Purpose: The purpost of this research is to provide a theoretical model for educational planning in the field of Knowledge and Information Science (KIS) in Iran. To do so, while addressing the concepts of ecology and cybernetics theories and combining them with each other, a new approach called “ Eco-cybernetics Appraoch” is introduced and explained. Method: This research was conducted using the documentary-analytical method. To gather the required information, a literature review of the cybernetics' and ecology's concepts and of the studies carried out into the future of KIS education was conducted. Findings: Eco-cybernetics approach to KIS education, like biological ecosystems, concerns simultaneously the environmental factors and pillars of education. Eco-cybernetics approach studies the interactive relationships between the pillars of KIS education and its environment. This approach regards the future of KIS education as a function of the interaction between the pillars of KIS education and its einvironment as well as its feedback and feed-forward systems. Originality/value: The attitudes put forward about the future of KIS can be divided into four groups. The first group includes a pessimistic approach to the future and a belief in the extinction and destruction scenario. The second group distinguishes between the "Library Science" and the "Information Science" and other new titles. They have warned the library science community against the pure optimism about their high share in the future jobs of the information society. In fact, they are concerned with the challenge of library science in its traditional concept and information science and other similar disciplines in its modern sense. The third group maintains that the path to the future passes through the past and present. In order to survive, KIS must focus on the intradisciplinary and extradisciplinary factors. In fact, this perspective refers to the progression and survival in a steady manner without major changes. The fourth group believes in a favorable future for KIS. They see planning and designing an education system aimed at educating the future generation students as the key to achieve this desirable future. The present research, for the first time, has addressed the Eco-Cybernetics approaches to the analysis of KIS education planning in Iran and can serve as a basis for the KIS education.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate competency-based training concepts, introduce core competencies and to apply these concepts as a conceptual model for knowledge and information science education in Iran.Methodology: This research conducted with the documentary-analytical method. The literature review on the competencies of the required specialties in knowledge and information science, as well as manifesto’s of library associations was used to gather the required information.Findings: The results showed that the core competencies required for knowledge and information science specialists can be categorized into two general groups: The first one is “generic core competencies”. These competencies include basic and general competencies required for students to do their jobs in general, regardless where they are working. The second one is “specialized core competencies”. These competencies include specific ones that have great deal with knowledge and information science proficiency and information process management.Originality/ Value: Core competencies model in an educational system can be used for need assessment of individuals, planning and evaluation of curriculum, assessment, performance, training effectiveness measurement and effective assessment of proficiency process of the students.

Objective: The present research aims to assess knowledge sharing infrastructures in library and information science departments which, in this context, include 1. To determine effective platforms based on LIS educators' attitude, 2. To find out the platforms provided by universities that they work, and 3. To identify the most common methods used for sharing knowledge among LIS educators. Methods: The methodology of this study is based on survey research. The instrument for collecting data was questionnaire and the research population consisted of 120 faculty members working fulltime in the universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, Research & Technology and to Azad universities. Out of this number, 93 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 77.5%. Findings: Based on the educators' attitude "emails, workshops, conferences and journals" are the most effective platforms for sharing knowledge. The research showed that providing knowledge sharing platforms by universities is under the average level. In fact there is a gap between what LIS educators considered as effective platforms (such as conferences, workshops and scientific journals) & what w, sharing knowledge through "formal meetings, participation in conferences, email and discussion groups & publishing articles in journals" are the most common methods used by LIS educators. Finally there is a relationship between platforms and methods used for sharing knowledge by LIS educators. Originality/ Value: This study contributes to the promotion of knowledge sharing. Additionally it helps university administrators to develop knowledge sharing platforms based on their faculty needs.

Introduction: This study aims to design and validate a semantic model of education in the field of Information Sand Knowledge Science (KIS) as a domestic pattern taking from research literature. For achieving the goal, a pattern based on ontologies was followed. In this way, it can introduce an influential solution for current issues dealing with this field and bring a bright area in front of the academic society including policy-makers, educators and learners by representing a comprehensive scene of educational elements and their relations. Methodology: In view of designing, implementing and testing model, the method of design science was used in this research. In view of research approach, it is considered as a qualitative one. Applying the meta-synthesis in the first step, this study used Cohen’ s kappa coefficient for model validation in the second step. All original articles related to different aspects of education semantic model including twenty works from 430 ones were selected and analyzed. Findings: Using the seven steps of Meta-Synthesis, the final model consisting of three layers (category, concept, and index) was attained. Five categories, sixteen concepts and sixtytwo indices were realized. To validate the semantic model, Cohen’ s kappa coefficient was calculated. Conclusion: The obtained model, was approved by high level of expert agreement. It not only can be a suitable solution for the problems dealing with KIS in Iran, but also considered as a pattern for future researches in designation and implementation of semantic model of education in other disciplines. The findings indicate that the semantic model is a complex concept including different aspects and indices which can be noticed by policy-makers, designers and other role-players in designation and assessment of teaching-learning systems.

The present study has been conducted to evaluate the amount of attention to validity assessment process of research tools, by reviewing the articles published in knowledge & information science journals in Iran over past 10 years. In this research, articles of 8 Persian scientific and research journals in the field of knowledge & information science in Iran, published between 2006 to 2015, were analyzed in a content analysis method. In total, 1763 research articles related to 211 issues of journals were analyzed and research tools and methods for determining the validity of research tools investigated. According to research findings, there was no reference to validity of research tools in 36. 87% of reviewed articles. In 23. 22% of articles, only validity of research tools was confirmed but the method and procedure for determining validity were not mentioned. In 4. 31% of articles, researchers stated that validity of research tools was confirmed in previous studies and therefore they did not consider the validity. In 375 articles (32. 38%), the method of determining validity of tools was mentioned. In terms of the methods used to measure validity of tools, results indicated that 16. 66% of articles evaluated their tool validity by face validity and 20. 30% by content validity method. Of other types of validity, the criterion validity was lowest, and only 2 articles (0. 17%) used this method to assess validity of their tools. 5. 26% of articles also used construct validity, which has highest level of validity. Also, results showed that a very small number of journals in the research population have published articles related to psychometrics of research tools. Therefore, the knowledge & information science journals are required to pay more attention to publish articles related to validity assessment of research tools for more familiarity with this process and its importance in designing tools by researchers. Also, journals in this area should be more sensitive on report of validity assessment process of research tools in the methodology section of articles in the process of reviewing articles.

Purpose: This study aims to present a picture of the fundamental issues of Knowledge and Information Science (KIS) education in Iran Methods: Uses systematic review, content analysis and co-word analysis. Overall, 194 articles were retrieved and analyzed. Findings: Findings are presented in 17 categories. These include Pathology, seeking a model for learning, searching for specific theory or model for education, curriculum content, training history, the names given recently to the field vs job positions, the failed School of Knowledge and Information Science at the University of Tehran, specialization in the field, foreseeing, attitudes towards the discipline, employment & job market, training & education needs, quality assessment & accreditation, distance learning, ICT & education, educational resources, and other issues. Originality/value: The dynamics of KIS Education depends on internal and external key driving forces. Findings showed that researchers pay less attention to external driving forces influencing KIS education. This is for the first time that a picture of the most important research subjects of KIS education in Iran is presented

Critical thinking, an important construct in the educational dimension, is an active process which uses a specific set of skills and enables one to make appropriate decisions and discriminate between information received. Therefore, critical thinking is considered as an important aspect of information performance in library education. In the field of library and information science, so far, no coherent study has investigated the possible aspects of teaching critical thinking. Hence, this narrative study aimed to review the available literature to determine if critical thinking is considered in the librarianship education and research. To this end, electronic databases, including Medline (PubMed), ERIC, ProQuest, Scopus, Magiran, and ISC were searched using the following keywords: “, critical thinking”, ,“, thinking”, ,“, education”, ,“, curriculum”, , “, teaching”, ,“, librarianship”, ,“, library and information science”, ,“, medical library and information science”, ,and “, knowledge and information science”, . A total of 439 articles were identified. After the initial review of the titles and abstracts and the removal of irrelevant and repetitive articles, 67 articles entered the evaluation stage. After reviewing the full text of the remaining articles, 32 articles were eligible to enter the study. Based on our review, the literature on the critical thinking in library science could be categorized into four classes. Moreover, critical thinking should be improved through using different educational strategies and be integrated into education curricula.

Purpose: To identify the driving forces which are affecting the future of Knowledge and Information Science (KIS) education in Iran.Methodology: This is an applied study using desk research and survey. The study population consisted of faculty members, PhD students and alumni and researchers in education domain of KIS. Final analysis was performed on 235 filled questionnaires.Results: The driving forces categorized in two groups: internal (11 cases) and external (5 cases). Among the internal driving forces, “specialization in curriculum development’’ with an average ratio of 4.48 and importance indicator of 89.62% was identified as the most important driving force and among the external driving forces, “policy making and management of the higher education system in Iran’’ with an average ratio of 29.36 and importance indicator of 73.39% was recognized as the most important driving force..Conclusion: KIS education policymakers and planners should consider all the internal and external driving forces affecting KIS education and thereby ensure its existence and dynamism.

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was structural monitoring of the articles in knowledge and information science field in five Iranian journals. Today, the publication of papers constitutes one of the written scope among scientific broad cost productions.Materials and Methods: The research method was analytical-survey. The articles were analyzed by the variables such as author distribution by sex, field of study, scientific notation, types of articles by original papers or translated papers, individual or group articles and their publication dates, and by statistical methods used in the articles in two periods from 2002-2006 and 2007-2011.Results: The results showed that most of the articles were written as original. International cooperation between authors was minimal. Using qualitative research methods among the articles were low. Majority of the authors had masters degree. There was a significant relationship between the authors’ grades, number of authors and journals, and used statistical methods.Conclusion: The written articles in the field of knowledge and information, followed by special patterns. The journals policies in publication of articles process is the most important issue. Also, lack of international cooperation between Iranian with foreign authors, type and format of the articles were similar according to mentioned variations.