Abstract:

[Purpose/Significance] The rapid advancement of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of knowledge production and dissemination, propelling information literacy education into a critical phase of paradigm reconstruction. However, contemporary university-level information literacy programs are often constrained by structural impediments, including pedagogical homogenization that fails to address individual learner differences, fragmented multimodal resources that hinder holistic cognitive development, and the "suspension" of ethical education, where abstract moral principles are difficult to internalize into concrete practice. These challenges severely restrict the transition of information literacy education from static skill transmission to dynamic, value-oriented cultivation. Therefore, exploring a novel educational model deeply empowered by GAI is theoretically significant for reconstructing the theoretical framework of "Cognition-Competence-Value" synergy framework and is imperative for cultivating responsible digital citizens who can think critically and make ethical decisions in the intelligent era. [Method/Process] To address these challenges, this study synthesizes three core theoretical pillars: Multimodal Cognitive Construction, Human-Computer Collaborative Evolution, and Value-Sensitive Design. This model, called the Three-Dimensional Spiral Model (3DSM), is centered on "Cognition-Competence-Value." This model posits a dynamic, mutually reinforcing mechanism in which these three dimensions spiral upward through continuous interaction. To empirically validate the model's efficacy, a rigorous 8-week quasi-experiment was conducted at China University of Petroleum (East China). The study involved 120 participants who were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in an intervention based on the 3DSM that utilized advanced GAI technologies, including an improved CLIP model for multimodal alignment, a dynamic knowledge graph for personalized path planning, and a "value sandbox" for ethical simulations. The teaching design followed a spiral curriculum, progressing from "Multimodal Information Deconstruction" to "Human-Computer Collaborative Innovation," and finally to "Ethical Internalization." In contrast, the control group followed a traditional "lecture plus practice" model. A mixed-methods approach was employed for the evaluation. This approach combined quantitative metrics, such as retrieval efficiency logs and Jaccard similarity coefficients for accuracy, with the CTIC standardized test, which measures information awareness, tool application, and ethical cognition. The evaluation also included a qualitative analysis of learning artifacts and behavioral trajectories. [Results/Conclusions] The empirical findings demonstrate that the 3DSM significantly enhances learners' comprehensive information literacy. Statistically, the experimental group exhibited a 53% improvement in information retrieval efficiency compared to the control group, with a retrieval accuracy (Jaccard similarity) increase of 0.68 to 0.89. Furthermore, the accuracy rate of technical ethical decision-making reached 89.2%, and the effect size was substantial (Cohen's d=1.37), indicating a large practical impact. Mechanism analysis revealed three key drivers of this success. First, the improved cross-modal alignment optimized cognitive efficiency by enabling accurate deconstruction of heterogeneous resources. Second, the dynamic knowledge graph facilitated capability evolution through personalized, adaptive learning paths. Third, the "Ethical Pre-regulation" mechanism, where ethical constraints are applied at the onset of cognitive tasks, effectively resolved the "ethical suspension" problem by calibrating cognitive paths and preventing algorithmic bias. This research contributes to the field by providing a systematic, theoretical framework for the synergistic development of cognition, competence, and value in the GAI era. It offers libraries and educational institutions a replicable, evidence-based implementation pathway for deeply integrating GAI into their curricula, thereby transforming information literacy education into a dynamic ecosystem of human-machine symbiosis and value co-creation.

Key words: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), information literacy education, AI literacy, multimodal fusion, three-dimensional spiral model, human-computer collaboration, empirical research