Designing and validating a conceptual model of virtual education based on media literacy in cyberspace: A new approach to teaching biology in the Iraqi educational system

Abstract

This study aimed to design and validate a conceptual model for virtual education based on media literacy in cyberspace, with the goal of enhancing the quality of biology instruction in Iraq’s educational system. Employing a qualitative approach and descriptive phenomenological methodology, the research explored the lived experiences of high school biology teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 experienced teachers from Wasit Province and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings led to the identification of three core dimensions (pedagogical, technological, and supportive), eleven components, and 65 indicators that structure the conceptual model of cyber-mediated media literacy-based virtual education. In the subsequent phase, the validity of the proposed model was assessed using qualitative strategies such as member checking, expert review, and coherence analysis. The results indicate that the purposeful integration of media literacy into virtual biology instruction can significantly enhance students' learning skills, critical thinking, and engagement, while addressing the conceptual and technological challenges common in resource-constrained educational contexts such as Iraq. The proposed model is applicable in curriculum design, teacher professional development, and multimedia content production, and holds promise for improving virtual science education in countries with similar cultural and infrastructural conditions.