فاطمه صفاری

The relationship between increased budget allocations to the judiciary and improvements in judicial behavior and performance has gained prominence in recent years. However, given the limited nature of resources, extensive funding for the justice system often comes at the expense of other societal needs. Thus, optimizing resource allocation within the judiciary is essential. This optimization requires identifying challenges specific to the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran and examining the experiences of other nations. This article argues that effective governance demands budget transparency, and arbitrary resource allocation—without considering medium- and long-term planning—presents significant challenges. Despite the implementation of six medium-term plans since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, a coherent link between these plans and the budgetary process remains elusive in Iran. This disconnect can be partly attributed to the influence of bargaining dynamics on budget allocation. Additional challenges include a lack of fiscal discipline, an excessive reliance on incremental budgeting, inadequate use of an efficient accounting system, and ineffective oversight by other branches of government regarding the financial performance of the judiciary. Experiences from various countries indicate that when budgeting systems resist reform, a viable solution involves identifying and strengthening components within the existing institutional framework that enhance efficiency. Given that implementing Performance Budgeting within the judiciary may be impractical, a more effective approach may involve adhering to traditional budgeting methods. Ultimately, enhancing budget transparency and facilitating public access to budgetary information can empower citizens, promote government accountability, and yield mutual benefits.

The current study explored the effects of a personalized reading software program designed based on language learners’ learning style on the development of their reading comprehension. Forty Iranian K-9 students were selected through convenience sampling and were assigned into control (n=20) and experimental (n=20) groups. Both groups’ entry level of English reading proficiency was assessed by reading paper of Cambridge A2 Key exam. Reading was taught to both groups for 10 sessions using a researcher-developed software program. The experimental group used the reading software designed based on users’ cognitive profile (visual, auditory and kinesthetic) with customized instructional scenarios. The control group used a version of the same software that did not include any user-tailored teaching materials. Both groups took part in reading paper of A2 Key again at the end of the experiment. The data were analyzed using One-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results revealed a significant difference between participants’ reading comprehension at the end of the experiment in favor of the experimental group. The finding highlighted the role of learners’ diversity in the success of computer-assisted learning environments, and has certain implications for software developers and language pedagogues.