students in the content of textbooks” had the smallest one, only 1, i.e. 0.55%.    

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This research aims to develop a useful tool based on Evert Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory and then evaluates the adoption degree of an educational innovation (Smart Board) in Karaj’s Schools. The mixed method approach with explanatory research design has been adopted; this design consisted of two sequential phases, described here as phase 1 (Quantitative) and phase 2 (Qualitative). The research method has been applied for quantitative phase is survey study and for qualitative phase is focus group. Research data gathered by two different tools; a questionnaire developed based on Rogers’s five criteria and a protocol form for doing semi-structured interviews. The overall findings show that this innovation has not been successfully adapted to school's context and so not been considerably accepted among teachers.

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: Formal education curriculum, in every society, has to foster the physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, moral, and social development of the students. However, the curriculum of secondary education in Iran, suggests the null nutritional education. The aim of this study was to analyze the null nutritional literacy curriculum in secondary education. The research method was survey. The population was all male and female high school students in Yazd (2140 students). Through Cochran formula and random sampling method, 325 students were selected as the sample. The instrument was a standard questionnaire that assessed nutritional literacy (in terms of attitude, skills, knowledge and resources). Its validity and reliability were confirmed. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and independent t-test were used. The results showed that the dimensions of nutrition literacy for both boys and girls were weak. The girls had simpler approach to breakfast comparing with the boys. In the area of nutritional practice, the boys compared to the girls, had more bad habits about salt consumption, but consumption of dairy products was better in them. In addition, the desirability of height and weight in both groups was not satisfactory. In the area of nutritional awareness, girls and boys were aware. Using the chi-square test, the results showed very limited sources for girls, where as the boys had gotten their nutritional information from a variety of sources such as textbooks, network relatives, and friends. The findings illustrate the need to review school curricula in order to promote nutritional literacy and behaviors in adolescent students.

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In this study using the narratives of Assistant professor about flipped learning of university during her four academic semesters. This study is a narrative inquiry based research, one that belongs to  qualitative and interpretative paradigms.  The data analysis shows that in method the traditional classroom teaching with the same components, but we are dealing arrangement and concluded that it is obtained, it can be different. This study shows Some challenges that exist in the implementation of this method have been discussed. This study analyzed the narrative " flipped learning" in higher education is discussed.

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Abstract: This study has been conducted about one of the fundamental debates in educational system and curriculum development titled“social-citizenship‌training”. The methodology was descriptive-survey and the sampling population was 337 (61 male- 276 female) elementary school teachers in Tabriz which were selected on the basis of multi-staged and comparative cluster sampling For data analysis the Freidman test used. The findings showed that in the“goals”stage the failure of the goals of citizenship training in establishing an effective relationship between schools and other organizations; In“content”stage the negligence of modulation of concepts and skills of citizenship in different zones of learning; in“teaching and learning”stage lack of appropriate activities and in“evaluation”stage overlooking the creativity and innovation of learners;were among the most significant challenges. Meanwhile,the result of the independent T test showed that there was a meaningful difference between the views of female and male teachers on“content”,“learning and teaching activities” and“evaluation“stages. However,about“goal”stage there was no substantial difference.

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This qualitative study aimed to compare the qualification of Higher Education system and Education system in field of teacher education. Using qualitative content analysis, with open coding data by interviews and open-ended questionnaire, data been coded and categorized and then analyzed. Participants of research were selected by purposive sampling (22 samples). Through participants opinions four category of views were identified; 1- agree with higher education, 2- agree with education, 3- conditional agree with both, 4- agree with with the new structure. Inattention to practical practices, lack of affiliated schools for training, and inappropriate evaluation of students’ performances in training, are the most important weaknesses of higher education system. Also, low academic ability of the faculties of Farhangian University, low flexibility and very limited freedom to thinking for change, low skills in research, and intense centralism are the most weaknesses of Education system specially Farhangian University. Adherents of new structure for teacher training, critisize both organizations (Education system and Higher education system) and named weaknesses such as: weakness in educational and pedagogical research and analysis, weakness in theorizing and acting and presenting techniques for improvement teacher education, and weakness in making appropriate contents for the curricula of teacher training. Ultimately, according to a teacher education curriculum, 4 aspects of knowledge have been proposed; content knowledge, educational knowlwge, practice knowledge, and introductory knowledge into teacher profession.