درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

The study aims to investigate the influence of image-based and text-based concept maps on the reading comprehension abilities of Iranian Intermediate EFL learners. A total of 90 learners participated in the study, consisting of 55 females and 35 males, all between the ages of 18 and 32. Participants were selected from intact classes at three English language schools in Sabzevar, Iran. This research was organized as a quasi-experimental study, in which the participants were segmented into two experimental groups and one control group. The intervention lasted for five weeks, with two sessions each week, each session running for one hour and thirty minutes. The outcomes from the assessments were analyzed using an independent sample t-test and ANOVA test, revealing that the image-based concept map instructional approach improved learners' reading comprehension. In terms of cognitive understanding and creativity, students who utilized image-based concept mapping outperformed their peers in the text-based mapping group. Additionally, the findings indicated that the image-based concept map teaching strategy could assist students in obtaining a more profound understanding of reading materials. Teachers might consider integrating visual mapping techniques to encourage deeper comprehension and facilitate more meaningful learning experiences, which could ultimately lead to better academic performance in language learning contexts.

Human resources are the most crucial components of any organizational structure and developing a human resource model to improve the efficiency of organizations is crucial. This research aimed to design a human resource development model for municipal employees in Tehran province. To serve that end, a qualitative design was adopted and data was collected and analyzed based on grounded theory approach. The target population in this research included university professors and experts in human resource management. A total of 15 participants were selected for interviews using snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. The participants included both male and female with at least seven years of experience in their profession. The research utilized a semi-structured interview to establish a human resource development model for municipal employees. The interview prompts were developed by examination of various national and international models. Subsequently, indicators were identified through open coding and classified into components, and dimensions through axial and selective coding. Ultimately, 4 dimensions, 19 components, and 135 indicators were established for the human resource development model for municipal employees. Finally, the paper provides some implications for an enhanced efficiency in the performance of Tehran province municipalities considering the developed human resource model.

Social well-being is an important aspect of health that has not been given due attention so far. Especially in the teachers' group, who play an important role in nurturing the country's future leaders, and the need to pay attention to this issue is felt. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to determine the role of optimism and self-compassion in teachers' social well-being. The method of conducting the research was descriptive correlational research. The statistical population of this study consisted of all teachers (male and female) in the primary school of Nimroz city, of whom 148 people were selected using a random stratified sampling method according to the Cochran formula. The research tools used were three questionnaires: optimism (Scheyer and Carver, 1985), self-compassion (Neff et al., 2012), and social well-being (Keyes, 2011). Linear and stepwise regression, Pearson correlation coefficient, were used to analyze the research hypotheses. The results showed that optimism and self-compassion were able to significantly predict the social well-being of teachers in Nimroz city. Among the components of optimism, the component of intrinsic optimism and among the components of self-compassion, the component of self-kindness played the most important role in the social well-being of teachers. Also, a significant relationship was observed between optimism and self-compassion and its components with the social well-being of teachers.

based on the peculiarities of developing AI technology, learning English among EFL learners has become easier and the significance of studying the way English skills interact with AI technology such as Chat-GPT, and EFL learners’ internal and social factors have become highly important. Social factors include may greatly affect the problem-solving skills of the students. It might also lead to a decline in students' writing skills as they rely on the model to generate content rather than developing their own communication abilities. Social factors might include issues related to job or individual growth. Adopting a transformative learning ground, the present study attempted to use a qualitative-method approach to investigate how EFL learners experience AI, on one hand, and how they perceive Chat-GPT in this process through understanding changes in their job, attitudes toward themselves and etc, on the other hand. This study is based on a detailed investigation of the learning experiences of 46 Iranian EFL learners (intermediate and upper intermediate level) from Qom and Tehran provinces; selected based on convenience sampling procedure. Semi-structured interviews were used as the primary data collection method. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the recorded and transcribed data and theme extraction, which combined with an abductive approach helped derive broader meaning. The results indicated an overall positive perception of Chat-GPT among the participants

Consolidating the students’ L1 permits instructors to supply clear clarifications and moderate potential challenges in comprehension. By recognizing the esteem of L1, instructors can advance more successful dialect instruction. Hence, this ponder investigated the essential variables influencing Iranian instructors’ utilization of L1 in EFL classrooms. The members of the think-about group were chosen through comfort inspection. A pairwise survey was conducted, and 32 tall school English instructors from Gorgan, Golestan, Iran, reacted to the questions. Along these lines, 20 instructors out of 32 were chosen based on their level of instruction and the consistency of their reactions. They were counseled on how the pairwise survey was answered to get more reliable reactions. After analyzing the information utilizing the Master Choice computer program and Explanatory Chain of command Handle (AHP), it was uncovered that instructors, for the most part, favored utilizing L1 to decrease negative full of feeling channels in a classroom environment, such as making less tense environment, additionally improving positive emotional channels like motivating the learners. It was also concluded that the other reasons behind the teacher's L1 utilization were for classroom administration purposes, social targets, and cognitive engagement of the understudies. The discoveries of this thinking suggest that EFL instructors and TEFL approach producers join L1 in teaching-learning and prepare more viably and intentionally.

This study examines the employment of self-praise in online celebrity culture, particularly the self-presentation strategies adopted by male and female English and Iraqi celebrities on social media. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of self-presentation, politeness theory, and self-praise, the study examines how male and female celebrities employ self-praise to negotiate their public images, engage with audiences, and enhance their market value. By examining posts on Instagram, Twitter, and Weibo, this study identifies prevalent self-praise strategies, such as explicit self-praise, adapted self-praise, and implicit self-praise, and draws attention to the affordances of platforms like hashtags, character limits, and multimodal content that influence these strategies. Further, this study investigates the degree to which cultural norms, primarily of individualism and collectivism, inform male and female celebrities' practice and perception of self-praise in different cultural settings. The findings suggest that as a global platform for celebrity branding and social validation, self-praise is grounded in the cultural expectations and affordances of given platforms. This study adds to the knowledge of self-presentation in the digital era and offers insights into the intersection of self-praise, gender, celebrity culture, and social media.

This paper discusses the use of figures of speech and communicative intentions behind such stylistic choices in British political interviews. By using a qualitative stylistic framework based on the models of Simpson (2004) and Leech and Short (2007), this research investigates the usage of metaphors, similes, and analogies by British politicians between 2009 and 2024. This study has found that such rhetorical devices are strategically utilized to reduce intricacy, create emotional appeals, and command authority. Key findings underline the fact that key metaphors constitute the framing of policies in an accessible and positive light, reinforcement of political positionality through similes, and projection of competence and trust through analogies. This is a very significant lacuna in literature, as almost all previous studies have focused on rhetorical devices in American political speeches rather than British interviews. It tries to show the purposes of such stylistic strategies and allow a bigger understanding of political communication in British contexts to linguists, political strategists, and media analysts. The findings point up the centrality of language in the engendering of public perception and offer insight into the persuasive functions of rhetorical devices in contemporary political discourse.

Writing proficiency is a key factor in the development of language skills and there are different approaches to writing development. This study sought to investigate the effect of flipped classroom, interactive classroom, and the integration of two approaches on Iranian advanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ writing performance. Eighty-five Iranian learners enrolled in EFL programs at the Sokhan English Institution in Guilan, Iran, participated in this quasi-experimental research. There were both male and females. After homogenizing them with the Oxford Placemen, they were divided into three experimental groups: the flipped classroom, the interactive classroom, and the integration of two approaches. Three instruments were used to collect data: the Oxford placement test, the pretest, and the posttest of writing. They had 13 sessions of treatment. Data analysis by ANCOVA revealed that both flipped classroom, and interactive classroom positively impacted the writing skills of EFL learners. However, the group receiving the integration of flipped and interactive approaches treatment outperformed in its effect on learners' writing performance. The current research findings could assist creators of textbooks, educational organizers, material developers, language institutions, educators, and students in creating a more effective environment for learning foreign languages and enhancing writing skills.

This study aimed at examining the effect of cognitive-based learning on Iranian EFL learners' reading comprehension components; identifying the main idea, making Inferences, recognizing unfamiliar vocabulary, text organization, and information recall. In doing so, the researchers selected 84 homogeneous intermediate level male and female EFL learners with the age range 18 to 25 out of 110 conveniently nominated sample of students majoring in different fields in a Vocational and Technical college in Dezful. A standard version of Quick Oxford Placement Test (QPT) was used to homogenize the participants and the selected ones whose scores were within one SD above and below the mean, were considered as the experimental (i.e., cognitive-based learning, n=41) and control (n=43) groups in line with the nature of convenience non-random sampling. Then, the learners in both groups experienced the processes of pretesting, 12 sessions of intervention which were presented through synchronous online Interactions using Adobe Connect, and post-testing. A validated researcher-made L2 reading comprehension test tapping different reading components was used to collect the data. The results of Analysis of Covariates (ANCOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Covariates (MANCOVA) proved the effectiveness of cognitive based learning, using Bloom’s Taxonomy levels in developing L2 reading and its components among the participants. The findings can be used to enrich cognitive learning and analytical views in the L2 reading classroom, helping both teachers and learners in this regard.