Journal of Research in Educational Systems

Abstract Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a Nexus-curricular model for the major group of humanities. Curriculum in higher education can act as a bridge between the macro-level of decision-making and the micro-level.E Method: 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 theses related to the period from 1995 to 2025. After content analysis and axial and selective coding of the data obtained from the 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, and the final model was presented. MAXQDA2020 software was used to analyze the content of the documents and interviews. Results: According to the findings from the content analysis of documents and interviews, in this model, 52 core codes and 11 optional codes were identified, including accepting the temporary and variable nature of knowledge, relating course content to new research findings, promoting a national research culture, etc., which indicated the characteristics and elements of the Nexus Curriculum. Conclusions: Reforms should be made in higher education curriculum to facilitate the practical use of Nexus curricula in higher education. Also, the most effective factor in designing and implementing Nexus curriculum was the university's support for professors and research students.

Abstract Objective: Universities drive innovation by nurturing talent and generating beneficial knowledge. In today's technological landscape, open innovation enhances competitive advantage through internal and external knowledge flows. This study addresses Iran's higher education challenges by designing a paradigmatic model of essential skills for advancing open innovation. Method: A qualitative grounded theory approach was employed. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 experts in open innovation and higher education, selected through purposive and snowball sampling until theoretical saturation. Validity was ensured through content validity assessment and member checking. Transcripts were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's (1990) systematic coding with MAXQDA 2022. Results: Findings identified two skill categories: hard skills (specialized knowledge, knowledge/project management, Reasearch and Development financial literacy, market awareness, technology) and soft skills (self-awareness, communication, negotiation, creativity, flexibility, risk-taking, critical thinking, networking, ambiguity tolerance). The paradigmatic model comprises 86 basic concepts and 30 axial components organized into three categories: conditions, interactions, and consequences. Conclusions: Advancing open innovation requires a multidimensional approach integrating both skill sets. Universities should implement targeted faculty training, foster innovation culture with risk-taking emphasis, expand industry-research collaborations, allocate dedicated resources, and revise promotion criteria to value innovation competencies alongside publications. This context-specific model provides a practical framework for transitioning Iranian universities toward entrepreneurial, ecosystem-oriented generations aligned with global higher education evolution.

Abstract Objective: The present study sought to assess the quality of paratextual features in the fourth-grade Persian language textbook and to determine how these features relate to the cognitive demands of reading-comprehension questions. Method: Using a descriptive–analytical content analysis design, the study applied the operational PMF-7 framework to examine seven paratextual dimensions: textual organization, reading guidance, image–text alignment, punctuation and tonal consistency, interactivity and questioning, multimedia integration, and cognitive load in relation to page layout. Eight lessons, selected to represent different sections of the textbook, constituted the analytical sample. All lessons were independently coded by two trained raters using a 28-item evaluation checklist. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, the Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient to explore associations between overall paratext quality and the average cognitive level of comprehension questions, Cohen’s kappa coefficient to verify interrater agreement, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to establish the internal consistency of the measurement dimensions. Results: The analysis yielded a mean overall paratext score of 37.25 out of a possible 56 (approximately 66.5%). The level of interrater agreement was robust (κ ≈ 0.79), and internal consistency indices for the paratextual dimensions were acceptable to high (α = 0.71–0.86). A statistically significant positive association was observed between the overall quality of paratextual design and the cognitive intensity of reading-comprehension questions. Dimension-specific examination indicated that clear structural organization and effective coordination between visual and verbal elements were most closely linked to the inclusion of higher-order, analytically oriented questions. In contrast, components related to reading guidance and multimedia use demonstrated weaker alignment with cognitive depth and appeared underdeveloped. Conclusions: These findings underscore the pedagogical value of strategically enhancing paratextual design. Specifically, the integration of structured pre-, during-, and post-reading supports, clearer instructional scaffolding for audio-based materials, and more rigorous technical editing has the potential to meaningfully strengthen the cognitive level of textbook questions and improve reading instruction. Future research is encouraged to examine the instructional impact of such redesigns through pilot intervention studies conducted in authentic classroom environments.

Abstract Objective: T This study aimed to design and validate a model of an ethical university in Iranian medical universities. Method: The research was applied and mixed-method. In the qualitative phase, data were collected using the grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) through semi-structured interviews with 26 experts in professional ethics, educational management, and higher education. Data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. The qualitative sample included managers and administrators from medical universities in Zanjan, Qazvin, Qom, Saveh, Arak, and Alborz, faculty members, Ministry of Health experts, and specialists in ethics and medical education. In the quantitative phase, a 30-item researcher-made questionnaire based on qualitative findings was developed and distributed among 384 managers, deputies, experts, faculty members, and researchers. Data were analyzed using SPSS, AMOS, and Smart PLS. Results: Second-order confirmatory factor analysis indicated satisfactory model fit: χ²/df = 2.081, RMSEA = 0.040, CFI = 0.948, GFI = 0.962, and TLI = 0.956. Key factors influencing the model included policies and structures, ethical education and research, ethical leadership, ethical artificial intelligence, ethical culture and behavior of actors, supervision, social responsibility, and ethical development. Thirty core indicators were identified, including a code of ethics, ethics committees, training courses, responsible research workshops, and ethical guidance for managers. Conclusions: An ethical university is a multidimensional and dynamic phenomenon that integrates policymaking, culture, education, and ethical technology. It can serve as a framework for enhancing organizational health and professional ethics in medical higher education in Iran.

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to examine differences in academic well-being, academic help-seeking, parent–child relationship, and emotional independence among elementary school students based on their mothers’ employment status (employed vs. stay-at-home) Method: This applied study adopted a causal-comparative design using a quantitative approach. The statistical population consisted of fourth- to sixth-grade students in District 7 of Tehran during the 2024–2025 academic year. A total of 312 students were selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using validated questionnaires measuring academic well-being (Tuominen-Soini et al., 2012), academic help-seeking) Ryan & Pintrich ,1997(,emotional independence (Steinberg & Silverberg, 1986), and parent–child relationship (Fine et al.,1983). Data analysis was conducted using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) in SPSS version 27. Results: The results indicated statistically significant differences (p < 0/05) between students with employed and stay-at-home mothers in emotional independence, parent–child relationship, academic satisfaction, and school engagement. Students with employed mothers demonstrated higher performance in academic dimensions, whereas students with stay-at-home mothers obtained higher scores in emotional independence and relational components. No significant differences were found between the two groups in overall academic well-being, school value, academic burnout, or academic help-seeking. Conclusions: The findings suggest that mothers’ employment status is associated with particular academic, emotional, and relational outcomes in elementary school students. These differences can be explained through the frameworks of socio-emotional development, autonomy, attachment theory, and ecological systems theory. These findings emphasize the importance of focusing on the quality of parent–child interactions and the mother’s role in children’s academic and emotional development.

Abstract Objective: The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (ai) in education, despite its vast potential to enhance teaching and learning, has introduced critical challenges to maintaining academic integrity. This study aimed to systematically identify ai-related challenges to academic honesty, explore influencing factors, and review educational interventions addressing these issues.
Method: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA model. The Scopus database was searched using keywords related to “artificial intelligence,” “academic dishonesty,” “formal education,” and “intervention.” Out of 322 initially identified studies, 33 empirical papers met the inclusion criteria after screening and full-text evaluation.
Results: The findings revealed five major categories of ai-related academic integrity challenges: (1) ambiguity policy, (2) weakness of tools and difficulty of detection, (3) excessive use of ai, (4) threats to educational fairness and trust, and (5) declining learning quality. Conversely, effective interventions reported by teachers and instructors encompassed assessment and task redesign, ethical and skill-based empowerment, responsible ai integration, enhancement of human interaction, detection strategies, policy clarification, and prevention and punishment.
Conclusions: The study concludes that safeguarding academic integrity in the age of ai requires redefining the teacher’s role, developing techno-ethical literacy, and establishing coherent institutional policies that balance innovation with ethical responsibility.

Abstract Objective: This research was conducted with the aim of understanding how twelfth grade students in Ilam province perceive their future careers.
Method: This qualitative research was based on thematic analysis strategy based on Clark and Brown's (2006) structured approach. Participants were invited for interviews using a purposive non-probability sampling method, and in this regard, 48 of them were interviewed in a semi-structured manner, based on the theoretical saturation principle.
Results: The students' conceptual model of their future career goals was structured by identifying 59 primary codes, 12 sub-codes, and 5 main themes, including the idea of increasing financial wealth, not building entrepreneurial capacity, drivers of unemployment, transitioning from business to knowledge acquisition, and consciously choosing a future career.
Conclusions: The results indicate that policymakers in the country's education system, while believing in the new preferences and attitudes of this generation, should take action to transform this system from the perspective of moving from theoretical knowledge to skill training, cultivating entrepreneurial thinking and ability, providing role models to families, and identifying and guiding potential interests and capacities.