Human Information Interaction

Mediating role of critical thinking in the relationship between mindfulness and online information-seeking behavior among students

Akbar Majidi

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether critical thinking mediates the relationship between mindfulness and online information-seeking behavior among high school students in Khorramabad.
Methods: The present study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the study included all male and female students of the second high school level in Khorramabad city in the academic year 2023-2024, totaling 11,000 people, of whom 386 were selected as samples by cluster random sampling. The research tools were the Ricketts Critical Thinking Questionnaire (2003), the Ryan and Brown Mindfulness Scale (2003), and the Karimi Information Seeking Behavior Questionnaire (2011), with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.75, 0.80, and 0.74, respectively. Due to the non-normal distribution of the data, non-parametric statistical tests were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics techniques and Spearman correlation test and structural equation modeling using SPSS version 22 and SmartPLS3 software.
Findings: The results of the Spearman correlation test showed that there is a significant relationship between mindfulness and critical thinking with students' online information seeking behavior. Structural equation modeling analysis using the Smart PLS method showed that all variables have high reliability. The composite reliability and Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the mean extracted variance for all variables are higher than 0.7, indicating that the current research instruments have a good fit. Mindfulness indirectly affects online information seeking behavior (through the role of critical thinking) and it is able to predict 91.3 percent of information seeking behavior. Therefore, the effect of mindfulness on students' online information seeking behavior through the mediating role of critical thinking was confirmed.
Conclusion: Mindfulness has an impact on students' information-seeking behavior through the mediating role of critical thinking. Accordingly, providing mindfulness exercises to students can provide the basis for strengthening critical thinking and improving students' information-seeking behavior.

Designing E-Government Development Indicators in Universities and Higher Education Institutions: A Localized and Practical Approach

Mohammad Hadi Zahedi

Purpose: This study aims to formulate a set of indigenous indicators that align with global standards while addressing the specific needs of Iran’s higher education sector and contributing to the improvement of electronic service quality in this domain.
Method: To achieve the study's objective, a multi-phase approach was employed. Initially, both process-based and general models of e-government were comprehensively reviewed and analyzed. General models were selected due to their breadth and flexibility in evaluating university services. Subsequently, eight general e-government models from the period 2022 to 2024 were examined, leading to the identification of the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) as the optimal framework. The 2024 EGDI report was structurally analyzed to extract its key indicators and adapt them to the local Iranian context. To ensure alignment with Iran’s governance requirements, a set of national policy documents was reviewed. This step ensured that the developed indicator framework was not only consistent with international standards but also compliant with Iran’s legal and regulatory needs.
Findings: The findings from this comparative analysis facilitated the selection of a model tailored to the local context and the specific requirements of higher education, thereby providing a suitable foundation for leveraging international experiences and innovative approaches in developing academic e-government. Based on the 2024 UN report and the analysis of Iran’s status within it, existing challenges and deficiencies were identified and used as the foundation for indicator design. Ultimately, leveraging the conceptual framework of the EGDI model and referencing national strategic documents, the final structure was developed, comprising four major indicators and 62 components.
Conclusion: The study resulted in the identification of a model that not only aligns with global standards but is also adaptable to the unique needs of Iran’s higher education sector. The proposed model enables precise and consistent evaluation of electronic services, portals, and platforms while being attuned to Iran's local conditions. Future research can focus on validating these indicators and expanding their application to other educational domains.

Comparing ChatGPT-4 and Gemini 2.5 Pro in Meeting the Information Needs of Doctoral Students at Kharazmi University

Ali Azimi

Purpose: This study aimed to compare ChatGPT-4 and Gemini 2.5 Pro in meeting the information needs of doctoral students in Persian. The focus was to examine how accurately, relevantly, clearly, practically, diversely, and effectively each model supports academic, specialized, and Persian-language information-seeking needs.
Method: The study used a mixed-methods approach. The participants included 36 doctoral students from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Kharazmi University during the 2024–2025 academic year, selected through purposive sampling. An initial questionnaire and a comparative questionnaire were used, and the students evaluated the relevant indicators after direct interaction with both models. In the qualitative phase, think-aloud protocols, semi-structured interviews, and observation of the interaction process using Morae software were employed. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, while qualitative data were analyzed through coding in MAXQDA.
Findings: The findings showed that the superiority of the two models does not follow a uniform pattern. ChatGPT-4 was rated significantly higher in overall performance, and users found it more effective in initiating searches, organizing interaction, formulating the initial problem, and enhancing information-seeking confidence. In contrast, Gemini 2.5 Pro showed significant superiority in the accuracy of scientific and specialized responses, the diversity of information, the coverage of different aspects of the topic, and the practical usefulness of responses. No significant difference was found between the two models in terms of comprehensibility. The qualitative findings also indicated that Gemini 2.5 Pro was more strongly associated with content depth, comprehensiveness, and support for research work, whereas ChatGPT-4 was mainly described in terms of conversational fluency, response organization, and user reassurance.
Conclusion: The results indicate that the two models are complementary tools. ChatGPT-4 is better suited to initiating searches and organizing users’ thinking, while Gemini 2.5 Pro is more useful for specialized, research-oriented questions. However, neither model can replace academic databases, expert judgment, or the researcher’s critical evaluation.

Synthesis research approach to the concept of critical information literacy

reza naserijahromi

Objective: This research was a synthesis research approach to the concept of critical information literacy.
Methodology: This research was a qualitative method using a five-stage interpretive-critical approach. The statistical population of this research focused on primary sources close to the field of the present study. The criterion for selecting the studies under study was alignment and coherence with the purpose, title, and variables of the present study. In this regard, the search for sources was carried out according to the research question and based on the knowledge gained from reviewing the theoretical background. The keywords entered in scientific search engines and databases such as Web of Science, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, Scopus were: synthesis research approach, media literacy, critical literacy, critical information literacy, and information news. After the collected data reached a saturation point and the need to select studies was no longer needed, the review and interpretation process began. The findings obtained from the analysis and synthesis of research reports related to critical information literacy were categorized into three main themes: "Scientometrics of Information Literacy", "Correlation of Information Literacy and Critical Thinking", and "Media Information Literacy".
Conclusion: In fact, a necessary knowledge, awareness, and skills with a standard framework of information and critical literacy can independently provide a suitable infrastructure and foundation for the interaction of information literacy and critical literacy, which will create a balance and interaction between the capacities and abilities of curiosity, creativity, and judgment in individuals.

The role of the Hexaco model of personality in the willingness to Collaborative Information-searching behavior of Shiraz University students

Mahdieh Mirzabeigi

Objective: Collaborative information-seeking behavior has become a hot topic among researchers, as it is essential to meet the complex and challenging information needs of people. This study aims to investigate the impact of six personality factors of the HEXACO model on the tendency of Shiraz University students towards collaborative information-seeking behavior.
Methods: The research tools included the Zares Questionnaire (2021) that its reliability was obtained from Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0.908) and The personality questionnaire of HEXACO di Veriza (2013) that it’s validity has been evaluated from the point of view of content, face, and criteria, and its reliability coefficient has been calculated above 0.7 for this research.
Results: The results showed that among the personality factors, the honesty-humility (H) factor (B=0.237) had the most significant positive effect on the tendency towards collaborative information-seeking behavior.
originality / value: Considering the existing research gap in the of identifying factors affecting collaborative information seeking behavior, identifying one of the important individual factors affecting this behavior can be considered an attempt to understand this scientific field. In addition, the results of this study will help all individuals, including researchers, professors, and managers, to take steps to strengthen and improve the honesty-humility dimension by recognizing and investing in it, in order to facilitate the movement towards collaborative information seeking behaviors. Also, laying the groundwork for improving the performance of collaborative information systems by considering psychological variables in the spaces governing collaborative information seeking is one of the important issues derived from this study.