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Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract

The optimal implementation of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in Iranian EFL higher education faces some challenges despite its incremental growth. It is, therefore, necessary to investigate the current challenges affecting university professors' and students' adoption of CALL in Iranian EFL contexts. For this purpose, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with three purposeful sampling groups of participants, both before and after the temporary shutdown of the educational sector due to COVID-19 spread. Therefore, 33 interviewees—university EFL professors, students, and Information Technology Support Engineers (IT-SE)— took part in an interview which took approximately 90 minutes for each, conducted in person or over WhatsApp and Skype platforms. All the interviews were audio recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis by the first researcher and an assistant researcher. The obtained results highlighted nine major categories of themes that indicated the obstacles and challenges of optimal CALL implementation. These challenges are related to 1) technological dimension, 2) teacher dimension 3) student dimension, 4) software and hardware dimension, 5) sanctions and filtering dimension, 6) curriculum dimension, 7) the nature of e-learning dimension, 8) socioeconomic and cultural dimension, and 9) university administrators' dimension.  It was the sanctions and filtering dimension, the nature of e-learning dimension, and the socioeconomic dimension that were exclusive to this study. Each of these major themes includes a set of minor themes. The results can contribute to educational planners, curriculum and material developers, and teachers to develop education programs for optimal CALL implementation in Iranian EFL higher education by removing the challenges.
 

Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract

The intricate connection between teacher support, academic burnout, grit, and psychological wellbeing is a compelling area of research that has recently garnered second language (L2) education researchers' attention. This study aims to investigate such complex relationships with undergraduate English-major students in Iran. To this end, a sample of 318 undergraduate English-major students from various universities in Iran was selected through convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while LISREL software was employed for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to validate the measurement models. The findings revealed that teacher support showed a positive and significant correlation with students' L2 grit and L2 psychological wellbeing while demonstrating a negative and significant correlation with students' L2 academic burnout. Furthermore, the simple linear regression analysis indicated that teacher support significantly predicted a 13% increase in students' grit and psychological wellbeing and a 0.03% in academic burnout. This suggests that measures to reduce the academic burnout of students in higher education should be prioritized in second language education through positive teacher support and positive psychology. The study provides valuable insights and recommendations for English language teachers, students, and policymakers and outlines future research directions.


Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract

Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (T-CPD) is of utmost importance for language teachers. T-CPD is the stimulation for updating teachers’ subject knowledge and  their teaching skills. Therefore, the predictive power of Psychological Well-being, L2 Teacher Grit, Grit-s, and Perceived Organizational Support (POS) on T-CPD was investigated through the mediating role of Work Motivation. Those who have participated in this study were 189 L2 teachers, who were from Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. They took part in an online questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using Path Analysis. Before running path analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was run to estimate Cronbach’s Alpha. Based on the CFA, two items (one from L2 Teacher Grit and one from POS) that did not have good loadings were removed from the scales. Then, the authers used path analysis to check the causal relationship among the variables in the proposed model. The fitness indices showed good fitness. Moreover, the more domain-specific L2 Teacher Grit performed better than the Gris-s scale. These insights can inform strategies for enhancing T-CPD and improving the overall quality of education. In addition, the results put light on the design of teacher training programs and organizational policies that aim to improve teacher quality and student outcomes.
 



Volume 0, Issue 0 (8-2024)
Abstract

The significant wave height is a critical parameter in the design and analysis of marine structures, as well as in their operational use. Consequently, predicting this parameter greatly contributes to improving the design and analysis of marine structures. Various modeling approaches for wave characteristics include numerical, empirical, and artificial intelligence models. This study employs the SWAN model, which is a third-generation model for the simulation and estimation of wave characteristics. Furthermore, soft computing models, including individual and hybrid artificial intelligence models such as Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Emotional Artificial Neural Networks (EANN), have been utilized for wave height prediction, using data from the Amirabad buoy for validation purposes. In this research, the model inputs consist of wind speed, while the outputs are the wave heights. The analysis of the different models was carried out using statistical metrics, including bias, root mean square error, coefficient of variation, and coefficient of determination. The evaluation of the models using these statistics indicates an acceptable agreement between the significant wave heights estimated by the SWAN model and the buoy data. Additionally, each of the three artificial intelligence models mentioned demonstrates a relatively accurate capability in predicting wave height. A comparison of the results from the artificial intelligence models revealed that the Support Vector Machine model exhibited higher accuracy than the others. The Support Vector Machine model serves as an alternative method to the SWAN model or other numerical techniques, enhancing modeling outcomes when wave height data is unavailable or lacks the necessary statistical quality.
 

Volume 1, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract

The theory of the responsibility to protect was approved in 2005 in the output document of the United Nations Summit (A/RES/60/1) and in 2011, it was included in the Security Council Resolution 1973 regarding military intervention in Libya. The theory of the responsibility to protect implies the commitment of the international community to end the worst forms of violence and crime in humanitarian crises and internal armed conflicts. This article by using the qualitative method and document-library sources, books, articles and reports and internet notes, dealing with NATO's military intervention in Libya in 2011, which led to airstrikes, the creation of a no-fly zone, and ultimately the change of Muammar Gaddafi's regime,  criticizes its application in Libya.The findings of the article show that although the theory tries to fill the gap between the former obligations of UN member states under international humanitarian law and human rights with this reality that the human population facing the threat of genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity must be supported, France, the United States and NATO have exploited the 1973 resolution for their political-military goals and have caused the stoppage of the development of the theory and the skepticism of the international community towards the goals and intentions of the world powers in the application of the theory and as a result of the design of the new approach of responsibility during support.
 

Volume 2, Issue 1 (5-2012)
Abstract

Autonomy support environments and Job involvement among University of Tehran’s employees: The mediating role of Basic psychological needs. As feedback and an important variable in enhancing an organization’s effectiveness, job involvement causes and consequences recognition is of great importance to managers, and an ultimate goal for organizational behavior management. Considering the importance of self-motivation in job involvement, it is necessary to illuminate job involvement through a motivation theory, for instance: self-determination theory. This theory states that work conditions which allow basic psychological needs fulfillment, pave the way for job involvement. Little research studying the relationship between these needs’ fulfillment and employees’ job involvement have been conducted, which calls for more research on this subject. This research is based on a correlation analysis, utilizing structure equation modeling methods. The Statistical population studied here is all of Tehran University’s employees, through which 113 people have been randomly chosen. Research findings show that autonomy support environments have a significant effect on fulfilling mental needs (0.6) , and that mental needs fulfillment, in turn, has a direct significant effect on job involvement (0.54). Moreover, indirect effects of autonomy support on job involvement’s significance (0.33), indicates the intermediary role of mental needs fulfillment in relation to these two variables.

Volume 2, Issue 1 (5-2012)
Abstract

In spite of emphasis on role of organizational resource and human resources in particular, on entrepreneurship in literature of management, has not been presented an integrated pattern for Iranian organizations that measures influence of hr subsystems on entrepreneurship. By concentration of key role of human resources on entrepreneurship, present research is seeking to consider influence of different practices of human resource management on promoting of entrepreneurship in oil industry of Iran. Research methodology includes both descriptive and correlation analysis based on structural equation modeling. Data was collected by means of questionnaire that was distributed among top and middle manager of Contracting company in oil industry. Research result Indicates that human resource subsystems including human resource Acquisition, work design, development, labor relation and compensation, have influence on organizational entrepreneurship. And only training has not any impact on entrepreneurship. Furthermore, research indicates that the most impact of human resource management on entrepreneurship is indirectly and through creating supportive environment of innovation.

Volume 2, Issue 2 (6-2013)
Abstract

Hippodamia variegata is an efficient and most abundant predatory coccinellids in many countries. Understanding the ability of long-term low temperature survival in beneficial insects can be used to make better predictions about subsequent abundance and hence the biological control potential in the next spring and summer. So in this study, effects of long-term temperatures were investigated on mortality and supercooling point (SCP) of field collected (pre-diapausing) and overwintering aggregations of H. variegata adults. Unlike the pre-diapausing insects, aggregated coccinellids could easily survive at -3 and 0 °C for one month. One month acclimation at 10 °C caused more than 80% mortality in overwintering adults, indicating the higher temperatures were not appropriate for overwintering aggregated coccinellid. In December and January, when diapause was in its highest level, changing the habitat temperature did not affect SCP. Acclimation at 5 and 0 °C for one month decreased SCP of pre-diapausing adults, collected from aphid infested plants in October. Our study revealed that exposure to temperatures below 0 °C happened usually in natural condition for a long term period, may be necessary for overwintering of the coccinellid.

Volume 2, Issue 2 (10-2014)
Abstract

Hakim Omar Khayyam, the famous Persian poet, is always regarded by many scholars and poets. Khayam has always been preoccupied with issues such as complex secret of existence, life, death, predetermination, and authority, and these issues have wandered him. Sometimes, these issues have drawn him to skeptisism and pessimism, and sometimes, have invited him to gain the opportunity. Mahmud Sami Albarudi, the Egyptian politician and poet, has been inspired by Khayam in such issues as skeptisism to the time, invitation to gain opportunity and enjoyment, and has discussed them. The difference between his philosophy is much narrower than that of Khayam so that he cannot be known as master of a philosophy school. The present study aimed to investigate the roots and signs of Albarudiˊs influence in a comparative view with Khayam. 

Volume 2, Issue 2 (6-2014)
Abstract

Aim: Substance abuse is a substantial threat and problem to public health. The goal of drug abuse treatment is to return people to a productive normal situation in the family, workplace, and community. Treatment dropout is one of the major problems, encountered by the treatment programs. The maintenance of treatment is associated with retention in treatment, and many factors are associated with retention. The main purpose of this study is to examine the factors that play important role in retention of addiction treatment. Methods: This is a qualitative research with conventional content analysis method. Purposive sampling was applied and continued until data saturation was achieved. The participants were 22 volunteers, including outpatients, physicians and psychotherapists. The method of data collection was semi-structured face to face interview (30- 40 minutes). All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Findings: By content analysis, two categories were obtained, including emotional and informational support. The main common theme of categories was social support, which was the major requirement to retain the treatment among drug abuse outpatients. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that social support is one of the essential services to stop or reduce substance abuse. Recognizing this factor could improve interaction between the family, clinical staff and patients in addiction treatment retention.

Volume 2, Issue 3 (6-2010)
Abstract

This article discusses the democratization of access to higher education opportunities in Iran. Access to educational opportunities was studied through exploring the scores the national university entrance exams. The main research question was: "How the inequality in access to higher education opportunities is explained?" To solve this problem, we constructed a theoretical model on the basis of capital theory: Access to higher educational opportunities is the function of modernization of parents’ economic and cultural capital. The results showed that cultural capital weight in access to educational opportunities, is more than that of economic capital.

Volume 2, Issue 3 (9-2014)
Abstract

We investigated the response of Sea Buckthorn to drought in a nursery experiment that has been studied for the first time in the world for Iranian Sea Buckthorn. Biomass and physiological differences in response to drought were compared between four Elaeagnus rhamnoides seedlings inhabited in Qazvin Province origin seeds of Iran. The experimental design included four water regimes including 2, 4, 8 and 12 days irrigation and three blocks. Water Use Efficiency (WUE), Relative Water Content (RWC), Water Potential (WP), Water Saturation Deficit (WSD), Root and shoot weight of fresh leaves were determined at the end of the watering treatment (four months). We found that drought tolerance was highly related to the plant physiology in E. rhamnoides. With the extension of drought stress from 2 to 12 days, E. rhamnoides seedlings WUE was increased; between one and second treatment, also between third and fourth treatments we observed significant difference. RWC gradually was declined with decreasing water supplies. WP was decreased, while drought was increased from first to last treatment. WSD gradually was increased by accelerating drought in all treatments. WSD values did not differ significantly between treatments three and four. Significant differences at 0.05 levels were not observed between 8 and 12 days-irrigated in both of R and S weight, but in all treatments was decreased toward drought. Our results provided new clue and new insight to study the drought-tolerant mechanism for the study species.

Volume 2, Issue 3 (1-2016)
Abstract

The true understanding of a word requires using the different semantic methods so that through them, the exact description of that word can be found. One of these methods is sense relations such as semantic opposition. The purpose of this article is to study semantic opposition in Quran. For this work, 106 opposite word pairs have been extracted and gathered from different sources especially “Tafsire Noor” by Mostafa Khorram-del with their frequency and verses in which they have used and then have been analyzed according to six types of semantic oppositions agreed by linguists. For the reason of the limited size of the article, mentioning all these word pairs was refrained and several instances have been mentioned for every type of semantic opposition. Studying and analyzing data indicates that the six types of semantic opposition, that is gradable, complementary, symmetrical, directional, lexical, and semantic contrast are found in Quran and gradable, complementary, symmetrical, lexical, semantic contrast, and directional ones have the most and least frequency respectively. In some cases, there is overlap among these oppositions. The use of semantic opposition can be effective in the true translation of Quran words. The issue of most of these oppositions is human and his moral and educational affairs.

Volume 3, Issue 1 (8-2011)
Abstract

This article tries to analyze the reasons and mechanism of the society’s effect on individual based on role theories. These theories believe that occupation of different positions by individuals is accompanied by specific expectations. An individual has two definite paths encountering the present expectations: to accept or not to accept followed by punishment and rejection. To desert from punishment, individuals always choose the first path that means to submit the social will. But social dominance over individuals through positions is not limited to the first path. Rather the society by allowing structural opportunities (rights, privileges, chances and role conditions), which are different for any position, dominates on individuals behavior and its qualities. It makes to establish in distinct ways. Role conflicts and type and quality of individual relations in positional sets have also the same results.

Volume 3, Issue 3 (9-2014)
Abstract

The ladybird beetle, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is one of the most important natural enemies of the common pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). The effects of hexaflumuron and spirodiclofen were investigated on development and carbohydrates and total lipid contents of 4th instar larvae of H. variegata. The insecticides had significant effects on the mortality of eggs, but no significant effects on mortality of larvae or pupae. Hexaflumuron significantly increased the length of development of eggs (2.89 days) and first instar larvae (3.28 days), but had no significant effects on other instars or pupae. Spirodiclofen had no significant effects on developmental stages of H. variegata. Glycogen content was significantly reduced by spirodiclofen (17.42 mg/g fresh body weight) and hexaflumuron (16.07 mg/g fresh body weight). Trehalose content in hexaflumuron (1.89 mg/g fresh body weight) and spirodiclofen-treated larvae (2.02 mg/g fresh body weight) was significantly lower than control (8.01 mg/g fresh body weight). Glucose content in spirodiclofen-treated larvae (0.96 mg/g fresh body weight) was significantly higher than in hexaflumuron-treated larvae (0.24 mg/g fresh body weight) and control (0.15 mg/g fresh body weight). Significant reduction in the amount of lipid was observed in spirodiclofen-treated larvae (5.29 mg/g fresh body weight), but not in hexaflumuron-treated larvae (7.11 mg/g fresh body weight). These results suggest that substantial physiological events in the life of larvae are affected in response to the action of the tested insecticides.  

Volume 3, Issue 3 (12-2013)
Abstract

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between developmental performance appraisal and Job performance mediated by organizational commitment and organizational support in the employees. This study performed in the Gas Company of Guilan Province in 2013. A number of 217 employees were selected as the participants using classified random sampling consistent with the sample size. Participants in this research complemented following Questionnaires: developmental performance appraisal, Organizational Commitment, Organizational support, Task Performance and Organizational Citizenship Behavior. To confirm the scale factor structure and to evaluate the suggested model, confirmative factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted. Moreover, Bootstrap Test was adopted to examine its mediation and meaningfulness effects. The results revealed that the suggested model satisfies a good fitting regarding provided data. The research findings showed that only the indirect path of developmental performance appraisal, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior was meaningful, while the other three indirect paths (developmental performance appraisal, organizational support and commitment on task performance and developmental performance appraisal, organizational support and organizational citizenship

Volume 3, Issue 5 (4-2016)
Abstract

In the field of textual analysis and detailed understanding, we can benefit numerous mechanisms, In the meantime, attention to the mutual semantic opposition, has a special place. In the collocation of the word that one of the issues is invaluable semantics, Semantic opposition with their Types can lead translators and analysts to the exact meaning of the words of text. This means that a translator with knowledge of the mutual semantic opposition between words of coincide sentences, can lay behind the many challenges to achieve the accurate translation. According to the Nahj al-Balagha full of valuable semantic opposition, in this article we Following the Performance of Persian translations in translate of semantic opposition of sermons of Nahj al-Balagha And the extent to contexture have consider. In this regard, the types of collocation of the word and semantic oppositions have mentioned. And continue, some of the phrases that contain such opposition are offered and then to explain and evaluate the performance of five Persian translation of Nahj al-Balagha sermons on the correct translation of the semantic opposition. The results of this study suggest that in many cases, translators with a lack of attention to the symmetric sentences with each other, have been far from such the Strict sense of phrases while considering the context, we can overcome this problem.

Volume 3, Issue 5 (8-2018)
Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the type and frequency of lexical semantic relations between Persian and Arabic terms, and to investigate the meaning of Arabic terms in Persian. For this, Bozorg Sokhan dictionary and Abdolnabi Ghayyem Arabic dictionary was chosen and common Arabic words in Persian were extracted from the above dictionaries. Then based on some linguistic tests, six  types of lexical semantic relations including synonymy, hyponymy, semantic opposition, meronymy, member collection, portion-mass, were identified and the frequency of each of them was determined at the level of words, along with the meaning of each word. The frequency of the occurrence of each of the semantic relations in 4506 words was as follows: synonymy 76,83%, hyponymy 14,75%, semantic opposition 0,28%, meronymy 0,57%, member collection 0,04% and portion-mass 0,13% determined. Also, by matching the 4506 words with each other, a total of 26326 matchings were performed, the frequency of occurrence of lexical semantic relations among these adaptations were synonymy 16,75%, hyponymy was 2,61%, semantic opposition 0,04%, meronymy, member collection 0,007%,  and portion-mass 0.02% respectively.
 
 

Volume 4, Issue 2 (9-2014)
Abstract

According to researches, lack of commitment to change is one of the important factors making changes ineffective. Commitment to change is a force involving individuals in necessary processes of successful change. In current research, commitment to change path analysis model was designed according to the roles of organizational support, supervisor support, trust to supervisor, justice, and positive affection. This is a descriptive study and is based on correlations. The research sample contained 463 individuals of Isfahan Oil Refining & DistributionCompany that selected by stratifiedsampling and responded to research instruments. Bootstrapping analysis showed that supervisor support, procedural justice and interactional justice are mediator variables between trust, organizational support and normative commitment to change. According to results, managers and organizations are recommended to establish commitment to change by increasing trust, support, positive affection and justice.      

Volume 4, Issue 2 (6-2015)
Abstract

Spotted Amber Ladybird, Hippodamia variegata (Goeze, 1777) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an important predator of aphids and some other insect pests. Since shape and size variation may affect biological characteristics of an insect, multivariate analysis of shape variations in four geographically isolated populations of H. variegata (Isfahan, Shahrekord, Shiraz, Yasuj) was performed based on eight landmarks of hind wing. According to the analysis, significant difference in weight matrices (as shape variable) was detected. The cluster analysis separated Isfahan population from other populations. According to ANOVA, we found significant difference in centroid size (as size variable), so that the two populations, Isfahan and Shahrekord, had larger wings than the two other populations. Distribution of 80 individuals based on partial warps on the relative warp axis placed Isfahan population in a separate group while the others had overlap and irregular distribution.  

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