Journal of Research in Educational Systems

Abstract The aim of the study is to design Nexus curriculum model for the major group of humanities. For higher education, it is of great importance to understand how research can be integrated into the curriculum to enhance student learning and enhance capabilities. The curriculum can act as a bridge between the macro-level of decision-making and its micro-level. In the present study, a qualitative approach and a research synthesis method were used to explain the curriculum elements. The statistical population included upstream documents, books, articles, dissertations, and related theses. After content analysis and axial and selective coding of the data obtained from document review, the initial characteristics of the nexus curriculum elements were extracted and then interviews were conducted with relevant experts and professors, and their opinions were used to modify the proposed model,. For reliability, two evaluators recoded the findings. In order to confirm the reliability, In this model, 52 axial codes and 11 selective codes were identified. Such as accepting the temporary nature of knowledge, promoting a national research culture, selecting interdisciplinary contents, participatory and project-based teaching methods, student-based activities, employing research groups, critiquing or conducting real research, culminating research in final semesters, and the need for rich and supportive environment, were identified. In summary, it can be said that research enhances teaching by keeping the content up-to-date and engaging, and the research-teaching linkage curriculum enriches education by making research an integral part of learning.

Abstract The present study aimed to Presented and validate the Smart leadership model for school principals
This study was conducted using a qualitative-quantitative method, in which thematic analysis was used in the qualitative part and the survey in the quantitative part. First, 97 basic themes were identified using the inductive thematic analysis method from 40 scientific sources, based on the AtrideSterling perspective, which became the basis for the formation of the Smart leadership model Relying on the conceptual model approved by the experts as the basis for designing the research tool, it was implemented on a statistical sample of 314 school principals using a non-random sampling method of the available type. The data collection tool was a 97-item researcher-made questionnaire with appropriate content and construct validity, whose reliability was also confirmed by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.923. The research data were analyzed using Amos26 and SPSS26 software.
Based on thematic analysis, 3 global themes (semantic, argumentative, and insightful), 12 organizing themes, and 97 basic themes for Smart leadership of school principals were obtained, which became the basis for the formation of an Smart leadership model for school principals. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model had sufficient fit and the validity of the model was confirmed.
The school principals' Smart leadership scale had adequate validity in measuring and
fitting the model. This tool, due to its comprehensiveness, flexibility, ease of use, quality, and
appropriateness, has adequate capacity for use in future research.

Abstract Objective:. The aim of the present study was to examine the objectives of the global citizenship education curriculum and its validation in the Iranian elementary education system. It consisted of two qualitative and quantitative sections.
Methods: The qualitative section used qualitative content analysis as the research method. The statistical population consisted of experts in the fields of curriculum planning, social sciences, and philosophy of education at the universities of Urmia and Tabriz, using purposive sampling. Data were coded through interviews and thematic analysis method, collected and the data collection tool was interviews. The quantitative part, the research method used with a quantitative approach, survey method, the statistical population of managers, elementary education staff experts, educational group leaders, educational leaders, elementary school teachers in Urmia city in two districts, the sample size was determined to be 368 people based on the Kerchese and Morgan table. Data collection tool: A questionnaire was used to assess the validity of the data.
Results: The findings of the qualitative section showed that the objectives of the global citizenship education curriculum were composed of the following sub-themes of the curriculum objectives, the characteristics of the curriculum objectives, and the foundations of the curriculum objectives, and the validity of the contents of the global citizenship education curriculum objectives was above average.
Conclusion: According to the results, the themes obtained can be used as a framework in the curriculum planning process for global citizenship education in primary school.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of AI-based gamified assessment on students' self-directed learning and creative self-efficacy.
Method: The research method was a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test control group design. The statistical population included all Master's students in Educational Technology at Chabahar International University. A sample of 50 students was selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: experimental and control (25 students in the experimental group and 25 students in the control group). The data collection instruments included the Self-Directed Learning Questionnaire by Cheng et al. (2010) and the Creative Self-Efficacy Scale by Beghetto (2006).
Results: The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings of the research showed that AI-based gamified assessment has a significant effect on self-directed learning. Specifically, AI-based gamified assessment has a significant effect on learning motivation in planning and implementation, self-monitoring, and interpersonal communication. Furthermore, AI-based gamified assessment has a significant effect on creative self-efficacy.
Conclusions: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that students exposed to gamified assessment demonstrated greater autonomy in managing their learning process and exhibited higher confidence in applying creativity in educational situations. Given the positive impact of gamified assessment on self-directed learning and creative self-efficacy, it is suggested that students take advantage of gamified learning opportunities and actively participate in interactive educational activities. Utilizing these approaches can lead to the strengthening of self-regulatory skills, confidence in individual abilities, and the fostering of their creativity in solving educational problems.

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of undergraduate students regarding curriculum co-creation in Iranian higher education.
Method: A qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis based on the Braun and Clarke (2006) approach. The data were analyzed inductively, and themes were directly extracted from the semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling with maximum variation was carried out in four selected universities known for their history of educational innovation. The sampling process continued until conceptual saturation was reached, resulting in a total of 11 interviews with undergraduate students. To enhance the credibility of the findings, participant validation was employed, and data analysis was conducted using MAXQDA 2020 software.
Results: The results indicated that students' experiences included participation in curriculum design, content selection, assessment methods, and collaboration in educational decision-making. Additionally, the study identified the factors influencing the realization of co-creation, its benefits, and implementation challenges. Implementing this educational approach required revisiting traditional educational structures, shifting faculty roles toward facilitation, and empowering students to participate actively.
Conclusions: The findings showed that curriculum co-creation in Iranian higher education, as an innovative and transformative approach, plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of learning. Policy reforms—such as increasing flexibility in curriculum design and promoting a participatory educational culture—are essential. Curriculum co-creation, beyond content design, was influenced by teacher-student interactions, academic structures, and individual barriers, highlighting the importance of participatory approaches in curriculum development.

Abstract Objective: Overloaded curriculum is an emerging and complex phenomenon in the field of curriculum, which is considered a necessity for every educational system. Prevention of this issue requires a comprehensive investigation in terms of dimensions and characteristics; Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of identifying the dimensions and features of the Overloaded curriculum in the primary school.
Methods: The approach of qualitative research and its method was a systematic review based on the seven-step strategy of Wright et al (2007). The research community consisted of 71 studies that were collected from valid internal and external databases in the period of (2000-2023) and after quality assessment, 38 articles were selected and analyzed through coding.Results: The findings of the research showed that the overloaded curriculum has three dimensions: individual, organizational and educational. The individual dimension, including hoarding of content by subject experts, threatening the physical and mental health of students, job burnout of teachers, creating a dual status for principals and changing the role of teachers and parents; The educational dimension includes the excessive amount of goals, adding new content without reducing the previous content, multiple assignments and activities, time limit and multiple and time-consuming evaluations, and the organizational dimension including hasty decisions without research support, a tool look at the curriculum to achieve political goals and Social was the volume of curriculum documents and numerous plans and programs.
Conclusion: The results showed that the overloaded curriculum is a multidimensional phenomenon, the prevention of which requires attention to curriculum elements, stakeholders, and organizational decisions.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present a model for the development of educational managers' skills in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.
Research method: The research method of this article is applied research in terms of its purpose and in terms of data collection method, it is a type of qualitative research of thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the research is specialists and experts in the field of educational management, curriculum planning, and technology management in the country in 1403. Research sampling method is also an available method. The data collection tool is a semi-structured interview and the data analysis method is thematic analysis and three-stage coding.
Research findings: 44 indicators were extracted for the skills of educational managers in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. These indicators were divided into 8 components, which are: 1- Cognitive pre-skills, 2- Physical pre-skills, 3- Content skills, 4- Social skills, 5- Skills resource management, 6- system skills, 7- problem solving skills and technology skills. Also, 8 components were classified in three general dimensions or comprehensive concept. These three dimensions are 1- pre-skills, 2- basic skills and 3- functional skills.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this research, it was determined that educational centers should be able to develop the pre-skills and skills of educational managers in order to realize their efficiency and effectiveness in accordance with the era of the fourth industrial revolution.

Abstract Since the administration of affairs related to compiling, revising, changing and approving curricula in Iran's higher education follows a spectrum between a centralized approach and a semi-centralized approach, hence the activity of the educational systems, especially the higher education system, in line with The management of environmental crises is influenced by the policies and ideals of macro and upstream levels. Based on this, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the amount of attention paid to the goals and concepts of green education in digital documents that have an effect on higher education, using the qualitative method of document analysis. In this research, four long-term, medium-term and short-term upstream documents of the country were examined using content analysis. The results of the present research indicate that the concepts of green education have been paid attention to to a great extent in the hand-held documents, but the amount of attention to these matters is reduced at micro levels. In other words, attention to the ideals and goals of green education at operational levels becomes less. Therefore, the proposal of this research is to establish and establish an institution consisting of experts and experts in the field of green education in order to prepare and formulate operational strategies for the implementation of goals and policies in the field of green education.

Abstract Objective: Choosing managers in such a way that they can realize the missions and missions of educational systems is one of the serious and strategic issues and challenges of education. Therefore, it is necessary to know the effective and involved factors in the selection of school principals due to their meritorious selection and appointment. Therefore, the current research was conducted with the aim of identifying and prioritizing factors affecting the selection of school principals.
Methods: This research was a type of mixed research that was carried out in 1402 using the method of metacomposition and thematic analysis. In terms of purpose, it was applied-developmental and in terms of descriptive-survey method. In the first stage, by searching in various scientific databases, 357 primary sources were extracted in the period from 2000 to 2023, which were mentioned in the keywords of the research. Then, considering the desired criteria, the number of 34 articles and 7 experts were selected using the purposeful sampling method. The validity of the data was obtained by using the Kappa test of 79%. Next, selected sources were analyzed using the theme analysis technique and Max qda software.
Results: The findings show 93 basic themes, 78 organizing themes and 13 overarching themes (competencies, skills, leadership, indigenization, stakeholders, power, collaborative management, experience, professionalism, spirituality, organizational commitment, accountability, networking), as effective factors on the selection of school principals in Iran. In order to prioritize the factors in terms of their importance, using the opinions of 7 experts from Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and the General Department of Education of Khuzestan province, and using SPSS software (Friedman ranking), the mentioned factors were ranked.
Conclusion: The results showed that the factors of "networking", "core competency" and "stakeholders" have the highest degree of importance, respectively. So; Education planners and policymakers should pay special attention to three important factors in selecting and appointing school principals in addition to other factors.

Abstract Objective: Social skills are developed through exposure to social environments and a part of the education process that is implicit and unteachable (hidden curriculum) available to learners. This study aimed to represent the formation process of social skills in primary school students with the focus on hidden curriculum. Methods: Therefore, a semi-structured interview was conducted using a qualitative method based on the Foundation's data theory, using a targeted sampling of 15 elementary school teachers in Mahabad city, until the theoretical saturation of the data. Data analysis was also done by continuous comparison method, through open, central and selective coding in the form of 9 general categories and 23 sub-categories under Max Kyuda version 2020 software. The data pattern of the foundation in this study was depicted through the graphic model (outputs of Max Kyuda). Results: The final model in the form of contextual factors includes; family, school and peers, process factors including; interaction with the environment, skill learning, changing and modifying behavior and training methods and consequent factors; including desirable social skills and undesirable social skills were extracted and categorized based on the three elements of the Strauss and Corbin (2008) model. Conclusion: The results showed that social skills in students is a multi-dimensional process that requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted look at the educational system in the form of open curricula with an emphasis on the hidden curriculum and its functions (structure of educational centers, social atmosphere and family).

Abstract Objective: Paying attention to the social characteristics of students in the list of educational goals of the elementary school has always been taken into consideration during lesson design and planning, because the primary period, as a vital period, has a significant impact on the formal and implicit education of the social dimension of students in a cross-sectional and forward-looking manner. This study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the social characteristics of elementary school students from the perspective of teachers.
Methods: The current research was conducted with qualitative methodological approach and qualitative content analysis research method, the data collection tool was a semi-structured in-depth interview. The participants of the research were selected in a targeted way in the academic year of 2022-2023 from among the primary school teachers of different cities in Iran, and data saturation was achieved with the number of 14 teachers. The qualitative content analysis of the data was done with the help of software.
Results: The findings indicate the most important social characteristics of primary school students in six core codes and seventeen open codes, including the concept of others, understanding differences, responsibility, rights and duties, interactive skill and performance avoidance. The results show a decrease in the characteristics of responsibility, awareness of students' rights and interactive skills, and an increase in the characteristics of students' understanding of the concept of others, differences and performance aversion compared to the past.
Conclusion: The findings of the present research confirmed the attention to the dimensions of responsibility, rights and duties, interactive skills and performance aversion in the development of students' social characteristics. The changes created in different dimensions of students' social characteristics should change and modify curriculum elements including teaching method and grouping of students and as a result, reform the curriculum implemented by primary school teachers.

Abstract Objective: This research has investigated the position of cultural capital components in elementary school textbooks.
Metods: For this purpose, the method of content analysis has been used. The statistical population of the research included the content of all the textbooks of the second elementary school in the academic year 2023-24, including the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, and from this population, Persian books, social studies, and heavenly gifts were selected as samples. The research tool includes the content analysis list of cultural capital components according to Bourdieu's theory, which was prepared before this research, and its validity was recalculated through content validity and its reliability through Scott's method with 91.20%. Descriptive statistics and Shannon's entropy method were used to analyze the data.
Results: The findings show that among the components of cultural capital, which include objectified cultural capital, institutionalized cultural capital, and embodied cultural capital; Objectified cultural capital has the largest share with 1837 frequency and 54.25%, and the lowest is related to institutionalized cultural capital with 86 frequency and 2.53%. The embodied cultural capital also consists of 1463 abundance and 43.20%. Also, the lowest information load and the importance factor related to the institutionalized dimension are equal to 0.25 and 0.03, and the highest information load and the importance factor related to the embodied dimension are equal to 0.37 and 0.18.
Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that considering By allocating 33.73% of the content of the elementary course books to the components of cultural capital, the authors of the textbooks of this course have been able to use the capabilities of the textbooks to reflect the components of cultural capital.

Abstract 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.