Search

We conceptually replicated Kemp (2010), who investigated the effect of keeping a listening log, a journal or learner diary, on ESL students' motivation toward autonomous learning. Her research suggested that keeping a listening log can aid ESL listeners to self-monitor their performance and reflect on their listening process independently. Besides, it was found that it would raise their metacognitive awareness of the listening process and motivate them toward autonomous listening. Her study deserves replication due to its theoretical motivation, which is the explicit teaching of a group of listening skills and strategies and the success of the listening skills module designed for study-abroad ESL students. However, almost no previous studies replicated the related research with a phenomenological perspective to examine its robustness and transferability, particularly in an EFL context. Thus, our conceptual replication used Kemp's (2010) materials and procedures to highlight the possible effects of keeping a listening log on EFL learners' motivation to become autonomous listeners in an EFL context. To serve this purpose, 30 freshmen Iranian TEFL students participated in this study. The data were collected through students' listening logs in eight sessions. Results suggested that keeping a listening log can motivate and encourage EFL learners to engage with and reflect on their listening experiences in potential learning situations, thus assisting them with becoming good listeners in real-life situations. Further discussions and pedagogical implications are provided in the paper.

Educators in contemporary educational settings are met with many challenges in the classroom. This is a descriptive paper focused on the impact of classroom management on students' academic achievement at the undergraduate level, entailing two aims one is from teachers' perspective, and the other is from the students' perspective. The first aim of this paper was to find out the factors that have an impact on classroom management and the strategies used in the classroom by the teacher and, in turn, the effect of classroom management on the students' academic achievement. Thirty-five teachers were selected randomly from the Science and Art University in Yazd Province. An adopted questionnaire consisting of three sets of questions each set with six questions was distributed and the data were collected. The results showed that students' need and teachers' knowledge and teachers' skills were three things that affect classroom management. Regarding the classroom strategies, the teachers' idea was that they have to provide instructional activity awareness. Lastly, teachers believed that management of the class was an interesting process of creating and maintaining a successful learning environment and friendly relationship which leads to students' success and in this way the teachers' role impact students' academic achievements. The second aim was to investigate students' perceptions of classroom management. Survey method was used to collect the data from the students through an adopted questionnaire. For this purpose, 250 students were selected from Science and Art University of Iran from fields of Psychology, Management, law and Accounting. Data was collected by using a Five-Likert scale. The result showed students' idea was that the latest technologies must be used in classrooms to facilitate the learners. There must be transparency and strict implementation of rules regulations and time schedule.

This research investigated the effect of three definitional, sentential, and textual vocabulary learning strategies on Iranian intermediate EFL learners' vocabulary learning and retention. Based on Oxford Solutions Placement Test, of 94 total population, 66 Iranian EFL learners were selected as homogeneous participants at the intermediate level from a private English Language Institute in Rasht, Iran. Next, according to the quasi-experimental design, characterized by administration of a pretest, treatment, and a posttest and a delayed posttest, the learners were randomly assigned to two experimental groups of textual (TG), sentential (SG), and one control group of definitional, (DG) each with 22 participants. A familiarity test of vocabulary was administered to certify the learners' familiarity with the targeted vocabulary items. The groups were pretested on their current knowledge of vocabulary, after which they received a 20-session text-based, sentence-based, and definition-based instructions of vocabulary. In addition, all groups attended the posttest of vocabulary at the end of the treatment sessions. The results of the immediate and delayed posttests analyzed using one-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in the performances of the three groups in favor of TG group that gained and retained higher rates of vocabulary items than did the SG and DG groups although the SG group was more successful. Further findings and implications are discussed in the paper. The findings of the research can be utilized by the teachers, materials developers, and education authorities to provide textual-based vocabulary instruction for Iranian EFL learners.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate students' social networking strategies based on learning values in the social context of Iranian universities. Design/methodology/approach: This research has used the case study method to investigate students' networked learning (NL) strategies among students of four different universities in the context of Iran. They were explored by semistructured in-depth interviews about the nature or current conditions of their study life. The data were analyzed by the qualitative analysis method based on the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin (1998). Findings: The researchers in this study found the special concept of NL in the social context: "NL as a continuous process of thinking to understand the environment through multiple/ diverse careers of learning knowledge and skills for environmental modeling towards creating added-value." According to this definition, various networked strategies were identified as follows: 1) interactive and multidimensional searching, 2) multidimensional studying and learning, 3) environmental and social management, 4) studying and social wandering. Research limitations/implications: Designing dynamic curriculum, which integrates various careers of learning, multidimensional knowledge and abilities and subject matters with environmental events and social structures of the society. Given the exploratory nature of the research, the paper cannot provide empirically justified findings. Originality/value: The research had identified diverse approaches of networking strategies, which do not appear just as a positive instrument to improve learning conditions. However, there is such an extreme degree of social wandering among students in universities that makes their efforts useless.

Since its inception, pragmatic competence has been studied vastly; the majority of these studies, however, have examined pragmatic production, and pragmatic comprehension is chiefly under-researched. This lack of adequate research also stands true for the underlying pragmatic comprehension processes and strategies. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to find out L2 pragmatic comprehension strategies used by 40 (F=20, M=20) Iranian EFL learners and to discover whether there would be any differences between interlanguage pragmatic comprehension strategies used by male and female learners. Participants, selected based on stratified random sampling, were chosen on the basis of their performance on a paper-based TOEFL out of the initial sample of 90 students. Three data collection instruments were employed: a validated pragmatic test (Tajeddin & Ahmadi Safa, 2010), concurrent verbal think-aloud protocols, and retrospective verbal think-aloud protocols. Data analysis revealed three classes of pragmatic comprehension strategies. First, socio-pragmatic strategies that included politeness, formality, indirectness, and distance/power influences. Second, lexico-pragmatic strategies which were more frequent than grammatical strategies in the second category. Third, the cognitive strategies that comprised both top-down and bottom-up processing strategies in L2 pragmatic comprehension. Furthermore, it was found that gender did not play any significant role in the use of pragmatic comprehension strategies. Study findings suggest that explicit teaching of pragmatic comprehension strategies helps learners promote their L2 pragmatic comprehension.

Though vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) have drawn continuous attention in SLA research in the past three decades, there remain many unanswered questions, many unknown caveats and many unexplored regions. Quite a few historical reviews of vocabulary learning strategies have been undertaken by researchers over the past years, tracing its growth over the years. However, no research until now has captured the VLS profile of learners from diverse ESL/EFL backgrounds and presented an analysis from a geographical point of view. This study aims to capture the VLS profile of the diverse learners and takes up the task of the geographical review of vocabulary learning strategies landscaping the VLS research over many countries. For this purpose, the researcher has chosen specifically the research happening in the backdrop of ESL/EFL contexts. Fourteen papers have been selected for review belonging to Philippine, Turkey, Algeria, Iran, Malaysia, Congo, China, India, Sudan, Libya and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A detailed analysis reveals not only the juggling between the experiential and traditional modes of vocabulary learning but also the reasons behind the insufficient vocabulary size of the learners in myriad contexts.

Perceptual (mis)matches between teachers and learners are said to affect learning success or failure. Self-assessment, as a formative assessment tool, may, inter alia, be considered a means to minimize such mismatches. Therefore, the present study investigated the extent to which learners' assessment of their own speaking performance, before and after their being provided with a list of agreed-upon scoring criteria followed by a practice session, matches that of their teachers. In so doing, 29 EFL learners and six EFL teachers served as participants; the learners were asked to assess their audio-recorded speaking performance before and after their being provided with the scoring criteria and practice session. The teachers were also asked to assess the learners' performance according to the same criteria. Finally, the learners were required to evaluate the effectiveness of doing self-assessment in the form of reflection papers. The results revealed a significant difference between the learners' assessment of their own speaking ability on the two occasions. The findings also suggested that providing the learners with the scoring criteria and the follow-up practice session minimized the existing mismatches between learner assessment and teacher assessment. Moreover, the inductive analysis of the reflection papers yielded a number of themes suggesting that, despite some limitations, the learners' overall evaluation of the effectiveness of speaking self-assessment was positive.

Vocabulary learning and assessment are considered as the key basis for the training of English as a foreign language. However, it is time-consuming, uncertain and repetitious for the teachers to assess the proficiency of the students' vocabulary storage. This paper reports the results of a study which aimed to investigate the effect of Repeating as a direct vocabulary learning strategy versus Cooperating with Peers as an indirect vocabulary learning strategy teaching on the improvement of word knowledge on reading comprehension skill of Iranian undergraduate students. In order to attain the aim of the research, a vocabulary test was administrated to one hundred and forty-six male and female pre-intermediate EFL university students. Ultimately, seventy-eight pre-intermediate language learners were elected and appointed into two experimental groups (A and B) based on a vocabulary pre-test. The group (A) was taught vocabulary through Using Repeating vocabulary learning strategy and the group (B) was taught Cooperating with Peers vocabulary learning strategy for the aim of improving their lexical knowledge in reading comprehension skill. In the end of the treatment period, another vocabulary test (post-test) was implemented to all the students of two groups. After analyzing the data of the study that administered through using Independent samples t-test statistics, the results showed that there was a considerable difference between the two experimental groups under analysis in terms of their vocabulary improvements. The outcomes revealed that Repeating as a direct vocabulary learning strategy can cause to higher accomplishments of word storage in reading comprehension skill of Iranian pre-intermediate EFL undergraduate learners.

This paper aims to present the results obtained in a survey whose objective was to investigate the Iranian French language learner's definition of memorization, and the techniques they adopt most frequently in memorizing linguistic structures and vocabulary. The results indicate that although memorization plays a significant role in learning a foreign language, it is often neglected or understated. Memorization techniques are known to be rather individual, but it is suggested that weak learners can be encouraged to replace old techniques with more effective ones that could pave the way to a profound and stable learning.

This study investigated the use of language learning strategies (LLS) and reasons for learning English among Iranian EFL students who began learning English at different ages. The participants (N = 33, both male and female) were divided into two groups of younger beginners (who began learning English before age 9; N = 16) and older beginners (who began learning English at or after age 12; N = 17). They were invited to complete Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire and to take part in a structured interview. While the students' choices of LLS were identified both through the questionnaire and interviews, their reasons for strategy use and their goals in learning English were determined using the interviews alone. Data analysis indicated that there were differences in LLS categories employed by the groups. Further findings and implications are discussed in the paper.

This paper reports a comparative study exploring language learning strategy use and beliefs about language learning of high-school students and students attending English institutes. Oxford's (1990) strategy inventory for language learning (SILL) and Horwitz's (1987) beliefs about language learning inventory (BALLI), were used to collect data. One-way multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. The results revealed significant differences between the two groups regarding their strategy use and beliefs about language learning. Institute students used significantly more memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive and social strategies. Also they held stronger beliefs about the difficulty of language learning and motivation and expectation than their peers in high school. The conclusions of the study along with related pedagogical implications are also discussed.

The development of critical thinking (CT) skills has become a key goal for educators in first and second language contexts. There is evidence that the use of such activities has still not become widespread in a number of ELT situations. One reason for this may be lack of awareness about how levels of thinking can be conceptualized in ELT activities. This paper will report on a program designed by the authors at a university in Iran, which used taxonomy of CT skills drawn up by Facione (1990) to probe the effect of critical thinking strategies training on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL students. In so doing, 240 male and female Iranian EFL students were selected and screened into two proficiency levels based on the TOEFL tests. Each proficiency group was divided into critical and non-critical group. The results suggested CT skills significantly affected EFL learners' reading comprehension performance. However, the effect of critical thinking strategy training didn't vary across different language proficiency levels. Overall, the findings provide empirical support for the facilitative effect of critical thinking strategy training on reading comprehension performance of EFL learners.

The reform in teaching and curriculum involves not only in the teaching content, but more so in teachers' methodology, the students' learning strategies and the changed relationship between students and teachers in the classroom setting. The purpose of this paper is to suggest that what is needed for ESP is a different orientation to English study and to outline an approach which departs from that which is generally taken. Broadly, what is involved is a shift of the focus of attention from the grammatical to the communicative properties of language. This view that the difficulties which the students encounter arise not so much from a defective knowledge of the system of language but from unfamiliarity with English use is acceptable but not sufficient. It is suggested that although specification of language needs is necessary for ESP course and it will be useful for selecting and grading materials, in teaching ESP learning strategies should play an important role. Accordingly, autonomous learning and metacognitive strategies are suggested as basic essentials for teaching and learning ESP.

The aim of the present study was to investigate EFL university students' attitude towards self-regulated learning strategies in writing academic papers. A further aim of the study was to compare the attitudes of two groups of university students (third and fourth years) in the employment of self-regulated learning strategies to find out whether academic education assists students to become more self-regulated writers with the passage of time. A questionnaire was developed and administered to 98 college students majoring in English language. The questionnaire consisted of 60 items assessing six dimensions of self-regulated learning, namely, motive, method, time, physical environment, social environment, and performance. Descriptive analyses revealed that the participants were moderate to slightly high in the use of self-regulatory strategies and processes. Furthermore, the findings indicated that certain writing strategies including pre-writing, goal-setting and self-consequence were not appropriately employed by the participants, suggesting an important need to acquire additional strategies for their writing. Using independent samples t-tests, we found that the fourth year students more frequently employed self-regulatory learning strategies in writing (i.e. method and social environment) than did the third year students in this study. The implications of the study which may benefit writing instructors are discussed.

This paper discusses the findings of a qualitative study on the strategies employed by Iranian freshmen in extensive listening. A group of 12 freshman university students were purposefully selected based on their scores in the Oxford Placement Test administered. Four learners were identified as advanced, four as intermediate, and four as lower intermediate. A semi-structured interview was then conducted from which six of them were identified for the think-aloud protocol to elicit the strategies they employed. The analysis of the interviewees' interview and think-aloud data generated six major themes. One theme--concentration/attention--described metacognitive strategies; three themes--visualization, note-taking, and inferencing by guessing and using cues and background noise--described cognitive strategies; and two themes--communicating and skipping--described additional strategies. The implication of the study is that these strategies used in extensive listening by English as a foreign language learners need to be explicitly taught and the learners also need to listen to their target language more and more to improve their listening skills by using more top-down strategies.

Learning strategy has been an important topic of English language among teachers, researchers and syllabus designers in the history of English language teaching. Learning strategy and English language occupy the central role in teaching and learning in EFL setting. This paper discusses learning strategies and English language teaching in English foreign language in Iran. The aim of this research paper was to report the results of learning strategies of a group of twenty Iranian students of English, doing their post-graduation. The subjects for this research paper were Persian -speaking students doing M.A. course in Persian Gulf University, Bushehr. In this research paper, two sets of questionnaires were conducted. The first set was a background questionnaire consisted of subjects, gender, age and language attitude etc. The other test was the original test of willing (1994) survey included learning strategies questionnaire. This test consisted of twenty nine -items. Results of the analysis of this paper revealed that leaning strategies is an important criterion in getting the English knowledge of EFL students in their class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The transition from teacher‐centred towards student‐centred approaches in English language teaching, accompanied by developments in educational technology, has attracted researchers' attention to reverse teaching or flipped class. The related literature asserts that this mode of instruction might influence instructors' and students' participation in the class. Objectives: To shed more light on the role of flipped class in affecting language learning strategies and skills, this study applied a sequential explanatory mixed‐methods approach to explore the impact of flipped class on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. Methods: Forty‐six intermediate EFL learners with an age range of 21–27, studying at a private language institute, were randomly divided into two groups of 23 learners. The two groups were randomly assigned to a flipped class, which received writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills through video clips before the class time, and a non‐flipped class, which received writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills in a conventional way during the class time. Results and Conclusions: The results revealed that both flipped and non‐flipped classes improved the EFL learners' writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Furthermore, one‐way ANCOVA analyses indicated that the flipped class outperformed the non‐flipped class in writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation. Thematic analyses, which were used to help analyse individual semi‐structured interviews, uncovered a number of categories and themes, signifying the flipped learners' positive perceptions towards the flipped class, such as enhancing motivation, self‐confidence, and writing collaboration. Implications: Pedagogical implications were discussed for flipping writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Metacognitive strategies, including planning, monitoring, and evaluation strategies, help English language learners become more successful writers.Writing skills, including writing content, writing organisation, and language use, help learners deal with collaborative writing activities effectively.Flipped class has been shown to be an effective mode of instruction to improve English language learners' language learning strategies and skills. What this paper adds?: Flipped class improves English language learners' writing metacognitive strategies, writing performance, writing content, and writing organisation.Flipped class is more effective than non‐flipped class in improving English language learners' writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills.English language learners' motivation, self‐confidence, and writing collaboration are increased as a result of the flipped writing course. Pedagogical implications: Writing metacognitive strategies and writing skills need to be flipped in English language contexts in order to free up time for more effective in‐class collaborative writing activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID‐19 crisis, digital informal learning is important for students' academic engagement. Although scholars have highlighted the importance of students' digital competence in improving digital informal learning (DIL), the mediating role of DIL between digital competence and academic engagement has remained ambiguous. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between students' digital competence and their academic engagement with the mediating role of DIL in the higher education context. This study used a descriptive correlational design, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The study sample included 308 students from Shiraz University, Iran. The results showed that digital competence positively and significantly correlated with students' DIL and their academic engagement. Furthermore, DIL, as the mediator variable, was found to mediate the relationship between students' digital competence and their academic engagement. Since higher education institutions have a key role in improving students' academic engagement, particularly in the COVID‐19 pandemic, academic administrators should pay more attention to students' digital competencies and provide them with efficient and user‐friendly DIL platforms that can increase their academic engagement. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: One of the challenges of online learning environments is students' engagement especially in the COVID‐19 crisis.The role of digital informal learning (DIL) in the students' engagement is ambiguous.Little work has been done to support the relationship between digital competence, DIL and academic engagement. What this paper adds: The structural equation model of academic engagement, digital competence, and DIL was examined.There is a significant relationship between digital competence and DIL of students.The engagement of students will increase both with the use of digital competencies and DIL. Implications for practice and/or policy: Administrators should provide efficient DIL platforms to increase students' academic engagement.Educators should consider students' digital competencies to increase their academic engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Understanding self‐regulated learning (SRL) is complicated due to the different measures used to identify the key SRL processes. There is a growing trend in applying event measures of SRL (microanalysis and trace) but aptitude measures (questionnaires) continue to be widely used in medical education. A major concern is whether aptitude measures are a valid approach to capture the dimensions of SRL processes. This study examined correlations between SRL microanalysis, SRL trace and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and how these measures were associated with biomedical science performance. Methods: An SRL microanalysis assessment interview was administered to 76 first‐year medical students individually when performing a biomedical science learning task. All written materials by students were collected for further trace analysis. Students completed an MSLQ 2 weeks before completing their biomedical science course. Correlation analyses were used to determine the correlations between the three SRL assessment measures. Bivariate and multiple analyses were conducted to compare students on different course or task performance using the three SRL assessment measures. Results: Microanalytic metacognitive monitoring (κ = 0.30, P <.001) and causal attributions (κ = 0.17, P =.009) had statistically significant correlations with use of the SRL trace strategy. MSLQ self‐efficacy correlated with microanalytic self‐efficacy (r =.39, P =.001). Bivariate tests showed that microanalytic metacognitive monitoring, causal attributions and adaptive inferences, and SRL trace strategy use had significant associations with task performance (P <.05). Microanalytic self‐efficacy, metacognitive monitoring and causal attributions, SRL trace strategy use and MSLQ self‐efficacy had significant associations with course performance (P <.05). Measures of use of the SRL trace strategy and MSLQ subscales did not show significant associations with task and course outcomes in multiple analyses (P >.05). Conclusions: Event measures, specifically SRL microanalysis, had greater associations with both task and course outcomes compared with the MSLQ measure. The SRL microanalysis is recommended for the assessment of SRL in biomedical science learning. However, to fully understand medical students' SRL a multidimensional assessment approach that combines event and aptitude measures should be used. Trying to measure engagement in self‐regulated learning? This paper stresses the value of prioritizing microanalysis given relationships with biomedical science learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Effective performance in online education increasingly impacts the quality of classes and, consequently, student learning outcomes. This study aims to compare satisfaction levels and learning rates between online and face-to-face methods of teaching medical physiology. Material & Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study involved 79 medical students divided into two groups. The first group received instruction on heart physiology (5 weeks, one session per week) online via the Navid system, while the second group received face-to-face instruction. At the study's conclusion, both groups underwent the same test to assess learning outcomes, and satisfaction with the teaching methods was evaluated through a questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Stata 14 statistical software, employing logistic regression and linear regression models. Results: The two groups differed in terms of the course studied, student nativeness, and satisfaction levels with the educational method. Satisfaction with online education was reported at 69%, compared to 65% for the face-to-face method. The average learning score for students in the online group was 12.93±0.12, while in the face-to-face group, it was 13.48±0.47. However, the linear regression model revealed no significant relationship between students' scores and specific educational methods (p=0.32). Significant relationships were observed between age, nativeness, and dormitory accommodation with satisfaction levels in online education. Conversely, none of the variables showed a significant relationship with satisfaction levels in face-to-face education. Conclusion: Both e-learning and face-to-face methods demonstrated relatively similar effects on students' learning outcomes. However, satisfaction levels with online education appear to be influenced by variables such as age, nativeness, and dormitory accommodation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, subjective norm, perceived image, personal innovativeness, individual mobility, absorptive capacity, and self-efficacy on user intention and satisfaction, alongside the mediating effect of usability towards use of m-learning in Iran. Based on the m-learning user data collected through a survey, structural equations modeling (SEM) and path analysis were employed to test the research model. The results revealed that “intention” and “user satisfaction” both predicted the actual use of m-learning. “Subjective norm” and “perceived image” were found to be the most important antecedents of user intention towards use of m-learning. At last, “perceived usefulness” mediated the relationship between ease of use and user intention. The sample consisted of e-learning users of only four public universities in Iran and private universities were not studied. Past studies have seldom examined the proposed antecedents in the context of m-learning based on an integrated model of TAM and ECT in developing countries. Moreover, this paper tries to provide a literature review of recent published studies in the field of m-learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, vocabulary teaching and learning were often given little priority in second language programs but recently there has been a renewed interest in the nature of vocabulary and its role in learning and teaching. Although most teachers might be aware of the importance of technology, say, computer, rarely teachers use it for teaching vocabulary. Thus, the current study aims at exploring the effects of CALL on vocabulary learning of Iranian EFL Learners. In this study, 40 intermediate EFL learners, both male and female aged from 16 to 18 studying New Interchange, book III, were chosen randomly from a language institute in Tehran. They were divided into two twenty-member groups. The experimental group was given the VTS.S (a computer program for teaching vocabularies), a computerized dictionary and provided with teacher efeedback. The control group received no special software and vocabularies were taught using the conventional ways with the help of a paper dictionary. A vocabulary pre-test based on the tests available in their teacher's guide was given to both groups. The aim of this test was to make sure that the students were not familiar with the words in advance. By pre-test/post-test comparison researchers found learners exposed to VTS.S teacher e-feedback plus the computerized dictionary scored higher than the control group. Both high-stake and low-stake holders can avail from the findings of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The competence of faculty in conducting e-learning is one of the preconditions for e-learning implementation in a university. This study aimed at investigating the readiness of the faculty members of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences (ARUMS) to have e-learning. Methods: To fulfil this purpose, a triangulation method has been used. In the quantitative section, based on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model, the faculty competence in conducting e-learning has been measured in four areas: pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, content knowledge, and finally the skill of combining pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, and content knowledge. Subsequently, with the qualitative data of the semi-structured interview, the findings of the research have been explained. Finally, the strategies for improving the readiness of ARUMS faculty have been identified in e-learning. Results: One-sample t test with a significant level (P = 0.5) showed that the faculty e-learning of ARUMS had the highest mean of pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge and contentpedagogical knowledge respectively. In other words, the faculty had a high level of pedagogical, content and content-pedagogical knowledge, but they need to improve their technological, technological-content, technological-pedagogical and ultimately, technological-pedagogicalcontent knowledge. Conclusion: That is why, in order to have effective e-learning at ARUMS, the faculty has to improve their technological, technological-content, technological-pedagogical and technological-pedagogical-content knowledge. In this regard, several solutions have been proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated how perfectionism can be related to L2 learners' achievement with motivation and two aspects of self-regulated learning as possible mediators. This study also evaluated the factor structure of the Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS) in an Iranian sample. The participants were 495 Iranian high school students who completed six BTPS sub-scales and measures of self-determined motivation and self-regulated learning. Psychometric analyses indicated that rigid perfectionism and self-critical perfectionism as two higher order factors have construct validity. Structural equation modeling indicated that rigid perfectionism positively predicted L2 achievement, while self-critical perfectionism negatively predicted L2 achievement. Mediational models indicated that neither autonomous-mastery/performance motivation nor controlled motivation mediated the path from perfectionism to L2 achievement. However, both aspects of self-regulated learning, namely, deep learning and persistence could mediate the relationship between perfectionism and L2 achievement. Specifically, higher levels of rigid perfectionism were positively related to deep learning and persistence that, in turn, were related to higher L2 achievement. In contrast, self-critical perfectionism was negatively related to deep learning and persistence, that, in turn, were related to lower L2 achievement. The results are discussed in terms of the practical implications for L2 teachers and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Revising medical curricula & establishing reformed programs result in refined educational methods which are accompanied by development of active & student-based teaching methods such as Team Based Learning (TBL). This paper describes an experience of implementation and evaluation findings of TBL according to medical students' viewpoints. Methods: This action research was planned for a census sample (n=187) basic science students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences with the new curriculum. After briefing the students about TBL and forming teams we did TBL in the following steps: Individual Readiness Assurance Test (IRAT), Team Readiness Assurance Test(TRAT), appeal, Team Application(TAP), and peer assessment in 15% of each program block. Data gathered by observation recording sheets, and a researcher-made questionnaire, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A major part of the students (63.8% ) have admitted TBL as a deep learning approach. Students believed that TRATs were useful (46.2%), team application was a learning facilitator in TBL classes (51.7%) and the class management was suitable (60.5%). The observational data showed that the students changed their seats in order to take part in group discussions. They were listening carefully, asking questions and giving reference to support their claims. Some were against this method because it increased their study workload. Conclusion: It seems TBL has a positive effect on deep learning and facilitates learning. The results indicate that TBL results in cooperative & active learning, and it improves class activity and may be, because of the developed interaction between students, it can promote communication skills. We recommend the use of TBL as a teaching method, beside other teaching methods, in medical sciences education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Today modern teaching and learning approaches in medical education have received considerable attention. This paper aims to introduce WebQuest as a new method of inquiry-based learning through the use of Internet. Also its application in medical sciences education in general, and especially nursing education is explained. Methods: To find articles related to the WebQuest topic, the popular databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Nursing Consult, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge were searched using WebQuest related keywords. Very few medical articles were found, and there was no research article published in Iran. Results: WebQuest is a new method of student-centered, inquiry-based learning which uses computer technology to engage and motivate students individually or collaboratively in exploring, analyzing, and synthesizing data to construct a new understanding or meaning. WebQuests, as a student-centered activity, enhance and facilitate higher order cognitive skills, including analysis, synthesis, evaluation and judgment, critical thinking. They also cultivate students' exploratory and problem solving mentality. Based on constructivist learning theory and inquiry learning, WebQuests involve learners in collaborative learning process and group projects. There is a strong link between WebQuests and multi-media techniques which provide significant opportunity for utilizing internet resources in teaching and learning experiences. Conclusion: It seems the concept of WebQuest is still less known both general and higher education, and particularly in medical education in Iran. Introducing this method in medical education which is based on new approaches of teaching and learning processes can provide a different view and encourage students to learn more effectively, deeply, and indelibly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to investigate whether there is any relationship between the language learners' general language proficiency level and language learning strategies at elementary and intermediate level in Iran. The research tried to find out how learners' proficiency level influences language learning strategies employed by learners. In addition the study seeks to identify the most and the least used strategies by the above mentioned learners. Steps on measuring this factor are discussed in the research. Participants are adult language learners, about 100 Iranian men and women aged 13-48 who completed questionnaires provided by the researcher. These learners were in two different general learning levels (elementary and intermediate) of English language learning and their age and education are varied. According to the results of the SILL, the findings indicate that the use of cognitive strategies had the strongest relation to English proficiency and higher proficiency EFL students use cognitive, metacognitive and social strategies more often than students with lower proficiency level proficiency. In contrast, there is no significant difference in the use of memory strategies between higher and lower proficiency EFL students. In addition, both higher and lower proficiency EFL students use compensation strategies more often than other strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is an attempt to describe the process that was undertaken to evaluate the textbook English for the Students of Sociology: Social Science Texts taught at the University of Tehran. The purpose of this research project was to determine the overall pedagogical value and suitability of the book toward this specific language program. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire consisting of 20 items and examining 6 factors (practical concerns, materials in relation to course objective, subject matter, linguistic issues, skills and strategies, variety of tasks and activities, and the layout of materials) was used. Participants included 30 students of sociology, who were taking an ESP course at the University of Tehran. The findings indicated that the book, despite having merits, was not very suitable for the course. Suggestions regarding the kinds of activities, strategies, layout and other important issues are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the use of mobile devices can facilitate the learning process, there may be barriers to using them for learning purposes. This study aimed to identify and investigate the barriers and facilitators of using mobile devices as an educational device from the perspective of nursing students. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in 2020 on undergraduate nursing students of the Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. A total of 22 undergraduate nursing students were selected by purposive sampling with maximum variability. Inclusion criteria were Undergraduate nursing education, having mobile devices, and willingness to participate in research. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews for 45–75 min in the proposed environment of students until the data were saturated. Data analysis was performed manually using the framework analysis method with the steps: familiarization, identifying a thematic framework, indexing, Charting and Synthesis, Mapping, and Interpretation. Trustworthiness was determined by methods of Credibility, Dependability, Conformability, and Transferability. Results: The majority of participants (45.45%) were 21 years old, 63.63% were women, and 36.36% studied in the 8th semester. Findings from the analysis of interviews showed that barriers to the use of mobile devices were classified into 4 main categories (barriers related to mobile devices, barriers related to Internet access, barriers related to information literacy, cultural-environmental barriers) and 15 subcategories, and facilitating the use of mobile devices was divided into 2 main categories (easy to use mobile devices and easy access to information) and 6 subcategories. Conclusion: The results of this study help educational managers and curriculum planners to adapt to technological change, to focus on the many benefits of mobile devices as an educational tool, and to plan to overcome barriers to mobile device use, and use mobile devices to teach theoretical topics and clinical nursing skills effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has severely influenced various aspects of human life, particularly education. This study aimed to explain the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing education from administrators, educators, and students' perspectives. Methods: This qualitative study with a conventional content analysis approach was conducted from June to October 2020 at a nursing school in Tehran. Thirteen participants were enrolled using purposive sampling. Data collection was through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and continued until reaching data saturation. Nursing administrators, educators, and students constructed interviews to understand nursing education changes during the pandemic. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, reviewed, coded, and analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman methods. Results: Interviewed respondents included administrators and professors (n = 6) and nursing students (n = 7). The respondents reported five main topic areas: (1) safe management in ambiguous situations; (2) perceived situations; (3) adaptive coping; (4) educational facilitators and challenges, and (5) continuing education in an uncertain context. The central theme was "close conflict of education with COVID-19". Conclusions: The current study noted instability and challenges placed on nursing education during the pandemic. Opportunities were addressed during the pandemic to improve the nursing training process using planning, scientific management, emerging technology, innovative educational opportunities, and comprehensive support from institutional stakeholders. Clear guidelines and recommendations are needed to ensure medical education safety during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient Safety (PS) is a priority for all healthcare organizations. Instilling best practices is necessary for PS improvement. This study assessed the effects of Electronic Learning (e-learning) on PS culture among emergency nurses and nursing managers. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in March-August 2020 using a two-group pre-test, post-test non-randomized design. The study subjects included 69 nurses who were selected from the emergency rooms and 20 nursing managers of two hospitals in Qazvin City, Iran. They were recruited to study through the census sampling method. They were non-randomly allocated to either e-learning or a comparison group. The comparison group received PS-related education through two 1.5-hour lectures on two consecutive days. The experimental group received PS training through a 15-part online course in two months. PS culture was assessed before and 3 months after initiating the intervention. The necessary data were collected through the self-report method using a demographic data questionnaire and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed by Chi-squared test, Fisher's Exact test, Independent-Samples t-test, Paired-Samples t-test, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS. Results: The pre-test mean score of PS culture in the e-learning group was significantly less than that in the comparison group (P=0.002). The mean score of PS culture significantly increased in both research groups after the intervention (P<0.05). Besides, the post-test mean score of PS culture in the e-learning group was significantly greater than that in the comparison group (P<0.001). Conclusion: E-Learning is more effective than conventional lecturing in improving PS culture among emergency nurses. This method is suggested to be used as an effective approach to PS culture improvement among emergency nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving the competencies of nurses requires improving educational methods through the use of novel methods in teaching and learning. We aim to explore the perceptions of stakeholders (including nursing education directors, faculty members and nursing students) of the requirements of implementing innovative educational approaches in nursing. Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, 19 participants, including educational directors, faculty members, and undergraduate and graduate nursing students, were selected through the purposeful sampling method. Achieving the theoretical saturation in extracted categories was considered as a criterion for determining the sample size and the completion of sampling. The data were collected from December 2019 to May 2020 in nursing schools of Tehran, Iran, through in-depth semi-structured individual face-to-face interviews and were then analyzed based on the Graneheim and Lundman method. Results: Using qualitative content analysis, eight sub-themes and three themes were extracted. The extracted themes were 'novel educational policymaking', 'Innovative education-oriented platform', and 'managing barriers of innovative educational approaches'. Conclusions: Developing and implementing innovative educational approaches entail providing appropriate context, structure, and required facilities by the policymaking system and educational authorities. In addition, developing capacity and related competencies of faculty members and students as the major stakeholders in employing these approaches is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most common machine learning (ML) algorithms usually work well on balanced training sets, that is, datasets in which all classes are approximately represented equally. Otherwise, the accuracy estimates may be unreliable and classes with only a few values are often misclassified or neglected. This is known as a class imbalance problem in machine learning and datasets that do not meet this criterion are referred to as imbalanced data. Most datasets of soil classes are, therefore, imbalanced data. One of our main objectives is to compare eight resampling strategies that have been developed to counteract the imbalanced data problem. We compared the performance of five of the most common ML algorithms with the resampling approaches. The highest increase in prediction accuracy was achieved with SMOTE (the synthetic minority oversampling technique). In comparison to the baseline prediction on the original dataset, we achieved an increase of about 10, 20 and 10% in the overall accuracy, kappa index and F‐score, respectively. Regarding the ML approaches, random forest (RF) showed the best performance with an overall accuracy, kappa index and F‐score of 66, 60 and 57%, respectively. Moreover, the combination of RF and SMOTE improved the accuracy of the individual soil classes, compared to RF trained on the original dataset and allowed better prediction of soil classes with a low number of samples in the corresponding soil profile database, in our case for Chernozems. Our results show that balancing existing soil legacy data using synthetic sampling strategies can significantly improve the prediction accuracy in digital soil mapping (DSM). Highlights: Spatial distribution of soil classes in Iran can be predicted using machine learning (ML) algorithms.The synthetic minority oversampling technique overcomes the drawback of imbalanced and highly biased soil legacy data.When combining a random forest model with synthetic sampling strategies the prediction accuracy of the soil model improves significantly.The resulting new soil map of Iran has a much higher spatial resolution compared to existing maps and displays new soil classes that have not yet been mapped in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language assessment literacy (LAL), an important piece of language teacher education puzzle, has not fully fallen into place as many language teachers remain underprepared for bridging language assessment research-practice gaps in classrooms. Reflection, as another critical dimension of teachers' professional development (PD), could assist the teachers in promoting their language assessment practice. Through employing asynchronous online discussions, reflective narratives, semi-structured interviews, and scenarios, this study documents how reflection on the practical relevance of recent assessment research helped the Iranian EFL teachers examine their current classroom assessment practices and reassess their planning of future language assessment actions. The findings demonstrated that teachers' reflection on research-based theories (reflection-on-research) and language assessment practices (reflection-on-action) were compatible and guided their reflection on planning their future language assessment performance (reflection-for-action). Teachers were also motivated to provide practical suggestions for further development of their LAL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Moral reasoning is a vital skill in the nursing profession. Teaching moral reasoning to students is necessary toward promoting nursing ethics. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of problem-based learning and lecture-based methods in ethics education in improving (1) moral decision-making, (2) moral reasoning, (3) moral development, and (4) practical reasoning among nursing students. Research design: This is a repeated measurement quasi-experimental study. Participants and research context: The participants were nursing students in a University of Medical Sciences in west of Iran who were randomly assigned to the lecture-based (n = 33) or the problem-based learning (n = 33) groups. The subjects were provided nursing ethics education in four 2-h sessions. The educational content was similar, but the training methods were different. The subjects completed the Nursing Dilemma Test before, immediately after, and 1 month after the training. The data were analyzed and compared using the SPSS-16 software. Ethical considerations: The program was explained to the students, all of whom signed an informed consent form at the baseline. Findings: The two groups were similar in personal characteristics (p > 0.05). A significant improvement was observed in the mean scores on moral development in the problem-based learning compared with the lecture-based group (p < 0.05). Although the mean scores on moral reasoning improved in both the problem-based learning and the lecture-based groups immediately after the training and 1 month later, the change was significant only in the problem-based learning group (p < 0.05). The mean scores on moral decision-making, practical considerations, and familiarity with dilemmas were relatively similar for the two groups. Conclusion: The use of the problem-based learning method in ethics education enhances moral development among nursing students. However, further studies are needed to determine whether such method improves moral decision-making, moral reasoning, practical considerations, and familiarity with the ethical issues among nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 300 million people are afflicted with asthma around the world, with the estimated death rate of 250,000 cases, indicating the significance of this disease. If not treated, it can turn into a serious public health problem. The best method to treat asthma is to control it. Physicians recommend continuous monitoring on asthma symptoms and offering treatment preventive plans based on the patient's control level. Therefore, successful detection of the disease control level plays a critical role in presenting treatment plans. In view of this objective, we collected the data of 96 asthma patients within a 9-month period from a specialized hospital for pulmonary diseases in Tehran. A new ensemble learning algorithm with combining physicians' knowledge in the form of a rule-based classifier and supervised learning algorithms is proposed to detect asthma control level in a multivariate dataset with multiclass response variable. The model outcome resulting from the balancing operations and feature selection on data yielded the accuracy of 91.66%. Our proposed model combines medical knowledge with machine learning algorithms to classify asthma control level more accurately. This model can be applied in electronic self-care systems to support the real-time decision and personalized warnings on possible deterioration of asthma control level. Such tools can centralize asthma treatment from the current reactive care models into a preventive approach in which the physician's therapeutic actions would be based on control level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the impact of educational intervention, based on health belief model (HBM) and collaborative learning techniques on diet quality in adolescents. In this field trial study, 311 students aged 13–15 years old were included, of which 163 and 148 allocated in the experimental and comparison groups, respectively. They were selected through a stratified random sampling from 16 urban, secondary schools in 4 educational districts of Shiraz, the largest city in southern Iran. The revised children diet quality index was used to assess their diet quality. Using HBM as a framework for targeting determinants of dietary behavior, the intervention was performed in a collaborative learning context during the educational year (2015–16). Constructs of HBM and diet quality were measured before and after the intervention. All HBM's constructs and knowledge had significantly improved in the experimental group and mean differences were increased after the intervention. Diet quality improved in the experimental group (P < 0.001), which was significantly different from the comparison group (P = 0.001). The findings support the integration of appropriate models/theories into the context of collaborative learning methods to target large number of behavioral determinants, and ultimately increase the effectiveness of the educational interventions amongst adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The concept of organizational learning has become increasingly popular because of organizational need for adaptation to environmental changes. As learning is essential for the people’s growth it is also important for organizations. Since the organizational knowledge is a strategic asset in an organization, organizational learning has been proposed as a vital source of competitive advantage in strategic management. In addition, the organizational conditions can provide some situations in which organizational learning and knowledge creation can lead to new and better services. Organizational structure iso ne of the most important factors. Objective: The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between organizational structure and organizational learning in Guilan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: This research is descriptive and co-relational. The variables are by no means controlled and manipulated and the research environment for conducting is natural. Questionnaires were used to collect information for testing hypotheses. To test the reliability of the questionnaires, Cronbach's alpha method was used. The statistical population of this research was all the employees of Guilan University of Medical Sciences (nurses, staff, doctors, etc.). Sample size was determined by using the limited statistical methods (Cochran sample size formula). The samples consisted of 385people. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics (descriptive statistics, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (data normalization, correlation analysis and regression analysis, structural equations) were used. Results: Finally, the research hypotheses were tested using the collected data. It was found that there is a significant relationship between organizational structure and organizational learning in Guilan University of Medical Sciences. The intensity of the relationship between organizational structure and organizational learning was 67%, reduction of formalization and organizational learning 63%, reduction of organizational centralization and organizational learning 61%, and reduction of complexity from a vertical point of view and organizational learning 62%. Beta coefficients show that 24 percent of organizational learning changes are through complexity, 43 percent through formalization, and 13 percent are predicted through centralization, and the rest are due to factors other than organizational structure. Conclusion: It is suggested that attention of Guilan University of Medical Sciences to issues such as employee participation in decision making, delegation of authority to managers, reviewing past activities and facilitating learning can lead to more employees’ satisfaction with organizational structure and organizational learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study was designed to identify the self-regulated learning ( SRL) processes of medical students during a biomedical science learning task and to examine the associations of the SRL processes with previous performance in biomedical science examinations and subsequent performance on a learning task. Methods A sample of 76 Year 1 medical students were recruited based on their performance in biomedical science examinations and stratified into previous high and low performers. Participants were asked to complete a biomedical science learning task. Participants' SRL processes were assessed before (self-efficacy, goal setting and strategic planning), during (metacognitive monitoring) and after (causal attributions and adaptive inferences) their completion of the task using an SRL microanalytic interview. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the means and frequencies of SRL processes. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations of SRL processes with previous examination performance and the learning task performance. Results Most participants (from 88.2% to 43.4%) reported task-specific processes for SRL measures. Students who exhibited higher self-efficacy (odds ratio [ OR] 1.44, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.09-1.90) and reported task-specific processes for metacognitive monitoring ( OR 6.61, 95% CI 1.68-25.93) and causal attributions ( OR 6.75, 95% CI 2.05-22.25) measures were more likely to be high previous performers. Multiple analysis revealed that similar SRL measures were associated with previous performance. The use of task-specific processes for causal attributions ( OR 23.00, 95% CI 4.57-115.76) and adaptive inferences ( OR 27.00, 95% CI 3.39-214.95) measures were associated with being a high learning task performer. In multiple analysis, only the causal attributions measure was associated with high learning task performance. Conclusions Self-efficacy, metacognitive monitoring and causal attributions measures were associated positively with previous performance. Causal attributions and adaptive inferences measures were associated positively with learning task performance. These findings may inform remediation interventions in the early years of medical school training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-based learning can be effective in improving language learners' perceptions and autonomous learning and, its impact on pedagogy has almost been felt. Therefore, this study applies questionnaire and four skills tests to investigate EFL students' preferences in using social, cognitive, meta-cognitive strategies while working with computer-based materials (CBMs) in self-study context and the effects of their knowledge of these strategies on their performance. The results of study reveal that students use more cognitive and less social strategies while working with computer, and there is moderate correlation between cognitive strategies and students' success in test. In other words students who prefer more cognitive strategies were more successful in test. The findings of this research will provide EFL teachers with insightful information on learners' learning needs as an input to syllabus and materials planning, lesson planning and classroom instruction practice. The study demonstrates the importance of a good understanding of learner perceptions in EFL programs at foreign languages schools and institutes' level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at investigating what strategies are more or less common for learning vocabulary among EFL university students at Hakim Sabzevari University in Iran. A questionnaire adapted from the taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) developed by Schmitt (1997) was administered to 74 EFL students (18 males and 56 females).Moreover, semi-structured interviews were also carried out with ten students who completed the written questionnaire to obtain more information about their beliefs and attitudes dealing with vocabulary learning strategies. The results revealed the following order of strategy use by the students from the most frequent to the least frequent one: determination (DET), cognitive (COG), memory (MEM), metacognitive (MET), and social strategies (SOC). In particular, findings indicated that guessing from context and dictionary use strategies were the most popular strategies, while asking the teacher or peers for meaning were rarely used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to investigate the relationship between Language Learning Strategies (LLS) and Foreign Language Anxiety among Iranian university students. The instruments used in the study consist of: (a) the SILL (a questionnaire on language learning strategies developed by Oxford, 1990), and (b) the FLCAS (a questionnaire to measure the amount of anxiety English language learners experience while taking part in English classes, developed by Horwitz, 1986). The participants of the study were 85 students studying English at Islamic Azad University in Khorramabad, Iran. The results of this study revealed that generally language learning strategies correlate meaningfully and significantly with language anxiety. This correlation was negative (r = - 0.33) which means that the higher use of LLS is related to less amount of English Language Classroom Anxiety (ELCA). On the other hand, cognitive, compensation, and social strategies correlated meaningfully with language anxiety, while metacognitive, memory, and affective strategies did not correlate significantly with ELCA. After calculating the homogeneity of variances, a t-test was run to find whether there is a meaningful difference between high and low LLS users in terms of their ELCA. The results of the t-test analysis showed that a significant and meaningful difference exists between the two groups. High LLS users had a relatively lower ELCA than low LLS users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the role of Ethnicity as a crucial factor in determining language learning preferences. Recent researches provide important support to claim that when students have the opportunity to clarify and assess their preferences in regard to definition of objectives in general and awareness of leaning preferences, their motivation, performances, and achievements will be increased and better. Since students are increasingly diverse, ethnicity has been considered as a crucial factor in determining language learning preferences. In our country, Iran, there are various ethnicities; nonetheless, English language is taught almost in the same manner for learners with different ethnical background. This study examined the impact of ethnicity (Kurd, Turk, Fars) on language learning preferences of Iranian EFL learners in order to understand weather there was any meaningful relationship between learning preferences and EFL learner's ethnicity. To accomplish the research, a language learning preferences questionnaire with 10 items was administered to Iranian EFL learners. Subjects have been chosen according to the cluster sampling from EFL Institutes in Tehran, (Iran Mehr language institute), Tabriz and Kermanshah (Kish institute). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to explore the effects of emotional intelligence and use of language learning strategies on English proficiency among Iranian EFL university students. The participants were 135 undergraduate students in Hormozgan province in Iran majoring in English Teaching and English Translation from Islamic Azad University. This study employed correlation and regression methods for data analysis. A series of instruments were used to obtain the related data including Nelson Proficiency Test, Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire and Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The results revealed that there was a negative relationship between emotional intelligence and English proficiency but a positive relationship was found between English proficiency and use of language learning strategies. Metacognitive and affective strategies tended to affect English proficiency more. Social strategies were the least effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Iranian EFL learner's rote learning (RL) strategy use among vocabulary learning strategies. It also intended to find out whether the students' level of L2 proficiency would affect the pattern of their rote learning strategy use. To conduct the study, fifty Iranian EFL learners, studying English at the private language institute, were selected to participate in the experiment, and then, they were divided into low and high intermediate levels based on their scores on FCE test. Two instruments were used to collect the needed data, i.e., a vocabulary learning strategy questionnaire, a vocabulary test. The vocabulary learning strategy questionnaire and the vocabulary test were administered in two consecutive weeks and students completed them in the classroom. The results indicated that Iranian EFL learners used rote learning strategies more frequently than other categories of memory strategy. Besides, the results showed that there was some statistically significant difference between high and low-intermediate learners regarding their rote learning strategy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem Statement: The present study aims to find out the relationship between the Agreeableness trait and use of the English Language Learning Strategies (ELLSs) for learners of English as a foreign language. Method: Four instruments were used, which were Persian adapted Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), A Background Questionnaire, NEO-Five Factors Inventory (NEO-FFI), and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Two hundred and thirteen Iranian female university level learners of English language as a university major in Iran, were volunteer to participate in this research work. The intact classes were chosen. Findings and Results: The results show that there is only a significant relationship between the Agreeableness trait and the use of one of six categories of ELLSs (i.e. Compensation Strategies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]