Deepen the Theoretical Foundation, Release the Vitality of Ideological-Political Courses in Educating People

On March 18, 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium for teachers of ideological-political theory courses in schools, emphasizing that “the role of ideological-political courses is irreplaceable, and the responsibility of the team of ideological-political course teachers is immense.” [1]1 The symposium was a landmark event for ideological-political education in Chinese schools, emphasizing the importance of these courses in shaping students’ values. Ideological-political courses bear the important responsibility of implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing people. [2]2 “Fostering virtue and nurturing people” (立德树人) is a central educational policy in China, aiming to cultivate moral character and talent. They are a very important and yet special type of course, concerning the fundamental plan for the cause of the Party and the people to have successors, and profoundly influencing the correct direction and spiritual foundation of an individual’s lifelong development. This course combines political nature, ideological nature, academic nature, and professional nature, embodying the complexity and challenge of the organic unity of “technique,” “learning,” and “the Way.” [3]3 “Technique,” “learning,” and “the Way” (术、学、道) are traditional Chinese philosophical categories, here used to denote practical skills, scholarly knowledge, and fundamental principles, respectively. The “15th Five-Year Plan” outline [4]4 The “15th Five-Year Plan” (2026-2030) is a national economic and social development plan, though the text refers to a draft or proposal, as the plan is not yet finalized. emphasizes the importance of ideological-political courses, proposing to “comprehensively implement the curriculum plan for ideological-political courses in universities in the New Era.” [5]5 The “New Era” refers to the period since the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, marking a new stage in China’s development under Xi Jinping’s leadership. On the new journey of the New Era, the construction of ideological-political courses faces new and higher requirements for connotative development. The “connotation” of connotative development lies at its core in winning through quality, fundamentally in convincing people through reason, and critically in in-depth theoretical and pedagogical research.

2019年3月18日，习近平总书记主持召开学校思想政治理论课教师座谈会，强调“思政课作用不可替代，思政课教师队伍责任重大”。思政课肩负落实立德树人根本任务的重要职责，是一门非常重要而又特殊的课程，攸关党和人民事业后继有人的根本大计，深刻影响个体一生发展的正确方向和精神底色。这门课兼具政治性、思想性、学术性、专业性，体现出“术”“学”“道”有机统一的复杂性和挑战性。“十五五”规划纲要对思政课的重要性予以强调，提出“全面实施新时代高校思政课课程方案”。新时代新征程，思政课建设面临内涵式发展的新的更高要求。内涵式发展之“内涵”，核心在于以质取胜，根本在于以理服人，关键在于深入的理论和教学研究。

Focus on the core task, deepen the foundation of ideological and theoretical research

聚焦核心任务，厚植思想理论研究根基

The essence of ideological-political courses is to explain principles; the confidence to explain principles comes from a profound grasp and comprehensive possession of truth. Thoroughness in ideology and theory can only come from in-depth research on ideology and theory.

思政课的本质是讲道理，讲道理的底气，源自对真理的深刻把握和全面占有。思想理论上的彻底，只能来自对思想理论的深入研究。

Stand at the forefront of thought, deepen the systematic and scholarly interpretation and research of the Party’s innovative theories. Persisting in advancing the construction of ideological-political courses in sync with the arming of the Party’s innovative theories, and using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to forge souls and educate people, is the core task of constructing ideological-political courses in the New Era and also the basic principle for promoting the connotative development of ideological-political course construction. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is rooted in the fertile practical soil of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and possesses a strong political and ideological nature. Only by profoundly revealing the principles, theories, and philosophies contained within it can the role of scientific theory in arming the mind be brought into play. This is a process of further theorizing and systematizing the theoretical innovation achievements formed in the process of promoting practical innovation by our Party. The so-called theorized and systematized research is a research process that elevates concrete experience into universal laws, extracts basic principles from vivid practice, and transforms political discourse into academic expression. It is also a process of further demonstrating the thoroughness and truthfulness of scientific theory. Only through in-depth, thorough, comprehensive, and systematic theorized and systematized research and interpretation can students be guided to profoundly grasp the core essence, spiritual substance, rich connotation, and practical requirements of scientific theory, deeply understand “why it works,” “why it can,” and “why it is good,” [6]6 These three phrases (“why it works,” “why it can,” “why it is good”) are common rhetorical formulations in Chinese political discourse, referring to the efficacy of Marxism, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics, respectively. and greatly enhance the realistic explanatory power and ideological penetrating power of scientific theory.

立足思想潮头，深化党的创新理论体系化、学理化阐释研究。坚持思政课建设与党的创新理论武装同步推进，用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人，是新时代思政课建设的核心任务，也是推动思政课建设内涵式发展的基本原则。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想扎根新时代中国特色社会主义的实践沃土，具有很强的政治性和思想性。只有深刻揭示其中蕴含的道理学理哲理，才能发挥科学理论武装头脑的作用。这是将我们党在推动实践创新过程中形成的理论创新成果进一步学理化、体系化的过程。所谓学理化、体系化研究，就是把具体经验升华为普遍规律、从鲜活实践中提炼出基本原理、把政治话语转化为学术表达的研究过程，也是进一步彰显科学理论的彻底性和真理性的过程。唯有经过深入透彻、全面系统的学理化、体系化研究阐释，才能引导学生深刻把握科学理论的核心要义、精神实质、丰富内涵、实践要求，深入理解“为什么行”“为什么能”“为什么好”，极大增强科学理论的现实解释力和思想穿透力。

Delve deeply into the source of thought, consolidate the basic skill of intensive study of classics. The deeper the theoretical tracing, the stronger the power of ideological explanation. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the Marxism of contemporary China and Marxism of the 21st century, the essence of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit of the times, the latest theoretical innovation achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and the theoretical crystallization of the combination of Marxism with China’s excellent traditional culture. To accurately, deeply, and thoroughly explain its ideological essence, one must delve deeply into the ideological sources of Marxist classic works and China’s excellent traditional cultural classics. On the one hand, only by placing the new thought within the evolutionary process and historical context of the localization and modernization of Marxism can one clearly explain its theoretical character of inheriting the basic principles of Marxism in one continuous line while advancing with the times. Teachers of ideological-political courses should intensively study classic Marxist texts, grasp the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, consolidate the theoretical support for teaching, and highlight the academic depth and breadth of ideological-political courses. On the other hand, the Party’s innovative theories in the New Era should be placed within the profound accumulation of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization, deeply understanding their deep cultural genes and civilizational characteristics in the historical process of cultural inheritance, development, and civilizational evolution. Only by strengthening research on China’s excellent traditional cultural classics and clearly explaining the internal mechanism of “combining the basic principles of Marxism with China’s excellent traditional culture” can students be effectively guided to perceive the connotation of the classics, comprehend the charm of truth, deepen theoretical identification in cultural identification, enhance confidence in the path in historical confidence, [7]7 “Confidence in the path” is one of the “Four Confidences” (四个自信), which also include confidence in the theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. fully demonstrate the historical depth and cultural heritage of ideological-political course teaching, and effectively expand the depth and thickness of teaching.

深耕思想源头，夯实经典精研精读基本功。理论溯源越深，思想解释力越强。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义，是中华文化和中国精神的时代精华，是马克思主义中国化、时代化的最新理论创新成果，是马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化相结合的理论结晶。要讲准讲深讲透其思想精髓，必须深耕马克思主义经典著作和中华优秀传统文化典籍的思想源头。一方面，只有将新思想置身于马克思主义本土化时代化的演进历程和历史脉络中，才能讲清楚其与马克思主义基本原理一脉相承又与时俱进的理论品格。思政课教师应精深研读马克思主义经典文本，把握马克思主义的立场观点方法，夯实理论讲授的学理支撑，彰显思政课的学术深度广度。另一方面，要将新时代党的创新理论置于中华文明五千多年的深厚积淀之中，在文化传承发展和文明发展演进的历史进程中深刻理解其深沉的文化基因和文明特性。只有加强对中华优秀传统文化典籍的研究，将“马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合”的内在机理讲清楚，才能切实引导学生感悟经典内涵、领悟真理魅力，在文化认同中深化理论认同，在历史自信中增强道路自信，充分彰显思政课教学的历史纵深和文化底蕴，有力拓展教学深度与厚度。

Adhere to a problem-oriented approach, deepen the foundation of curriculum and textbook research

坚持问题导向，厚植课程教材研究根基

Curriculum and textbooks are the basic basis for teaching; their content is the transformation of ideology and theory. Research on curriculum and textbooks is an important prerequisite and foundation for the connotative development of ideological-political courses. The depth and effectiveness of research directly affect the quality and effect of ideological-political course teaching.

课程教材是教学的基本依据，其内容是思想理论的转化，课程教材研究是思政课内涵式发展的重要前提和基础，研究深度和成效直接影响思政课教学的质量和效果。

Deeply study the internal logic of the curriculum and textbook system with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the core content. The introductory course on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a key course for systematically teaching the Party’s innovative theoretical achievements in the New Era. It is necessary to deeply study the internal logic of the introductory course system on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, clarify the relationship between the general introduction and the sub-fields, explore the construction of a core course group, and lay a solid foundation for centralized and systematic teaching of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The relationship between various courses and the curriculum and textbooks of the introductory course on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era should be deeply studied from both vertical and horizontal dimensions. Horizontally, it is necessary to deeply study the supporting role of the curriculum and textbooks of various courses for the core content, consolidating the solid foundation of the core content with theoretical education, historical education, cultural education, and practical education; vertically, it is necessary to deeply study the internal logic of spiral ascent and layer-by-layer progression in different stages of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, building a curriculum ladder that demonstrates the progressive ascent of ideological and theoretical learning in different stages.

深入研究以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为核心内容的课程教材体系的内在逻辑。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想概论课是系统讲授新时代党的创新理论成果的关键课程。要深入研究习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想概论课程体系的内在逻辑，厘清总论与分领域之间的关系，探索构建核心课程群，为集中、系统讲授习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想奠定坚实基础。要从纵、横两个维度深入研究各门课程与习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想概论课程教材之间的关系。横向要深入研究各门课程教材对核心内容的支撑作用，以理论教育、历史教育、文化教育和实践教育夯实核心内容的坚实地基；纵向要深入研究本硕博不同学段螺旋上升、层层递进的内在逻辑，搭建起彰显不同学段思想理论学习进阶攀登的课程阶梯。

Deeply study the key and difficult theoretical issues in the textbooks. Focusing on the goal of educating people, it is necessary to promote the transformation of the academic system into a textbook system. The academic system is driven by the unknown, with research as its main purpose, aiming to explore disciplinary boundaries, promote innovation in research paradigms, and propose innovative discoveries, emphasizing “originality” and “truthfulness.” The textbook system is centered on consensus, with educating people as its goal; its task is to transform mature knowledge that has been verified and formed into consensus into knowledge that can be taught, emphasizing “certainty” and “consensus.” The academic system and the textbook system are closely related but have different emphases. The academic system focuses on the innovation of the knowledge system and theoretical system, while the textbook system focuses on using and relying on the academic system to achieve the goal of educating people. Therefore, focusing on the core goal of educating people, on the basis of in-depth research on the knowledge system and theoretical system, and in accordance with the principle of organic unity between the academic system and the value system, the transformation of the academic system into the textbook system should be promoted, ensuring that the construction of the ideological-political course textbook system reflects the organic unity of “the Way,” “learning,” and “technique.” Focusing on key and difficult issues, promote the transformation of the textbook system into a teaching system. The textbook system is a comprehensive presentation of the knowledge system and theoretical system, with systematic and holistic characteristics. The teaching system focuses on the implementation of the teaching process and the achievement of teaching goals, with prominent problem orientation. To promote the transformation of the textbook system into a teaching system, it is necessary to adhere to a problem-oriented approach, be close to the actual situation of students, use key and difficult issues as a guide to promote the organic combination of theory and practice, and realize the transformation of the textbook system into a teaching system.

深入研究教材中的重难点理论问题。聚焦育人目标，要推动学术体系向教材体系转化。学术体系以未知为驱动，以研究为主旨，旨在探索学科边界、推动研究范式创新、提出创新发现，重在“原创性”和“真理性”。教材体系以共识为中心，以育人为目标，其任务是将已经验证、形成共识的成熟知识转化为可供传授的知识，重在“确定性”和“共识性”。学术体系与教材体系既密切联系又各有侧重。学术体系着眼于知识体系和理论体系的创新，教材体系侧重运用和依托学术体系达到育人目标。因此，要着眼育人的核心目标，在深入研究知识体系和理论体系的基础上，按照学术体系与价值体系有机统一的原则，推动学术体系向教材体系有机转化，确保思政课教材体系建构体现“道”“学”“术”的有机统一。聚焦重难点问题，推动教材体系向教学体系转化。教材体系是知识体系和理论体系的综合呈现，具有系统性、整体性特征。教学体系着眼教学过程实施和教学目标实现，具有突出的问题针对性。推动教材体系向教学体系转化，必须坚持问题导向，贴近学生实际，以重难点问题为牵引推动理论与实际的有机结合，实现教材体系向教学体系的转化。

Understand the voices of students, deepen the foundation of teaching and pedagogical research

读懂学生心声，厚植教学教法研究根基

The pertinence and attractiveness of ideological-political courses ultimately must be implemented in the classroom. The improvement of classroom effectiveness depends on an accurate grasp of the learning situation, a profound insight into the laws of education, and continuous innovation in teaching methods. Teaching ideological-political courses is a creative task; it is necessary to break the cognitive misconception that “teaching research is not academic,” and deeply study the dual logic of “teaching” and “learning,” in order to achieve a leap from “content supply” to “value transformation.”

思政课的针对性和吸引力，最终要落实到课堂上。课堂实效的提升，有赖于对学情的精准把握、对教育规律的深刻洞察、对教学方法的持续创新。思政课教学是一项富有创造性的工作，必须打破“教学研究非学术”的认知误区，深入研究“教”与“学”的双重逻辑，才能实现从“内容供给”向“价值转化”的跃升。

Conduct in-depth research on the characteristics of young people’s thinking and cognitive patterns, and consolidate the foundation of learning-condition research. “Teaching students in accordance with their aptitude” and “determining teaching based on learning” are core concepts of education, and learning-condition research is the cornerstone of teaching. Faced with young students growing up in the wave of artificial intelligence, only by deeply studying and precisely grasping the profound changes in learning conditions driven by intergenerational shifts and technological revolution, and by understanding the students’ voices, can we pave the “heart-touching” path for ideological-political courses. The young people of the New Era are born into the best historical period for building a strong nation and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; they are active in thought and have a strong sense of agency, but facing an environment where various currents of thought interweave and surge, they are also prone to ideological confusion. The teaching of ideological-political courses must be built on a scientific study of students’ cognitive patterns and receptive characteristics, using scientific methods to capture students’ ideological blockages, theoretical doubts, and emotional pain points. At the same time, AI technology should be rationally utilized to analyze learning behavior data, shifting from “experience-based judgment” to “data-driven” approaches, further promoting “learning-centered” teaching reform, and realizing the transformation from knowledge transmission to capacity cultivation and value shaping.

深入研究青少年思想特点和认知规律，夯实学情研究根基。“因材施教”“以学定教”是教育的核心理念，学情研究则是教学的底座基石。面对成长于人工智能浪潮中的青年学生，只有深入研究、精准把握代际变迁与技术革命共同驱动的学情深刻变化，读懂学生心声，才能走好思政课的“入心”之路。新时代青少年生逢强国建设、民族复兴最好历史时期，思维活跃、主体意识强，但面对各种思潮交织激荡的环境，也易产生思想困惑。思政课教学必须建立在对学生认知规律和接受特点的科学研究之上，运用科学的方法捕捉学生的思想堵点、理论疑点、情感痛点。同时，合理利用AI技术进行学习行为数据分析，从“经验判断”转向“数据驱动”，进一步推动“以学为中心”的教学变革，实现从知识传授向能力培养、价值塑造的转变。

Conduct in-depth research on the laws of teaching and education in ideological-political courses, promote innovation in teaching methods and pedagogy, and master the transformation law of “knowledge—belief—action.” The goal of ideological-political courses is not knowledge transmission itself, but rather to achieve value guidance and conscious action through knowledge transmission, guiding students from “genuine learning” to “genuine understanding” and then to “genuine belief” and “genuine application.” The teaching of ideological-political courses cannot be rigid preaching; instead, it should use heuristic education to guide students in discovering problems, analyzing problems, and thinking about problems, allowing students to naturally reach conclusions through continuous inspiration. It must be recognized that the summarization of educational and teaching laws serves the upholding and innovation of educational and teaching methods. It is necessary to promote the methodological transformation of “explaining principles deeply, thoroughly, and vividly.” “Deep explanation” relies on theoretical deepening, “thorough explanation” relies on logical coherence, and “vivid explanation” relies on practical activation. Efforts should focus on researching the mechanisms for transforming abstract theory into concrete narratives, grand narratives into micro-level concerns, and the Party’s innovative theory into the discourse of youth. It is also necessary to consciously apply digital-intelligent technology to empower innovation in teaching methods. Faced with learners in the AI era, ideological-political courses must actively embrace technological change, emphasize the organic combination of case-based, inquiry-based, and experiential teaching, and allow students to draw the power of truth in a vibrant and lively classroom setting.

深入研究思政课教育教学规律，推动教学教法创新，掌握“知—信—行”的转化规律。思政课的目标不是知识传授本身，而是通过知识传授实现价值引领和行为自觉，引导学生从“真学”到“真懂”再到“真信”“真用”。思政课教学不能是生硬说教，而是要以启发式教育引导学生发现问题、分析问题、思考问题，在不断启发中让学生水到渠成得出结论。要认识到，教育教学规律的总结，服务于教育教学方法的守正创新。要推动“把道理讲深讲透讲活”的方法论转化。“讲深”靠理论深耕，“讲透”靠逻辑贯通，“讲活”靠实践激活。着力研究将抽象理论转化为具象叙事、将宏大叙事转化为微观关切、将党的创新理论转化为青年话语的方法机理。还要自觉运用数智技术赋能教学方法创新。面对AI时代的学习者，思政课需主动拥抱技术变革，注重案例式、探究式、体验式教学的有机组合，让学生在充满生机活力的课堂场景中汲取真理力量。

(Author: Feng Xiujun, Professor and Dean of the School of Marxism Studies, Renmin University of China)

（作者：冯秀军，系中国人民大学马克思主义学院院长、教授）