Improving information discernment skills: through a concept mapping-based information evaluating framework in a gamified learning context

Information literacy is an essential twenty-first-century skill for students. Most students face difficulty in discerning online information while searching, evaluating, and utilizing it effectively. Appropriate information evaluating framework, such as RADAR (relevance, authority, date, appearance, and reason for writing), has been recommended to enhance students' accuracy in identifying information. Research suggests that the effectiveness of the learning framework can be enhanced in the gamification context by using graphic organizers (e.g. concept maps) to help students organize and analyze information. Therefore, this study proposed a concept mapping-based information evaluating framework in the gamification context to teach information identification skills in an elementary school. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with the experimental group class (35 students) using the concept mapping-based information evaluating framework (CM-IEF), and the control group (35 students) using the conventional information evaluating framework (C-IEF). According to the study’s findings, students in the experimental group had more significant increases in learning achievement, self-efficacy, and information discernment skills. However, there was no significant difference in learning motivation. Furthermore, the learning behavior of both groups was analyzed from the lag sequential analysis and interview. The study suggests that larger sample sizes and longer durations could be explored in the future.