中美地理信息科学专业本科课程设置比较分析

Comparison of Geographic Information Science Undergraduate Curriculum at Universities of China and USA

课程设置作为地理信息科学人才培养的核心,在大数据及人工智能发展时代,亟需加快完善,以契合社会发展新要求。采用文献收集、网络调研和比较分析的研究方法,选择中国及美国的22所高校为研究样本,从课程总学分、课程结构及实践教学对比,分析两国地理信息科学本科专业课程设置的异同。结果表明:中国地理信息科学专业学分普遍偏高,美国地理信息科学专业学分相对较低;中国通识课程形式仍较单一,课程质量参差不齐,美国通识课程形较丰富,课程内容注重批判性思维及人文素养培养,数理课程学分普遍较高;两国地理信息科学专业本科主干课程设置基本一致,但美国高校专业课程设置更细致,课程形态较丰富;美国高校实践课程学习资源较丰富,学生动手能力强,中国高校实践教学在内容、形式、评价及学生动手创新能力方面均需加强。建议根据各高校师资实况,适当借鉴美国高校在课程内容设置、课堂教学方式、批判思维及实践能力培养中的经验,培养大数据时代下适应现代化建设的高素质复合型地理信息科学人才。

Curriculum as the core of geographic information science(GIS)talent cultivation is urgent to be improved to meet the new requirements of social development in the era of big data and artificial intelligence.By means of literature collection,online survey and comparative analysis,22 universities in China and the United States were selected as research samples to compare in the total credits,the course structure and practical teaching of geographic information science(GIS)major,then the similarities and differences in the teaching plans and undergraduate curriculum of GIS majors between China and the United Stated were analyzed.The results show that GIS major credit in China is generally high,while that of GIS major in the United States is low.The general curriculum in China is still relatively simple,with uneven course quality.The general curriculum in the United States is relatively rich in form and its content focuses on the cultivation of critical thinking ability and humanistic quality.The core curriculum of GIS major in the two countries is basically the same,but the specialized curriculum in American universities is more detailed and the specialized curriculum is more diversified.American universities have abundant practical curriculum models and learning resources,and students have strong manipulative ability.Chinese colleges and universities need to further strengthen practical teaching in terms of content,form,evaluation and students’hands-on innovation ability.According to the actual situation of teachers in China colleges and universities,it is advised to learn from the experience of American colleges and universities in course content setting,classroom teaching method,critical thinking and practical ability training so as to cultivate high quality inter-disciplinary talents in geographic information science to meet the requirement of the modernization construction in the era of big data.