Development and Evaluation of MetaWiseGuide: A Meta-Literacy Mobile Application to Support University Students’ Information Search Skills
Pembangunan dan Penilaian MetaWiseGuide: Aplikasi Mudah Alih Meta-Literacy untuk Menyokong Kemahiran Mencari Maklumat Pelajar Universiti
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53840/e-jpi.v13i1.354Keywords:
Meta-literacy, Information Search Skills, Higher Education, Educational Technology Innovation, Academic IntegrityAbstract
Despite high digital fluency, university students often default to superficial search strategies and exhibit demonstrable limitations in critical evaluation. This study addresses this gap by developing and evaluating MetaWiseGuide, a mobile application that supports metaliteracy through structured modules. Its relevance is heightened within Malaysia’s #MalaysiaMADANI agenda, emphasizing information integrity and good governance, underpinning campaigns like “Tak Pasti, Jangan Kongsi” (“If Unsure, Do Not Share”) to combat misinformation. Rooted in meta-literacy principles, MetaWiseGuide offers interactive guidance on search strategies, rigorous source evaluation (aligned with national efforts like SEBENARNYA.MY), and ethical information use to prevent plagiarism. A quasi-experimental pre-post design with 32 undergraduates revealed significant academic improvement: students produced markedly better assignments, with more reliable references, and achieved higher marks across all rubric categories post-intervention. Observations also indicated increased student confidence. Data analysis confirmed overwhelmingly positive perceptions of MetaWiseGuide's capacity to enhance academic performance, foster sound research practices, and promote responsible digital citizenship and robust academic integrity, thereby contributing to national information integrity goals. This study demonstrates the tangible potential of mobile applications to cultivate meta-literacy competencies and self-regulated information search practices, supporting both academic excellence and national priorities.
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