An Experimental Study on the Effects of Inspirational Digital Reading on Academic Performance and Career Aspirations of Chinese University Students

To address the prevailing challenges faced by Chinese university students, such as academic fatigue, reluctance towards postgraduate studies and employment, and escalating emotional distress, this study leveraged the preferences of contemporary students for sharing short videos and readings. The research team curated inspirational short videos, films, TV dramas, and e-books resources to establish a “Digital Platform for Ideal Education for Chinese College Students” for a 6-month experiment, wherein participants engaged in “Daily Sharing of Inspirational Short Videos, Movies, TV Shows, and Books for One Hour”. Post-experiment questionnaire surveys and interviews revealed a strong affinity among experimental group students for these multimedia resources, indicating a positive educational impact. Notably, the average reading amount of inspirational e-books among experimental group students exceeded 970 thousand words per student, while the average mobile viewing amount of inspirational movies and TV shows surpassed 36 episodes per student, and the average reading amount of inspirational short videos increased by 199 times, 4.5 times, and 4.1 times, respectively, compared to pre-experiment levels. Furthermore, the experimental group exhibited enthusiastic online sharing and discussion, averaging 126 posts per student, with a frequency of one post every three days. In addition, significant improvements were observed in anxiety levels, career aspirations, learning initiative, and academic performance. In contrast, the control group, not involved in the mobile reading activity, showed negligible changes in test indicators compared to the previous year, with scores in the three main professional courses increasing by only 4.23% post-experiment. This experiment explores digital innovation and contributes to the accumulation of teaching reform experience for ideal and belief education in Chinese universities.