Background: With the advent of online social networks, some new form of life was developed in a virtual environment and the relationship among people became different from its traditional form.Aims: The present study examines the status quo of the use of one of the most popular social networks in Iran, namely Instagram, and the typology of its users.Methodology: The data was collected using a questionnaire and almost 1000 Instagram users answered the questions. In order to understand the use of Instagram and the typology of its users, the theoretical concepts of "uses and gratifications", "transition from audience orientation to user orientation", "online identity", "networked individualism" and "cyberloafing" were examined.Findings: The daily use of social networks by users is an average of 139 min, of which approximately 104 min are dedicated to Instagram, and that there was a significant relationship between the use of Instagram and the age group, marital status, and social classes.Conclusion: Instagram users comprise a spectrum from passive consumer actors to active producer actors. Different user types based on the use motives are: instrumental/commercial users (consumer or passive and productive or active), interactive users (social communicator and relationship builder), information seeking users (wide scope information seeking and local scope information seeking), disclosing users (aesthetic and lifestyle), loafing users (tourists and celebrities) and specialty-oriented users.

Drought events have significant impact on ecosystems and the livelihoods of rural communities in Iran. So, the purpose of this study was the analysis and evaluation of dimensions of adaptive capacity (AC) against drought in Bajestan county, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. A questionnaire was used to collect data for social network analysis (SNA) and AC by the full network method. Then, a combined SNA-SEM model was developed to determine what was the social response of rangeland users in dealing with drought. In this study, the AC of rangeland users was compared in two groups of villages covered by the collaborative management or Carbon Sequestration Project (CSP) and uncovered by CSP. The results confirmed that the villages under CSP had higher levels of AC and social capital. Among five capitals, indicators of economic resources and information, skills and management were more effective on AC. Among the SNA indexes, effsize, constrain, indirects, density and betweenes centrality are more effective on AC of rangeland users. Results showed that identifying the key actors, who have the power and influence to determine the information flow and financial inflows in these components, can help increase the AC of rangeland users to mitigate effects of drought.

This review study aims to evaluate the integration of social networks in education and its impact on teaching and learning. While traditional learning management systems lack the advantages of social networks, such as peer interaction, social

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of in-service training courses in a government bank. This is a descriptive study which has employed a survey to complete the research process. Further, as to the objective of the study, this is an applied research. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Bank in-service training courses. The data were collected by questionnaires and analyzed based on the ROI model using one-sample t-test. Using a convenience sampling plan, 596 respondents completed the questionnaire. The results showed the participants’ relative satisfaction with the training courses. Some found the course content and presentation attractive and relevant to their job roles, and others stated that they are not satisfied enough with these courses. Still, another part of the results showed that there was not a significant change in the learning rate of the participants after the training courses, and their participation in the training courses did not result in a significant change in the learning rate. In addition, the results showed that despite the participants' criticisms about the courses and their relative satisfaction, they thought that these courses helped them solve some of their work problems and that the workflow in Bank was facilitated to some extent. In other words, the results indicated that these courses partially influenced the organization's work processes.

The present research investigated the efficacy of parent engagement in children's learning and achievement in the English language. It is emphasized that adult guidance in foreign language learning cannot necessarily play an influential role in children's zone of proximal development (ZPD). It seems that parents or adults should enjoy relative linguistic skills, while in Vygotsky's theory, there is ambiguity over some concepts such as adult guidance characteristics.The statistical society consisted of sixty Iranian children ranging from 9 to 10, divided randomly into three groups of experimental 1, experimental 2, and control. Children received face-to-face education while Telegram was used for their parents. The research results showed significantly more learning, skill training, parent involvement, and shared activities between children and parents in the experimental1 and experimental 2 groups compared to the control group. Moreover, a positive correlation is found between parent involvement and children's achievement in all three groups. The results also showed that parents' involvement and teaching involvement, and language skills had the most influence on parents' involvement. Furthermore, teaching engagement to parents had the most significant influence on children's activities. In addition, children's activities and language skill training had the most influence on their learning.

Every generation has its own special spirits and wants that are rooted in its historical and environmental conditions and are deeply affected by technology. Based on the theoretical approach of generations, new media in each historical period determine many of the cognitive dimensions in each generation. On this basis, media and its consumption have different functions such as notification, entertainment, identity building, narration, presenting ideologies, values, and beliefs; they can form generations epistemologically. Therefore, for each generation, media as lived experience is recognized as the agent of sociability, identity building, and knowledge of the world around. With this approach in mind, the present research analyzed the cultural and media consumptions in media generations in Tehran and through conducting a survey, investigated the consumption degree and motivation in media generations based on the existing social media and virtual environments. In this research, a multi-stage sampling method was used and the individual (the social media user) was the analysis unit. The research results showed that there was not a significant relationship between media generations and TV, watching satellite , the press and However, as the media generation age decreased, the degree of the use of radio and television, games, and movie websites, and servicing platforms increased. Yet, as the media generation age decreased, the use of more traditional media such as radio decreased. Moreover, in general, the longest time spent in a virtual environment was dedicated to the music and movie and educational websites respectively. Also, the results showed that almost all media generations used the virtual environment for receiving articles and studying online books to the same degree and there was no relationship between media generations and receiving articles and studying books.

:ناگژاو دیلک بو 0 ، هکبش یاه یعامتجا طخرب ، سیف ،کوب یریگدای ،نابز دروخزاب نلااسمه عاونا، ،دروخزاب جیاتن یریگدای . هدیکچ مهم زا یکی یشزومآ تاقیقحت رد حرطم تاعوضوم نیرت یسررب ت أ شزومآ رد نآ فلتخم عاونا و دروخزاب تاریث .تسا تاعلاطم هجیتن ناشن دوجوم ،دروخزاب شقن تیمها هدنهد هب زا یکی ناونع رصانع نیرتدنمتردق و یریگدای شزومآ ، یریگدای دنیارف رد تسا مهم زا یریگدای دنیارف رد لماعت ،لاح نیع رد . هکبش یاهدرکراک نیرت یاه یعامتجا تسا طخرب هک یم یهتنم دروخزاب هب دوش . خزاب شقن یسررب هعلاطم نیا فده رد نابز یریگدای رد نلااسمه درو هکبش طیحم تسا طخرب یعامتجا یاه هک نیا رما سیاقم قیرط زا ۀ هعلاطم دروم هورگ ود .تسا هتفرگ تروص )لرتنک و شیامزآ هورگ( رب دیکأت شور نیا رد ،دوب نلااسمه دروخزاب هب تبسن ناربراک کاردا دومنزاب هک تسا نیا زا یکاح جیاتن یتبثم تاساسحا هورگ ود ره تشاد نلااسمه دروخزاب اب طابترا رد ه .دنا ،نینچمه ناشن جیاتن ةدنهد دوجو تهابش توافت و اه نیب رادانعم یاه قیقحت هورگ ود ،تسا توافت هکنیا هلمج زا رد هدش دیلوت یاهدروخزاب نیب یساسا یاه و لکش ظاحل هب هورگ ود .دراد دوجو دادعت ود ره رد تسا هدش هئارا روفو هب یحلاصا دروخزاب ،هورگ ؛ ب نیگنایم ،دوجو نیا اب ه تسد هدمآ زا یشیامزآ هورگ ادودح ود نیگنایم ربارب )یروضح( ورردور هورگ .دوب ،تیاهن رد ،نیسحت( نلااسمه دروخزاب زا یفلتخم عاونا یحیضوت نیسحت و هورگ ود ره رد )یحلاصا .دیدرگ تبث یشیامزآ هورگ رد هدش دیلوت دروخزاب هچرگا ظاحل زا مک و ی .دوب لرتنک هورگ زا شیب یفیک

The present research analysed the challenges and effectiveness of using the SHAD social network in the COVID-19 era from the perspective of teachers, parents, and students of middle schools in Tehran. The sample size for the present qualitative research was based on theoretical saturation, and the data were collected through purposive judgements and snowball techniques. Thematic analysis was used to consider the qualitative data from 75 interviews. Eight themes were attained from 43 subcategories extracted from the verbal predicates; these themes related to the problems using SHAD, including lack of software and hardware infrastructures, user lack of familiarity with the new educational technology, lack of appropriate space for effective interaction, unconstructive interference in the education process and the impossibility of appropriate evaluation of operations, as well as psychological and behavioural disorders. According to the research findings, there were considerable differences between private and state schools in facing the problems and challenges. Participants believed that the quality of teaching in an online environment is lower than in face-to-face teaching, which they viewed as preferable. The degree of learning also decreased in the COVID-19 era, although both teachers and students spent more time and energy teaching and learning, and parents (notably) had considerably more involvement. In addition to using SHAD or the learning management system (LMS), all schools received help from social networks and were more satisfied with these external networks. However, teachers specified that student autonomy improved in the COVID-19 era, and the resulting environment was more suitable for introverted students, allowing them to be more involved. Finally, the research results indicate that creating a social network unique to education is not welcomed by the social network users, who preferred to use their favourite ones. This research supports e-learning practice by revealing that some widely-used social networks could become e-learning tools. In a few cases, due to the technical developments of these apps, these social networks have advantages over new e-learning systems. Solving technical problems is key to improving the performance e-learning systems, and teachers need to improve their ability in using online tools, while parents also need to be more involved in the learning process.

Today, technology has become an inseparable part of the youth's lives, leading to critical changes in the acculturation and education patterns. Therefore, education and especially eLearning specialists should put in the effort to use these instruments in learning and teaching adequately. The present research aimed to compare the experimental (using smartphones) and control (traditional face-to-face teaching) groups to learn TOEFL vocabulary words and their perceptions of TAM variables. The results showed that the experimental group learned significantly more than the control group and the experimental group's attitude to using mobile technology underwent a positive and significant change.

In accordance with media dependency theory, the greater people's dependence on the media, the more important its role in their social lives. The research sample included 65 Iranian university students, with in-depth interviews used to collect data. The results demonstrated that students spent excessive time on online social networks, especially at the time of social and political events. Students perceived that these networks had both advantages and disadvantages. They argued that their belief systems were changing and that they faced new experiences. Moreover, a discrepancy was identified between Iranian users and users in other parts of the world in terms of their preferred social network and its function: Telegram was the most popular social network and none of the participants mentioned the educational function of these sites.

Background: Self-determination theory, which deals with motivation and personality, comprises three factors of autonomy, competence and relatedness that can be influenced by the features and potentials of social networks. Objectives We aimed to investigate the influence of social networks on the three main factors of the self-determination theory in learners. Methods: The present case-control study with a pretest-posttest design was conducted among 40 Iranian Ph.D. students who lived in Schengen area countries. Students were randomly divided into control (n = 20) and experimental (n = 20) groups. Before and after holding training sessions through a social media (Facebook) and face to face (FTF) education, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the intrinsic motivation inventory were used for data collection. The intrinsic motivation inventory is a valid instrument that evaluates the three factors of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Results: the results indicated a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the three factors. The means of all the three variables improved significantly in the social network group as compared to the FTF group (P = 0.00). Although competence had improved in both groups, this improvement was greater in the social media group relative to the FTF group (P = 0.00). Conclusions: Social networks provide better learning experiences. They improve learning outcomes as they boost learners’ relatedness, competence and autonomy.

Feedback can have different forms and functions depending on its objectives as well as its provider: teacher feedback, student feedback, peer feedback, written feedback, oral feedback, etc. One of the most constructive forms of feedback may be peer feedback, since it involves group learning (Van Gennip, Segers and Tillema, 2010). According to Topping (1998, p. 250) peer feedback is “an agreement in which individuals consider the amount, level, value, worth, quality, or success of the products or outcomes of learning of peers of similar status.” Cunningham (1992) argues that the interaction and communication that result fromthe production of feedback get more important in online instructional courses than in face to face courses, because, in his view, nothing can bring about learning more than the dialogue among the community members. Hewitt (2000) and Tuzi (2004) also emphasize the importance of peer feedback in online environments and point out that in such environments peer feedback can influence the students’ outcomes more than in face-to-face environments because of the ease of communication as well as the absence of affective factors. Thus, researchers believe that deep learning can take place in online settings in which students give and receive feedback from one another in a calm, stress-free and individualized environment.What do we know about feedback from previous research?

Introduction Nowadays, one of the most important questions in teaching and learning involves increasing the degree of students’ engagement in learning. According to Astin’s Theory of Student engagement, the best learning environment is one in which it is possible to increase students’ engagement. The current study investigates the influences that using these networks for educational purposes may have on learners’ engagement, motivation, and learning. Results By a detailed comparison of a control group using face to face education and an experimental group using the social network Facebook, this study found significant differences between the two groups in terms of learning, engagement and motivation. The Facebook group showed higher outcomes in the TOEFL post-test than the face to face group with no differences in the pre-test. The Facebook group report significantly higher levels of engagement and motivation after the course than the face to face group. Conclusion Engagement was related to learning outcomes in the Facebook group, but not in the face to face group. Also the results of the Facebook group supported Astin’s theory (the fourth principle: ‘Development is proportional to quantity and quality of involvement’ and fifth principle ‘The effectiveness of any educational practice is directly related to the ability of that practice to increase student engagement’). No correlation between engagement and motivation was found. The discussion focuses on the role of engagement in learning.

Today, online social networks are at the centre of the world's attention. Their specifications and efficiency increase every day, however research shows that their scientific and educational functions are still limited. We believe online social networks have the potential to create new opportunities for success in learning. As frame of reference, we employed the Technology Acceptance Model, which focuses on satisfaction and usefulness. We used a questionnaire to investigate the attitudes of students (N=162) and teachers (N=70) towards online social networks in learning. After gathering information about their attitudes in terms of usefulness and satisfaction, we investigated their expectations for these networks in terms of their applicability to learning. Furthermore, we sought to discover whether or not the attitudes of teachers and students towards online social networks were different. Results showed that both participating groups expressed satisfaction with social networks, had confidence in the usefulness of these networks and held high expectations for their potential to enhance learning. Surprisingly, the expectations of teachers were higher than those of the students. Usefulness was the best predictor of expectations for learning. Age proved to be an important factor for teachers but not for students.

This article aims to explain differences between a group learning English on a Facebook page and a face-to-face group in terms of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SOT focuses on three main variables, which improve self-determination and motivation outside but also inside the classroom: autonomy, competence and relatedness. The main research question was: how can we explain differences between a face-to-face group (FTF) and a Facebook group learning a foreign language in terms of autonomy, competence and relatedness? The results indicate that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of learning outcomes as well as in the three SOT variables. Students in the Facebook group felt more autonomous, competent and related. All three SDT variables correlated with learning outcomes. There was, however, almost no relationship among the SDT variables with learning outcomes within the two groups. The strongest predictor of the difference in learning outcomes proved to be relatedness, followed by competence. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-determination theory is a general theory of human motivation and personality, emphasizing the dialectical relationships between growth-oriented human beings and social contexts that facilitate or impede people’s motivation to actualize their potentials. The three main factors that consist this theory are autonomy, competence, and relatedness improving self-determination in the classroom. According to the SDT, a sense of curiosity, interest, and inclination to change the environment or to influence it through developing relatedness is what an appropriate learning environment should be capable to meet. Moreover, you know one of the most important functions of social networks is their function of relatedness. The present study aimed at a comparative analysis of the two Facebook and face to face groups with regard to the relatedness variable of Self-determination theory and the influence of this variable on motivation. The results indicated that relatedness was capable of predicting motivation. Moreover, the results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of relatedness and motivation. The motivation means correlation from relatedness improved more in the group using social networks than in the face to face group.

Today, social networks are becoming ubiquitous in an increasing rate throughout the world; they particularly attract the younger generation, becoming an inseparable part of their daily lives. Among the various kinds of these networks (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flicker, Twitter, blogs, and del.ici.us) Facebook is the best known and the most popular network with the incredible number of 400 million users who spend a significant part of their day in Facebook. In fact, results of various studies indicate that on average, the rate of Facebook usage by the young university students exceeds one hour a day. It seems that given the high rate of its usage among university students and its unique features (email, bulletin boards, instant messaging, posting videos, pictures and personal information), the claim can be made that Facebook has a high potential for educational use, especially in higher education, and can be regarded as a big classroom with many facilities and equipments which let users publish notes, share information, communicate and, of course, learn. In fact, experts and teachers should regard social network as an opportunity in the higher education and try to make the best use its popularity as well as its rich and entertaining features in order to enhance their teaching, thus the need to further study and investigate this social network and all it has to offer to higher education. Given this need in today's fast growing educational world, and based on the Technology Acceptance Model, in this research we try to assess and investigate the possible potentials of the social networks for learning through analyzing students' and instructors' attitudes towards using the social networks for higher education.

Today, social networks are becoming rather popular throughout the world. Their multi-dimensional uses and specifications increase every day. However, research shows that their scientific and educational functions are still limited. We believe that social networks have the potential to create new contexts and opportunities that increase students’ motivation for learning. Specifically, we believe that this is the case for learning a foreign language (English), which leads to more efficient and more successful experiences with language learning, as well as more positive attitudes towards the efficiency of social networks for educational purposes. As a frame of reference, we rely on the Technology Acceptance Model (Azjen and Fishbein, 1980; Davis, 1989) which focuses on satisfaction, expectations and perceived usefulness of technology. We studied the expectation of social networks in learning languages, as well as on their perceived usefulness. Twenty Iranian PhD students were enrolled in an online English course via Facebook. Through a study composed of a set of questionnaires, we investigated students’ attitudes towards using social networks in learning languages The results indicated that there is a significant difference between participants' attitudes before and after the course. In the pre-course questionnaire, the majority of participants considered Facebook to be generally useful because through these networks, they can communicate and share knowledge. After the online course, however, most students stated that, Facebook has high potentials for being used as effective formal educational tools. Furthermore, the post –course questionnaires revealed that students’ positive attitudes towards the usefulness of social networks increased. In fact, by the end of the course, all participants agreed that using these networks for language learning can be effective and yield satisfactory linguistic outcomes. This study confirmed that every participant considered social networks to be highly effective and potential educational tools, especially for improving linguistic knowledge and performance in various online contexts and activities.