Assessing the Suitability and Prioritization of the Components of the media Literacy Competence Development Model for English Language Teachers

Considering the importance of media literacy and competency development in this field, the present research was conducted with the aim of assessing the suitability and prioritization of the components of the media literacy competency development model of English language teachers.

This study in terms of purpose was applied and in terms of implementation method was mixed (qualitative and quantitative). The research population in the qualitative part was the experts of Farhangian University and principals of the first and second period schools of Tabriz city, which based on the principle of theoretical saturation number of 15 people were selected as a sample. The research population in the quantitative part was English language teachers of the first and second period schools of Tabriz city, which based on Cochran's formula number of 384 people were selected as a sample. The research tool in the qualitative part was a semi-structured interview, which its data was coded in MAXQDA software, and in the quantitative part was a researcher-made questionnaire, which its data was analyzed by structural equation modeling and weighted matrix in SPSS and SmartPLS software.

The findings showed that the media literacy competency development of English language teachers has 50 sub components in 12 main components, including the media access, production and communication, technology development at the global level, media literacy promotion infrastructure, provision of educational equipment, management of students' entry into the virtual world, lack of possibilities of educational assistance, lack of acceptance of virtual media among teachers, critical thinking training, creating a learning environment and learners' participation in the educational structure, media literacy competency development, establishing educational justice and developing and updating teachers' skills. Also, all the main components had an average variance extracted higher than 0.50 and Cronbach's and combined reliability higher than 0.70, and the media literacy competency development model of English language teachers had a good fit and their effects on each other were significant (P<0.05). In addition, respectively the components of technology development at the global level, establishing educational justice, media literacy competency development, developing and updating teachers' skills, media access, production and communication, lack of acceptance of virtual media among teachers, management of students' entry into the virtual world, creating a learning environment and learners' participation in the educational structure, critical thinking training, media literacy promotion infrastructure, provision of educational equipment and lack of possibilities of educational assistance were of higher importance.

According to the identified components for the media literacy competency development and their prioritization can be taken an effective step to media literacy competency development of English language teachers.