Advancing freshman skills in information literacy and self-regulation: The role of AI learning companions and Mandala Chart in academic libraries

The proactive utilization of generative AI to assist college students' learning is an emerging trend in educational innovation. This study introduces a system that integrates Learning Companion Systems with Mandala Chart Scaffolding, aimed at freshman projects, to investigate its impact on enhancing freshmen's self-efficacy in information literacy and their perception of self-regulated learning when utilizing virtual librarian services. The Mandala Chart Scaffolding, a strategic tool designed to structure and visualize information, complements the Learning Companion System by providing a coherent framework for students to organize and reflect on their learning resources and activities. Implemented in a Creative Thinking course at a National University of Science and Technology in central Taiwan, the study randomly assigned 110 freshmen to Experimental Group A (using both System), Experimental Group B (only the Learning Companion System), and a control group. The findings revealed that the experimental groups, particularly Group A, significantly outperformed the control group in boosting information literacy self-efficacy. Moreover, the intervention positively influenced the students' perception of self-regulated learning. These results offer valuable insights for academic libraries on the potential of integrating generative AI-based Learning Companion Systems with Mandala Chart Scaffolding to enhance freshman learning experiences and foster effective use of library resources.