درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Critical thinking is one of the main functions of education and it is considered as learners’ use of prior knowledge to make judgments and solve problems. This study aimed, firstly, to examine the relationship between university EFL teachers’ critical thinking tendencies and their problem-solving skills, and secondly, to explore the prediction of university EFL teachers’ critical thinking tendencies by problem-solving skills, gender, and teaching experience. The study was designed in a correlational survey method. In total, 70 university EFL teachers (35 males and 35 females), from Azad and Payame Noor universities located in Isfahan and Ilam provinces teaching undergraduate students majoring in English, participated in this research. Data were collected via the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and the Problem-Solving Inventory. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, and stepwise regression analysis. The relationship between critical thinking tendencies and problem-solving skills was investigated through the Pearson Product Moments Correlation Coefficient, and stepwise regression analysis was run to determine whether university EFL teachers' problem-solving skills, gender, and teaching experience can significantly predict their critical thinking tendencies. The findings indicated that there was a positive, moderate, and significant relationship between university EFL teachers' problem-solving skills and their critical thinking tendencies, while there was no significant difference according to gender. In terms of teaching experience, the correlation coefficient for novice teachers showed a weak, positive, and non-significant relationship, yet the correlation coefficient for experienced teachers indicated a moderate, positive, and significant relationship. This study has both theoretical and practical implications for EFL teachers, practitioners, learners, and policymakers.  

This research aims to develop a questionnaire that measures students’ attitudes toward collaborative course design and identifies any barriers that might hinder student participation in course design. The questionnaire was developed in four phases. First, an item pool was created based on experts’ opinions, relevant literature, and the researchers’ experience. Second, the items were classified into two main sections: “attitudes” and “barriers”, with the latter further divided into five subcategories (social and cultural, educational and institutional, individual, practical, and attitudinal). The content validity of the questionnaire was assessed, with all items and subcategories achieving CVR>0.59 and CVI>0.79, thus surpassing the minimum required threshold. Third, the questionnaire was piloted with 330 students. The construct validity of the Collaborative Course Design Questionnaire (CCDQ) was confirmed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as the extraction method, along with Varimax rotation, which identified six factors explaining 71.536% of the variance in the data. Finally, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated, yielding reliability indices ranging from 0.971 to 0.627, indicating internal consistency and reliability of the items within each construct. The findings suggest that the Collaborative Course Design Questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument suitable for use with senior high school students.

This study addresses a critical need for effective curriculum alignment in higher education, particularly within Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). As educational institutions strive to enhance the quality of their programs, understanding the interconnections between intended, enacted, and assessed curricula becomes essential. This study examined the alignment among these curricula in the TEFL B.A. program at Shiraz University. Drawing on Anderson and Krathwohl's (2001) taxonomy of educational objectives, the researchers employed a mixed-methods design to analyze the cognitive processes and knowledge types in the curriculum standards, course content of instruction, and achievement tests of language teaching methodology, language testing, and linguistics courses. The qualitative content analysis revealed a notable overemphasis on lower-order thinking skills (LOTs) across all components of the courses studied. Specifically, the presence of higher-order thinking skills (HOTs) was quite limited within the curriculum standards, course content of instruction, and achievement tests. The quantitative analysis, using Porter's (2002) alignment index, further demonstrated a significant alignment (0.50) between the curriculum standards and achievement tests, but an insignificant alignment between the course content of instruction and the other two components. The findings highlight the need for policies that foster HOTs and support professional development for TEFL instructors. Educators should clarify learning objectives and align tasks with students' cognitive needs, thereby enriching TEFL curriculum design. The results advocate for integrating HOTs across the curriculum while ensuring alignment between intended, enacted, and assessed curricula. This study also contributes to ongoing research on curriculum design and implementation in TEFL higher education.

The emergence of technological advances dramatically changed the status of foreign language teaching forever, making computer-assisted language learning (CALL) into a key area in foreign language teaching and later a distinct academic discipline at higher education level. The present study describes the intended curriculum of a two-year post-graduate technology-enhanced language teaching program launched at Al-Zahra University, a women’s university in Tehran, Iran, as well as the national context within which the program was developed. It begins with a background on the significance of technology in education followed by a brief history of education in Iran. The main part of the paper describes the intended curriculum of the program from different perspectives including the aims and rationales, significance of the program, student profile (who takes it) and sources of the M.A. admission examination, abilities intended for graduates, courses of the program, syllabus and recommended readings, and assessment of the course outcomes. The paper finally concludes by discussing what is not included in the curriculum as well as the implications for teacher educators and suggestions for further research.

Despite its recognized importance in preparing prospective teachers for the realities of the classroom, the practicum in Iranian TEFL programs faces several challenges that can significantly impact its effectiveness and hinder the development of competent and confident TEFL teachers in the country. This study, characterized as a comprehensive nationwide triangulated project, aimed at exploring and comparing the perception of the Iranian TEFL Preservice Teachers (PSTs) and the corresponding stakeholders on major issues, problems and challenges of the practicum program at Farhangian University. To these ends, a researcher-made practicum evaluation questionnaire was distributed among the participants (including 230 PSTs and 215 stakeholders) whose answers were analyzed through factor analysis. Based on factor loadings, nine major extracted factors in the two participant groups were compared through Independent Samples t-tests. The results showed that PSTs and stakeholders shared common perceptions on six factors while they held different perceptions only on three other factors. A semi-structured interview was additionally designed and conducted with 15 PSTs and 15 stakeholders. Finally, 10 practicum courses were observed to obtain an accurate understanding of the current situation of ELT PSTs’ internship education in Iran. The findings uncovered major issues and challenges with regard to ELT practicum including (a) limited adaptability and innovation in instructional approaches, resources, and materials utilized by the cooperating teachers who served as a role model for PSTs, (b) insufficient collaboration between educational institutions and universities, (c) lack of proper supervision by university advisors, d) insufficiency of time allotted to PSTs for teaching,  and e) huge gap between theoretical concepts related to the practicum principles studied in university courses with the practical realities faced by PSTs in the school environment, to name a few. The findings of the study might firstly give some insight to universities and schools in developing and implementing high-quality practicum programs that might contribute to the advancement of ELT teacher education programs. Moreover, the study can contribute to our understanding of the extent to which PSTs can integrate theoretical knowledge into their teaching practices.

This study aims to analyze the factors associated with motivation and attitude towards English learning through the application of structural equation modeling (SEM). A quantitative, ex post fact, cross-sectional and explanatory study was carried out on 1202 university students. Eight motivational factors were examined, namely: Motivational Intensity (MI), Attitude towards Learning English (ATLL), Integrative Orientation (IntO), Instrumental Orientation (InsO), Interest Towards Foreign Languages (ITFL), Evaluation of English Teaching (EET), Desire to Learn English (DLE), Evaluation of the English Course (EEC). The multiple regressions showed that EET, DLE, InsO, and EEC are predictors of the MI. It was found that DLE, InsO, and EEC are predictors of ATLL. The SEM showed a weak positive influence of InsO on DLE, ITFL, EET, EEC, MI and ATLL. IntO had a weak positive impact on DLE, EET, EEC, and ITFL. There was a weak positive impact of DLE on ITFL, ATLL and MI, and it had a strong effect on EEC. Finally, EET had a weak positive effect on MI, whereas EEC had a weak positive impact on ATTL and MI. This research provided information that serves to understand the factors affecting the intensity of motivation and attitude in L2 learning

The essential requirement of validity in second language assessment and testing is of paramount importance since it guarantees that tests properly gauge the targeted constructs and produce propitious interpretations. In this light, there seems to be a pressing need to carefully assess outdated conceptions of validity in English language testing to ensure they are in lockstep with current linguistic and sociocultural circumstances. This review examines the book "Ethics and Context in Second Language Testing: Rethinking Validity in Theory and Practice," edited by M. Rafael Salaberry, Albert Weideman, and Wei-Li Hsu (2023), and it unravels new horizons for expanding the comprehension of validity beyond traditional frameworks. The review underscores the primary subjects addressed in the book's content, such as ethical issues, contextual factors affecting test design, and novel approaches for assessing validity in real-world settings. The review also stresses the book's critical analysis of existing paradigms and recommends a more nuanced perspective on validity that incorporates ethical considerations and contextual significance. To this end, the current review constitutes an important reference for researchers and practitioners to encourage them to critically examine and reframe validity in second language testing.

The obligatory prevalence of online education during the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn researchers’ attention to the challenges involved in foreign language pedagogy in such virtual educational contexts. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the impact of online self-regulated learning, use of communication strategies, and test anxiety on Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ online speaking test performance. For this purpose, 132 EFL learners were given the e-Oxford Quick Placement Test and the speaking part of a sample A2 Key and B1 Preliminary test. Next, translated versions of the given measures were administered to the pre- and intermediate EFL learners and the obtained data were subjected to Structural Equation Modeling analyses that verified strong links between online self-regulated learning and the use of communication strategies, test anxiety and online self-regulated learning, and test anxiety and EFL learners’ use of communication strategies. Furthermore, the direct impacts of online self-regulated learning and use of communication strategies on learners’ online speaking test performance were verified; however, test anxiety was found to indirectly impact the learners’ online speaking test performance through its negative effect on EFL learners’ online self-regulated learning and use of communication strategies. In addition, online self-regulated learning turned out to be the strongest predictor of the learners’ online speaking test performance. As for the implications of the findings, it appeared that the attested model lends support to Bachman and Palmer’s (1996) language use framework illustrating test performance as a vulnerable construct affected by test takers' attributes and features of the test tasks and the impact of construct-irrelevant factors like test takers’ personal characteristics on their test performance.

This study aimed at investigating and comparing the expenditure of cognitive effort in translating various text types. The text typology of Reiss (1971, 2014) including informative, expressive, and operative text types was used as the theoretical framework. A mixed-method approach involving the use of screen recording, keystroke logging, think-aloud protocols, and retrospective interviews was adopted for the investigation. To pursue the research aims, 22 senior translation students were recruited to participate in the study and perform three translation tasks: translating informative, expressive, and operative texts. By using think-aloud protocols, the participants were instructed to speak out during the execution of the tasks. The amount of time spent by each participant and the number of pauses taken by them on each translation task were measured and compared as indicators of cognitive effort. Additionally, time and pause analyses were triangulated using technical operation analysis to have a better perception and obtain more reliable results. The findings of this study showed a significant difference in the cognitive effort required to translate informative, expressive, and operative texts. The findings also revealed a higher level of cognitive effort in translating expressive text compared with informative and operative ones

 Task sequencing (TS) has been a focus of empirical investigations in task-based language teaching (TBLT). Previous studies on TS failed to represent classroom contexts because they did not provide learners with corrective feedback (CF). This study aimed to address this gap by examining the combined effects of TS and CF on writing complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). To do so, 113 upper-intermediate EFL learners were selected and divided into two groups. Participants took a pretest at the beginning of the study. Each group performed two three-task sets in simple-to-complex(S-C) or complex-to-simple(C-S) order. In each group, the errors in the first set of tasks were given CF by error codes (ECs), while the errors in the second set were only underlined. Participants in both groups were asked to revise their texts based on the provided CF and take a posttest at the end of the study. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was run to analyze the pretest and posttest data. The results showed that the group performing tasks in S-C order and receiving ECs outperformed the others. Findings supported the SSARC (Stabilize, Simplify, Automatize, Reconstruct, Complexify) model. The study has implications for material development.

The present study, adopting a sequential mixed-methods design, chiefly aimed to determine the strongest predictors of EFL learners’ involvement in the components of motivational self-regulatory strategies (MSRSs). In so doing, 154 English-major university students joined in the quantitative phase, and a pool of seven students was selected to participate in the qualitative phase of the study. A number of validated instruments were utilized to gather the relevant data. The Pearson moment-to-moment correlation, SEM, multiple regression, and a semi-structured interview method were used to analyze the data. The results showed a positive relationship between the components of MSRSs and involvement in writing skills. Among MSRSs components, performance self-talk, mastery self-talk, and environmental control made significant contributions to the prediction of involvement in writing skills. More specifically, the strongest predictor of involvement in writing skills in MSRSs components was performance self-talk. Following the inter-coder reliability, the responses elicited from the interviews regarding EFL learners’ opinions about the role of MSRSs in increasing their involvement in writing skills delineated eight themes, including quiet talk, consistent working, interest, coping with distractions, class environment, motivating peers, regulating emotions, and teachers’ help. In the end, the interplay between MSRSs components and involvement factors was discussed and several practical implications were proposed.

Exploring L2 affective variables requires innovative research analytic approaches that can adequately address the complexity and dynamicity of the variables. Not always can the normality of distribution and linearity of relationships be assumed. Neither can the homogeneity of variance be always met. Latent profile analysis (LPA) is suggested to deal with the heterogeneity of data and non-linear relationships. It allows for hypothesis testing and model testing to tackle the ergodicity issue in second language acquisition (SLA) research from a person-centered approach. LPA, which primarily serves to classify a population or sample into several sub-groups, can be effectively employed in SLA research to classify L2 teachers or learners in terms of the different positive and negative emotions (e.g., enjoyment, boredom, anxiety, etc.) they experience while learning a foreign or second language. A classroom-based L2 learning experience occurs interactively with several personal and contextual variables involved. The relationship between any single affective variable can hardly be conceived as linear. Thus, LPA holds promises for dealing with these non-linear relations and provides insightful information about the profiles of learners or teachers concerning a particular affective variable. The purpose of this conceptual analysis is to provide a review of the basic tenets of LPA and to explain how it can contribute to the exploration of emotional variables in SLA. By identifying distinct emotional profiles, the study offers guidance on tailoring instructional strategies to address the specific emotional needs of language learners, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of language acquisition interventions.

The current research aims to investigate the effect of teacher support (TS) on EFL learners' academic achievement, self-esteem, resilience, and academic enjoyment (AE). Eighty-four EFL students from a Turkish context participated in the study and were randomly divided into a control (N=48) and an experimental group (N=46). The standardized instruments, including the academic achievement test, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, Davidson's Academic Enjoyment Scale, and Cassidy's Academic Resilience Scale, were utilized to collect data. The impact was measured by administering pretests and posttests and employing a quantitative research methodology with a pretest/posttest design for the research. The results demonstrated significant effects of TS on all variables in question. The experimental group (EG) demonstrated significant improvements in self-esteem, resilience, and AE, with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. Additionally, the experimental group (EG) significantly outperformed the control group (CG) in academic achievement. These findings emphasize the importance of TS in improving EFL learners' academic and psychological qualifications and underpin a dire necessity of cultivating supportive and stimulating learning environments that prioritize autonomy, structure, and engagement. Implementing effective instructional practices may improve students' academic achievement and emotional welfare. The study's implications provide an understanding of integrating positive teacher-student interaction and support for positive psychology in the foreign language curriculum design and materials development.

This study builds on previous reviews of technology-mediated feedback up to 2020 to provide an updated account of research conducted from 2020 onwards. It offers an overview of contextual trends, feedback focus, and the types of technology and software used. The analysis focuses on peer-reviewed studies examining technology-mediated corrective feedback on writing in EFL or ESL contexts, using quantitative or mixed methods approaches. Data were coded using an Excel sheet, and frequencies were reported as percentages. The major findings indicate that technology-mediated feedback is more prevalent in higher education, emphasizing the importance of leveraging technology for enhancing feedback practices. Additionally, half of the publications employed a mixed-methods approach, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. However, some studies lacked methodological transparency; therefore, the study highlights the need for stricter reporting guidelines. Furthermore, the findings reveal that teachers and computers are the primary sources of feedback in technology-mediated settings, aligning with their significant roles in traditional and online learning environments. According to the findings, educators are encouraged to adopt technology-mediated feedback in higher education and engage in training and professional development in this area. Moreover, researchers are recommended to continue conducting mixed-methods studies by following more rigorous transparency guidelines.