https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/ Theory and Practice in the Curriculum en daily 1 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_231436.html The present study aimed to represent primary school teachers’ perceptions of communicative competence within the teaching-learning process. A qualitative approach based on descriptive phenomenology was employed. The research field included all primary school teachers working in Pakdasht County, Tehran Province. The sampling strategy combined convenience and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, with a total of fifteen primary school teachers interviewed. The findings revealed five main components: (1) specialized communicative skills in the teaching-learning process, (2) fostering self-confidence, (3) instilling a sense of value, (4) impactfulness, and (5) emotional skills in the teaching-learning process. These findings suggest that teachers' communicative competence, as a dynamic and multidimensional construct, consists of an integrated and interwoven set of components that gain meaning within specific cultural and social educational contexts. The results underscore the importance of localization and the need to pay particular attention to the cultural-social dimension in developing communicative competence models. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_229051.html The present study aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of curriculum implementation with regard to gender roles, using a qualitative approach and descriptive phenomenological method. The field of this research included all elementary school teachers in Qazvin province, who were selected through purposive and criterion sampling. The criteria consisted of teachers' willingness to participate in the study, having 2 to 10 years of practical experience, and working in mixed-gender rural schools in Qazvin province during the 2023-2024 academic year. Finally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 elementary teachers employed in mixed-gender schools in Qazvin province. After data analysis using Colaizzi's method, three main themes emerged: the reproduction of gender roles in the classroom, the creation of new roles in the classroom, and gendered interactions among teachers in the classroom. The findings of this study indicate that most teachers in mixed-gender classrooms continue to perpetuate traditional gender roles between girls and boys. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_231494.html The aim of the present study is to investigate the pattern of using artificial intelligence in evaluating curricula designed and developed in the higher education system. This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and using a data-driven method. The statistical population included all experts in the fields of curriculum planning, educational technology, and computer engineering who had experience in writing and scientific research in the field of artificial intelligence. 19 people were selected to participate in the study using a purposive and criterion-based sampling method. The data collection method was a semi-structured interview, and open, axial, and selective coding methods were used to analyze the data. In order to validate and ensure the validity and reliability of the research findings, Lincoln and Guba's four criteria were used. The results of the research indicated twenty central concepts, which were organized according to the paradigmatic model of Strauss and Corbin (2008) in the form of the central phenomenon of the research (data-driven analysis based on artificial intelligence in the design and development of higher education curricula), causal conditions (weakness of standards, traditional evaluation, complexity and volume of evaluation data and the need for internationalization of curriculum design and development), strategies, contextual factors, intervening factors and consequences. Finally, based on the results of the research, it is suggested that by providing a platform in the aforementioned dimensions, attention should be paid to the application of artificial intelligence in curriculum planning processes in higher education. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_231437.html This study developed and validated a blended learning model for vocational courses in SAMPAD schools, which focus on nurturing technical-vocational talents. Using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach, the research first identified key components through semi-structured interviews with 17 experts (distance education specialists, instructors, and technical-vocational professionals). Qualitative data were analyzed via theoretical coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire based on these findings was distributed to 200 instructors and specialists, with data analyzed using CFA and SEM in Smart-PLS.The finalized model comprises five core dimensions:Pedagogical (competency-based design, active learning, flexible pathways, integrated learning theories).Technological (stable infrastructure, interactive platforms, accessibility).Content Design (visual organization, multimedia, workshop alignment, production standards).Assessment (formative, blended, practical skill validation).Support & Management (technical-educational assistance, resource/time management).The model showed strong validity (SRMR = 0.048, NFI = 0.92) and high reliability (α > 0.8). It provides a practical framework for implementing blended learning in vocational SAMPAD schools, emphasizing the integration of pedagogical, technological, and support elements for effective skill development. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_234623.html The present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of undergraduate students regarding the implementation of the general physical education and sports curriculum. This research is applied in purpose, qualitative in approach, and descriptive in nature, falling under the category of descriptive phenomenology. Participants in this study included undergraduate male and female students at Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University in the academic year 2024–2025 who had completed the General Physical Education and Sports 1 courses. A criterion-based purposive sampling method was employed, and the interview and sampling process continued until data saturation was reached (up to 16 participants). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. To enhance the trustworthiness of the study, an external auditing technique was utilized. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. The examination of students' experiences regarding the general physical education and sports curriculum revealed three main themes and seven categories, labeled as follows: 1. Education-related factors, comprising three subcategories (inappropriate curriculum content, factors related to academic performance evaluation, and factors associated with teaching methods and processes); 2. Human factors, consisting of three categories (factors related to teaching quality, professor-student relationships, and student-related factors); 3. Contextual factors, including (factors related to educational conditions and facilities). The findings indicate that while the implementation of the general physical education curriculum at at Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University has had successes, it also faces certain challenges and weaknesses. The results can be used to address these issues in a proper and logical manner. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_226084.html The present study aimed to investigate the quality of teachers' educational life in interaction with the curriculum during their teaching career and the role of educational experiences in improving teachers' academic performance. The qualitative research approach was based on narrative research with an emphasis on narrative analysis of data. The participants were teachers working in different educational courses in West Azerbaijan Province, with 11 of them being purposefully interviewed of the index type in-depth. The researcher's self-review method, rich and comprehensive description, simultaneous analysis, and quotation were used to ensure the validity, transferability, and verifiability of the research data, respectively. The findings showed that teachers' interactions with the curriculum during their teaching career occur at three levels: behavioral channelization, thoughtfulness, and self-actualization. At each of these levels, the quality of interactions depends on the amount of their experiences and affects the efficiency of their performance in such a way that the nature and manner of implementing the content of the subjects are on an evolutionary path. The results show that the executive structure of curricula should be designed in such a way that teachers, while transferring the scientific structure of the subjects to the learners, have the opportunity to criticize and modify concepts in order to provide the basis for the formation of practical knowledge of the content and being skill-oriented in accordance with the capabilities of the students by conceptually reconstructing the curriculum content. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_231855.html The pervasive integration of learning technologies has fundamentally transformed educational landscapes, offering powerful tools to enhance teaching and learning processes. Formative assessment, as a cornerstone of effective pedagogy, provides real-time insights into student understanding and guides instructional adjustments. Employing a qualitative research design with an interpretive phenomenological approach, this study engaged twenty experienced teachers from second-grade elementary schools in Hamedan, Iran. Participants were selected through purposive and criterion-based sampling. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews, each lasting 45-60 minutes, and were meticulously analyzed using a hierarchical thematic analysis method, involving open, axial, and selective coding. The analysis of qualitative data, derived from in-depth interviews with experienced elementary teachers, revealed a comprehensive and multi-dimensional framework of six core competencies essential for the effective integration of learning technologies into formative assessment practices. These competencies represent a synergistic blend of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The study concludes that the effective integration of technology into formative assessment is a multi-faceted endeavor requiring teachers to develop a sophisticated blend of technical, pedagogical, cultural, and subject-specific competencies. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_232622.html In light of the challenges facing science education in Iran and the negative outcomes reflected in international assessments such as TIMSS, the present study aims to identify the prominent features of science curriculum design based on big ideas through a review of selected studies. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach, employing systematic review and documentary content analysis methods. Initially, 1,221 scholarly documents published between 2000 and 2024 were identified through databases such as ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science. Then, using specific criteria—including topical relevance, incorporation of the big ideas concept, and scientific credibility—30 documents were selected for final analysis. The data were coded through documentary content analysis using MaxQDA software. Thematic findings derived inductively from the selected studies revealed four key features of a big ideas-based curriculum: intra-disciplinary organization and coherence of knowledge, interdisciplinary organization and coherence, social application and impact, and dynamism and innovation in learning. Based on the reviewed evidence, the study concludes by recommending a revision of science textbook content and the experimental implementation of the big ideas-based approach in schools. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_232964.html The ability to solve word problems in different areas of elementary mathematics plays a crucial role in fostering logical thinking, strengthening reading comprehension, and enhancing students’ capacity to apply knowledge to real-life situations. Among the key mathematical topics at the elementary level is the concept of ratio and proportion. This study aimed to explore the challenges students face in solving word problems related to ratio and proportion at the end of elementary school, employing a qualitative, task-based interview approach. The participants included seven sixth-grade graduates who voluntarily completed five designed tasks. Following the transcription of the interviews, inductive content analysis was conducted, resulting in the identification of 15 sub-themes grouped into five main themes including difficulty in reading problems, lack of independence in the problem-solving process, difficulties in understanding and processing problems, weaknesses in basic operations, and conceptual difficulties with ratio and proportion. Based on these findings, the study concludes with recommendations for improving teaching strategies and designing instructional programs that better address students’ actual learning needs. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_233602.html The aim of the present study was to identify the challenges of art education in the education system. The research approach was qualitative and the method used was synthesis research. The target population included domestic and foreign sources available in the field of art education challenges. In order to access articles and research related to Persian and English keywords including art, problems of art education in education, art education, challenges of art education, obstacles to art education, problems of art education, various domestic electronic resources were indexed and electronic resources abroad were tried to extract the latest resources related to the present study. Accordingly, 95 existing sources were identified and reviewed in the period 2013 to 2025. The collection tool was a checklist and the transferability criterion and audit trail were used to validate the studies in this section. Finally, based on the content analysis; 55 basic themes, 4 first organizing themes with the titles of goals, content, strategy, and evaluation, and 11 second organizing themes with the titles of goal formulation, goal implementation, content formulation, implementation of the formulated content, time, space, teacher, student, tools and facilities, evaluation goals, and evaluation implementation, and an overarching theme titled challenges of art education were extracted. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_233603.html This study aimed to examine the statistical tasks in mathematics textbooks for primary and lower secondary education in Iran. To this end, all tasks from grades 2 to 9 were extracted and analyzed based on a six-dimensional framework and the stages of the statistical problem-solving process (formulating questions, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data). The findings indicated that most tasks focused on the “data analysis” stage, with less attention given to question formulation. The distribution of tasks was uneven; for example, there were no statistical tasks in grade 9, and grade 6 had the lowest share. In grade 7, despite a higher number of tasks, no new concepts were introduced. Overall, tasks were mostly closed-ended and semi-realistic, and there was a lack of coherence and balance in the progression of complexity, diversity of responses, and connection to real-life across the different grades. Additionally, there was no evidence of technology use. These findings highlight the need to reconsider and revise curriculum content design. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_234847.html IntroductionThe present study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of elementary school teachers regarding classroom management.MethodThe research paradigm is qualitative, and the research method is phenomenology. The target population consisted of teachers in the city of Gorgan, and the participants were elementary school teachers who were teaching during the 2024–2025 academic year. A purposive sampling method based on specific criteria was employed to reach theoretical saturation. The data collection instrument was a semi-structured in-depth interview, and interviews were conducted with 20 elementary school teachers. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsBased on the research findings, seven main themes and several sub-themes were identified from teachers’ understanding and interpretation of classroom management, including viewing management as creating learning opportunities, developing teaching as a professional skill, managing student behavior, and organizing the learning environment. Regarding teachers’ classroom management styles, four main categories emerged: authoritarian, authoritative, democratic, and laissez-faire. In relation to teachers’ communication skills with students, six main themes were found, such as applying environmental and dynamic strategies, mastering theoretical knowledge, building positive relationships, and promoting students’ self-regulation. Finally, the study revealed six major challenges teachers face in managing classrooms and interacting with students, including large class sizes, behavioral and learning disorders, content and environmental barriers, insufficient teacher competence, and family-related difficulties.DiscussionThis study, based on teachers’ perceptions and interpretations, identified significant components in classroom management, its styles and challenges, and teachers’ communication skills with students. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_238075.html Given the rising unemployment rate among graduates and the evident gap between the outputs of the education system and the needs of the labor market, a precise examination of the extent to which employability competencies are covered in curriculum content is crucial. Therefore, the present study was conducted to identify employability competencies within the content of the book "Entrepreneurship and Production Workshop" using a qualitative content analysis method. The research target group consisted of educational content related to the development of occupational and entrepreneurial skills during the second secondary school period. Using a purposive sampling method, the book "Entrepreneurship and Production Workshop" for the Tenth Grade (Theoretical Branch) was selected. The findings led to the identification of four main categories and eight sub-categories. The employability competencies covered in the book’s content include "Individual and Interpersonal Competencies," "Cognitive Competencies," "Entrepreneurial Competencies," and "Planning and Operational Competencies." The research results indicate that this book is a valuable resource for covering some employability competencies; however, to achieve complete effectiveness and comprehensive readiness of students for the labor market, skills such as government regulations, digital literacy, project management, and leadership should be strengthened in future revisions. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_241603.html The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Google Classroom-based instruction on skill acquisition and learning quality among seventh-grade female students in the Work and Technology course. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The statistical population included all seventh-grade female students in Mashhad during the 1401-1402 academic year, conducted during the transition back to in-person education following the COVID-19 pandemic. From this population, 60 students were selected through multistage cluster sampling and randomly assigned to two groups of 30. The experimental group received instruction through Google Classroom over 9 sessions of 90 minutes each, utilizing features such as assignment submission, instant feedback, multimedia materials, and virtual interaction, while the control group received traditional face-to-face instruction. Data collection instruments included researcher-made performance tests for measuring skill acquisition and a learning quality questionnaire (Rahmani Akhkand, 1389) with reliability of 0.84 (Cronbach's alpha), validated by experts. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results showed that the experimental group performed significantly better in skill acquisition (F=74.043, p=0.000, η²=0.569) and learning quality (F=19.654, p=0.000, η²=0.260) compared to the control group. The calculated effect size indicated a strong impact of the educational intervention. These findings confirm that using Google Classroom can be an effective and efficient method for improving skill acquisition and enhancing students' learning quality. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_241604.html The aim of the research is to analyze the dimensions and challenges of the comprehensive examination of the doctoral course and to determine the extent to which it can be realized for doctoral students and to present an optimal plan for comprehensive assessment. The research method is Connoisseur&criticism Education. The research sample includes valid national upstream printed and electronic documents, executive regulations of higher education and the doctoral course, comprehensive examination documents, in-depth interviews with doctoral students and professors of educational sciences, and meticulous observation in various scientific and research contexts until 1404 using a criterion-based purposive sampling method. Valid written documents were reviewed between 1375 &1403. In order to confirm the validity of qualitative data, the opinions of educational science experts and qualitative methodology were reviewed in the form of round-trip data. The findings showed that the current comprehensive examination carries multiple and deep harms to all aspects of students' lives, including mental and psychological, mental, cognitive, moral, physical, skill, economic, career, education, etc. This test is not only not comprehensive and one-dimensional, but also not empowering and not efficient even at the lowest levels of knowledge, skills and attitudes, and it separates practice and opinion, education and research from the assessment process. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment should be based on needs, capabilities, talents, interests, and multiple redefined capacities, and multifaceted solutions of skills, science, practice, art, attitude, efficiency, benefit and service to the individual and society should be considered, which have been explored in the present study. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_241717.html The present study aims to investigate the effect of using an intuitionapproach on improving the understanding of the concept of “division by zero” through dynamic diagrams in the GeoGebra environment. Division by zero is one of the challenging topics in mathematics education, which is often accepted by students merely as a rule, without conceptual understanding. In this regard, inspired by the approach introduced by Droujkova and McLoughlin (2013), an instructional intervention based on dynamic visual representations was designed and implemented. In this quasi-experimental study with a pre-test–post-test design, 70 high school students from Shazand city participated. The data analysis results indicated that the educational intervention significantly improved students’ conceptual understanding of division by zero. The findings suggest that the use of visual and dynamic educational tools such as GeoGebra can effectively enhance students’ conceptual understanding of abstract mathematical concepts and should be considered in the design of innovative teaching methods https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_242214.html This study aimed to investigate the extent to which middle school science textbooks address components of the nature of science. This research was conducted using a quantitative content analysis method. The statistical population and sample comprised the three experimental science textbooks for the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades, and all texts, images, and activities within these books were analyzed. The research instrument, based on a standard framework developed by other researchers, possesses appropriate validity. The reliability of the coding was also confirmed through the inter-coder agreement coefficient. The findings reveal that across all three grade levels, there is a predominant emphasis on scientific concepts and laws, whereas components such as scientific methodology, problem-solving, and the science-society-technology interface remain underrepresented. Furthermore, the increased volume of content in the ninth-grade curriculum is primarily theoretical and lacks a commensurate increase in practical, inquiry-based activities. Overall, these textbooks fail to achieve an effective balance between theoretical knowledge and scientific skills, with ‘science as inquiry’ being notably neglected. Consequently, it is recommended that future revisions of middle school science textbooks explicitly incorporate a greater focus on scientific methodology, the research process, and the nexus of science, technology, and society within both textual content and pedagogical examples. Moreover, an expanded range of practical and experiential activities is essential to foster scientific literacy and a deeper understanding of the nature of science. https://www.jcstpicsa.ir/article_242353.html One of the major challenges in mathematics education is improving students’ performance and interest simultaneously. Instruction that emphasizes the use of multiple solutions in modeling problems can contribute to the construction of mathematical knowledge; however, their motivational benefits are not yet fully understood. The present study aimed to examine the effect of an instructional intervention designed to enhance students’ interest and mathematical performance. The study employed an explanatory mixed‑methods design, including a quasi‑experimental quantitative phase and a qualitative case study. The instruments for measuring performance consisted of seven researcher‑developed tests, and students’ interest was assessed through a questionnaire and interviews. Participants included 76 students in the experimental group and 93 ninth‑grade female students in the control group from two public schools in District 3 of Tehran. The instructional intervention was implemented in seven sessions and focused on developing multiple solutions for open‑response mathematical modeling problems through small‑group work. Students’ performance was assessed using modeling tests whose validity was confirmed through expert judgment and whose reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha. Students’ interest was measured using a Likert‑scale questionnaire based on the framework proposed by Luding and Zhu (2008), and the data were analyzed using the Friedman test. The results indicated a significant increase in both students’ interest and mathematical performance in the experimental group