Allameh Tabataba'i University

Social changes and the increasing participation of women in the workforce in recent decades have altered patterns of maternal presence within the family and influenced the quality of mother–child interactions. Despite numerous studies examining the consequences of maternal employment, most have relied on quantitative approaches and have paid limited attention to adolescents’ lived experiences of their relationships with mothers in the context of being at home or employed outside the home. Accordingly, the present study aimed to explore the role of maternal presence at home in adolescents’ lived experiences of relationships with homemaker mothers and mothers employed outside the home.This study employed a qualitative approach using a descriptive phenomenological method. Participants consisted of 16 adolescents who were selected through purposive sampling (eight with homemaker mothers and eight with employed mothers). Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological analysis method. The findings indicated that adolescents’ experiences of relationships with homemaker mothers were organized into three main categories: emotional bonding and psychological security, academic support and personal development, and the implications of the homemaker role for both mother and child. In contrast, adolescents’ experiences of relationships with employed mothers were classified into four categories: the role of maternal employment in shaping social identity and role modeling, emotional dynamics of the mother–child relationship in the context of employment, the economic and supportive role of the employed mother, and the transformation of adolescents’ perceptions and acceptance of the working mother role over time.

The present study aimed to investigate the effective experiences of adolescents living in quasi-family centers regarding their personal and social growth. Adolescents who are orphaned or under inadequate parental care are exposed to multiple psychological and social risks, and understanding their lived experiences can inform effective supportive interventions. This research employed a qualitative design using a phenomenological approach. The participants were 16 adolescents (10 girls and 6 boys) residing in quasi-family centers in Yazd Province, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed through Smith’s interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings revealed four main themes contributing to adolescents’ growth: learning practical and future-oriented skills, experiencing a sense of group belonging, developing discipline and order in daily life, and using failures as opportunities for growth. The results suggest that quasi-family centers, when providing structured and supportive environments, can facilitate adolescents’ empowerment and better prepare them for independent living and social participation

Educational settings are crucial for fostering children's cognitive development and promoting positive mental health. Additionally, children's willingness to explore and ask questions can greatly enhance these qualities. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of critical thinking in the relationships between attitudes towards curiosity, resilience and anxiety control. A total of 573 elementary-school students were recruited through stratified sampling. The instruments used in this study were the Children's Attitudes Towards Curiosity Scale, the Critical Thinking Scale, the Anxiety Control Scale, and the Child and Youth Resilience Scale. Correlation results indicated that attitudes towards curiosity was associated with critical thinking, anxiety control, and resilience. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), mediation analyses showed that attitudes towards curiosity exerted an indirect effect on anxiety control through critical thinking. However, critical thinking did not mediate the relationship between attitudes towards curiosity and resilience. Preliminary analyses showed no significant gender differences in the study variables (p > 0.05). The findings highlight the important role of critical thinking in attitudes towards curiosity, particularly in its beneficial effects on children's anxiety control in educational settings.

Purpose This paper aims to develop and validate an ecological, multidimensional framework for assessing the maturity of innovation ecosystems, grounded in the metaphor of natural ecosystem maturity. As ecosystems go through various stages of their life cycle, they experience distinct patterns of growth, maturity and regeneration. Therefore, assessing their maturity level is crucial for managing evolution, designing innovative policies and enhancing sustainability. Design/methodology/approach This research, using the metaphor of maturity in natural ecosystems, presents an ecological framework for assessing the maturity of innovation ecosystems. In this framework, six main dimensions of maturity (value flows, ecosystem structure, actor status, innovation cycle, competitive pressure and ecosystem health) are defined, and 23 measurable indicators are developed for their quantitative evaluation. For external validation of the framework, the Goal–Question–Metric method and a survey of experts from the Iranian oil and gas industry were used. Data were collected from 98 experts across four ecosystems (oil, gas, refining and petrochemicals) and analyzed using a hierarchical approach based on the median and the 95% lower confidence bound. Findings The results revealed that the petrochemical ecosystem is at the “Defined” level, the oil and gas ecosystem is at the “Quantitatively Managed” level, and the refining ecosystem is at the “initial” level. From a theoretical perspective, this study provides a dynamic, multidimensional framework for assessing ecosystem maturity by integrating ecology and innovation management concepts. Originality/value This study adds to the literature by reframing innovation ecosystem maturity as an emergent, system-level and measurable condition rather than a linear life-cycle stage or an aggregate of organizational capabilities. It advances existing work by operationalizing ecological principles into a multidimensional, generalizable framework with six integrated dimensions and measurable indicators. Unlike prior fragmented and context-specific models, it enables systematic, comparative assessment across ecosystems. Empirically, it extends research into underexplored energy-sector and developing-country contexts, demonstrating how maturity varies within a single national system and supporting more targeted, evidence-based policy design.

Background Generative AI (GenAI) offers scalable feedback and planning support, yet rigorous evidence on how AI-supported instruction shapes EFL learners' self-regulated strategies and achievement remains limited. Objectives The main objectives are to test whether a feedback-oriented GenAI integration improves (a) cognitive, metacognitive, and resource-management strategies and (b) English achievement in university EFL coursework. Methods Ten intact classes of undergraduates (N = 310) at Allameh Tabataba'i University were randomised at the class level to an AI condition (n = 139) or control (n = 171). The AI group completed a 6-h AI-literacy workshop and 12 weeks of guided practice using ChatGPT, Poe, and Bard within a draft-first -> AI critique -> human evaluation workflow; the control group received the same curriculum without AI. Outcomes included adapted SILL subscales (cognitive, metacognitive, and resource management) and a researcher-developed achievement composite (comprising reading, vocabulary, and writing). A MANCOVA with pretests as covariates, followed by prespecified ANCOVAs, reported adjusted means with 95% CIs and accounted for class-level clustering. Qualitative data comprised 834 biweekly reflective journals, which were thematically analysed using double coding (Cohen's kappa = 0.88). Results The AI group outperformed the control across all four outcomes; a MANCOVA indicated a significant multivariate effect, with follow-up ANCOVAs showing partial eta(2) values of approximately 0.16-0.22. The journals illuminated mechanisms-planning/monitoring, time efficiency, confidence, and calibrated help-seeking-and flagged the risks of cognitive offloading without explicit guardrails. Conclusions When embedded in coherent pedagogy and supported by AI literacy, feedback-oriented GenAI can strengthen the use of self-regulated strategies and improve language achievement in university EFL contexts. Implementation should include clear usage norms and reflective monitoring to sustain learning quality.