erdEducation Reform and Development2652-53642652-5372Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/erd.v6i1.6245ArticleA New “Target-Seeking Style” Teaching Idea for Teaching General Education Courses in Large Categories in Engineering Universitieshttps://artdesignp.com/journal/erd/6/1/10.26689/erd.v6i1.6245YangBai,LiRan2024612024-02-27General education is a crucial aspect of undergraduate education, providing both knowledge and quality education. General education courses, encompassing all majors and grades, form the cornerstone of undergraduate education in engineering universities. Especially amidst the current evolution of undergraduate education and talent cultivation within engineering universities, under the new circumstances arising from initiatives such as the plan for nurturing outstanding engineers, the establishment of new engineering disciplines, and the implementation of enrollment and undergraduate course development, the teaching of large-category general education courses assumes a pivotal role. It contributes significantly to advancing academic disciplines and majors, fostering the scientific literacy of undergraduates, nurturing a spirit of inquiry, and enhancing their ability to make informed decisions regarding majors and careers. This paper delves into the fundamental purpose and significance of teaching general education courses in engineering universities under these new circumstances, focusing on the typical challenges encountered in the teaching process. Subsequently, the authors utilize the teaching of a large-category general education course, namely “Introduction to Nanomaterials and Their Development Frontiers,” as a platform for pedagogical reform. They propose a novel “target-seeking style“ teaching approach for general education courses within broader categories and explore innovative teaching methodologies aimed at addressing the common challenges associated with these courses. Ultimately, the aim is to cultivate a balanced blend of specialization and generalization among undergraduate students, thereby addressing the common issues encountered in general education teaching and realizing the overarching goal of fostering high-quality technical talents with a well-rounded skill set at the undergraduate level.

Chinese Government, 2023, President Xi Jinping Presides Over the Fifth Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and Delivers an Important Speech, viewed May 29, 2023, https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202305/content_6883632.htm.

Chinese Ministry of Education, 2023, Major Strategic Actions to Accelerate the Construction of a Strong Basic Education Country, viewed August 31, 2023, http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xwfb/moe_2082/2023/2023_zl13/202308/t20230831_1077554.html.

Wang F, 2023, Exploration and Practice of Training Outstanding Engineers in Higher Education in the New Era. Journal of Hubei Open Vocational College, 36(24): 36–37 + 46.

Hu D, Pang D, Gu P, 2023, High-Quality Development of Modern Industrial Colleges for Cultivating Excellent Engineers: Objectives, Strategies, and Paths. China Higher Education Research, 2023(12): 16–23 + 78.

Gao L, Zhang X, Li J, et al., 2024, Exploration and Construction of Practice Teaching System Under the Background of “New Engineering”. Major Construction & Course Construction, 2024(1): 41–46.

Liu S, Ma T, 2024, Cultivation of Short-Supplied Talents in Engineering Field and Construction of New Engineering Specialty. Journal of Tianjin University (Social Sciences), 26(1): 38–44.

Kai K, 2023, Research on Current Situation of College Large-Scale Enrollment and Student Management. Journal of Science and Education, 2023(16): 27–30.

Zhang Y, Wang K, Gong S, et al., 2023, Practice and Development Direction of Large-Category Enrollment Training Under the Perspective of Comprehensive Reform of College Entrance Examination. Teaching Reform, 2023(29): 97–100.

Zhang W, Liu Y, 2023, How General Education and Professional Education Co-Exist and Interactively Integrate? – A Comparative Analysis of the Multi-Level, Classified, and Combined Paths in the USA. Journal of Graduate Education, 2023(6): 81–89.

Wang H, Cao J, 2023, Research on the Optimization of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education System in Engineering Universities. Education Reform and Development, 2023(8): 62–64.

Wang L, Shan T, 2024, Exploring the Shackles and Breakthroughs in the Integration of General Education and Professional Education in Applied Undergraduate Colleges and Universities. China Education Technology Equipment, 2024(3): 142–145.