Classroom Active Learning Complemented by an Online Discussion Forum to Teach Sustainability

This paper identifies some of the pedagogical benefits of an active learning course delivery complemented by an online discussion forum to teach sustainability by evaluating the case of a geography master's course. The potential benefits and some challenges of an active learning course delivery to teach sustainability in geography and related disciplines are considered. This case study further supports past research that suggests e-learning as a complement to the classroom (1) increases the opportunities for student participation; and (2) enhances the participation of students who may feel more inhibited to engage in discussions in a traditional classroom setting.     

党的三代领导人的科技战略思想

在科技落后的发展中国家追赶世界科技先进水平的征程中 ,制定正确的、适合本国国情的科技发展战略起着决定性的作用。新中国成立后的 50年里 ,中共三代领导人为此进行了艰辛的探索 ,在理论上成功地解决了我国科学技术发展的地位、立足点、动力、路径和支撑力量等一系列重大战略问题 ,逐步形成了有中国特色的科技战略思想 ,对中国科学技术事业的迅速崛起起到巨大的指导作用     

邓小平区域经济协调发展思想形成的条件

邓小平的“让一部分地区先富起来 ,逐步实现共同富裕”的区域经济协调发展战略思想 ,是在总结我国建国以后经济建设的经验教训、依据我国社会主义初级阶段的基本国情、重新审视我国区域经济发展所面临的新的国际形势的基础上提出来的。平衡发展战略的经验教训和纠正收入分配上的平均主义错误是这一思想形成的历史条件 ,地区间经济发展水平和发展条件的差异性是这一思想形成的现实依据 ,时代主题的转换和国际形势的新变化是这一思想得以提出的时代背景。     

思维方式与人地关系理论

人地关系理论的形成、发展与人的思维方式密切相关。人地关系理论中有代表性的环境决定论、意志决定论、人地关系协调论渗透着当今颇有影响的两大思维方式-现代主义思维方式、后现代主义思维方式的印记。现代主义思维方式、后现代主义思维方式的缺陷与环境决定论、意志决定论、人地关系协调论等理论的不足息息相关。全准思维方式的提出克服了上述两种思维方式的弱点,也为我们认识人地关系带来了新的视角。     

Enhancing critical thinking skills in first year environmental management students: a tale of curriculum design,application and reflection

This paper chronicles the experience of academic staff in developing a course to enhance the critical thinking skills of environmental management undergraduates. We outline our considerations and process for course development, discuss insights from course evaluations, and reflect on the challenges encountered. We believe these perspectives will be useful for others who are developing critical thinking skills curricula, especially first year courses. Aspects of the course design which were considered particularly effective were the use of scaffolded assessment, the application of threshold concepts, and well-structured collaborative learning activities paired with quality tutors. The key learning for the authors from the evaluation of the course was that while the tools and strategies developed were very useful, interweaving these tools into year 2 and 3 courses would help students see the ongoing value of critical thinking in their work.     

Systems thinking within the scope of education for sustainable development (ESD) – a heuristic competence model as a basis for (science) teacher education

Systems thinking is regarded as a key competence in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD), because it helps students to understand the complexity and dynamics of natural, social and economic systems. In our research group, we developed a competence model that distinguishes four dimensions of systems thinking in ESD. Based on this model, we designed different university courses in biology and geography teacher education and measured their effects on student teachers’ systems thinking and the pedagogical content knowledge for teaching systems thinking with two different tests. Both variables could be effectively promoted depending on the course.     

Border thinking: Rossport, Shell and the political geographies of a gas pipeline

Rossport is a small, sparsely populated rural area in the west of Ireland. Over the past seven years, some of its residents have been engaged in a struggle against the building of a gas pipeline through their locality by multinational corporations, including Shell and Statoil. Their struggle has garnered opposition and support within Ireland and internationally. This paper takes the story of Rossport as the starting point for a broader discussion of epistemology within political geography. Drawing on the work of Walter Mignolo, in particular his ideas about ‘border thinking’ and the ‘decoloniality of knowledge’, it argues that Rossport offers the possibility for a redeployment of postcolonial thought within political geography.     

中共十六大与八大的比较研究

八大是中国共产党成为执政党后召开的第一次全国代表大会,这次代表大会分析了生产资料所有制的社会主义改造基本完成后的形势,提出了全面开展社会主义建设的任务,在指导思想、政治路线和组织路线上都有重要建树,对探索中国特色社会主义的道路产生了深远的影响。十六大是中国共产党执政52年后在新世纪召开的第一次全国代表大会,也是中国共产党在开始实施社会主义现代化建设第三步战略部署的新形势下召开的一次具有深远影响的重要大会。对八大和十六大进行比较研究,可以发现其一脉相承的内在联系,可以加深对十六大确立的指导思想、奋斗目标、组织路线的认识。     

略论毛泽东处理十大经济关系问题的辩证思维

社会主义建设在中国是一项前无古人的开创性事业,毛泽东在探索符合中国国情的社会主义建设道路的过程中,逐步形成了运用“两点论”和“重点论”相统一的原理处理社会主义经济建设中诸如解放生产力、发展生产力与保护生产力的关系,东部、中部与西部之间的关系,平衡与不平衡的关系,速度与比例的关系,积累与消费的关系,中央和地方两个积极性的关系,消灭资本主义与发展资本主义的关系,国家、集体和个人三者利益之间的关系,必须给人民以看得见的物质福利与思想政治工作的关系,以自力更生为主与学习外国的关系等方面的思想。这些思想中内含的立场、观点和方法至今还具有重要的理论和现实指导意义。