Journal of Research in Educational Systems

Abstract Purpose: The present study aims to examine the effect of using cognitive metaphors in the teaching process and its role in enhancing students’ comprehension of educational concepts. This was carried out through a systematic review method and a narrative approach based on Silva’s framework. Method: This study employed a systematic and narrative review method. Data were collected through a targeted search in databases including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Noor Magazines, using keywords related to cognitive metaphors in education. The population consisted of articles published between 2015 and 2023. After a multi-stage screening process involving the removal of irrelevant and duplicate articles, 22 selected articles aligned with the study objectives were chosen. Qualitative content analysis based on a thematic approach was conducted to extract main themes, and the articles were categorized into six thematic axes: the role of cognitive metaphors in learning, the impact of cultural context, purposeful design of metaphors, connection with digital literacy, application in computational concepts, and strengthening creative thinking. Findings: The results of the analysis showed that the purposeful, creative, and content-appropriate use of cognitive metaphors can have a significant impact on facilitating the understanding of complex concepts, increasing learning motivation, and deepening students’ cognitive engagement. Conclusion: Accordingly, metaphor-based instructional design and empowering teachers to utilize it can be considered an effective step toward improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Abstract Objective: Despite the substantial empirical evidence supporting the benefits of classroom storytelling, this method has not received sufficient attention in schools. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify the barriers and strategies for fostering storytelling in Iranian primary schools.
Method: Philosophically grounded in the interpretivist paradigm, this research employed a qualitative approach with conventional content analysis as its strategy. The study was conducted in primary schools in Sanandaj City in the academic year 2024-25, with 11 primary school teachers selected as participants through purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. The textual data were analyzed through coding and categorization, and the credibility of the analyses was ensured using analyst triangulation.
Results: Findings revealed 52 barriers to the development of storytelling, categorized into 12 components across 4 dimensions: individual, cultural, organizational, and educational. Additionally, 34 strategies for promoting storytelling in schools were identified and classified into 9 categories: storytelling schools, narrative pedagogy, storytelling education systems, storytelling students, festivals and events, storytelling-friendly communities, storytelling and technology integration, storytelling workshops, and therapeutic storytelling.
Conclusions: According to research findings, implementing strategies such as teacher professional development, re-designing education policy, creating supportive structural and cultural settings, institutionalizing narrative approach in curricula, and developing the culture of storytelling can guide the education system towards reaping benefits from the cognitive, affective, linguistic, and social advantages of storytelling.

Abstract The aim of the current research was to present a structural-interpretive model in order to promote the professional job presage of teachers. The research method was descriptive-survey for modeling. The statistical population of the present study were 31 experts of academic members. the factors affecting the credibility of the teaching profession were extracted and based on the opinion of experts, 9 factors were identified as the final factors, then in order to determine the cause and effect of the factors, they were extracted from a researcher-made questionnaire that The basis of interpretative structural modeling was designed and used. In order to analyze the interpretive structural modeling approach and provide a model of factors affecting the job presage of the teaching profession, interpretive structural modeling technique and Micmac software were used. The findings of the research showed that among these nine identified factors, two factors of salary and job benefits and the social position of the teaching profession in the society were placed as the most basic factors in the third level of the model. Also, the organizational credibility and acceptability and socio-cultural activism of teachers in the society were placed on the second level as two other infrastructure factors, which are based on four factors: the level of specialization of the teaching profession, the level of social trust of citizens towards the teacher, the image and prestige of the job. Teaching, participation in policy-making and formulation of educational programs, facilities and opportunities for professional growth and promotion have an impact.

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