Understanding, Critique, and Practice: Three Stages of Graduate Students' Theoretical Learning

Li Bo, Wang Junfeng, Guan Xibin, Xie Xiaodong *

Rocket Force University of Engineering

Abstract：

Theoretical literacy constitutes a core competency for graduate students, directly influencing the quality of graduate education and providing a foundational basis for academic inquiry and systematic interpretation of research objects. The cultivation of theoretical literacy depends upon a coherent and progressively deepening process of theoretical learning. In accordance with the logic of cognition, this processmay be conceptualized as three ascending stages: comprehending and assimilating theory, reflective critique, and practical application. These stages are internally interconnected and progressively advanced, each corresponding to a deeper level of theoretical understanding and cognitive development. At present, the theoretical literacy of some graduate students remains inadequate. The underlying reason is that their theoretical learning often remains confined to the superficial stage of comprehension and assimilation, rarely advancing to reflective critique and even less frequently reaching practical application. To comprehensively enhance graduatestudents’ theoretical literacy, it is necessary to promote a dual progression in theoretical learning. First, students should be guided from mere comprehension and assimilation toward reflective critique through strengthened theoretical reasoning and systematic examination of theoretical premises, thereby cultivating independent critical thinking. Second, students should further progress from reflective critique to practical application by situating learning within real-world contexts so as to enhance both the explanatory power of theory and the capacitytotransform theory into practice. Ultimately, the central objective of theoretical learning is to achieve the unity of knowledge and action.

Key Words：

theoretical literacy; graduate students; theoretical learning; reflective critique; practical application