Mitra Kamyabi
Abstract
Background: Nowadays, expectations from higher education systems have changed, and the purpose of these centers is not only to transfer information. One of the solutions to respond to higher education’s new need is to move toward lifelong learning.Objectives: This research was conducted to investigate ...
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Background: Nowadays, expectations from higher education systems have changed, and the purpose of these centers is not only to transfer information. One of the solutions to respond to higher education’s new need is to move toward lifelong learning.Objectives: This research was conducted to investigate the desirable features of content in higher education with an emphasis on the lifelong learning approach.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with a content analysis approach in 2019. Nineteen faculty members of Isfahan University, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, and Medical Sciences Universities of Kerman and Isfahan, who were experienced in the fields of curriculum planning, higher education, and teaching and learning, were selected to participate in the study through purposive sampling. Data were collected through open-ended semi-structured interviews. Graneheim and Lundman’s qualitative method was used to analyze the data. The results of data analysis were presented during three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. The peer check method and external observer were used in order to ensure the reliability and acceptability of the data.Results: According to the results of this research, three main categories were identified as the desirable features of content with an emphasis on the lifelong approach. The first category was “suitability of the content for society and its needs”, which includes the components of being up-to-date and applicability and usefulness. The second category is “suitability for the learner and his/her needs”, which includes the dimensions of matching with the learner’s interest, need, and ability, developing individual skills according to the learners’ potential, and developing excellent thinking skills. The third category is “suitability for curriculum regulations”, which includes the components of continuous education, learning with multiple methods, quality, flexibility, diversity, coherence, and self-direction.Conclusion: The results of this research can be used in revising higher education content with an emphasis on educating individuals with the feature of lifelong learning.
Ali Khaki Sedigh; Mohamad Reza Ahanchian
Abstract
Background: After the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictions assigned by the National Committee on Combating Coronavirus (NCCC), the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology (MSRT) set up committees to trace and analyze the outcomes of the pandemic.Objectives: This paper aimed to explain ...
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Background: After the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictions assigned by the National Committee on Combating Coronavirus (NCCC), the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology (MSRT) set up committees to trace and analyze the outcomes of the pandemic.Objectives: This paper aimed to explain the policies, programs, and activities executed by MSRT and analyze the points of strength and weakness.Methods: In this report, the MSRT experience during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Iran higher education (HE) system is briefly reported by referring to pieces of evidence documented by MSRT and analyzing strengths and, predicting the outcomes toward the future. The evidence was analyzed descriptively.Results: The policies, plans, and actions were based on three key policies including participation, adaptation, and tolerance.Conclusion: Iranian HE system has changed in many aspects during the recent months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MSRT instantly reorganized its activities to coordinate its decisions with NCCC.
Leila Vali; Yunes Jahani; Parinaz Khalili; Morteza Sahebi
Abstract
Background Many factors involve in the process of education i.e., the teacher, curriculum, and learning environment. The educational climate has an exact and tangible relationship with the expectations and perceptions of students, especially students of medical sciences universities, and particularly, ...
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Background Many factors involve in the process of education i.e., the teacher, curriculum, and learning environment. The educational climate has an exact and tangible relationship with the expectations and perceptions of students, especially students of medical sciences universities, and particularly, the graduate ones. Objectives The current study aimed at investigating the relationship between learning environment and expectations of graduate students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Methods The present cross sectional study was conducted on 193 graduate students from April to July 2017. The subjects were selected by stratified random sampling and weighting methods from each faculty. Data were collected through Dundee ready education environment measure (DREEM) and SERVQUAL instruments. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS. P < 0.05 was considered as the level of significance. Results Among the subjects, 62.2% were male and 52.0% single; however, 76.2% were masters’ students and 23.8% PhD candidates. From the students’ point of view, the educational climate had a better status among the learning environment dimensions. In terms of students’ expectations and perceptions of the learning environment, the tangibles and the client consideration dimensions got the highest mean scores as 42.8 and 88.8, respectively. There was a significant relationship between marital status and learning environment (P = 0.04). There was also a significant relationship between students’ perception of educational services and their semester number (P = 0.04). Conclusions It is better to use student-centered viewpoints in educational planning. Students’ satisfaction can be improves by providing appropriate learning spaces and optimizing the existing ones. Adjusting students’ expectations by familiarizing them with the line and staff constraints in higher education can play a significant role in enhancing the quality of educational services.
Maryam Avizhgan; Ebrahim Mirshah Jafari; Ahmad Reza Nasr; Tahereh Changiz
Volume 11, Issue 2 , August 2014, , Pages 153-169
Abstract
Background & Objective: Leadership talent is the rarest resource in todays world that will have continuous conductivity the organizations to be successful in tomorrows world Considering the importance of curriculum leadership in educational department this study was designed to answer the ...
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Background & Objective: Leadership talent is the rarest resource in todays world that will have continuous conductivity the organizations to be successful in tomorrows world Considering the importance of curriculum leadership in educational department this study was designed to answer the question how do faculty members see curriculum leadership in the post graduate? Methods: In a qualitative study with purposive sampling of desirable cases type faculty members with management experience and expert in the post graduate were selected and interviewed using semistructured method Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis including: data collection data reduction deduction and analysis in the MAXQDA software version 2007 Results: After interviewing 18 faculty members with sufficient experience and management experience in the postgraduate courses we achieved a richness of information saturation and data replicate 500 codes were extracted from research data under five main categories and were classified These categories included: educational atmosphere improvement curriculum development curriculum implementation curriculum evaluation and supervision innovation and facilitate change and adaptation Conclusion: Participants in this study suggested five main categories and 18 subcategories that represented curriculum leadership roles These roles are in the applicable and comparable area with curriculum cycle including: the planning implementation supervision evaluation and change In addition these roles were also emphasized on educational atmosphere improvement that is platform background supplier infrastructure and prerequisites for the curriculum cycle
Abbas Bazargan
Volume 6, Issue 1 , July 2009, , Pages 81-88
Abstract
Background: Quality of higher education has been drawing more attention over the past two decades Hence concerted efforts have been increasingly made to assess and improve higher education quality worldwide Some of these attempts have led to establishing local national and international organizations ...
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Background: Quality of higher education has been drawing more attention over the past two decades Hence concerted efforts have been increasingly made to assess and improve higher education quality worldwide Some of these attempts have led to establishing local national and international organizations for assessment and accreditation Based on the above this study is discussing the answer to the question concerning “To what extent attempts towards quality assessment in Iran have been directed to establish a national agency for assessment and accreditation?” To address this question first ground breaking experiences experience of Iran in this regard are described Then international experiences and challenges of building a national quality assessment and accreditation in higher education system in general and in medical education in particular are reviewed Finally perspectives of establishing Iranian Universities Quality Network are analyzed Conclusion : Institution building in assessment and accreditation would help strengthening of ownership of quality assurance in faculty members as a result continuous quality assessment and improvement of higher education would become an integral part of higher education system
Zahra Fattahi; Nematolah Mousapour; Aliakbar Haghdoost
Volume 2, Issue 2 , January 2006, , Pages 63-71
Abstract
Background: Faculty members are one of the major parts of universities whose performance has a key role in outcomes of educational systems With continuous evaluation of faculty members part of which done by students real performance of faculty members with all its shortcomings and positive points would ...
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Background: Faculty members are one of the major parts of universities whose performance has a key role in outcomes of educational systems With continuous evaluation of faculty members part of which done by students real performance of faculty members with all its shortcomings and positive points would be determined and consequently it helps improving the quality of educational activities Objective: To determine the process of alterations in the quality of educational performance in faculty members of Kerman University of Medical Sciences Method: This correlation study was done on all faculty members of Kerman University of Medical Sciences during 20012006 who had been evaluated 8 times through getting students opinion Data related to the quality of educational performance were gathered through the obtained scores in students evaluation and data related to research activities were gathered through research activity scores assigned for annual promotion of faculty members Results: According to the obtained results during the study period the average annual increase in educational performance was 006 that is statistically significant (p=00001) but alteration in research activities during the studied period was not significant There was no significant relation between educational performance and research activity and also demographic features of subjects such as academic rank educational degree and job experience while educational degree and academic rank showed significant relations with research activity score (p= 0001 p= 0003 respectively) Conclusion: The present study shows an improvement in educational performance during the recent years that is probably due to continuous evaluations Lack of significant relation between the quality of educational performance and research activity requires planning programs for bridging these two domains
Aliakbar Haghdoost
Volume 1, Issue 2 , January 2005, , Pages 73-84
Abstract
Background: From two centuries ago scholarship systems in many countries have supported postgraduate students to continue their studies abroad Nonetheless due to the fundamental revolution in the concepts of scientific development in last decades scholarship systems have modified their missions particularly ...
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Background: From two centuries ago scholarship systems in many countries have supported postgraduate students to continue their studies abroad Nonetheless due to the fundamental revolution in the concepts of scientific development in last decades scholarship systems have modified their missions particularly in developed countries Objective : To express some practical guidelines to improve the scholarship system in Iran this study compared scholarship systems in developed and developing countries in terms of their rules and regulations The main questions were about the objectives of scholarship systems the selection methods of eligible students and how they encourage students to come back their home countries Methods : This was a qualitative study data were collected by exploring written documents websites and interviewing 40 PhD students from 16 countries who were studying in UK universities Results : Obtaining certificate to get higher academic position was the main objective of developing country students however scholarship systems in developed countries were aimed to push students to understand others cultures and scientific styles and address research questions during their studies In addition there were well established collaborations between developed countries and their organization in supporting students These types of collaborations were not seen developing countries Conclusion : By looking at the advantages of scholarship systems in developed countries it is suggested that we need to amend the objectives of scholarship system in Iran and formulate a new plan to optimize the method in selecting students decreasing brain drain and activating private section and NGOs
