Investigation of Teachers' Lived Experiences of Student's Bullying Behavior: A Phenomenological Approach

Introduction: Bullying is a complicated behavioral problem that is mostly occurs at schools. There are many quantitative studies on this issue but few qualitative studies have investigated this problem. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate teachers' lived experiences of student's bullying behavior. Method: This is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. In this study, 20 high school teachers were selected using Purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Smith method. Results: After data analysis, 5 main themes and 23 sub-themes were extracted. It was revealed that in the definition of bullying, examples, features, and causes, there is a consistency between the teachers' lived experiences and background, but in feedbacks, different results were obtained. Teachers, based on their personal preferences, use different methods such as punishment, individual negotiation, referral to the manager's office, ignoring the undesirable behaviors and strengthening their conflicting behaviors, finding the causes, showing affection and creating friendship, inviting parents, referral to psychologists to take advice, and taking the rules of the school, scoring, and discipline seriously

Interpretation of Problems of Male Adolescents with Mild Intellectual Disability in Special Schools: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Awareness of the problems of students with special needs will help families and special education officials to treat and train these children correctly. The goal of this study was to identify and analyze the problems of male adolescents with mild intellectual disability (MID) in special schools. Method: This qualitative study was conducted through the phenomenological method. The subjects included 16 male students of 15 to 18 years of age with MID in special schools of Tabriz, Iran, during the educational year of 2012-2013. Data were collected through unstructured interviews within 20 to 70 minutes, and analyzed using the Smith et al. method. Results: The themes that emerged from the interviews consisted of family damages (broken family and illness in the Family), physical ailments (illness, dysmorphism, and organ failure), abuse of adolescents, psychological trauma (anxiety, feeling of guilt, and poor self-control), fear of the future (concerns about safety in the future and concerns about education and job in the future), studying in a special school, poor learning, and disability in others. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that adolescents with MID enrolled in special schools cope with complex problems. Attention to these problems can help families and educational system officials to reduce the suffering of this group of learners. Keywords: Adolescents, Mild intellectual disability, Special education, Phenomenolog

Predicting Variables of Academic Achievement and Science Self-Concept of Students in Third Year Guidance School Based on Parents' Education Level and Attitude towards Science

This study was aimed at predicting variables of academic achievement and science self-concept of students in third year guidance based on parents' education level and attitude towards science. Findings of the Thamesin (2007) were used in this study. The sample of this study is 3981 students of third year guidance who answered to questionnaire of Thames 2007.  Collected data were analyzed through structural equation model and results showed that only two routes, namely the direct effect of attitude towards science on science self-concept and science improvement are not significant with possibility of 95%, but the rest of the routs namely the direct effect of parental education on science advancement and attitudes toward science are significant and positive and their influence on science self-concept is negative and significant. Also, the direct influence of science development on science self-concept is positive and significant and its impact on attitude toward science is significant and negative. Moreover, the direct effect of self-concept on attitudes toward science is significant and positive and its influence on science achievement variable is negative and significant. Indirect influence of parental education variables, attitudes towards science and science self-concept on science advancement was reported significant. But, only the overall effect of parental education on the development of science is significant and overall effect of variables of attitudes to science and self-concept on development of science was reported insignificant. In addition, the overall indirect effect of parents' education and development of science on self-concept is significant and also attitude towards science has indirect and significant influence on science self-concept and its overall effect on self-concept is not significant. The general and indirect effect of variables of self-concept and development of science on attitude towards science was significant, while the overall impact of variable of parental education on the attitude to science was non-significant and its indirect effect was reported to be significant. The results indicated that the variables of attitude towards science, science self-concept and achievement have moderating role

Predicting Variables of Academic Achievement and Science Self-Concept of Students in Third Year Guidance School Based on Parents' Education Level and Attitude towards Science

This study was aimed at predicting variables of academic achievement and science self-concept of students in third year guidance based on parents' education level and attitude towards science. Findings of the Thamesin (2007) were used in this study. The sample of this study is 3981 students of third year guidance who answered to questionnaire of Thames 2007.  Collected data were analyzed through structural equation model and results showed that only two routes, namely the direct effect of attitude towards science on science self-concept and science improvement are not significant with possibility of 95%, but the rest of the routs namely the direct effect of parental education on science advancement and attitudes toward science are significant and positive and their influence on science self-concept is negative and significant. Also, the direct influence of science development on science self-concept is positive and significant and its impact on attitude toward science is significant and negative. Moreover, the direct effect of self-concept on attitudes toward science is significant and positive and its influence on science achievement variable is negative and significant. Indirect influence of parental education variables, attitudes towards science and science self-concept on science advancement was reported significant. But, only the overall effect of parental education on the development of science is significant and overall effect of variables of attitudes to science and self-concept on development of science was reported insignificant. In addition, the overall indirect effect of parents' education and development of science on self-concept is significant and also attitude towards science has indirect and significant influence on science self-concept and its overall effect on self-concept is not significant. The general and indirect effect of variables of self-concept and development of science on attitude towards science was significant, while the overall impact of variable of parental education on the attitude to science was non-significant and its indirect effect was reported to be significant. The results indicated that the variables of attitude towards science, science self-concept and achievement have moderating role

The comparison of self-understanding developmental levels among adolescent bullies and normal peers

In the scope of behavioral research, examining the role of developmental and cognitive factors on bullying behaviors has been emphasized. However, there is no comparative study to investigate self-understanding among adolescent bullies and normal peers. The present study aimed to compare the developmental levels of self-understanding (self-as-subject and self-as-object) in adolescent bullies and normal peers. In a causal-comparative design, 120 adolescents were chosen by multi-stage cluster random sampling and screening method. Olweus Bullying Scale (1996), self-understanding interview and teachers' nominations were used to gather the data. The results of Chi squares test showed that in self-as- object domain, referring to physical and active schemas were more in adolescent bullies (χ2 = 60.94,  p0.01), distinctness (χ2 = 43.42 , P>0.01) and volition(χ2 = 9.08 , P>0.01) were higher in normal adolescents than bullies. Implications of this study regarding the developmental role of self-understanding in bullying behaviors on one hand and planning intervention programs based on adolescents’ developmental aspects on the other hand are considered.

Relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement in Iranian university students: A meta-analysis

Introduction: Considering the factors that affect academic achievement is particularly important. Emotional Intelligence mentioned as an important factor in many researches and is defined as set of knowledgeandsocio-emotionalabilitiesthataffectour overall ability to respond to environmental requirements. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement of students in Iranian universities. Methods: In this Meta-analysis, databases such as SID, Magiran,Medlib, Irandoc, Pubmed, Scopus and all medical and psychological journals were searched with keywords like “Emotional Intelligence", “Academic achievement" and " students". After discardingduplicatearticles, 36 articled were reviewed, among them 17 articles were irrelevant and discarded. Finally given thepurpose ofthe study, 19 articles included in the study and combination Fisher method were used to analyze the data. Results: According to the combination Fisher method the product of p-values were calculated and then the logarithm were taken and multiplied by -2. Sum of them was equal to 147.03. Sum of Pvalues in 38 degree of freedom (n = 19) were lower than expected so calculated Chi-Square value were significant at a significance level of less than 0.01, it means that there is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement of students in Iran. Conclusion: Results of this study indicates there is a significant relationship between emotional intelligenceand academic achievements in Iranian students. Given that emotional intelligencecan be learned and acquired to some extent, so it is recommended that in academic environments besides teaching intelligence and cognitive talents, emotional intelligence consider in educational programs to help students to cope better with the pressures of studying and community and less fall

Nursing and Midwifery Students’ Learning Styles in Tabriz Medical University

Introduction: Identifying effective factors in learning is one of the important issues considered by researchers. The aim of this study was to determine nursing and midwifery students’ learning styles in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In a descriptive study performed in 2005, 250 nursing and midwifery students were selected by census sampling method. The research tool was David A. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory including 12 questions which was distributed and collected as group administered. The analysis of data based on LSI guide was done by SPSS. Results: The majority of nursing and midwifery students were converger (54.2%). Also, 32.1, 7.5 and 6.2 percent of them were assimilator, accommodator, and diverger, respectively. Conclusion: Considering the use of converger and assimilator learning styles among students, it is recommended that faculty members use visual methods, diagrams, teacher’s handouts, lecture and self-learning methods

The Relationship between Learning Characteristics and Academic Achievement in Nursing and Midwifery Students

Introduction: One of the reasons causing academic failure among students is disregarding factors affecting learning. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between academic achievement of nursing and midwifery students and their learning characteristics including study style, control locus, and self-organized learning factors which are modifiable issues in learning. Methods: In this correlational study, all nursing and midwifery students with average grade of 17 and above (high academic achievement) or average grade of 14 and lower (low academic achievement) in Tabriz School of Nursing and Midwifery were investigated through census sampling method in the year 2005-2006. Data was gathered using questionnaires of "Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory," "Karami Study Methods," "Julian Rotter Locus of Control," and "Motivational Strategies for Learning" and then, was analyzed through descriptive statistics and logistic regression test by SPSS software. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that control locus (P=0.008) and motivational strategies for learning (P= 0.032) had a significant relationship with academic achievement of students. Conclusion: Control locus and motivational strategies for learning, were recognized as determining factors in academic achievement. Taking the results of this study into consideration, running workshops or seminars on the issue of "Locus of control related to learning" and "motivational strategies for learning" are recommended for learning improvement in first year students

Lecturing or Problem-based Learning: Comparing Effects of the Two Teaching Methods in Academic Achievement and Knowledge Retention in Pediatrics Course for Nursing Students

Introduction: Using the appropriate teaching methods, nursing educators are trying to improve students` both effective learning and knowledge retention. The survey reveals the impact of lecturing and problem-based learning in academic achievement and knowledge retention in the pediatrics course. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the effects of the two teaching methods. 56 nursing students who had taken the pediatric course were selected through census in two semesters in school of nursing and midwifery of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Pediatrics was taught in lecturing and problem based learning methods. Then, the academic achievement and knowledge retention were evaluated by tests. Data analysis was carried out in descriptive statistical and paired T test. Results: Findings revealed that the average of the scores in pre and post tests as well as knowledge retention tests were increased in both teaching methods. The mean difference of scores in the two methods was not a significant difference between the pre test and post test. But, in the post test - Knowledge retention test, the lecturing method scored significantly higher than the other one. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the lecturing method keeps its standing point and value in educational system. ProblemBased Learning method can be of great help along with the lecturing to improve students' achievement and knowledge retention.. Also, PBL is feasible enough in teaching pediatric nursing to ensure the achievement of educational objectives