Introducing a Model for the Methodological Development of Information Literacy Studies

The current research aims to examine the methodological frameworks employed in scholarly articles on information literacy. Based on these frameworks, it seeks to propose a new model for information literacy studies to contribute to methodological development.

In the present study, a mixed-method framework was used to achieve the results. The research population consisted of 682 Persian and English articles in the field of information literacy published between 1992 and 2023. Using theoretical sampling, articles with methodological originality were selected, while similar or redundant articles were excluded. Ultimately, 193 articles were chosen as the sample for analysis. First, through a categorization process, the studies in the field of information literacy were divided into three approaches: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed. Next, thematic analysis was used to identify the methodological frameworks of the selected articles, and their distinct methodological ideas and themes were extracted. Finally, a model for the methodological development of studies in this field was proposed, incorporating Roy Bhaskar's ideas and the concept classification method.

Based on the research's output model, the methodological frameworks were categorized into three levels: empirical knowledge, procedural knowledge, and perceptual knowledge. The level of empirical knowledge is considered the foundational level, encompassing basic methodologies. It generally includes methods used to gain an understanding of the general context of the subject under study, such as surveys, experimental methods, Delphi studies, and similar methodological frameworks. The level of procedural knowledge represents the intermediate level of information literacy research, primarily focusing on investigating the processes, steps, patterns, and procedures involved in acquiring information literacy. This level goes beyond empirical knowledge by examining the steps, stages, and processes, as well as how literacy is achieved. The level of perceptual knowledge is the third and highest level of information literacy research. At this level, the researchers aim to study contradictions, conflicts, and the dialectical interactions among actors in obtaining information, as well as the structures that limit access.

Research in the field of information literacy, considering the methods employed thus far and in light of the Bhaskar model, should ideally begin with empirical studies, proceed to procedural studies, and conclude with interrogative studies. The one-dimensional nature of research in this field, along with the failure to follow this sequence, often leads to fragmented outcomes and a lack of data enrichment throughout the process. This, in turn, diminishes the effectiveness and impact of the findings