Zhang Xiaozhi: Innovative Paths for Integrating Red Culture Resources into Ideological and Political Courses in Colleges and Universities
Red culture resources, as a shining treasure within the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese nation [1], embody the heroic deeds, noble beliefs, and great spirit of revolutionary ancestors, serving as a high-quality source of material for ideological and political theory courses (hereafter "思政课" or "ideological-political courses") in universities. Integrating red culture resources into university ideological-political teaching must be based on the fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education [2]. It requires focused effort across four dimensions—content, mode, vehicle, and mechanism—to promote the deep integration of red culture with ideological-political courses. This is not only a profound commemoration of historical memory but also a transmission and promotion of the spirit of the times, holding great significance for cultivating a new generation of youth capable of shouldering the great responsibility of national rejuvenation.
Content Reconstruction: Constructing a "History-Theory-Reality" Three-Dimensional Integrated Curriculum System
Deeply mine the theoretical core of red culture. It is necessary to break through the superficial "mere storytelling" mode of integrating red culture into university ideological-political courses and deeply organize the internal logical connections between red culture and the theoretical achievements of the Sinicization of Marxism. For example, the Jinggangshan Spirit and the Yan’an Spirit [3] should be closely linked with the Marxist views on practice and the masses, while the poverty alleviation spirit and the scientist spirit [4] should be integrated into the teaching content of ideological-political courses. Through deep relational interpretation, it should be clearly demonstrated that red culture does not exist in isolation but is a fresh and vivid practical vehicle in the process of the Sinicization of Marxism. This highlights the theoretical depth of integrating red culture into ideological-political teaching, ensuring classrooms possess both historical weight and theoretical foresight.
Implement layered and categorized content supply. To enhance the effectiveness of integrating red culture into university ideological-political teaching, differentiated content must be meticulously designed based on the cognitive characteristics of students in different majors and grades. For science and engineering students, the focus should be on mining consciousness of innovation and national responsibility from the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" spirit [5] and the spirit of great craftsman of the nation, helping them closely link personal growth with national development. For humanities and social science students, the focus should be on analyzing the spiritual lineage and contemporary value of red culture to enhance their cultural confidence and theoretical literacy. For lower-division students, concrete resources such as red stories and historical sites should be used as entry points to stimulate interest; for upper-division students, they should be guided to conduct academic research on red culture to cultivate critical thinking and academic inquiry skills, truly achieving "teaching students in accordance with their aptitude."
Incorporate local characteristic red culture resources. To enhance the practical effect and depth of integration, universities should fully utilize the unique red culture endowments of their locations and actively develop school-based ideological-political curricula. Different regions have nurtured red cultures with distinct characteristics: universities in the southern Jiangxi region can deeply mine the rich connotations of the Soviet Area Spirit and the Long March culture, while those in Shanghai or Jiaxing can focus on the Great Founding Spirit of the Party [6] and the magnificent history of the red revolution. Through this localized curriculum development, the process of integration becomes more regional, evoking emotional resonance deep within students and allowing "red genes" [7] to take root in familiar cultural soil, thereby better fulfilling the role of red culture in "casting the soul" of the students.
Innovation in Teaching Modes: Creating an "Immersive-Interactive-Research" Trinity Teaching Paradigm
Immersive teaching: strengthening scenario-based experiences. To enhance the sense of immersion and practicality, it is necessary to break traditional classroom boundaries and construct a new "on-campus + off-campus" dual-scenario teaching space. On-campus, virtual simulation laboratories for red culture should be built, using VR/AR technology to lifelike-ly restore historical scenes such as the intense discussions of the Zunyi Conference or the thrilling Crossing of the Luding Bridge. This allows students to feel as if they are at the historical site, truly experiencing the weight and shock of red history. Off-campus, universities should co-build practical teaching bases with red memorial halls, old revolutionary base areas, and patriotism education bases, organizing meticulous activities like "Retracing the Long March" or "Red Site Surveys," extending the "small classroom" of the school into the "large classroom" of society.
Interactive teaching: activating students' subject consciousness. To improve effectiveness, classroom interaction must be innovated, shifting teaching from "one-way indoctrination" to "two-way dialogue." Topical debates should be held on themes such as "How youth of the New Era should inherit red genes," allowing students to deepen their thinking and exchange views through sharp discourse. Red "scenario plays" such as The Age of Awakening [8] or Jiao Yulu should be organized, so that students can experience the noble spirit of their predecessors through role-playing. Adopting a flipped classroom model, students can be organized into groups to research red culture resources and give presentations, mobilizing their enthusiasm and making the classroom vibrant and speculative.
Research-based teaching: enhancing academic inquiry capabilities. To deepen the integration, red culture research should be incorporated into the practical teaching segments of ideological-political courses, leading students to explore the value of red resources with a scientific research mindset. Students should be encouraged to apply for university or provincial-level Innovation and Entrepreneurship Projects related to red culture, focusing on themes such as "The Protection and Development of Local Red Culture Resources" or "Optimization of Paths for Integrating Red Culture into University Ideological-Political Courses." During the investigation process, students must conduct field visits, collect data, and finally write research reports or academic papers. This process not only exercises students' research abilities but also realizes the deep integration of "teaching, research, and education."
Vehicle Expansion: Building a "Digital-Networked-Socialized" Multi-Channel Dissemination Platform
Construct a digital red culture resource database. To provide more diverse material support, various resources across the country—including red documents, videos, stories, and sites—should be integrated into an open digital database containing text, images, audio, and video. This database breaks the limitations of traditional resource acquisition. Specially planned modules such as "Red Figures," "Red Stories," and "Red Spirit" should be established within the database to facilitate precise searching and free downloading by teachers and students according to their needs.
Create a networked new frontier for ideological-political education. Based on new media platforms, red culture products tailored to the preferences of young students should be created. "One-minute Red Story" science popularization videos can be launched on short-video platforms to present red classics in a concise format. WeChat official accounts can host specialized columns for systematic explanations of red culture. Mini-programs for red culture knowledge competitions can be developed to stimulate enthusiasm for learning and competition. Live-streaming platforms can be used to invite revolutionary seniors or experts to conduct online lectures, allowing students to "learn anytime, anywhere."
Promote socialized collaborative education mechanisms. A "university-government-society" collaborative education system should be constructed. Universities should work with local propaganda and culture-tourism departments to mine regional red resources. Retired veterans and old Party members should be invited to campus to share red memories through personal experiences. Cooperation with enterprises can facilitate red-themed social practices, allowing students to internalize the red spirit and externalize it through action, achieving the unity of knowledge and practice.
Mechanism Guarantee: Establishing a "Process-Comprehensive-Developmental" Teaching Evaluation System
Strengthen process-based evaluation. The traditional "single exam determines the outcome" model must be changed. Students' involvement in red practice activities, their performance in classroom interactions, and the quality of their research reports should be included in the evaluation system, accounting for no less than 50% of the total grade. Through detailed classroom observation and objective group peer-evaluation, the scientific nature of the assessment can be improved.
Improve comprehensive evaluation. A "knowledge-ability-value" trinity indicator system should be built. In the knowledge dimension, the focus is on students' grasp of the historical lineage and spiritual connotations of red culture. In the ability dimension, the focus is on logical thinking for research, hands-on operation in practices, and communication skills. In the value dimension, the focus is on the deepening of students' feelings for home and country (家国情怀) and the firmness of their ideals and beliefs, effectively avoiding the tendency of "valuing knowledge over values."
Introduce developmental evaluation. To grasp the long-term impact on student growth, a long-term tracking evaluation mechanism should be established. Surveys and interviews with graduates can track their actual performance in practicing the red spirit in their workplaces. The results of this tracking should be fed back into the curriculum reform process to precisely adjust teaching strategies, forming a closed loop of "teaching—evaluation feedback—improvement."
Integrating red culture resources into university ideological-political teaching has yielded significant results. Abstract theories have become vivid through red stories; interactive and experiential teaching has stimulated passion; and students' patriotic feelings have been deepened. This not only injects new vitality into university ideological-political courses but also cultivates generations of "youth of the New Era" with ideals, a sense of responsibility, and a willingness to endure hardship and struggle, building a solid talent foundation for the great cause of national rejuvenation.