Document Type : Qualitative Research Paper
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education & Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. (Corresponding Author)
2
Professorof Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education & Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Farhangian University, Sanandaj, Iran
4
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education & Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jsa.2025.144486.2609
Abstract
This study explores the rationale behind the decision-making process for selecting educational applications (apps) from the perspective of parents, teachers, and students. The research utilized a qualitative, exploratory approach based on van-Manen’s interpretive phenomenological research to extract the selection criteria from the lived experiences of these primary mediation groups in the Iranian context. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 47 participants, including parents (N=15), students (N=16), and teachers (N=16). Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis of lived experiences. Finding show that parents largely relied on user ratings and developer descriptions as their main source of information. They demonstrated a restricted understanding of learning, often associating it strictly with school curricula (e.g., math, language). They prioritized features related to safety (e.g., age-appropriate, adult permission for purchase) and privacy. The least valued feature for parents was personalization, a feature highly preferred by students. Students often had a more unlimited understanding of learning (e.g., exploration and problem-solving). Teachers emphasized features related to content quality (e.g., avoiding mere textbook review, content accuracy). They also highly valued open-ended design that allows users to create their own content, and the availability of real-time, personalized assessment or performance analysis. Criteria most frequently referred to by teachers were content, assessment, access, and reporting. The least valued features were interaction and cooperative learning. The findings reveal a gap in selection priorities: students and teachers prefer manipulable and constructive apps that offer open-ended and personalized structures, while parents favor instructive apps aligned with the school curriculum.
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