Understanding Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research

The use of reliability and validity are common in quantitative research and now it is reconsidered in the qualitative research paradigm. Since reliability and validity are rooted in positivist perspective then they should be redefined for their use in a naturalistic approach. Like reliability and validity as used in quantitative research are providing springboard to examine what these two terms mean in the qualitative research paradigm, triangulation as used in quantitative research to test the reliability and validity can also illuminate some ways to test or maximize the validity and reliability of a qualitative study. Therefore, reliability, validity and triangulation, if they are relevant research concepts, particularly from a qualitative point of view, have to be redefined in order to reflect the multiple ways of establishing truth

A Feasibility Study of BBP for predicting shear capacity of FRP reinforced concrete beams without stirrups.

yesShear failure of concrete elements reinforced with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars is generally brittle, requiring accurate predictions to avoid it. In the last decade, a variety of artificial intelligence based approaches have been successfully applied to predict the shear capacity of FRP Reinforced Concrete (FRP-RC). In this paper, a new approach, namely, biogeography-based programming (BBP) is introduced for predicting the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams based on test results available in the literature. The performance of the BBP model is compared with several shear design equations, two previously developed artificial intelligence models and experimental results. It was found that the proposed model provides the most accurate results in calculating the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams among the considered shear capacity models. The proposed BBP model can also correctly predict the trend of different influencing variables on the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams

The Effect of Intellectual Capital on Knowledge Management with the Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment

Abstract: For many years, at the competitive examination, Yazd province students have the highest acceptance rate to enter university. The attention to knowledge management and its impact in the creation of an intangible capital type (but vital) called intellectual investment among employees and institutional managers responsible to educate are an indispensable necessity in the education department of Yazd province. In this regard, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of intellectual capital on knowledge management with the interceding role of organizational commitment in the General Office of Education in Yazd province, Iran. The results showed that intellectual capital affects knowledge management and intellectual capital is imperative for organizational commitment. Organizational commitment influences knowledge management. Organizational commitment has a significant positive mediation effect in the influencing of intellectual capital on knowledge management.Key Words: intellectual capital, knowledge management, organizational commitment, knowledge creation, knowledge sharingAbstrak: Bertahun-tahun, pada ujian kompetitif, siswa provinsi Yazd memiliki tingkat penerimaan tertinggi untuk masuk ke universitas. Perhatian terhadap manajemen pengetahuan dan dampaknya dalam penciptaan modal tidak berwujud (tetapi vital) yang disebut investasi intelektual di antara karyawan dan manajer institusional yang bertanggung jawab untuk mendidik adalah kebutuhan yang sangat diperlukan di departemen pendidikan provinsi Yazd. Penelitian dilakukan dengan tujuan menyelidiki efek modal intelektual pada manajemen pengetahuan dengan peran menjadi perantara komitmen organisasi di Departemen Pendidikan provinsi Yazd, Iran. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa modal intelektual mempengaruhi manajemen pengetahuan dan modal intelektual sangat penting untuk komitmen organisasi. Komitmen organisasi mempengaruhi manajemen pengetahuan. Komitmen organisasi memiliki efek mediasi positif yang signifikan dalam mempengaruhi modal intelektual pada manajemen pengetahuan.Kata kunci: modal intelektual, manajemen pengetahuan, komitmen organisasi, penciptaan pengetahuan, penyebaran pengetahua

Studying the Impact of Mulch Materials on the Physio-Morphological Characteristics of Nitraria schoberi L.

Iran has lots of arid areas which the annual precipitation is low. Therefore, establishment of plants is hard. Therefore, at present study, the effectiveness of biological hydrogel (biological mulch or b), PLANTBAC vegetation layer (Pb), sand (sa), and barley straw (st) with rain harvesting techniques in micro-catchment scale (inter-row system) on plant characteristics of Nitrariaschoberi including establishment rate, fresh and dry biomass, etc. was tested. According to the results, plant height was significantly higher in the sand treatment than in other treatments. The dry yield of aerial parts indicated that all treatments showed a significant difference from the control. Leaf dry and fresh weight showed that both PLANTBAC treatment and sand were significantly more than the control. Root fresh and dry weight was significantly higher than the control on all four mulch treatments. According to the results, there is no significant difference between the environment (non-micro-catchment and micro-catchment) and the different treatments, so, we can propose each treatment by considering its price for the region. it can be concluded that some treatments had more effect on plant traits than the others, because of better absorbing adequate moisture and preparing nutrients for plants. Hence, they can be proposed for the region. Thus, concerning the effectiveness of present mulches on a variety of plant properties, the price of each, availability, and condition of the area, they can be used to establish plants in desert areas and restore these areas by controlling dust and dunes movement, soil erosion, etc

The Development of a Content Analysis Model for Assessing Students’ Cognitive Learning in Asynchronous Online Discussions

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a content analysis model for assessing students\u27 cognitive learning in asynchronous online discussions. It adopted a fully mixed methods design, in which qualitative and quantitative methods were employed sequentially for data analysis and interpretation. Specifically, the design was a sequential exploratory (QUAL→ quan) design with priority given to qualitative data and methods. Qualitative data were 800 online postings collected in two online courses. Quantitative data were 803 online postings from the same two courses but from different discussion topics and different weeks. During the qualitative process, a grounded theory approach was adopted to construct a content analysis model based on qualitative data. During the quantitative process, chi-square tests and confirmative factor analysis (CFA) which used online postings as cases or observations and was the first of its kind were performed to test if the new model fit the quantitative data

IDENTIFYING AND RANKING FACTORS AFFECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MONETARY AND BANKING POLICIES (CASE IN IRAN)

This paper seeks to identify the factors affecting the implementation of monetary and banking policies. In this paper, at first, according to the theoretical bases of research and taking the experts’ opinion in the field of policy making and money and bank experts, by using exploratory interviews method as well as Quivy and Campenhoudt (1988) scientific research approach, 36 effective indicators in the form of 7 factors were identified and extracted. Then, based on the identified indicators, a questionnaire with 42 questions was prepared and 176-individual sample size selected from the statistical population including the experts in the field of money and bank and policy making was asked to comment about the effectiveness of each one of the indicators on the implementation of monetary and banking policies in Iran. Finally, the results of Friedman's ranking test by using SPSS statistical software showed that the factors; Implementers’ skills and behavioral characteristics, Policy determination and goal setting and Ability of policy makers had the most effect on the implementation of monetary and banking policies