https://nea.ui.ac.ir/ New Educational Approaches   en daily 1 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_30343.html This study aimed to propose a model for professional learning communities (PLCs) for teachers based on the Fundamental Transformation Document. A qualitative approach using grounded theory was employed. The study population consisted of Ministry of Education staff in 2025, selected through purposeful criterion-based sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding procedures. The trustworthiness of the data was ensured based on Guba and Lincoln’s criteria, including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. The findings indicated that the teachers’ learning community, as the core category, comprises a shared vision and responsibility, a focus on student learning, professional collaboration and trust, experience sharing, and professional development, which are shaped by organizational culture and climate, teachers’ professional participation and motivation, and supportive mechanisms. Structural and managerial conditions, professional relationships, and institutional contexts also influence this process. Strategies for developing teachers’ learning communities include strengthening learning opportunities, professional empowerment, and enhancing active participation. The outcomes of this process are observable at the teacher, student, and school levels. The proposed conceptual model provides a systematic framework for rethinking and improving teachers’ professional learning processes and offers guidance for policy-making and the design of professional learning communities. https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_30231.html Teaching mathematics, especially geometry, in primary school is challenging because children at this age are in the stage of concrete thinking and do not fully understand the application of geometry. Research has shown that the use of multimedia tools can make this process easier, more engaging, and more in-depth. Additionally, presenting practical examples of concepts in the form of stories can transform complex dull topics into enjoyable learning experiences and facilitate easier learning. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of using animation in geometry lessons by producing a narrative interactive animation. This study was conducted using an applied, quasi-experimental approach with pre- and post-tests. The statistical population consisted of third-grade students in primary schools in the second district of Tabriz during the academic year 1403-1404. Using cluster and simple random sampling methods, one school was selected and two classes of 20 students each were considered. The research instruments were a mathematics test created by the researcher and a questionnaire on mathematics motivation. The Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze the data. Results showed that the teaching method based on interactive narrative animations can help improve the learning process due to the interaction between the user and the animation, the use of stories, and the presentation of images with spoken explanations. The results also show that the use of this technology does not have a major impact on students' overall mathmotivation, but can improve components such as interest in math and self-esteem. Introduction Mathematics is one of the fundamental and effective subjects on learning in all grades, especially in elementary school. Geometry is one of the challenging parts of mathematics for elementary school students, which is difficult for them to understand due to its abstract nature. According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, pupils at this age are in the concrete operational stage, so they find it difficult to grasp abstract concepts. Also, because students do not have a proper understanding of geometry and its application in their lives, they are not very motivated to learn it and often have a negative attitude towards it. Since there is a relationship between a positive attitude towards a subject with motivation and learning that subject, this reduces students' learning performance. Research findings have shown that using multimedia tools can make learning easier, more engaging, and more effective. Presenting practical examples of concepts through stories can also transform hard topics into enjoyable learning experiences and facilitate understanding. Also, one of the points that should be considered in preparing educational content for mathematics is the existence of interaction between the student and the educational content. This interaction enables students to better understand the educational content and learn mathematical concepts in depth. Therefore, in this study, by designing and producing interactive animation, the effect of using animation in the process of teaching geometry topics was examined and the following questions were provided: Does use of interactive animation in mathematics education affect students' learning of geometry? Does use of interactive animation in mathematics education affect students' motivation to learn mathematics?   Method This study used an applied, quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests. The statistical population consisted of all third-grade students in primary schools in the second district of Tabriz during the 1403-1404 academic year. Using cluster and simple random sampling methods, one school was selected, and two classes of 20 students each were included. In one class, the topic of the area of squares, rectangles, and their combined shapes were taught using traditional methods, while in the other class, it was taught using a researcher-developed interactive animation over five sessions. The research instruments were a mathematics test created by the researcher and a questionnaire on mathematics motivation. The Mann–Whitney test was used to analyze the data. The intervention in this study was the use of an interactive animation created by the researcher called Pond Color. This animation was developed using the Unity game engine version 2022 and the C# programming language. The program environment, including 3D models and their textures, was designed and built using 3D and 2D design software, 3D Max, and Adobe Photoshop, and then imported into the game engine. To create an interactive and engaging environment, the training process was designed and implemented in a gamified manner across four stages. At each stage, a problem is posed by presenting an image of a pond, and the user is asked to obtain the amount of paint required to paint the pond walls. The shape of the pond changes at each stage and becomes more complex than the shape of the previous stage. In each of these stages, the user can interact with the game through designed tools, including the ability to move and rotate in space and around the pond, measure the dimensions of the pond using a virtual meter, and paint the pond walls. The user is also given the opportunity to select the desired color from among the colors available in the user interface and paint the desired surface. At each stage, a problem is presented by displaying an image of a pond, and the user is asked to determine the amount of paint required to cover the pond walls. The shape of the pond changes at each stage, becoming more complex than in the previous one. The user can also choose their desired color from the colors available in the user interface and paint the desired surface.   Results Results of the Mann-Whitney test showed that the average post-test scores of the group using interactive animation was higher than those of the group taught with the traditional method. The findings indicated that teaching with interactive narrative animations can enhance the learning process through user interaction with the animation, use of stories, and presentation of images with spoken explanations. The test results also show that this technology does not have a significant impact on students' overall motivation in mathematics, but it can improve components of it such as interest in mathematics and self-esteem.   Conclusion Understanding the key factors that influence learning, especially in mathematics, is essential for effective education. Research indicates that using stories to teach mathematical concepts can help students grasp complex ideas more easily and enhance their problem-solving abilities by engaging them with characters. Furthermore, increasing student participation and active involvement through interactive activities makes learning more meaningful and enjoyable, reduces the fear of making mistakes, and boosts students' self-confidence Using interactive animations in geometry teaching has many benefits, including increasing learning motivation, better understanding of abstract concepts, three-dimensional display of images, increasing learning performance, memorization, and responding to individual differences. The engaging features of games, such as clear goals, immediate feedback, and a sense of progress can also improve learning and increase academic success. Therefore, in this study, an interactive educational animation was designed to examine the effect of this technology on mathematical learning and students motivation in the educational process. The results showed that using interactive educational animation as a multimedia tool can improve student learning. Although animations have many benefits in education, many researchers do not pursue this approach because creating animations requires expertise, is time-consuming, and involves high production costs. However, with advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, the future of animated films and the production of educational content as teaching aids appears promising.     https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_30416.html The present study aims to develop and validate evaluation indicators for the quality of transformative elementary schools and seeks to answer two key questions: What are the indicators for evaluating the quality of transformative elementary schools, and how valid are these indicators? Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study employed two methods: document analysis and phenomenology. In the document analysis phase, 14 national educational policy documents were examined to extract relevant indicators. In the phenomenological phase, the lived experiences of 12 founders and principals of transformative schools in Tehran and Isfahan were collected through semi-structured interviews. The validity and reliability of the findings were ensured using alignment techniques and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR). Data analysis led to the identification of 36 quality evaluation indicators for transformative schools. For validation, the extracted indicators were reviewed by 20 experts. Based on their feedback, 21 indicators were classified as “essential” and 15 as “preferable.” These indicators were organized into 6 main dimensions and 20 sub-dimensions, including: Educational philosophy and model (educational philosophy, implementation model), Management and leadership (strategic management, educational leadership, human resource management), Educational programs (goal, content, method, and evaluation), Educational actors (students, families, staff, and community), Educational environment (school culture, physical environment, and social environment), and Educational outcomes and impacts (individual, family, organizational, and social outcomes). The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for designing an accreditation system and issuing certification (e.g., ISO-like standards) for transformative schools. https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_30395.html The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of three teaching methods—argumentative, inquiry-based social studies, and group research—on the environmental attitudes of eleventh-grade female students in District 14 of Tehran. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test comparisons. The statistical population included all eleventh-grade female students (2,400 students) in the 2021–2022 academic year. Using cluster random sampling, 90 students were selected and divided into three homogeneous groups of 30. The instructional intervention was conducted in eight 25-minute sessions for each group, and data were collected through pre- and post-tests. The research instrument was the Environmental Attitude Questionnaire developed by Emamgholi (2011), which had a reliability coefficient of 0.834. Its validity was confirmed by five curriculum studies professors and five environmental specialists. Data were analyzed using two-way covariance analysis, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s post-hoc test. The findings indicated that all three teaching methods significantly influenced students’ environmental attitudes. The mean differences between the argumentative method and the inquiry-based social studies and group research methods were -7.145 and -10.182, respectively, both significant at the 0.05 level (P=0.02 and P=0.00). However, the mean difference between the inquiry-based and group research methods (-3.136) was not statistically significant (P=0.291). Therefore, inquiry-based and group research teaching methods were more effective than the argumentative method in enhancing students’ environmental attitudes. These results suggest that employing active, inquiry- and research-based teaching approaches can play a vital role in fostering positive attitudes toward the environment among students https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_30560.html This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a nonviolent communication training package based on Rosenberg’s model on Interventionist disciplinary approaches and Ineffective social problem-solving among novice teachers in Tehran. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and follow-up phases, including a control group. Thirty novice teachers were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a ten-session nonviolent communication training program. After the intervention, both groups completed the Disciplinary Beliefs Questionnaire and the Ineffective Social Problem Solving Questionnaire in the posttest and follow-up stages. Results of repeated measures ANOVA indicated that, compared to the control group, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in interventionist beliefs, and this effect was maintained over time, demonstrating the stability of the intervention outcomes. In addition, the program led to a decrease in impulsivity, one of the components of Ineffective social problem-solving, and this effect remained stable over time. Overall, the findings confirmed the effectiveness of nonviolent communication training and emphasized the importance of implementing this program in educational settings, particularly for teachers. https://nea.ui.ac.ir/article_30664.html The intellectual portrait of traditionalist curriculum scholars through the perspectives of William Pinar and Elliot Eisner The intellectual portrait of traditionalist curriculum scholars through the perspectives of William Pinar and Elliot Eisner Abstract This paper presents and analyses the views of Pinar and Eisner on traditionalism, particularly the ideas of Bobbitt and Tyler. Pinar’s critiques of Tyler’s viewpoints are so serious that they ultimately lead him to reject Tyler’s ideas. Eisner also critically examines the thoughts of Bobbitt and Tyler, while simultaneously acknowledging both the limitations and advantages of their perspectives. These two viewpoints yield different results and implications. Initially, the paper discusses Pinar’s views on traditionalism and Tyler’s ideas. After analysing and reflecting on his thoughts, Eisner’s perspective on Bobbitt and Tyler is introduced and explained. Through this analysis, the differences in Pinar and Eisner’s judgments regarding traditionalism and its key theorists are highlighted. Keywords: Curriculum, Traditionalism, Reconceptualization, ّ Franklin Bobbitt, Ralph Tyler, Elliot Eisner, William Pinar.