Education Management
Saman Mohammadi; Tayyebe Hatami; fatemeh bagherabadi
Abstract
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the development of cloud-based accounting education and the academic performance of students. The method of design is quantitative and the type is descriptive - survey. In order to carry out this research, a questionnaire designed by Omar ...
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Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the development of cloud-based accounting education and the academic performance of students. The method of design is quantitative and the type is descriptive - survey. In order to carry out this research, a questionnaire designed by Omar Akbal Tofiq in 2022 was used to collect data. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by content validity using experts' opinions. The reliability of the constructs was assessed through three methods; Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability of each structure, and factor loadings of each item. The statistical population of this research is the students of accounting. For the distribution of the questionnaire according to the similarity of environmental conditions and facilities, universities of the west of Iran including Razi University of Kermanshah, Ilam, and Kurdistan were studied. 92 acceptable responses were received and analyzed from the questionnaire distributed by random sampling method. SMART PLS software has been used to analyze the data. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of adoption of cloud computing methods in the education of accounting courses and its effectiveness in education programs by the students of universities of Iran by applying the influence of external variables, i.e., human factors, economic and technological factors, and cultural and social factors on the development of cloud accounting education and academic performance of students. The results indicate that human, economic, and cultural factors have a significant positive effect on the development of cloud-based accounting education and student's academic performance.
Extended abstract
Introduction
Today, changes and evolution in information technology are constantly determining changes in the field of higher education worldwide. Effective integration of technology in higher education is increasing to provide qualitative education and preparation of students and teachers to face the 21st century and fully familiarity with evolving technologies (Suzianti & Paramadin, 2021; Yukefallah et al., 2021). This will reduce classroom constraints, and students have more opportunities to communicate with each other. E-learning can have an effective and significant impact on academic performance, achievement, and level of student satisfaction with traditional classroom education, which is one of the most appropriate strategies for optimal use of online (virtual) cloud computing education services. In 2020, the sudden outbreak of Covid-19 surprised people all over the world. During the Corona epidemic, 1.5 billion students in 188 countries had their schools closed. Many countries were forced to adopt online education to ensure continuity of learning when social distancing was unavoidable (McBurnie et al., 2020; Reimers & Scheicher, 2020). Hence, in this situation, virtual education is considered the main strategy for continuing the education of students and a way to prevent the spread of disease and the gap in education in universities and educational centers (Huang et al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the education of cloud accounting and its reflection on the academic performance of accounting students in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of this research arises from the fact that it can identify the factors affecting the development of cloud accounting education that promotes successful usage of online learning systems during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this research provides practical insights into the adoption and use of online learning systems in developing countries such as Iran.
Theoretical Framework
Since in recent years, the use of information and communication technologies has been widely used in organizations, departments, and universities and has presented a wide range of benefits for organizations, especially universities in the e-learning sector; identifying and prioritizing the factors affecting the creation and development of e-learning in universities is of great importance (Bahari & Moody, 2021). Several indices such as infrastructural factors (hardware, software), human, economic, and cultural factors are more effective in the creation, development, and application of this teaching method. Remote education is a new and successful educational method; in order to achieve its high goals, it is necessary to continue, time and improve access to computers and the internet in the whole of society, and also it is necessary that education with short-term planning strengthens the skills of teachers and students in using their programs and media that do not have problems such as unfamiliar with new software. Therefore, these skills improve students' educational performance. E-learning in comparison with traditional teaching has major advantages such as flexibility and elimination of unnecessary and costly movements to participate in training courses. E-learning is also independent of time and space variables (Sahbeigi & Nazari, 2012). The results of several studies (Devi, Ratnoo and Bajaj, 2022; Njugunna, 2021) show that the economic variables of students such as social class, place of residence, and occupation of parents affect their academic performance (Omer & Mohmood, 2018). Cultural and social factors are shared values, norms, and attitudes among people that constitute the beliefs of a society (Apsalone & Sumilo, 2015). Culture is one of the important factors that seem to influence the public acceptance of e-learning services in developing countries (Alajmi et al., 2017). According to Elizabeth brown and Hocutt (2017) cloud-based technologies and services such as Google Drive and Google Apps, which are used in the cloud-based collaborative environment, provide new opportunities for integration between shared platforms and student interaction, and students can interact with teachers and classmates (Huang et al., 2016).
Research method
This research is a descriptive type, and applicable in terms of purpose, and the type of data in this research for questions test is quantitative. In this research, an electronic questionnaire designed by Omar Akbal Tofiq in 2022 was used to collect data. To examine the theoretical model, a survey with two parts is used. The first part includes demographic questions about students, and the second part includes questions for measuring the structure of models. Each section of the structure is measured using a 5-point Likert scale. The statistical population of the study included all students of accounting. According to the establishment of similar conditions for access to students, understanding the research topic, and finally usable results of analysis, the information of universities of west part of the country including the Razi University of Kermanshah, Ilam, and Kurdistan, which are similar in terms of facilities and environmental conditions, were selected, and finally, after distributing the questionnaire (in person and internet) and using simple random sampling, 92 acceptable answers were collected and analyzed. Smart pls is used to analyze the data.
Conclusion
This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the development of cloud-based accounting education and the academic performance of students in Iran. According to the results, human factors; economic and technological factors; and cultural and social factors have positive effects on students' educational performance and the development of cloud-based accounting education. The findings of the research showed that integration of cloud computing technology in the educational environment provides new opportunities that improve teaching and learning, and help the students' self-learning and motivate them to learn by providing flexibility, Students during the learning process will interact with each other, leading to the exchange of knowledge, increasing participation, and improving the educational results, which is consistent with the findings of Musyaffi et. al. (2022). Skill problems and teachers' lack of conformity with online education and lack of familiarity with the virtual environment and its structure, difficulty in evaluating the quality of learning of learners, teachers' resistance to enter the age of technology and change of traditional evaluation methods and finally, increasing the teachers' working hours at the beginning of covid-19 pandemic was observed; therefore, accounting professors and students acquire the necessary skills to use educational tools, devices and systems, hardware and software by passing of time and the movement of education from traditional to online education, which is, as a result, necessary to acquire the skills to use Cloud space and equipment needed for both professors and students to use online teaching, which is in agreement with the results of Atanda Balogun et. al. (2023); Wagiran et. al. (2022); and Khan Al-Badi (2022). In this regard, according to the results of the study, it is suggested that university professors have received training for the use of educational technology and virtual learning methods that can improve the quality of virtual education. This training can include applicable methods for virtual learning, how to use instructional and communication tools, and virtual class management. Also, the production and presentation of high and diverse educational resources and content can help students gain the best results in virtual education programs. The selection of educational resources is also important due to students' needs and variety of educational methods. In addition, using new technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and gamification in virtual education programs can provide more attractive and useful methods for students.
Jafar Amiri
Abstract
Extended Abstract Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between teachers' professional development and academic performance with emphasis on the mediating role of link with students' school. The research method was descriptive-correlation. The statistical population of the ...
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Extended Abstract Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between teachers' professional development and academic performance with emphasis on the mediating role of link with students' school. The research method was descriptive-correlation. The statistical population of the study was teachers and high school male students in Shiraz. 250 teachers were selected based on Krejcie and Morgan table by simple random sampling method and 213 students were selected by cluster random sampling method as a statistical sample. In the present study, the Pham and Taylor (1999) Academic Performance Questionnaire, Ayubi Avaz et al. (2015) and the link with Rezaei Sharif et al. (2014) were used, the validity of which was confirmed by academic experts and their reliability also, through Cronbach's alpha coefficient test, 0.85, 0.89 and 0.79 were obtained and confirmed, respectively. In order to analyze the data, structural equation technique was applied using Lisrel statistical software and Spss26 statistical software. Quantitative findings of the research hypothesis test showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between teachers' professional development and students' academic performance linked with school. There is a positive and significant relationship between students' connection with school and their academic performance and the connection with school has played a mediating role in the relationship between teachers' professional development and students' academic performance. Introduction The progress of any country is inextricably linked with the development of its human resources. Although there is no precise agreement among experts on the word progress and its exact meaning, the development of a country is one of the main goals of politicians, which is not possible without the development of skilled manpower. Training of human resources is also formed in schools at first, so identifying the factors that improve students' academic performance is a priority (Sayadpour and Sayadpour, 2018) .Studies have shown that a weak link with the school is accompanied with low academic achievement, Absenteeism, dropouts, peer conflicts, and behavioral problems. On the other hand, high levels of school affiliation are associated with positive outcomes such as academic achievement, increased academic motivation, self-efficacy and high grades, and academic achievement (sheikholeslami and etal , 2018). Therefore, understanding the process of changes in connection with school, its causes and consequences can help researchers in school-based interventions. In other words, the importance of paying attention to the issue of school connection arises from the student's perception of school has important implications for their behavior in and out of school. It is worth noting, however, that the student's connection to the school is an important issue at all levels of education; this issue is very important in adolescence; so that over the past two decades, educators and school health professionals have increasingly emphasized that attachment to school is an important factor in reducing the risk of adolescents engaging in risky behaviors. Connection with school can be Defined as the level of students' satisfaction with being at school; relationship with the school as students' perception of school support that has a favorable atmosphere and a supportive culture (Waters and Cross, 2010). Considering the importance of professional development and connection with school in improving students' academic performance, recognizing the affective factors of it is one of the main necessities of our country's educational system. To this end, this study examines the question of whether there is a relationship between teachers' professional development and academic performance by emphasizing the mediating role of bonding with the school of high school male students? Case study In this study, all teachers and male high school students in Shiraz were engaged in employment and education; Has been examined as a case study. Theoretical framework Research on the relationship between professional development variables and academic performance has shown that there is a significant relationship between teachers' professional abilities and students' academic performance (Mohajeri and etal, 2012). In a qualitative study, the needs and methods of professional development of school principals were presented. These subjects included educational leadership, management and organizational leadership, ethical leadership, social participation and technology (Hayat and etal, 2015). Pourkarimi and Ramezanpour (1398) in a qualitative study showed that for the professional development of e-learning, faculty members should pay attention to the 5 main dimensions: knowledge development, skill development, ability development, attitude development and feature development (Pourkarimi and Ramezanpour, 2019). In another study, it was shown that there is a relationship between school connection and academic achievement as well as participation in extracurricular activities of students (Howard and Ziomek, 2009). In a meta-analysis, it was shown that there is a significant correlation between school connection and academic achievement and academic performance (Korpershoek and et. al, 2020). Methodology This research is of descriptive-correlation type. The study population includes all teachers (721 people) and male high school students in Shiraz (2726 people). To determine the sample size of the first part of the statistical population (teachers), Krejcie and Morgan table was used and 250 people were selected as a sample size, by simple random sampling. The sample size of students was done by cluster random sampling method. Based on this, three schools were randomly selected and one class was selected from each school, which includes the tenth to twelfth grade classes. A total of nine classrooms were selected with a student body of 213 students. To collect data, standard questionnaires of academic performance of Pham and Taylor (1999), professional development of Ayoubi Avaz et al. (2015) and link with Rezaei Sharif et al. (2014) are used. Discussion and Results After testing the measurement models, it is necessary to provide a structural model that shows the relationship between the latent variables of the research. All the research hypotheses had a good fit. Also, for investigating the mediating effect of the link with the school, the direct effect of the two structures with the indirect effect in the case of involving the variable of the link with the school should be examined in order for the mediator with the school connection to be considered acceptable when the effect incteases. In the present hypothesis, the power of the direct relationship between professional development and academic performance is (0.41). The indirect effect if there is a mediator variable of school connection is: (0.51) = (0.78) * (0.66) Due to the lower effect of direct path compared to indirect paths, therefore, the existence of the mediator variable of school connection increases the strength of the relationship and the mediating role of school link is confirmed in the present hypothesis. Conclusion The results of the first hypothesis of the research showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between teachers 'professional development and the connection with students' school. This hypothesis is explained in such a way that the professional development and increasing of the knowledge and skills of teachers is necessary for the success of efforts in the field of education improvement (Mohamadi and Hasani, 2019). Increasing teachers' ability to communicate with students can stimulate students' willingness to attend at school and prepare them to take lessons in the classroom (Kyndt and etal, 2016). These results are consistent with and supported by the findings of Jafary et al. (2017). Based on this, the first hypothesis of the research is also confirmed. The results of the second hypothesis of the research showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between students' connection with school and their academic performance. This hypothesis is explained in such a way that the performance and applying of the education is the most important criterion in measurement of the learners in the education process.Academic performance includes a set of academic behaviors that can be seen in two dimensions of academic achievement and academic regression in the field of knowledge acquisition (Kamaei and etal, 2020). The results of the third hypothesis of the research showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between teachers' professional development and students' academic performance. This hypothesis is explained by the fact that teachers' professional development is known as the cornerstone of all educational efforts. In order to make organized changes that ultimately lead to the increase of students' academic performance, all teachers must engage in effective, continuous, and appropriate professional development in the process of their working life as a career responsibility (Namdari and etal, 2017). Teachers cooperate and participate in the development of lesson plans, implementation and analysis of its results to improve students' learning and try to apply the necessary expertise in the optimal control of students' educational levels (Bakhtiari, 2016). These results are consistent with and supported by research findings (Mohajeri, et al., 2012; Korpershoek, et al., 2020). Accordingly, the third hypothesis of the research is confirmed. The results of the fourth hypothesis of the research showed that the connection with the school has a mediating role in the relationship between teachers' professional development and students' academic performance. This hypothesis is explained by the fact that teachers, in order to educate and expertise for focusing on their ability development, prepare the physical environment of the classroom according to the program they want to implement and use appropriate assessment strategies for students to improve academic conditions (Erfani and etal, 2016). These results are consistent with and supported by the findings of research (Picado and etal, 2017; Hayat. And etal.2015). Based on this, the fourth hypothesis of the research is confirmed.
