Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No.4, 2023 www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet ISSN 2576-1846 (Print) ISSN 2576-1854 (Online) 65 Original Paper A Study on Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness of Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Colleges and Universities from the Perspective of Social Cognitive Theory He Lingyan1 1 Sichuan Minzu College, Ganzi Red Culture Research Center, Kangding City, China Received: October 3, 2023 Accepted: October 22, 2023 Online Published: November 8, 2023 doi:10.22158/fet.v6n4p65 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/fet.v6n4p65 Abstract Exploring the countermeasures to improve the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities through the perspective of social cognitive theory is the main goal of this dissertation. Starting from the introduction of the basic concepts and main ideas of social cognitive theory, the abstract gradually analyzes the problems of teaching ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities and puts forward the necessity of improving teaching effectiveness. On this basis, the abstract systematically discusses the countermeasures and methods to enhance the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities, including improving the professional quality of teachers, innovating teaching forms and methods, and strengthening students’ ideological and political education. The research results of this dissertation are summarized and future research directions are proposed. The innovations of this dissertation include the exploration of teaching efficacy of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities based on social cognitive theory, the systematic discussion of countermeasures to enhance teaching efficacy, and the in-depth analysis of the problems of teaching and the provision of solutions. The teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities can be effectively enhanced by improving the professional quality of teachers, innovating teaching methods and approaches, and strengthening students’ ideological and political education. Future research can further explore how to apply social cognitive theory to the teaching of other disciplines in order to promote the development of education. Keywords social cognitive theory, ideological and political theory classes in colleges and universities, teaching effectiveness, countermeasures www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 66 Published by SCHOLINK INC. 1. Overview of Social Cognitive Theory Social cognitive theory is an important theoretical framework in psychology for explaining and understanding people’s cognitive processes in social interactions and social environments. This chapter will introduce the basic concepts and main viewpoints of social cognitive theory and discuss its application and significance in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. 1.1 Basic Concepts and Main Viewpoints of Social Cognitive Theory Social cognitive theory is put forward by the American social psychologist Albert Bandura, who believes that there is an interaction between human cognitive activities and the social environment, and that social cognition is the formation of one’s own behavior and cognition through cognitive processing on the basis of observing the behavior and results of others. Social cognition theory mainly includes the concepts of observational learning, imitative learning and self-efficacy. Observational learning refers to learning by observing the behaviors, emotions, and outcomes of others. Social cognitive theory suggests that after observing the behavior of others, people are able to acquire new ways of behaving by imitating and remembering the behavior of others. Observational learning can help people gain new knowledge and skills and improve their cognitive level. Imitative learning refers to learning and acquiring new knowledge and skills by imitating others’ behavior. Social cognitive theory suggests that people can acquire new ways of behaving by observing the behavior and results of others to determine whether the imitated behavior is suitable for them. Imitation learning is not only a way of learning, but also a cognitive process, through which people’s self-confidence and self-efficacy can be strengthened. Self-efficacy refers to the degree to which an individual believes that he or she can successfully accomplish a task. Social cognitive theory suggests that self-efficacy is an important psychological factor for people to achieve their goals, and that self-efficacy can be improved by observing the behavior and results of others. Increased self-efficacy promotes people’s ability to learn, solve problems and cope with frustration. 1.2 The Application and Significance of Social Cognitive Theory in Teaching Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Colleges and Universities Ideological and political theory class in colleges and universities is an important way and means to cultivate students with positive ideology and morality and high level of political theory. However, the common problems in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities at present are the relatively single teaching content and form, the low awareness of students’ participation, and the lack of sufficient interaction in the teaching process. In this context, social cognitive theory provides new ideas and methods for teaching ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. Social cognitive theory emphasizes the role of observation learning and imitation learning, which can stimulate students’ learning interest and participation. In the teaching process, teachers can stimulate www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 67 Published by SCHOLINK INC. students’ interest in learning by showing others’ excellent learning achievements and cases, and encourage them to improve their own learning effects by imitating others’ learning styles. Social cognitive theory focuses on the cultivation of self-efficacy, which can enhance students’ learning motivation and self-confidence. Teachers can help students build up confidence in their own abilities by giving them positive feedback and encouragement, and inspire them to participate more actively in the learning and discussion of ideological and political theory classes. In addition, social cognitive theory emphasizes the importance of observation and imitation, which can help students establish correct patterns of thought and behavior. In the teaching of ideological and political theory classes, teachers can inspire students’ thinking and guide them to form correct thinking and behavioral patterns by citing the remarks and practical cases of excellent ideological and political theorists. Social cognitive theory has an important application and significance in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. Through the lens of social cognitive theory, the problems existing in the teaching of ideological and political theories in colleges and universities can be better understood and solved, and new ideas and methods can be provided, so as to improve the effectiveness of teaching. Next, this paper will further explore the specific countermeasures and methods to enhance the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. 2. Analysis of the Current Situation of Teaching Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Colleges and Universities This chapter mainly analyzes the problems existing in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities, including the low teaching level of teachers, the single content of teaching, and the insufficient motivation of students to learn, etc., and discusses in depth the impact of these problems on the teaching effect. By comprehensively analyzing the current status quo problems, we can provide an analytical foundation for the next chapters. On this basis, we can explore various countermeasures and methods to enhance the teaching effect of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities, with a view to achieving the purpose of enhancing teaching effectiveness. 2.1 Teachers’ Low Teaching Level Poor teaching level of teachers is a common problem in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. For a theory course, teachers not only need to have rich knowledge reserves, but also need to have good expression ability and teaching design ability. However, at present, some college teachers are deficient in professional knowledge and teaching methods, which can’t meet students’ learning needs. Teachers’ low teaching level has a negative impact on the teaching effect, students’ interest in learning is not high, and the classroom atmosphere is rather cold. In the teaching process, teachers lack sufficient interaction and inspirational teaching methods, resulting in insufficient student learning www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 68 Published by SCHOLINK INC. enthusiasm and initiative. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the teaching level of teachers and cultivate their rich teaching experience and methods. To solve this problem, the professional quality of teachers can be improved by strengthening the construction of the teaching staff. Colleges and universities can increase their efforts in recruiting teachers, selecting and hiring excellent teachers of Civic and Political Theory courses, and focusing on the academic and teaching abilities of teachers. At the same time, active cultivation measures are taken, such as conducting teacher training and further training programs and providing more research opportunities and platforms, so as to prompt teachers to continuously improve their professional knowledge and teaching ability. These efforts will provide teachers with more development opportunities and stimulate their enthusiasm and innovation in teaching. 2.2 Single Teaching Content The teaching content of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities is often single and lacks diversity and breadth. At present, the content of teaching materials mainly centers on some basic concepts and theories, but is not close enough to the actual situation and lacks the idea of advancing with the times. This makes students in the learning process lack of attention to the current social hotspots and practical problems, and can not apply theoretical knowledge in practice in a timely manner. The single teaching content brings challenges to the teaching effect. Students often feel boring and lack of interest and passion in the learning process. This affects their learning motivation and thinking ability. In order to improve the teaching effect, we need to enrich and expand the teaching content, focus on the combination of theory and practice, and pay attention to the current social problems and hotspots, so that students can better understand and apply the theoretical knowledge of Civics and Politics they have learned in the learning process. To address this problem, a variety of strategies can be adopted. First, the content of teaching materials can be updated, focusing on the introduction of the latest theoretical views and practical cases, and encouraging students to pay attention to social changes and problems. Secondly, case teaching can be carried out to guide students to think and discuss through actual cases and to cultivate their analyzing and problem-solving abilities. In addition, various forms of teaching can be carried out, such as group discussions, classroom debates, field trips and so on, to stimulate students’ interest and participation in learning. Through the application of these strategies, the teaching content can be made more diversified and interesting, and the teaching effect can be improved. 2.3 Insufficient Learning Motivation of Students Insufficient learning motivation of students is a common problem in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. Since the ideological and political theory course has been regarded as one of the traditional theoretical courses, students often lack the awareness of its importance and interest. They generally think that the content of the course is boring and out of touch with real life, and lack motivation to learn. www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 69 Published by SCHOLINK INC. The lack of students’ motivation to learn has an adverse effect on teaching effectiveness. In the classroom, students may show a lack of participation and reflection, and a low level of digestion and understanding of the course content. In order to improve students’ learning motivation, we need to take appropriate measures to stimulate students’ interest and motivation in learning. To solve this problem, we can increase students’ participation and interactivity through innovative teaching methods and approaches. For example, interactive teaching, such as gamified teaching and group cooperative learning, can be introduced to increase students’ interactive sessions and practical experience in the teaching process. In addition, exchanges and communication with students can be strengthened to understand students’ learning needs and interests, and personalized teaching guidance and counseling can be provided according to students’ individual differences. Through the application of these measures, students’ learning interest and motivation can be stimulated, and their attention and participation in the Civic and Political Theory course can be improved. As mentioned above, low teaching level of teachers, single teaching content and insufficient learning motivation of students are the problems in the teaching of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. These problems have a negative impact on the teaching effect and restrict the improvement of teaching effectiveness. In order to solve these problems, we need to adopt corresponding countermeasures and methods for specific situations, with a view to improving the teaching effect of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. 3. Countermeasures to Enhance the Teaching Effectiveness of Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Colleges and Universities This chapter will systematically discuss the countermeasures and methods on how to enhance the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities, and illustrate them with specific cases. In order to achieve this goal, this chapter will focus on countermeasures to improve teachers’ professional quality, innovate teaching forms and methods, and strengthen students’ ideological and political education. By taking these measures, the teaching effect of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities can be effectively enhanced, and the learning effectiveness and ideological and theoretical level of students can be improved. 3.1 Improve the Professional Quality of Teachers The professional quality of teachers in ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities is of great significance in improving teaching effectiveness. Improving the professional quality of teachers needs to start from many aspects. Teachers should have solid subject knowledge and theoretical skills. Only through in-depth study and research can teachers accurately transfer knowledge in the teaching process and improve students’ theoretical level. Teachers can deepen their subject knowledge and theoretical cultivation by constantly participating in academic research and academic exchange activities. In addition, teachers can improve their academic reputation and prestige by participating in writing and publishing academic papers. www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 70 Published by SCHOLINK INC. Teachers should have certain teaching ability and educational skills. Teachers should have the ability to express themselves clearly and accurately and have good organizational skills to convey complex theoretical knowledge to students in a simple and clear way. Teachers should also have the ability to guide students to think independently and critically, and to develop students’ sense of creativity and problem-solving skills. Teachers can improve their teaching skills and educational competence by attending teacher training and education and teaching seminars. Teachers should have good teaching attitudes and ethics. Teachers should set a good example, be a role model for students, and actively guide students to establish a correct outlook on life, values and sense of social responsibility. Teachers should care about students’ learning and life, listen to students’ voices, and give students enough care and encouragement. Teachers can build up a good image of teachers and enhance students’ recognition and trust of teachers by participating in teacher recognition and merit assessment activities. 3.2 Innovative Teaching Forms and Methods To improve the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities, teachers need to adopt innovative teaching forms and methods to stimulate students’ interest and enthusiasm in learning. On the one hand, teachers can adopt modern educational technology means such as multimedia technology and network teaching platform to make the teaching content more vivid and improve the learning effect. By playing relevant videos, audios and pictures in the classroom, abstract theoretical knowledge can be made more concrete. Teachers can also stimulate students’ interest in learning and improve their participation through online discussions and interactive platforms. On the other hand, teachers can adopt teaching methods such as case teaching and problem orientation to cultivate students’ practical ability and problem solving ability. By guiding students to analyze and solve practical problems, students can better understand and master theoretical knowledge. Teachers can also organize group activities and teamwork to cultivate students’ sense of cooperation and team spirit. In addition, teachers should also pay attention to the creation of classroom atmosphere and the vividness of teaching content. Teachers can quote vivid examples and tell interesting stories to enhance students’ interest in and understanding of the teaching content. Teachers can also use discussion and interaction to let students actively participate in teaching and promote students’ thinking and communication. 3.3 Strengthen Students’ Ideological and Political Education Strengthening students’ ideological and political education is an important part of enhancing the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. By strengthening students’ ideological and political education, it can improve students’ ideological and theoretical level and moral quality, and cultivate students’ correct values and sense of social responsibility. www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 71 Published by SCHOLINK INC. Schools and teachers should strengthen students’ ideological and political education. Schools can organize students to participate in various forms of ideological and political education activities, such as special lectures, campus cultural festivals, social practice and so on. Teachers can focus on cultivating students’ sense of discernment and critical thinking in teaching, guiding students to pay attention to current news and social hotspots, and cultivating students’ sense of social responsibility and civic awareness. Families and society should also strengthen students’ ideological and political education. Family is the first classroom of students’ ideological and political education. Parents should emphasize family education and cultivate students’ correct values and outlook on life. Society should provide a favorable public opinion environment and social atmosphere to guide students to establish a correct world view and outlook on life. Students themselves should also actively participate in ideological and political education and consciously improve their ideological and theoretical level. Students can read more books and magazines on ideological and political theory, participate in academic research and social practice activities, and constantly enrich their knowledge and experience. 4. Conclusion In summary, improving teachers’ professional quality, innovating teaching forms and methods, and strengthening students’ ideological and political education are effective countermeasures to enhance the teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. Through the improvement of teachers’ professional quality and the innovation of teaching forms, students’ learning interest and motivation can be stimulated. Through strengthening students’ ideological and political education, students’ ideological quality and outlook on life can be improved. These countermeasures will provide strong support for the improvement of teaching effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities. References Lin, H. P. (2015). Research on the Effectiveness of Ideological and Political Theory Classes in Colleges and Universities--Taking " Ideological and Moral Cultivation and the Foundation of Law" Class as an Example (pp. 32-33). Yuan, J. H. (2014). Research on the practical teaching link and implementation of long-term mechanism of “ideological and political theory course” in medical schools (pp. 113-114). Lu, D. (2010). “Knowledge, emotion, intention and behavior” is the key to improve the effectiveness of ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities (Vol. 12, pp. 172-173). Zhang, L. (2009). Teaching is educating, educating is teaching--The efficacy of educating teachers in ideological and political theory courses. www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/fet Frontiers in Education Technology Vol. 6, No. 4, 2023 72 Published by SCHOLINK INC. Ye, W. (2016). The practical path of situational teaching method in theory class of colleges and universities: Taking ideal belief as an example (pp. 199-200).