Assessment and Practice in Educational Sciences

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools in correcting grammatical errors and to evaluate the perspectives of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Iran regarding the opportunities, challenges, and practical implications of integrating these technologies into English language instruction. This study employed a mixed-methods research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The statistical population consisted of Iranian EFL teachers, from whom 41 participants were selected through convenience and purposive sampling. Quantitative data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), measuring perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward AI, and operational challenges associated with AI implementation. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.79 to 0.88. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions in greater depth. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical procedures, while qualitative interview data were examined through thematic analysis to identify recurrent themes related to infrastructural, pedagogical, systemic, and ethical concerns. The findings demonstrated that teachers perceived AI-based grammar correction tools as significantly more effective than traditional correction methods in mechanical and rule-based domains such as punctuation and article usage. AI received substantially higher mean scores in punctuation correction (M = 4.6) and article usage (M = 4.4) compared to traditional approaches. However, no meaningful difference was observed in correcting tense-related errors, while traditional teacher-led methods remained significantly superior in addressing coherence and semantic organization. Thematic analysis further revealed that the most frequently reported barriers to AI implementation were infrastructural limitations, including unstable internet access and inadequate hardware facilities (85%), followed by pedagogical concerns such as students’ over-reliance on AI and superficial learning of grammatical concepts (78%). Teachers also emphasized systemic constraints linked to test-oriented educational policies (65%) and ethical concerns including data privacy and algorithmic bias (45%). Overall, the findings indicated a positive but cautious attitude among Iranian teachers toward AI integration in grammar instruction.

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to identify the components of standardizing school principals’ duties in order to propose an appropriate model. This study was fundamental in nature and conducted using a qualitative approach. The research tradition employed was Grounded Theory. The statistical population consisted of academic experts, including faculty members holding doctoral degrees and possessing more than 10 years of teaching experience, who were selected through purposive sampling. The researcher achieved theoretical saturation after conducting interviews with 16 experts. In addition to the library research method, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data analysis was carried out using the grounded theory approach. The findings indicated that identifying and analyzing the different dimensions of the standardized model of school duties requires simultaneous attention to causal, contextual, intervening, and strategic factors. Causal conditions include factors that directly influence the formation and performance of schools and provide the necessary foundation for designing and implementing standardized duties. The central phenomenon of the study was the “standardized model of school duties,” which encompasses performance evaluation indicators and key components of quality education. Contextual conditions refer to environmental and socio-economic-cultural characteristics that affect school performance. Intervening conditions include barriers and limitations that may challenge the implementation of standardized school duties. Strategies consist of a set of actions designed to achieve the standardized model of school duties and to address anticipated barriers and limitations. Consequences represent the outcomes of the successful implementation of the standardized model of school duties and its associated strategies. Successful implementation of this model can enhance educational quality, reduce inequalities, and increase stakeholder satisfaction.

The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a conceptual model of a curriculum based on artificial intelligence literacy education. This study adopted a qualitative approach and employed thematic analysis and the Glaserian approach as the research methodology. Since the study had an exploratory nature and was conducted with the purpose of expanding knowledge and increasing awareness in the field of artificial intelligence literacy education, it is categorized as an applied study. The statistical population included artificial intelligence specialists, education experts, curriculum planners, textbook authors, and secondary school teachers in West Azerbaijan Province. The sampling method was purposive and snowball sampling, which continued until theoretical saturation was achieved (15 interviews). The data analysis process was conducted in three stages: initial coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Finally, the collected and coded data were analyzed using MAXQDA software. Using thematic analysis, 85 initial open codes were extracted and categorized within the framework of conceptual components through axial and selective coding into six main dimensions, including cognitive competencies, skill-based competencies, attitudinal and ethical competencies, curriculum components, teaching–learning strategies and evaluation, and implementation requirements and contexts. At the end of the three-stage coding process, the final research model was developed through the integration of these dimensions, and the reliability of the research model was reported as 0.758.

Creating positive rapport between teachers and students is now considered to be a significant affective component of foreign language acquisition, particularly in a student-centered environment with an oral language focus, where students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) is substantially based on the quality of the relationship between the teacher and students in the classroom. However, little attention has been directed toward the role of rapport in fostering WTC in the context of Iraqi students studying English as a foreign language (EFL), where traditional, teacher-centered methodologies are prevalent. In this mixed methods study, we examined the relationship between rapport and WTC of Iraqi EFL undergraduate students. Quantitative data were obtained with standardized measures of rapport and WTC, while qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations to gain insight into how students perceive teachers’ classroom behaviors to influence their willingness to speak. The quantitative analysis demonstrated that students generally had a positive rapport with teachers and a moderate WTC, as well as a strong positive relationship between the two constructs. Qualitatively, the findings corroborated the positive relationship between rapport and WTC by clearly indicating that students’ communicative confidence and willingness to participate are enhanced through teachers demonstrating supportive, empathetic, and encouraging behaviors, especially those that reduce anxiety and fear of negative evaluation. This study emphasizes that the relational and affective dimensions of teaching are crucial to developing WTC in Iraqi EFL classrooms, and proposes directions for future research and pedagogical implications.

The present study was conducted with the aim of developing a model of the role of security and social support in students’ extracurricular activities (sports–leisure) and its role in crime prevention. In terms of purpose, the study was applied research; in terms of nature, it was descriptive; and in terms of implementation, it employed structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of students of Payame Noor University in Kermanshah Province. The samples were selected from among students who, according to reports from the university’s cultural and sports authorities, spent at least one hour of their leisure time on physical and sports activities (155 participants). The sampling method was multi-stage cluster random sampling. Data were collected from students through a standardized questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.91), and its validity was confirmed by experts in the field of sports sciences and criminology specialists. The results indicated that security factors and social support significantly influenced the level of students’ extracurricular activities (sports–leisure) in the direction of crime prevention. The findings also revealed that the level and type of security and social support differed among the branches of Payame Noor University in Kermanshah Province. Finally, it was determined that different forms of social support (financial, emotional, and instrumental support) increased students’ participation in sports and leisure activities for the purpose of crime prevention. Therefore, it is recommended that the government and relevant organizations, including the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Payame Noor University, reduce security-related barriers and strengthen various forms of social support, such as reducing student tuition fees and improving free university sports facilities, in order to enhance students’ leisure and sports activities.

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between religious beliefs and professional ethics with the mediating role of spiritual intelligence and school ethical climate among male secondary school teachers in Jahrom. In terms of purpose, this study was applied research. Furthermore, it was a descriptive-correlational study employing a structural equation modeling approach. Regarding the method of data collection, the study was classified as field research. The statistical population included all male secondary school teachers in Jahrom, comprising 470 teachers across 31 male secondary schools. Based on the Morgan Table, a sample size of 211 participants was selected. Data collection instruments included the Professional Ethics Questionnaire developed by Ghasemzadeh (2014), the Islamic Religiosity Questionnaire developed by Safdel (2014), the Spiritual Intelligence Questionnaire developed by Farhoush (2019), and the Ethical Climate Questionnaire developed by Victor and Cullen (1988). After analyzing the research data using SmartPLS version 3.5, the results indicated that the mediating role of ethical climate in the relationship between religious beliefs and professional ethics was confirmed with a coefficient of 0.213 (p < .05). However, the mediating role of spiritual intelligence in the relationship between religious beliefs and professional ethics was rejected (p > .05). The relationship between religious beliefs and professional ethics was confirmed with a coefficient of 0.362 (p < .05). The relationship between religious beliefs and ethical climate was confirmed with a coefficient of 0.356 (p < .05). The relationship between religious beliefs and spiritual intelligence was confirmed with a coefficient of 0.717 (p < .05). In addition, the relationship between ethical climate and professional ethics was confirmed with a coefficient of 0.599 (p < .05). The findings of this study emphasize that teachers’ religious beliefs and the ethical climate of the educational environment have a significant impact on teachers’ professional ethics. Therefore, strengthening these factors may contribute to improving teachers’ ethical performance and ultimately enhancing the quality of education.

The present study aimed to design a project-based curriculum model within the blended learning system of the second cycle of primary education. The qualitative findings of this study indicated that the core category of the research is “project-based learning in a blended learning system,” which comprises three main components: (1) structural flexibility, (2) digital constructivism, and (3) learning in a real-world context. The quantitative findings also confirmed a good model fit, such that the indices χ²/df < 3, RMSEA = 0.06, CFI = 0.93, and GFI = 0.91 were validated. Furthermore, the composite reliability of the components exceeded 0.70, and convergent validity (AVE > 0.50) was at an acceptable level. The final model of the study indicates that the successful implementation of a project-based curriculum in a blended learning environment requires teacher empowerment, reform of the assessment system, strengthening of technological infrastructure, and redefining the teacher’s role as a learning facilitator. The expected outcomes of this model include increased deep learning, creativity, responsibility, thinking skills, and a reduction in the gap between school and real-life contexts.

The present study aimed to identify evaluation errors in e-learning environments. The research adopted a qualitative approach using the meta-synthesis method. The research population consisted of scholarly articles published in international databases including Scopus, ERIC, and ScienceDirect, which were retrieved based on predefined keywords within the time frame of 2010 to 2025. In this study, various parameters such as title, abstract, content, and methodological quality were considered. Accordingly, 969 articles related to the research topic were initially evaluated, and ultimately, 20 articles were purposively selected. Data analysis was conducted using the seven-step meta-synthesis method proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso (2007). The results of the meta-synthesis led to the identification of nine categories of e-learning evaluation errors, including: (1) ethical errors, (2) design errors, (3) implementation errors, (4) feedback errors, (5) measurement errors, (6) contextual errors, (7) technological errors, (8) human errors, and (9) security errors. These findings indicate that improving the quality of evaluation in e-learning environments requires careful attention to multiple dimensions of error and a thorough reconsideration of evaluation design and implementation processes.