Literacy Research Research Articles

Biological literacy skills of senior high school student using local potential-based biodiversity question sets

One of the efforts to improve the quality of education in Indonesia is through learning by integrating environmental culture. Environmental culture can be packaged in more meaningful learning through biological literacy. This study aims to assess the biological literacy skills of high school students using local potential-based biodiversity question sets. This study includes research with quantitative descriptive methods that aim to describe the biological literacy skills of high school tenth grade students. Biological literacy research data consists of 4 indicators, namely nominal, conceptual, multidimensional and functional. The number of participants was 60 high school students. The initial stage used expert judgment for content validation which was tested by 3 expert validators. Construct validation was carried out based on data collection with the results of 12 question sets that were declared valid. Data analysis of the percentage of students who answered correctly on biological literacy indicators were all at a high level, namely on nominal indicators of 69.37%, conceptual indicators of 70%, functional indicators of 66.87%, and multidimensional indicators of 70%. It is concluded that the local wisdom-based biodiversity question set can be used to measure students' biological literacy skills in schools.

Bringing the Ocean to the Stage: Performing Coastal Values and Marine Management

Recent years have witnessed a seemingly constant call for improved understanding of human–ocean relationships, resulting in a “boom” of marine social science research, sometimes framed through the lens of ocean literacy. Defined as having an understanding of your influence on the ocean, and its influence on you, ocean literacy has gained traction in recent years as a way of better understanding the complexities of human–ocean relationships. However, despite this interest in the human dimensions of the ocean, coasts and seas, and a corresponding increase in broader marine social sciences research, qualitative and arts‐based research approaches continue to remain on the periphery of ocean research. This article explores the role of two ocean research “outliers,” intersecting arts‐based practice and marine social sciences through the lens of interconnected performances designed to explore the diverse values held by communities about their marine and coastal environment. Undertaken as part of the Diverse Marine Values project, the performances brought together ocean scientists, coastal and marine managers, and community members to create original performance pieces in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, and Portsmouth, England. Drawing heavily on applied theatre practice and scholarship, these distinct but interrelated performances utilised elements of forum theatre, devised theatre, and storytelling to address marine issues important to each respective community, with a view to understanding and fostering ocean literacy. In each location, the performance work illustrated ways in which theatre can serve as not only a tool for science communication, but also a research method to explore a range of ocean literacy dimensions. The performances helped the research team, comprised jointly of specialist theatre practitioners and experts in ocean literacy, coastal management, and plastics pollution to reshape data collection and stakeholder engagement. This collaborative theatre‐making process led to deeper conversations and embedded engagement within each coastal community. It also led to a fundamental reshaping of the questions and approaches that the marine managers and scientists asked of the communities in question. The article presents a discussion of the challenges of bridging these related, but often distant, disciplines, and highlights the role of arts‐based research practice in broader ocean literacy research and discourse.

THE GLOBAL RESEARCH TRENDS ON THE EARLY LITERACY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

This study examines global trends in early literacy articles published in the Web of Science (WoS) database. Using a descriptive survey model and bibliometric analysis, 2879 articles from 1985 to 2023 were analyzed. According to the results, the number of articles and citations has increased significantly since 2005. The Journal of Early Childhood Literacy is the most prolific journal in this field. Most studies originate from developed countries, notably the USA, Canada, and Australia, with English being the predominant language. Key contributing institutions include the State University System of Florida and Florida State University. The author Justice, L.M., is a leading contributor with 42 articles. The most cited article, by Sénéchal & LeFevre, at 2002 has 1044 citations. The 'Education & Educational Research' category leads with 1751 articles, covering topics like education, psychology, and language and linguistics. Literacy, emergent literacy, phonological awareness, reading are the prominent keywords and recent trends include topics such as literacy environments and dual language learners. Researchers from the USA, Canada, and Australia are prominent in collaborative efforts. This study analyzes global trends and key contributors in early literacy research, providing valuable insights for researchers and decision-makers about future directions and research gaps in the field.

Human-ocean relationships: Exploring alignment and collaboration between ocean literacy research and marine conservation

In recent years, global attention on marine conservation and sustainability has surged. Understanding the relationship between society and the ocean is crucial for achieving conservation targets, ocean sustainability, and community well-being. Toward these ends, the UN Ocean Decade recognizes ocean literacy as a transformative mechanism to reshape society-ocean relationships. Ocean literacy seeks to empower global communities to better understand, value, and care for the ocean in ways that support, restore, and ensure ocean-human health and well-being. By extension, ocean literacy research is an emergent transdisciplinary field of inquiry that explores diverse dimensions, drivers, and impacts of human-ocean relationships. It considers these relations across different socio-cultural, economic, political, and geographic contexts and perspectives. In this article, we position ocean literacy research and the wider concept of ocean literacy as a framework for exploring the relational aspects of marine conservation to inform effective policy and conservation. We begin by situating ocean literacy and ocean literacy dimensions, research priorities, and community alongside broader ocean conservation efforts. We next share insights gleaned from the third edition of the Ocean Literacy Dialogues series, led by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition and the Marine Social Sciences Network, with support from IOC-UNESCO, held during the fifth International Marine Protected Area Congress (IMPAC5) in Vancouver, in early 2023. Through a series of participatory sessions, we explored the application of ocean literacy research in supporting future marine conservation and management. Drawing on insights co-developed through this process, we outline potential agenda alignment between IMPAC5 marine conservation themes and co-identified ocean literacy research priority areas. We lastly speak to the importance of ongoing collaborative initiatives like the Ocean Literacy Dialogues series to foster global collaborations, dialogue, and capacity sharing to advance ocean literacy, marine conservation, and policy efforts.

Book Review: Transforming University-Based Teacher Education through Innovation: A Norwegian Response to Research Literacy, Integration and Technolog by Ida K. Riksaasen Hatlevik, Rachel Jakhelln and Doris Jorde

Book Review: <i>Transforming University-Based Teacher Education through Innovation: A Norwegian Response to Research Literacy, Integration and Technolog</i> by Ida K. Riksaasen Hatlevik, Rachel Jakhelln and Doris Jorde

Research Literacy Assessment Instruments in Social Sciences and Education: A Scoping Review

Educational research plays a crucial role in the advancement of knowledge in the teaching profession. In fact, raising the quality standards in education necessitates teachers’ engagement in different levels and dimensions of research. To this end, improving teachers' research literacy is an essential first step, which also entails assessing the current state of teachers' research literacy using reliable and valid instruments. The present study provides a comprehensive review of the available instruments for assessing teachers’ research literacy, along with a description of the characteristics of the reviewed instruments. It also presents a review of the results of using these instruments in measuring the research literacy of various populations. Based on the findings, teachers’ research literacy is below the expected average level, reflecting the need for a change in policies and planning to improve it. Moreover, the results of this scoping review indicated that the instruments developed for measuring research literacy reflected the expectations of just the instructional context in which they have been developed and may not reflect the full dimensions of research literacy. Furthermore, the developed instruments each came with its own strengths and weaknesses in assessing teachers' research skills. Therefore, it is suggested that research literacy instruments should be selected based on the research skills expected from teachers in their institutional contexts and with full awareness of their limitations. To enhance the strengths and minimize the weaknesses, it is suggested that different sections from the current research literacy assessment instruments should be combined selectively to assess teachers’ research abilities.

"I Have Come Because I See You Care About Me": Recruiting Older Black Americans for Genomic Research.

The lack of diversity in genomic studies is a disparity that influences our understanding of human genomic variation and threatens equity in the benefits of precision medicine. Given our current genomic research with Black older adults, we conducted a qualitative study to elucidate participants' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about genomic research and research participation and what factors contribute to their willingness to participate and to gain insights into barriers that researchers may have in recruiting Black Americans. We conducted semistructured interviews (N=16) with previous genomic research participants, and an inductive thematic approach was used to code and interpret the data. The mean age was 70, 82% reported <$15,000 annual income, and 100% participated in genomic research. The results note that genomic research is poorly understood despite participation in prior genomic studies, and cultural beliefs about health and managing health impact an individual's research participation. Although not all participants identified with historical distrust, those who did report health system distrust also contributed distrust in research. Relationship building facilitates research participation, especially when perceived as personally relevant and meaningful. Participant incentives and convenience to engage in the study are less important if the personal benefits or relevance of the research are clear. Our results provide new context into the importance of relationship building and research literacy and highlight new considerations for engaging racially diverse populations in research.

Associations between health literacy proficiencies and health-related quality of life and GP visits among young people in Norway: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Despite globally increased attention from policymakers and being recognised as a critical determinant of health, health literacy (HL) research in young people (YP) remains limited. This study aims to describe HL in YP across person factors and explore the associations between HL and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the number of visits to general practitioners (GP visits). Cross-sectional study. Population-based data collection applying country representative strata in Norway. 890 participants aged 16-25 years. Rasch modelling and Wright's method were used to identify statistically distinct levels of HL proficiency. Multiple linear regression and negative binomial regression models were applied to explore the associations between HL and HRQoL, and between HL and GP visits, respectively. Among YP, HL was statistically significantly associated with HRQoL and the number of GP visits, when adjusting for age, gender, education, self-perceived social status and financial deprivation. For every logit increase in HL, the number of GP visits decreased by 22%. Four statistically distinct levels of HL proficiency were identified for the 12-item HLS19-YP12 scale, started from a cut-point of 23, 30, 37 and 44 out of 48. Relatedly, 70% of respondents were observed at or below level 2 (30-36 points), indicating a varying lack of central skills. The span from lowest (1) to highest (4) HL level was associated with a decrease of 2.1 GP visits per year and an increase of .12 on the EQ-5D index. This study provides new empirical insights into the impact of HL in YP. Identified cut-points for the HLS19-YP12 may contribute to simplifying the process of adapting information and communication for various HL skills. The study also suggests the need for more efforts in HL policy and structural intervention development to enhance YP health and well-being.

Association of Social Determinants of Health With Hospital Readmission and Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study.

The relative contributions of common patient-reported social determinants of health on 30- and 90-day post-discharge outcomes among patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is unclear. The aim of this article is to examine the independent associations of social determinants with readmission or death, accounting for medical history. Participants included adults who were hospitalized with ACS at an academic medical center. Domains measured were social support, health literacy/numeracy, and socioeconomic status (SES) (including education and difficulty paying bills). We employed multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to study associations with time to all-cause readmission or death, up to 30 or 90 days after discharge, and adjusted for demographics and medical history (prior admissions and Elixhauser comorbidity index). Among 1,168 patients with ACS and no history of heart failure, more prior admissions, and higher comorbidity index (the medical history domain) were associated with higher rates of 30- and 90-day readmission or death (domain p values <.01 and <.0001, respectively). The social support domain was not associated with outcomes. Higher health literacy and numeracy were associated with lower rates of 30- and 90-day readmission or death (domain p values .016 and .002, respectively). Higher education and less difficulty paying bills (the SES domain) was marginally associated with lower rates of 90-day readmission or death (domain, p = .052). In addition to medical history, the domain of health literacy and numeracy was independently associated with readmission or death of patients with ACS during the 90 days after hospital discharge. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(4):e212-e223.].

Exploring the Relation Between Health Literacy, Infodemic, and Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Health literacy (HL) plays a crucial role in navigating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, especially with the abundance of conflicting information from unauthorized sources. This study aims to measure COVID-19 vaccine acceptability, COVID-19 HL, and COVID-19 infodemic and their predictors in Iranians. A cross-sectional study was conducted on the general population in Iran between August 20, 2021 to October 29, 2021. Data were collected using a valid questionnaire with four parts. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models, generalized linear models, and ordinal regression with the Polytomous Universal Model were performed using SPSS version 26. The study revealed that 68.6% of the participants were willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine, 45% had sufficient knowledge about COVID-19, and 52.2% were confused by false information during the pandemic. The results showed that having sufficient COVID-19 HL was significantly associated with higher acceptance of the vaccine (adjusted odds ratio = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 2.12). Additionally, higher COVID-19 HL scores were associated with a higher adjusted odds of confusion by false information with an odds ratio of 1.12 (95% CI: 1 .11, 1 .13). This study exhibits low levels of COVID-19 HL in Iran, and the fact that higher COVID-19 HL is associated with higher vaccine acceptance. Because vaccination is an essential preventive measure to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, factors associated with low vaccine acceptance need to be addressed by public health strategies. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(4):e184-e193.].

Using Positionality to Address Student Bias in Information Seeking

ABSTRACTWhile participating in the information search process, students are instructed to choose credible sources for their research. They often interpret this imperative as simply avoiding bias in the sources they choose. Unfortunately, students misunderstand bias and fail to recognize its significance in the scholarly conversation. One way librarians can help with this misunderstanding is by engaging with theoretical concepts such as positionality theory. Positionality theory offers librarians a way to examine bias's function in the research process in order to teach students about its complexity.While bias and positionality are concepts that have been explored in information literacy research, most research does not address them as related topics. This poster explores notions of bias, positionality theory, and strategies to employ that will help librarians use this theory to address student misunderstandings around questions of bias and credibility. This new understanding helps students determine their own positionality when approaching information searching.

Health Literacy and Adherence to Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Portugal.

Therapy adherence is a key factor in the control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Optimal self-care requires skills in health literacy (HL). This study aims to analyze the relationship between HL and adherence to therapy and to understand the possible influence of other sociodemographic and disease variables. A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted in Portuguese in 13 different primary health care units in both rural and urban environments. A sociodemographic questionnaire and two validated instruments, "Medical Term Recognition Test" and "Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities," were applied. The last value of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and the number of chronic medications were collected from clinical records. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were performed as well as multivariable linear regression to assess the association between HL and adherence to therapy. Participants (n = 354) were on average age 63.67 ± 10.39 years, 57.1% male and 42.9% female, 68.4% with inadequate HL and an average HbA1c of 7 ± 1.18%. Better HL was correlated with higher adherence to the total of self-care activities, nonpharmacological therapy, and foot care. In multivariable linear regression analyses, better HL (β = 0.176, p = .003), less than minimum wage (β = -0.197, p = .001) and insulin therapy (β = 0.272, p = .001) were independently associated with increased adherence to overall self-care activities. In a representative sample of people with T2DM in Portugal, HL was a key factor for greater adherence to demanding self-care activities. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(4):e194-e203.].

Health Literacy Directed Weight Loss Intervention in Primary Care Clinics.

Low income and low health literacy are associated with poorer health knowledge, health behaviors and poor health outcomes. The effectiveness of health literacy-directed weight loss treatment interventions in primary care clinics is lacking. The aim of this study was to conduct a pragmatic cluster-randomized trial (PROmoting Successful Weight Loss in Primary CarE in Louisiana ([PROPEL]) to test the effectiveness of a 24-month, patient-centered, literacy-directed obesity treatment program delivered within primary care in an underserved population. This study reports the association between health literacy and program effectiveness, examining potential correlates of weight loss related to patient adherence to the program. We randomly assigned 18 clinics to usual care (UC) or a health literacy-directed lifestyle intervention (HLI). The primary outcome was percent weight loss at 24 months. Of 803 adult participants (84% women; 67% Black), 31% had limited health literacy. Patients in UC lost an average of 0.44%of their enrollment weight after 24 months. Those with adequate literacy lost 0.57% and those with limited literacy lost 0.30%, which was not significantly different. The HLI patient group lost an average of 4.9% of their enrollment weight. Those with adequate literacy lost 5.2% and those with limited literacy, 4.7%, which was not significantly different. The advantage of adequate health literacy was consistent across the 24-month study period, though not significant. Patients in the HLI group with adequate health literacy had greater percent weight loss by a margin of 0.50 ± 0.75 (p = .50), while the UC margin was 0.27 ± 0.84 (p = .74). The percent weight loss difference between HLI and UC groups was 4.6 ± 0.8 (p < .001) among patients with adequate health literacy and 4.4 ± 1.0 (p < .001) among patients with limited health literacy. The difference in percent weight loss between the HLI and UC groups was 0.2 ± 1.1 (p = .84) higher for adequate literacy patients. A health literacy directed health coaching intervention in community clinics led to significant weight loss over 24 months but did not vary by level of patient health literacy. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(4):e204-e211.].

Civic Cultural Literacy Research Trend in Primary Schools

This study uses VOSviewer bibliometric analysis to chart the upward trajectory of civic cultural literacy research, particularly in primary schools. The goal of this study was to examine civic cultural literacy research trends using bibliometric analysis. Article data were collected using publication reference management systems and the Publish or Perish (PoP 8) database. Direct the search process by including the keywords "Cultural Literacy, Civic Literacy, Civic Cultural Literacy, and Elementary School" in the article's title and abstract. 1000. articles are utilized as samples and deemed appropriate. The literature included in the Google Scholar index between 2014 and 2024 provides research material. The statistics reveal that over time, the citations related to this paper are very few and even declined considerably. The statistics reveal that the number of citations linked with this work has decreased dramatically over time, as seen by the fact that there were 9004 citations in 2014. However, there will be just 410 citations at the end of 2023, and 28 citations by 2024. Based on density visualization data, the yellow color in the visualization suggests a dark direction, implying that this research is still extremely poorly done and provides a huge chance for future research on the phrase above

We need to talk about AL: has academic literacies designed the pedagogy out of Learning Development?

Academic literacies (AL) research has made significant contributions to understandings of student writing and literacy across higher education and particularly learning development. However, researchers and practitioners both within and external to the AL movement have struggled to clarify the relationship between AL and pedagogy. English for Academic Purposes researchers have highlighted the lack of a workable AL pedagogy, whilst AL researchers maintain that the model represents a design space or heuristic for thinking about practice in context, rather than a source of pedagogic prescriptions. This theoretical discussion elaborates concerns with the structural coherence of the AL model, its broadly social constructivist underpinnings and evidence base, and the impact of its ideological orientation on the pedagogy we derive from it. Underpinning these critiques is a suspicion that the interpretation of social constructivist epistemology on which AL relies to pinpoint weaknesses in the models of literacy/writing which it subsumes cannot generate a practical pedagogy. We argue that these structural and ideological tensions in the AL model help to explain confusion over its interpretation and implementation. We speculate that this singular focus on social constructivist-derived theory, though well-intentioned, does more to reinforce a particular ideological commitment than to enhance student learning.

What counts as ‘evidence’ in literacy education?

A recent issue of the Australian Journal of Language and Literacy included an article reporting on a systematic narrative review of the research literature that indicated that there was insufficient evidence to conclude whether genre theory and systemic functional linguistics either ‘worked’ or ‘did not work’. The criteria used to evaluate these studies excluded any study that did not conform to the ‘gold standard’ associated with experimental research such as randomised controlled trials. In response to this provocative finding, a group of SFL researchers decided to examine just what counts as evidence of quality literacy research these days. In this paper, we question the overreliance on experimental research at the expense of other methods. We illustrate this with a sample of notable studies that do not meet experimental criteria, but which nevertheless have made a significant contribution to school literacy outcomes in Australia and elsewhere.

Research impacts and trends in feedback literacy: a bibliometric analysis

Given its prominence in maximising feedback processes, feedback literacy has received large scholarly attention over the past decade. This article aims to use a bibliometric approach to provide an overview of the evolution of feedback literacy from 2012 to May 1, 2024. Based on 240 documents retrieved from Scopus, a performance analysis and science mapping were conducted to explore research trends and impacts in feedback literacy. The performance analysis identifying volume, key authors, principal journals, and leading institutions reveals the research impacts in the feedback literacy landscape. The science mapping adopted the bibliometric software, VOSviewer, to analyse keyword co-occurrences and co-citations and visualised research trends in feedback literacy. Findings reveal two key authors, David Carless and David Boud, a top principal journal, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, and two leading institutions, the University of Hong Kong and Deakin University leading the feedback literacy field. It also reveals important themes in feedback literacy research: student and teacher feedback literacy, peer feedback and assessment, ecological perspectives, development and validation of feedback literacy scales, and L2 writing. This paper sheds light on the current state of feedback literacy research and provides insights and trajectories for different stakeholders in the education sector.

Bibliometric Study and Visualization Analysis of Domestic and International Information Literacy Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

Bibliometric Study and Visualization Analysis of Domestic and International Information Literacy Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

Digital Literacy Research in Education : Trends and Insights

Digital Literacy Research in Education : Trends and Insights

Competencias investigativas en docentes de ciencias de la salud

Teaching is a task that usually requires scientific research because, from it, knowledge is strengthened not only in the area of teaching performance but also in the development of pedagogical strategies. Considering these ideas, this article has proposed as a general objective, to characterize the research competencies of Health Sciences teachers in universities in Ecuador. In its methodological orientation, it is descriptive research with a documentary design that uses known databases, including Dialnet, Google Academic, and Scielo. Thus, authors and research are selected concerning the dimensions of teaching research competencies, that is, research, publications, methodological expertise, and digital literacy. Subsequently, the results are presented in categorical tables or analytical matrices that contrast the theoretical elements with some realities of universities in the country, specifically in the health area. Among the study findings, the need to strengthen teachers' research skills is specified based on their scientific production, the number of publications, and their task in terms of forging the student profiles they are in charge of in the classroom. It concludes with the projection of the desired teaching profile, in terms of skills for research in the field of health, which is pertinent to promote in higher education centers in Ecuador.