Exploring the Impact of Flow Experience on College Students' Sense of Acquisition in Ideological and Political Theory Courses

Abstract

In the context of China, higher education institutions, including colleges and universities, bear the significant responsibility of cultivating proficient contributors and future representatives aligned with the socialist agenda. This is achieved through the provision of ideological and political theory courses. However, students face challenges in achieving desired educational outcomes in these courses. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the process of knowledge acquisition in ideological and political theory courses as experienced by students. This study employs a qualitative case study methodology, based on flow theory, conducted in a selected college located in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China. The research aims to gather relevant insights by examining data collected from 15 participants through individual semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, the qualitative data is meticulously analyzed using MAXQDA 2020 software. The findings of this study reveal that the factors influencing college students' perception of ideological and political theory courses encompass both internal factors, such as learning behavior and learning holistic quality, as well as external factors, including teaching behavior and teaching holistic quality. Drawing on the model developed in this study to elucidate the impact on college students' sense of acquisition in ideological and political theory courses, it is posited that flow experience constitutes the core factor influencing college students' sense of acquisition, whereby the intensity of flow experienced by college students in ideological and political courses directly affects the extent of their sense of acquisition. This research expands the scholarly exploration of instructional and pedagogical advancements specific to ideological and political theory courses within Chinese tertiary education institutions. Moreover, understanding the influential factors shaping the knowledge acquisition and comprehension process among college students in these courses has the potential to contribute to innovative educational approaches and strategies.