The Effects of Ideological and Political Education of Ecological Civilization (IPE-EC) on Academic Performance of Environmental Science Students

Promoting active learning and research is vital for improving students' academic performance. In higher education, improving learning outcomes increasingly depends not only on curriculum coverage but also on whether teaching can sustain students’ learning motivation, engagement, and self-directed study habits-core attributes of quality education and a widely shared international education agenda. This research underscores the significant influence of Ideological and Political Education on Ecological Civilization (IPE-EC) in shaping students' environmental awareness and enhancing their academic outcomes. The results show that the incorporation of IPE-EC into university curricula significantly increased the frequency of related educational sessions and the number of relevant courses, thereby deepening students' grasp of ecological concepts and boosting their environmental awareness and involvement. From a learning-process perspective, sustained exposure to IPE-EC can make disciplinary knowledge more purposeful and socially relevant, which may translate into clearer goal orientation, stronger persistence in demanding interdisciplinary coursework, and more proactive participation in research-related learning activities. Further model analysis reveals a synergistic relationship between IPE-EC and academic success in enhancing GPA-A (Grade Point Average-Academic). Importantly, this synergy suggests that the educational contribution of IPE-EC is not limited to knowledge transmission; rather, it may reshape students’ motivational structure and learning behaviors that underpin measurable performance improvements. Coupling analysis shows an upward trend in the coordination effects between the two systems, indicating a shift in the primary drivers of academic improvement from mere accumulation of academic achievements to motivation influenced by IPE-EC. This shift provides a plausible mechanism for the observed non-linear and threshold effects: only when curriculum exposure and value recognition reach sufficient levels does the motivational benefit become strong enough to translate into stable academic gains. These findings provide theoretical insights into optimizing the implementation of ideological and political education within higher education institutions.