The impact of interactive learning and self-regulated learning on digital literacies development in primary school students

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of self-regulated learning (SRL) and interactive learning (IL) on the development of information literacy among primary school students in Guizhou, China. Grounded in social constructivism and SRL theory, the research employed a mixed-methods design comprising instrument development, psychometric validation, and a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from 223 full-time primary school teachers across five public schools in Kaili City, supported by open-ended responses to enrich interpretation. The findings demonstrate that SRL is the strongest predictor of students’ competencies, significantly influencing digital literacy (β = 0.53), research skills (β = 0.48), and ethical awareness (β = 0.41). IL also contributed positively, particularly to research skills (β = 0.25), though its effects on digital literacy and ethical awareness were comparatively weaker. Notably, SRL and IL together produced a synergistic effect on digital literacy, underscoring the complementary roles of individual autonomy and collaborative interaction. Ethical awareness, however, showed the weakest association with both approaches, highlighting the need for dedicated ethics instruction beyond general pedagogical strategies. These results contribute theoretically by positioning SRL as a meta-competency for information literacy development and clarifying the conditional role of IL. Practically, they provide guidance for integrating SRL training, strategically applying IL, and strengthening ethics-focused curricula to prepare students for the demands of 21st century digital learning environments.

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