BackgroundFostering a Sense of Classroom Community is considered to be associated with the reduction of student's dropout rate in an online environment. Many scales have been developed to measure sense of community in online and traditional learning, and Rovai's Classroom Community Scale has been widely used. This study was designed to examine the psychometric properties and the theoretical structure of the Classroom Community Scale.Materials and methodsA total of 215 postgraduate virtual students responded to the Classroom Community Scale. A measurement model was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis to determine the adequacy of goodness-of-fit to sample data.ResultsThe confirmatory factor analysis provided valid data that the Classroom Community Scale with a two-factor structure is a valid scale with adequate model fit. Connectedness and learning subscales were also valid and reliable. Overall, the results supported the high reliability, face and content validity of all items of the scale.ConclusionsThe 20 item Classroom Community Scale provides a valid and reliable scale to measure sense of community among postgraduate medical education students.

According to rapid growth of innovation in use of technologies in education and learning, blended learning has become an effective method in the student's education. The purpose of this study was to extract the factors related to effective blended learning and compare the viewpoints of students and instructors in this regard. Methods: Mixed method model was used in this study. A content analysis approach was employed in the qualitative phase of the study. Seven faculty members and eight master's students of medical sciences selected through purposive sampling participated in the qualitative phase. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. In the quantitative phase, appropriate and relevant items were designed based on the main concepts of theoretical and practical definitions that were extracted in the qualitative phase. Results: The results of the qualitative phase were 5 categories and 40 subcategories, including student's capabilities, teacher merits, technological aspects, pedagogic topics and supportive environment. Discussion: The results of the questionnaire analysis showed no significant difference in student capabilities and supportive environment between the viewpoints of students and faculty members while there were significant differences in other categories. Although new technologies have offered promising opportunities, they do not result in effective education. The results of the present study suggest that a major revision in student and instructor admission and provision of required technical facilities can promote the status of this type of education. On the other hand, instructor empowerment programs in this field can enhance the effectiveness of virtual education.

INTRODUCTION: Professionalism is an important measure of the efficacy of the medical education. Some studies showed that dominant values changed during clinical education, and some negative values might replace positive ones. In this regard, this study aimed to explore barrier to professionalism in clinical medical education. METHODS: This was a qualitative study conducted with the content analysis method. A total of 34 interviews with 23 participants were done. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-eight original codes were extracted from the research data, which were classified under the theme of “Academic Exhaustion” and the four following categories: “stressful environment, “human conflict,” “Poor Inter professional collaboration,” and “emotional exhaustion.” DISCUSSION: It can be admitted that having full knowledge of the factors influencing professionalism from the viewpoint of stakeholders can improve the environmental and organizational conditions to prevent professional misconduct.

The increasing growth of technology affects all aspects of life, including the system of education, and requires the implementation of a new education system. Since Electronic-learning (E-L) is a new and mutated form of education in Iran, its professional functions approach is different from that of traditional education. The present article aims to explain the concept and dimensions of professional functions in this field. Through a qualitative study, method and data source triangulation were used. To do so, the data sources were the professors, scholars, students, and graduates of this educational system in the field of medical sciences. To triangulate the methods, in-depth semi-structured interviews as well as focus groups, note-taking and reminders were used. The purposeful sampling consisted of 10 professors and scholars. Fifteen students and graduates participated in the four-session focus group discussions purposeful, and the sample consisted of 10 professors and scholars as well as seven students and graduates, and a total of 15 students and graduates were willing to participate in the focus group discussions. Inductive content analysis was used for the analysis of data. Three themes arose from the study as follows: E-learning prerequisites, E-Leaning enabling factors, and E-Learning obstacles. Each of the themes is explained along with the relevant categories and subcategories. Discovering the dimensions and elements affecting professional functions in the E-Lsystem of medical sciences, this study provided documented meanings and dimensions of this phenomenon beyond the conventional sense. These dimensions can have direct or indirect impacts on professional functions in this field.