Practical Exploration of the "PAD Class" in the Reform of New Liberal Arts Education: A Case Study of the Course Management Psychology

Abstract

As the New Liberal Arts paradigm continues to evolve, liberal education must transcend traditional lecture-based approaches to cultivate higher-order thinking, interdisciplinary integration, and practical innovation among students. Management Psychology, a discipline bridging theoretical frameworks and practical applications, frequently encounters challenges under conventional teaching methods, including low student engagement, limited internalization of concepts, and a persistent gap between theory and practice. In response, this study implements a comprehensive course redesign using the PAD (Presentation-Assimilation-Discussion) model, structured to align with the New Liberal Arts principles of value orientation, cross-disciplinary integration, and practice-based learning. The PAD cycle actively engages students in self-directed learning, promotes the development of tacit knowledge, and integrates process-oriented assessments to continuously monitor understanding and skill acquisition. By systematically connecting theoretical knowledge with practical competence, this approach fosters not only cognitive understanding but also the application of psychological principles in real-world management scenarios. Classroom observations and evaluation data demonstrate that the PAD model effectively enhances student motivation, deepens comprehension, and encourages collaborative problem-solving, while providing measurable pathways for continuous improvement. The study concludes that this model offers a scalable and replicable framework for educational reform, serving as a viable blueprint for other disciplines seeking to bridge the theory-practice divide and advance the objectives of the New Liberal Arts.