From Virtual Challenge to Responsible attitude: The Role of Challenge-Based E-Learning in Strengthening Social Responsibility in Elementary Students

10.22055/edus.2026.52396.3907

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 28 September 2026

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Payame Noor University(PNU), Tehran, Iran.

2 Master of Arts in Curriculum Planning, Department of Educational Sciences, Payame Noor University(PNU), Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
The gap between virtual learning and responsible attitudes in the domain of social responsibility, especially in children, is a major challenge for the educational system. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of challenge-based e-learning in strengthening social responsibility among sixth-grade male students in Golpayegan City.This research was applied in terms of purpose and quantitative in terms of data collection, based on a quasi-experimental design (pretest-posttest with a control group). The statistical population consisted of sixth-grade male students in Golpayegan City during the academic year 2025–2026, from which 60 students (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling followed by purposive selection.The data collection tool was a researcher-made social responsibility questionnaire, whose content validity was confirmed by experts with a CVR above 0.8 for all items, and whose reliability was obtained as 0.95 using Cronbach's alpha. The experimental group received challenge-based e-learning for ten 45-minute sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance in SPSS-27. The results indicated that challenge-based e-learning significantly strengthened social responsibility and all its components in the experimental group compared to the control group (p< 0.001); the mean post-test scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group. The challenge-based approach in a virtual context, by simulating real situations requiring responsibility, can lead to the development of responsible attitudes among elementary students. In the absence of such an approach, traditional e-learning often leads to passivity.

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