The impact of moral education on student virtue in higher education: evidence from Jiangxi Province, China

Against the construction requirements of high-level talent cultivation systems, curriculum-based moral education has been comprehensively promoted in Chinese higher education institutions. However, empirical research on the relationship between such moral education initiatives and student virtue development remains markedly scarce. Therefore, examining the relationship is essential for advancing and refining current moral education practices. A random survey was conducted among 318 undergraduate students from eight universities in Jiangxi province. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed, given its suitability for predictive, multidimensional and complex models, to develop a factorial model that elucidates the determinants influencing student virtue cultivation. Meanwhile, the independent samples T-test was applied to analyze the perceptions of students of different genders regarding moral education, teaching effectiveness, teacher behavior, and student virtue. The findings reveal that moral education significantly enhances both teaching effectiveness and teacher behaviors. Moreover, teaching effectiveness and teacher behaviors positively influence student virtue, with teaching effectiveness exerting a stronger impact. Additionally, teacher behaviors were found to positively affect teaching effectiveness. Gender differences also emerged, indicating that male participants demonstrating a deeper understanding of both teaching effectiveness and student virtue. This research contributes both theoretical and practical contributions it advances the understanding of moral education mechanisms and offering strategies to enhance virtue cultivation in higher education institutions.