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.

Title of the article: The role of new technologies in improving data governance and increasing security in the country's land and property registration organization.

Mostafa Mohseni Sani

Background and Objective: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the role of new technologies in improving data governance and enhancing information security in the country's Land and Property Registration Organization. The increasing importance of data in institutional decision-making and the need to harmonize with international standards double the need to address this issue.
Research Method: This study was qualitative and conducted with a grounded theory approach. The statistical population included managers and experts of the Land and Property Registration Organization, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 people. The coding process was carried out in three stages: open, axial, and selective, and participant review and comparison with international research were used to validate the data.
Findings: Data analysis showed that the main challenges include weak technological infrastructure, fragmentation of systems, legal gaps, security concerns, and cultural resistance of employees. In contrast, opportunities such as increasing transparency, reducing document forgery, promoting public trust, and improving service efficiency were identified. The findings were consistent with international studies, including the OECD’s emphasis on the link between technology and organizational culture, and the experiences of Sweden and Georgia in using blockchain in the registration system.
Conclusion: The Iranian Document Registration Organization has taken steps such as digitization and piloting blockchain, but it still faces legal, security, and institutional shortcomings. Achieving data-driven governance and increasing security requires a combination of institutional reforms, technological investment, and promoting a data-driven culture.

Mohammad Hadi zahedi

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.

Data Management Practices for Supplier Selection in Construction Companies: A Focus on the Role of Information Technology

Yaghoob Farjami

Objective:
Supplier selection is one of the key challenges in construction projects, where access to accurate and timely data plays a vital role in improving this process. This study seeks to explore and analyze the sources and methods employed for data collection and management in the supplier selection process within the construction industry, aiming to identify existing challenges in current practices and assess the potential of modern technologies to optimize this process.
Methodology:
This is an applied research study that employed a survey methodology. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire consisting of both closed-ended and open-ended questions, primarily using a five-point Likert scale. The survey was distributed to 328 contractors who were certified by the Iranian Plan and Budget Organization.
Findings:
The research findings indicated that traditional information sources such as former customer feedback (87%) and project staff interviews (83%), which rely heavily on individual judgment, continue to be the most commonly used methods for supplier evaluation. The analysis of data collection methods showed that although electronic forms (63%) are becoming more prevalent, traditional methods like telephone calls (84%) and paper-based forms (52%) still dominate. A significant portion of respondents highlighted challenges such as low data accuracy (42%), untimely information (54%), distrust in supplier-provided data (59%), insufficient access to supplier performance records (44%), public databases (85%), and modern information tools (79%).
Conclusion:
The results of this study revealed that modern information tools, despite their potential impact on decision-making, are not widely used due to limited accessibility and the lack of adequate infrastructure. However, the utilization of digital forms and the growing attention to modern information sources, such as company profiles on online platforms, indicate a promising trend toward embracing digital information resources and modern data collection methods. The findings also emphasize the necessity of establishing independent mechanisms for data validation and enhancing access to historical information about suppliers.

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.