Masoud Siyami, Shahla Rostami, ,
Volume 4, Issue 35 (9-2017)
Abstract
This study was carried out to provide a structural model for illustrating the structural relationships between the amount of mobile phone usage and academic engagement with mediating role of attention in students at the University of Birjand. The statistical population of this study included all students studying at Birjand University in the academic year 2015-2016. Sample included 200 students from Birjand University who were selected using cluster sampling. The instruments used in this study were Jafarzadeh mobile phone addiction questionnaire (2012), Schofield et al engagement questionnaire (1996) and Wechsler inverse number test. Data was tested by path analysis. The findings showed that the amount of mobile phone usage, influences students' attention. In other words, the amount of students' academic attention and engagement decreases with increasing use of mobile phones. These findings show the need for serious attention from the authorities on the negative consequences of students’ mobile phone usage. It showed that the use of mobile phones to be a good predictor of student academic engagement.
Mehdi Rostami, Elham Abbasi, Nahid Mirshekari,
Volume 13, Issue 47 (2-2024)
Abstract
The present study used a quasi-experimental design in an attempt to evaluate the possibility of using concept mapping as a tool for teaching English speaking skills. In addition, the effect of gender on students' performance in using concept mapping in class was investigated. The participants in this study were 30 male students and 30 female students at the intermediate and advanced levels of English, who were selected from among 119 students who took the preliminary English test by Cambridge to determine students’ level of proficiency as a pre-test. Conceptual mapping was applied to the experimental group in the pre-speaking stage with the aim of organizing the participants' concepts and lines of thought, while in the control group, all teaching stages were done in the traditional method. The analysis of the obtained data showed that conceptual mapping can be used in teaching speaking skills as an effective method. Also, the analysis of the data showed that there is no significant difference between the groups of boys and girls in the construction and use of conceptual maps.
