Iranian Journal of Learning and Memory

Abstract Objective: This study examined whether blended learning (BL) enhances creative thinking and academic self-regulation in pre-service mathematics teachers compared to traditional instruction. The aim was to provide evidence for updating teacher education with methods that develop these essential skills for future educators.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was implemented. Forty-five pre-service teachers were non-randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=22) receiving a 12-session BL course on Algebraic Structures, which integrated online modules with face-to-face collaboration, or a control group (n=23) receiving standard lecture-based instruction for identical content. Primary measures were the Welch & McDowall Creative Thinking Scale and the Bouffard Academic Self-Regulation Scale. Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used for analysis via SPSS-26, controlling for pre-test scores.

Results: The experimental group achieved substantially higher post-test scores in both creative thinking (P < .05, η² = .246) and academic self-regulation (P < .05, η² = .117) compared to the control group. A significant group × time interaction was observed for creative thinking (F = 12.04, P < .01, η² = .215) and academic self-regulation (F = 6.78, P < .05, η² = .133).

Conclusions: The findings indicated that a structured blended learning model is a more effective strategy than traditional methods for developing critical creative and self-regulatory skills in pre-service mathematics teachers, enhancing innovative thinking and metacognitive control, thus equipping educators for contemporary classroom demands.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the HOPS (Homework, Organization and Planning Skills) educational program on academic self-regulation of procrastinating students. Method: The method of the current research was semi-experimental including pretest and posttest designs with a control group. All female students of secondary education of Ardabil city in the academic year of 2025-2026 comprised the population of this research. 40 procrastinating students were recruited through randomized cluster sampling which were randomly assigned to experimental group (n=20) and control group (n=20). The participants of the experimental group, received 12 sessions of the HOPS educational program. The Bufford's Self-Regulation Questionnaire (1995) and Solomon and Ruth Bloom's Academic Procrastination Scale (1984) were taken to collect data. The data were analyzed using statistical method of covariance. The results demonstrated that the academic self-regulation of procrastinating students in posttests of the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group and the research hypothesis based on the effect of the HOPS educational program on academic self-regulation of procrastinating students was approved. Results: The results demonstrated that the academic self-regulation of procrastinating students in posttests of the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group and the research hypothesis based on the effectiveness of the HOPS educational program on academic self- regulation of procrastinating students was approved.
Conclusions: Thus, it can be concluded that the HOPS educational program is indeed effective on academic self-regulation of procrastinating students; therefore, applying this program in case of increasing student's academic self-regulation in schools is suggested.