Designing a Model for Information Literacy Education in Virtual Environments (A Case Study of SAMA Upper Secondary Schools in Tehran)
Keywords:
Information literacy, Information literacy education, Virtual environments, SAMA schools, Structural equation modelingAbstract
This study aims to design and validate a context-based model for information literacy education in virtual environments for SAMA upper secondary schools in Tehran. This applied study employed a mixed exploratory–explanatory (qualitative–quantitative) design. In the qualitative phase, documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 experts in education and information literacy, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis in MAXQDA. In the quantitative phase, an 81-item questionnaire derived from qualitative findings was administered to 243 students selected from SAMA upper secondary schools in Tehran using a descriptive–survey approach. Data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS, and the proposed model was validated through structural equation modeling. Structural equation modeling results indicated acceptable model fit, with all structural paths being statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The “support and evaluation” dimension showed the strongest effect on information literacy education (β = 0.90), while “social collaboration and participation” showed the weakest effect (β = 0.83). One-sample t-test results revealed that all dimensions except search strategies were significantly below the desired level in the current situation. The proposed model provides a valid and systematic framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating information literacy education in virtual learning environments and offers practical implications for curriculum development and educational policy in upper secondary schools.
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References
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