Background: With the rise of new technologies, education has increasingly integrated technology into teaching and learning processes, which enhances the appeal and effectiveness of educational content while fostering students’ skills for future challenges. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a gamified smart course on students’ self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and response efficacy regarding technology integration in teaching.Methods: This research used a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures, including a control group. The participants were all seventh-grade female students from schools in Ahvaz, Iran, during September 2023 to May 2024. A total of 40 students were selected and divided into two groups of 20. They were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (which used a gamified smart learning approach) or the control group (which followed traditional teaching methods). Data were gathered using standard questionnaires assessing online learning self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and response efficacy. The experimental group received instruction through game-based e-learning software, while the control group was taught using conventional methods. Data analysis was conducted using univariate Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) with SPSS version 26.Results: At baseline, independent t-tests revealed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in self-efficacy (experimental: 73.20±2.33; control: 71.40±1.82, p= 0.56), perceived usefulness (experimental: 12.35±0.40; control: 11.85±0.37, p= 0.12), and response efficacy (experimental: 9.90±0.55; control: 9.35±0.58, p= 0.14). Following the intervention, ANCOVA analyses controlling for pre-test scores demonstrated significant group differences across all three outcomes. The experimental group showed higher post-test self-efficacy (89.55±2.99) compared to the control group (69.30±1.58), p < 0.001. Perceived usefulness was greater in the experimental group (13.35±0.32) than in the control group (11.35±1.47), p= 0.001. Response efficacy was significantly higher in the experimental group (13.20±0.89) compared to the control group (9.45±0.40), p< 0.001. These findings confirm the positive impact of the intervention on all three outcomes.Conclusion: The findings highlight the potential of gamified smart courses as a valuable educational tool. Future studies could investigate their long-term effects and applicability in diverse educational settings.
Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is among the most common neurodevelopmental conditions and is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and patterns of behavior. Addressing the varied needs of children with ASD requires careful attention to User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design, as these elements are essential to the effectiveness of educational applications. This study aimed to review and synthesize evidence on UI and UX design features that improve accessibility, engagement, and usability in educational applications for children with ASD.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest to identify studies published between 2015 and 2025. The review process was reported in accordance with the PRISMA (2020) guidelines. The primary search terms included User Interface, User Experience, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Educational Application. Studies were considered eligible if they examined UI/UX characteristics within educational or therapeutic applications designed for children with ASD. Following the removal of duplicate records and the application of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 11 studies met the eligibility requirements. The screening was performed independently by the reviewers, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to ensure both relevance and methodological rigor. The findings were synthesized using a qualitative approach.Results: The synthesis identified seven main categories of design principles: Simplicity and Clarity of UI (6 studies), Visual Design (7 studies), Feedback and Support (7 studies), Engagement and Interaction (8 studies), Accessibility (7 studies), User-centered and Dedicated Design for ASD (8 studies), and Technology and System Stability (2 studies). The selected studies included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods designs, with most emphasizing the significance of visual simplicity, user adaptability, and sensory appropriateness.Conclusion: Evidence supports that adherence to these seven UI/UX design principles can improve usability and engagement for children with ASD. However, heterogeneity in methods, small sample sizes, and limited experimental validation restrict generalizability. Further research is recommended to develop evidence-based, adaptive, and user-centered digital learning environments.
Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping healthcare through advancements in diagnosis, therapeutic decision-making, and patient care management. This study designed to evaluate the attitudes and readiness of medical science students toward AI, to inform and improve AI-related educational programs.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (MAZUMS), Iran, between December 2023 and March 2024. A total of 637 students enrolled in medical and health sciences programs were recruited through convenience sampling via online platforms. Data were collected using a 31-item online questionnaire captured demographic information, exposure to AI-related education, and readiness for AI. The study utilized the validated Persian version of the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale for Medical Students (MAIRS-MS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05.Results: In total, 637 Iranian medical sciences students participated. Of these, 54.2% were in preclinical training and 45.8% were in clinical phases. Most participants (80.7%) reported gaining knowledge about AI primarily through media sources. Radiology, general surgery, and diagnostic decision-making were identified as the disciplines most influenced by AI. According to MAIRS-MS results, students demonstrated the highest readiness in ethical aspects and the lowest in cognitive domains. The mean overall readiness score was 63.19±12.86 (out of 100). Participants with previous AI-related education achieved significantly higher readiness scores compared with those without such training (β = 6.36, p < 0.001).Conclusion: Iranian medical students showed substantial interest in AI, although their levels of readiness varied, with stronger ethical understanding and weaker cognitive competencies. Exposure to prior AI education was linked to higher readiness scores, emphasizing the necessity of incorporating structured AI instruction into medical curricula. Overall, these results underscore the importance of targeted curriculum development to equip future healthcare professionals with the skills required for effective AI integration.
Immersive technologies, specifically Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), are actively redefining contemporary clinical education by creating safe, engaging, and repeatable environments that effectively connect theoretical knowledge with essential practical application. These tools allow learners to rehearse complex clinical skills, navigate three-dimensional anatomical structures, and participate in simulated emergency or surgical scenarios without endangering patient safety. Evidence consistently highlights improvements in knowledge retention, procedural competence, learner confidence, and motivation, positioning immersive modalities as valuable complements to traditional teaching methods. Yet, despite this demonstrated promise, sustainable integration across healthcare institutions faces significant structural and pedagogical obstacles. Key barriers include high equipment costs, infrastructure requirements, limited faculty readiness, learner accessibility concerns such as cybersickness, and scalability issues. Crucially, the current absence of robust, long-term evidence directly linking immersive training gains to measurable improvements in patient outcomes and real-world effectiveness raises important questions about widespread investment and sustainability. This perspective argues that immersive technologies should be viewed not merely as isolated novelties, but rather as catalysts requiring rigorous pedagogical governance. By critically examining current evidence and structural barriers, and by proposing strategic educational roadmaps, this article calls for an approach that carefully balances digital innovation with the humanistic and ethical dimensions of clinical training, ensuring that technological progress enhances, rather than replaces, the core values of healthcare education.
Background: Mobile learning is a key component of blended learning in higher education, particularly in medical education. Understanding faculty members and students’ perceptions and acceptance of mobile learning is critical for effective implementation. This study aimed to compare the perceptions and acceptance of mobile learning among faculty members and medical students in a blended learning environment.Methods: This applied, comparative cross-sectional study was carried out between September 2024 and January 2025 at Islamic Azad University in Mazandaran, Iran, involving faculty members (n = 182) and students (n = 337) from medical disciplines. Using stratified random sampling, 123 faculty members and 181 students were selected for participation. Data were collected using four researcher-developed 30-item questionnaires assessing perception and acceptance of mobile learning. A panel of 10 experts confirmed content validity, and reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) ranged from 0.82 to 0.88. Data analysis included descriptive statistics; one-sample t-tests against the theoretical midpoint (cut-off = 3), independent-samples t-tests with 95% confidence intervals, Hedges’ g effect sizes, and Pearson correlation analysis.Results: Both faculty members and students reported their perception and acceptance scores significantly above the theoretical midpoint (p < 0.001), indicating a positive orientation toward mobile learning. There was no statistically significant difference in perception scores between students and faculty members (p = 0.385), indicating a similar level of awareness in both groups. However, faculty demonstrated significantly higher acceptance than students (p < 0.001, Hedges’ g = 0.53), reflecting greater readiness, confidence, and willingness to adopt mobile learning. Perception scores were positively correlated with acceptance in both students (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) and faculty (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), highlighting the role of perceived value in shaping adoption.Conclusion: Findings show that both faculty and students hold positive perceptions and acceptance of mobile learning, with faculty members demonstrating greater readiness. Successful implementation requires focused faculty development, student digital readiness training, and adequate technological infrastructure to optimize integration and educational outcomes in medical education.
Background: Learning styles are an important factor influencing the learning process. Understanding these factors is essential for designing effective educational programs based on Curry’s onion ring model, particularly in Iranian nursing education where traditional teaching methods predominate. This study aimed to systematically review Iranian research on the relationship between nursing students’ learning styles and academic achievement to identify prevailing patterns, methodological gaps, and implications for education.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) in Persian and English from January 2012 to October 2024 using the keywords “learning style,” “nursing,” and “student.” Inclusion criteria comprised observational studies on Iranian nursing students assessing learning styles and their relationship with academic achievement or demographic variables. Conference abstracts, dissertations, qualitative studies, interventional studies, and reviews were excluded. Quality was assessed using a Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Findings were synthesized and reported using a systematic literature review approach.Results: Of 984 initially retrieved articles, 23 observational studies involving a total of 6,847 Iranian nursing students met the inclusion criteria. The Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic) models were the most frequently used frameworks. In the Kolb’s model (used in 16 studies), assimilator and convergent styles were the most prevalent. In the VARK model (used in 7 studies), reading/writing was the dominant preference (n=5 studies). Evidence on the association between learning styles and academic achievement remained contradictory (positive association reported in 9 studies, no association in 10 studies, and mixed results in 4 studies).Conclusion: Iranian nursing students most commonly showed convergent and assimilator (Kolb) and reading/writing (VARK) learning styles, although evidence on their association with academic achievement was inconsistent. Given the methodological limitations of existing studies, nursing educators are encouraged to use diverse and blended teaching strategies to address the varied preferences of learners. Future research should focus on larger multi-center studies and evaluate the impact of learning-style–based instructional approaches on academic and clinical outcomes. Note: The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022375311); however, several deviations from the original protocol were made during the conduct of the study.
Background: Achievement motivation is a key psychological construct influencing adolescents’ academic engagement, perseverance, and performance, particularly in blended learning environments that require greater self-regulation and goal-oriented behavior. This study aimed to culturally adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Achievement Motivation Measure for Arab Postgraduate Students (AMMA) among upper-secondary students in Bojnord, Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2024 to July 2025 among 1,231 upper-secondary students selected via two-stage cluster random sampling from a population of 9,721. Twelve schools (six boys’ and six girls’) were randomly chosen, followed by the selection of 72 classes within these schools. All participants had prior blended learning experience. The AMMA was translated and culturally adapted using the World Health Organization (WHO) forward–backward procedure. Face and content validity were assessed by ten experts using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Construct validity was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA( (n=479) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) (n=373). Concurrent validity was assessed against the Mathematics Motivation Questionnaire (n=190). Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, split-half reliability, and test–retest reliability (n=189).Results: The Persian version of AMMA demonstrated strong content validity (CVR=0.80–1.00; S-CVI/Ave= 0.89). EFA identified four factors—Perseverance, Ambition, Goal Setting, and Resilience—explaining 61.58% of total variance (KMO=0.904); Bartlett’s test of sphericity, (p<0.001). CFA confirmed excellent model fit (χ²/df=1.48, RMSEA=0.034, SRMR=0.030, CFI=0.99, TLI=0.99, IFI=0.99). Concurrent validity was supported by a strong positive correlation with mathematics motivation (r=0.79, p <0.001). Reliability was high, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90, subscale alphas ranging from 0.72 to 0.92, a split-half coefficient of 0.716, and an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.92.Conclusion: The Persian version of AMMA is a valid, reliable, and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing achievement motivation among Iranian secondary school students and can support educational research, counseling, and motivation-enhancement programs.
Background: While gamification is increasingly used in higher education, its impact on the specific dimensions of cognitive load particularly in complex subjects like histology remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gamification-based microlearning on students’ overall cognitive load in histology, with a specific interest in its potential differential impact on extraneous and germane cognitive load.Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The sample consisted of 27 undergraduate biology students from Arak University, enrolled between January and June 2024, who were randomly allocated to either an experimental group (n = 14) or a control group (n = 13). Participants in the experimental group were taught histology using a specially developed gamified microlearning application over a 14-week period, whereas the control group received conventional lecture-based instruction. Cognitive load was assessed using the Paas Cognitive Load Scale, and the primary outcome was evaluated through a change score analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 23.Results: Analysis of change scores indicated a substantial difference between groups. The experimental group demonstrated a significant decrease in cognitive load (Mean = −7.71, SD = 2.76), while the control group experienced a modest increase over time (Mean = 2.31, SD = 5.11). An independent-samples t-test indicated that the difference in change scores between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the effect size was exceptionally large (Cohen’s d = 2.47).Conclusion: Gamified microlearning appears to be an effective instructional approach for reducing cognitive load in complex scientific subjects. The results indicate that this integrated method may enhance the efficient use of cognitive resources. Future studies should include larger sample sizes, distinguish among different types of cognitive load, and investigate long-term outcomes as well as applicability across various disciplines.
Background: Fostering social behavior in primary school children is essential for their social, emotional, and cognitive development. Multimedia interventions grounded in Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning offer promising approaches to enhance these skills, yet their application in social‑emotional domains remains limited, particularly in the Iranian context.Methods: This research, carried out between 2022 and 2023, employed a quantitative quasi-experimental design using a pretest–posttest approach with a control group. A total of 60 third-grade male students in Isfahan, Iran, were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. The intervention consisted of a 10-session interactive, game-based multimedia program developed according to Mayer’s principles of multimedia learning. The program targeted five dimensions of social behavior: prosocial behavior, communicative social behavior, overt antisocial behavior, relational antisocial behavior, and victimization. Behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Children’s Social Behavior Scale (CSBS) at pre-test and post-test.Results: The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in prosocial behavior (p = 0.041, Hedges’ g = 0.50) and communicative social behavior (p = 0.038, Hedges’ g = 0.60) compared with the control group. Although reductions in overt antisocial behavior (p = 0.128, g = –0.25), relational antisocial behavior (p = 0.144, g = –0.30), and victimization (p = 0.097, g = –0.35) did not reach statistical significance, effect size analyses indicated small to medium decreases that may be practically meaningful.Conclusion: The interactive game‑based multimedia program effectively enhanced prosocial and communicative behaviors and produced meaningful reductions in antisocial tendencies. By extending Mayer’s cognitive theory into social‑emotional domains, this study provides both theoretical contributions and practical evidence for scalable, low‑cost interventions to promote social development in primary school settings.
Background: Mobile Internet addiction in adolescents has become a growing social and educational concern, associated with substantial personal, academic, and psychological risks. This study investigated the direct and indirect effects of self-regulation on mobile Internet addiction among high school students, with perceived social support serving as a mediating factor.Methods: A correlational design was employed, using Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) to analyze both direct and indirect relationships among the study variables. The target population included all high school students in Kerman City, Iran, during the 2024–2025 academic year, from which 1,021 participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected between early May and late June 2025 using three standardized instruments: the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ(, the Social Support Appraisals (SS-A) Scale, and the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS). Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed in SPSS V. 26, and structural modeling was conducted using LISREL V. 8.80.Results: Self-regulation had a significant positive effect on social support (β = 0.34, SE = 0.034, 95% CI [0.273, 0.407], p<0.001). In contrast, higher levels of social support were linked to lower levels of mobile Internet addiction (β = −0.23, SE = 0.109, 95% CI [−0.444, −0.016], p<0.001). Additionally, self-regulation had a significant direct negative effect on mobile Internet addiction (β = -0.23, SE = 0.153, 95% CI [-0.529, 0.069], p<0.001). Overall, the model demonstrated acceptable fit to the data (χ²/df = 3.78, RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.90, GFI = 0.97).Conclusion: The findings indicate that self-regulation mitigates mobile Internet addiction both directly and indirectly through enhanced perceived social support. Therefore, educational and counseling initiatives within schools should prioritize enhancing students’ self-regulation abilities and expanding their social support networks to effectively prevent mobile Internet addiction.
Background: Teaching health and self-care during childhood is essential for promoting long-term well-being. As digital education becomes more prevalent, interactive micro-videos have shown potential as an engaging tool to improve students’ health knowledge and literacy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of interactive micro-video–based instruction on elementary students’ knowledge, attitudes, and personal health skills.Methods: A quasi-experimental study employing a pre-test post-test design with a control group was carried out from September 2022 to January 2023 in a boys’ elementary school located in Tehran, Iran. Thirty-eight 6th grade students were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=19), receiving six sessions of personal health education via interactive micro-videos, or a control group (n=19), receiving conventional instruction. A researcher-developed 40-item questionnaire was validated through expert review (CVI = 0.85) and reliability testing (Cronbach’s α = 0.74–0.90). Data were analyzed using SPSS V.22, including descriptive statistics, independent and paired samples t-tests, and non-parametric alternatives (Mann–Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests) where appropriate.Results: Baseline comparisons showed no significant differences between groups in age or access to digital devices. Post-intervention analysis revealed significant improvements in the intervention group in knowledge and personal health skills (p<0.001), while changes in attitude were not statistically significant. Gain scores confirmed a strong effect of the micro-video intervention, particularly in knowledge acquisition.Conclusion: Interactive micro-video instruction significantly enhanced students’ health-related knowledge and skills. The integration of multimedia design principles offers a scalable and effective strategy for school-based health education, especially in contexts requiring flexible and engaging learning formats.
Background: Learning analytics includes collecting and analysing learners’ data to improve and personalize the learning process. In medical education, its potential value is significant because learning outcomes directly impact patient care. Whereas, research in this field remains scattered. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to map existing literature on the use of learning analytics in medical education, focusing on its definitions, applications, benefits, and challenges, to identify evidence gaps and guide future research and practice.Methods: Following the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework and guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist, a scoping review of publications addressing learning analytics in medical education was conducted. Relevant literature was identified through searches of international databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC). Searches used predefined keywords and were limited to English-language publications published between 2010 and 2024. Eligible studies included empirical and review articles within all academic levels in medical education context. Two reviewers independently screened and charted the data, and results were synthesized thematically across key domains.Results: Initially, a total of 2,056 articles were identified. During the first screening stage, studies were filtered based on the relevance of their titles and abstracts, resulting in 196 articles advancing to the second phase. After a thorough full-text review, 20 articles that met all inclusion criteria were finally selected for analysis. The extracted findings were categorized into four main themes: definitions, applications and advantages, disadvantages and challenges, and general information on learning analytics.Conclusion: Learning analytics offers considerable potential to enhance medical education through personalized learning, better decision-making, and improved outcomes for learners and patients. Yet, its adoption remains limited and fragmented, with challenges including ethical concerns, technical barriers, and the lack of standardized frameworks. Future research should develop standardized frameworks, address ethical and technical issues, and evaluate impacts on learner outcomes and patient care. Current evidence may be biased due to publication and language limitations; future research should include non-English sources and larger, more diverse datasets to enhance validity and generalizability.
Background: Cardiopulmonary arrest remains a major cause of mortality worldwide and is a critical concern in both developing and developed countries. Effective Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training is essential for improving survival outcomes. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Video-Based Training (VBT) and traditional Face-to-Face Training (FFT) in enhancing CPR knowledge and practical performance among undergraduate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) students.Methods: This quasi-experimental study included 86 EMS students enrolled in a mandatory CPR course at Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran, from September 2023 to January 2024. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either the VBT group or the FFT group using block randomization, with 43 students completing the study in each group. Both groups received identical educational content aligned with the American Heart Association (AHA) 2020 Guidelines, delivered through different modalities. Knowledge and practical skills were assessed using a validated, researcher-developed examination and checklist via the Direct Observation of Practical Skills (DOPS) as an approach to the assessment. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed through a test–retest procedure with correlation coefficient of 0.85, and assessments were conducted before and two weeks after the intervention. Data analysis was conducted in SPSS V.26 using Chi-square and t-tests, with a significance level of P<0.05.Results: The mean scores of pre-test did not differ significantly between the VBT (6.34±2.54) and FFT (6.41±2.17) groups (P=0.892), confirming baseline equivalence. However, post-test scores were significantly higher in the VBT group (74.51±8.19) compared to FFT group (64.74±9.94; P>0.001). Further analysis revealed no significant associations between post-test scores and demographic variables, including age (P=0.624), grade point average (P=0.930), or gender (P=0.085).Conclusion: The results indicate that VBT is an effective educational approach for teaching CPR, leading to significant improvements in both theoretical knowledge and practical performance among EMS students. Given its scalability, consistency, and learner-centered design, video-based instruction can serve as a viable alternative or complement to traditional face-to-face CPR education, especially in resource-limited or large-group settings.
Background: Motivation plays a critical role in student engagement and learning outcomes. However, limited research has compared the effects of tangible versus intangible rewards in game-based learning environments. This study aimed to investigate the comparative effects of tangible and intangible rewards on students’ motivation and engagement when using the Kahoot platform for mathematics education.Methods: This study utilized a quasi-experimental approach with pre-test and post-test assessments, conducted among 277 elementary students between September 2020 and June 2021. Using convenience sampling, participants were assigned to three groups: a control group (95 students), an experimental group using Kahoot with intangible rewards (90 students), and a second experimental group using Kahoot with both tangible and intangible rewards (92 students). The intervention was carried out over a six-week period. Content validity was confirmed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), with all items exceeding 0.80 and an overall agreement coefficient of 0.84. The reliability was verified with a test–retest correlation of 0.70.Results: The comparative analysis revealed that Kahoot-based learning was more effective than social network-based instruction. Furthermore, the group that received both tangible and intangible rewards demonstrated significantly greater learning gains compared to those who received only intangible rewards (p<0.05).Conclusion: The findings support the use of gamified platforms such as Kahoot to enhance mathematics learning, particularly when leaderboard-based reward strategies are employed. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of different reward types and their influence on sustaining student motivation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a discipline within computer science that utilizes large datasets to simulate human intelligence, thereby supporting healthcare professionals and students in achieving more effective training and treatment outcomes. This article examines the application of AI in the medical sciences, healthcare, and treatment across six sections, investigating both the achievements and limitations of AI. The growing integration of AI into medical sciences has led to notable progress in medical education, patient care, and clinical practice. Increasing students' practical skills, easier access to large amounts of data, faster diagnosis, personalized treatment, and smarter care are among the benefits of using AI, which justifies the increasing use of this technology. Today, the benefits of AI in medical education are widely acknowledged. One of the key advantages is making the learning process more understandable for learners from an academic perspective and being recognized as a major transformation in medical education. The use of AI has always been accompanied by challenges. However, despite these challenges, AI has a promising future in education and healthcare, provided that its implementation is guided by human-centered design, ethical oversight, and appropriate governance structures. This Perspective emphasizes the interconnected nature of AI use across medical education, clinical practice, and healthcare systems, and argues that AI should be positioned as a supportive rather than autonomous force in medicine. Its progress depends on stronger interdisciplinary collaboration between computer scientists and medical researchers to identify and address key challenges and to implement effective data-driven approaches to achieve this aim.
Background: Instructional approaches such as the flipped classroom have been shown to improve nursing education by promoting student engagement and learning outcomes. This review aimed to examine the flipped classroom application in Iranian nursing programs, focusing on strategies, outcomes (such as knowledge acquisition, critical thinking skills, self-directed learning, satisfaction levels, motivation, and academic performance), challenges, facilitators, and virtual adaptations during COVID-19.Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review assessed the flipped classroom's impact on Iranian nursing education. Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, SID, Magiran, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar for studies from 2012 to 2022. Studies were included if they involved Iranian undergraduate or postgraduate nursing students, utilized the flipped classroom as the primary intervention or exposure, reported quantifiable outcomes, and were published in English or Persian. Exclusions encompassed research from non-nursing fields, studies without a flipped classroom component, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, letters to the editor, editorials, case reports, pilot studies, preliminary reports, or short communications. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts, followed by full-text assessments; they then extracted data on study design, participant characteristics, intervention details, and results. Study quality was assessed using Kmet criteria, with scores ≥0.55 for inclusion.Results: The systematic search identified 845 articles, of which 12 met the inclusion criteria for analysis. The included studies comprised 588 undergraduate nursing students, with sample sizes ranging from 34 to 102. Ten studies were quasi-experimental, one was descriptive, and one was qualitative. Flipped classroom sessions lasted 45–120 minutes and were sometimes adapted to participants’ preferences. The studies reported diverse outcomes, including improvements in self-directed learning readiness, satisfaction, motivation, knowledge, critical thinking, learning approaches, and average course scores. Only two studies examined virtual flipped classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quality assessment indicated that all included studies met acceptable methodological standards.Conclusion: Flipped classrooms boost nursing education aspects like self-directed learning and critical thinking, though inconsistencies and limited postgraduate research exist. Broader implementation could improve student preparation and patient care.
Background: Pneumothorax is a common clinical condition characterized by the presence of air within the pleural space, occurring in about half of chest trauma cases. Its clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic cases to severe conditions causing hemodynamic instability or death. Deep learning models offer transformative potential for both clinical diagnosis and medical education through automated detection and interactive training tools. This study sought to evaluate deep learning models for detecting pneumothorax in Chest Radiographs (CXRs), assessing their diagnostic accuracy and potential to enhance medical education.Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2022 and September 2023 to assess the performance of four deep learning models for pneumothorax detection: Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN), Deep Labelling version 3 (DeepLabv3), You Only Look Once version 8 (YOLOv8), and the U-shaped CNN model (U-Net). The evaluation was conducted using 20,000 chest X-ray images sourced from three hospitals in Iran, along with three open source datasets, including PTX-498, PTX-227, and SIIM-ACR-Pneumothorax. Images were labeled by consensus from two radiologists and two traumatologists. Rather than applying a conventional percentage-based split, a tiered data strategy was applied: internal datasets for training and validation, and external datasets (CheXpert and NIH) for independent testing to verify generalizability. Each model was trained to detect pneumothorax by extracting features and performing segmentation. Performance was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, precision, recall, and F1-score. The outputs were analyzed for integration into virtual learning platforms to train medical students in diagnosing pneumothorax.Results: The YOLOv8 algorithm showed the best performance for detecting and localizing pneumothorax, achieving an F1 score of 0.68. The final model’s precision was 0.79, and a recall of 0.60, and it worked best on chest X-ray images with 1024x1024 resolution, particularly showing greater accuracy in identifying larger pneumothoraces.Conclusion: Integration of YOLOv8 into medical education has the potential to improve diagnostic training via interactive AI-based simulations. However, challenges remain in detecting smaller pneumothoraces, highlighting the need for further optimization.
Background: Social media plays an increasingly influential role in personal, academic, and professional experiences of medical students. This study explored Iranian students’ perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of social media and analyzed how these perceptions differed across demographic and educational characteristics.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among medical students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran, from October 2024 to February 2025. A proportional stratified random sampling method was applied across ten faculties, followed by simple random sampling within each faculty. Out of 362 distributed questionnaires, 312 were fully completed and returned. The study utilized a researcher-developed 10-item questionnaire rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with a midpoint value of three representing agreement. Content validity was confirmed by Content Validity Index (CVI) ranging from 0.90 to 1.00, with an acceptable level of reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.745). Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 24 using independent samples t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).Results: Among respondents, 65.7% were female and 74.7% were undergraduates. The most frequently reported positive aspects were increased political awareness (2.95±1.50) and opportunities to connect with specialists and professional needs (3.05±1.35). Negative aspects most often reported were disrupted sleep patterns (3.20±1.20) and academic delays (3.10±1.12). Single students consistently gave higher ratings across all questionnaire items, with significant differences observed in perceptions related to ethical issues in cyberspace (P=0.001), political awareness (P=0.011), awareness of new technologies (P=0.016), and professional networking (P=0.039). Comparing educational levels, the undergraduates, showed higher mean scores than postgraduate students, with significant differences for ethical issues (P=0.005), political awareness (P=0.009), technology awareness (P=0.002), and networking opportunities (P=0.002).Conclusion: Social media is a double-edged tool for medical students, supporting professional growth while also causing disruptions. Medical schools can maximize its benefits by promoting digital professionalism, responsible use, and strategies to prevent academic and health drawbacks.
Background: Learners perceived social support plays a pivotal role in enhancing engagement, satisfaction, and academic success in online learning. Despite its importance, there is a lack of culturally adapted and psychometrically validated tools for assessing social support among Iranian online learners. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) in online courses within the Iranian context.Methods: A total of 399 graduate students from five Iranian universities who enrolled in online courses between November 2023 and January 2024 took part in this transcultural adaptation and psychometric study through convenience sampling. The researchers used a 15-item self-report questionnaire, adapted from five previously validated tools, to assess two dimensions of social support: Emotional and Educational support. The questionnaire was initially translated following a standardized forward-backward translation method. Its psychometric characteristics, such as face validity, content validity, and construct validity, were examined, along with reliability tests measured by Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients.Results: The translated questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory linguistic and conceptual equivalence, with all item impact scores above 1.5. An expert review established that content validity was satisfactory (Content Validity Ratio (CVR) = 0.75; Content Validity Index (CVI) = 0.81), leading to the retention of all items. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed a clear two-factor structure, explaining 61.35% of the total variance. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the model, with fit indices indicating a good fit (χ²/df=2.98, RFI=0.91, NFI=0.93, CFI=0.95, TLI=0.94, IFI=0.95, RASEA=0.07). Reliability analysis showed high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients ranging from 0.87 to 0.92 for subscales, and 0.94 for the total scale.Conclusion: The Persian version of the SSQ demonstrated robust psychometric properties, confirming it as a reliable and valid tool for assessing social support in online learning environments among Iranian students. This tool can support educators and researchers in identifying students’ social support needs and designing interventions to enhance engagement, well-being, and academic outcomes.
Background: With the rise of online education during temporary school closures, elementary students face self-regulation challenges. This study aimed to culturally adapt and validate the Perceived Self-Regulation Skills Scale (P-SRSS) for Iranian students.Methods: This cross-sectional study, which involved transcultural adaptation and psychometric assessment, was carried out between November 2023 and August 2024 among fourth-grade elementary students in Bandar Abbas, Iran, who attended temporary online classes due to interruptions like power failures or air pollution. Using a multistage cluster sampling method, a total of 1,120 students from 20 public schools were selected. The P-SRSS was translated into Persian following the World Health Organization’s forward–backward translation protocol. Ten experts evaluated face and content validity. Construct validity was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with SPSS v24.0 and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with LISREL v8.80. Concurrent validity was assessed through correlations with the Gómez and colleagues’ self-regulation questionnaire. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, test–retest reliability, and the split-half method. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The findings confirmed that the P-SRSS demonstrated acceptable face and content validity (Content Validity Ratio (CVR) ranged from 0.80 to 1.00; Content Validity Index (CVI) ranged from 0.83 to 0.93). Concurrent validity was supported by a strong and significant correlation with the Gómez and colleagues’ self-regulation questionnaire (r=0.77, p<0.001). The EFA identified three factors—“Planning the Learning Process,” “Implementation of the Learning Plan,” and “Focusing on the Target and Learning Task”—explaining 64.44% of the total variance. The CFA indicated a good model fit. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.949), and test-retest reliability was also acceptable (r=0.811, p<0.0001).Conclusion: The Persian version of the P-SRSS is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating self-regulation in online learning among fourth-grade students, supporting research on engagement, learning outcomes, and related academic variables.
