New Relevance for the New Century

克劳利地理学这门科学学科在美国的经济、政治和社会生活中起着核心作用。在1990年总统和州长通过的《国家教育目标》中，它被指定为美国学校的五大核心科目之一，成为美国教育改革的主要焦点。然而，这门学科现在面临着几个重大挑战。这些挑战包括：加强地理学术与地理教育之间的关系，满足对地理教育者的需求，使地理学家更多地关注国家和全球问题，澄清地理作为一门学科相对于许多部分地理的多学科活动的作用。应对地理科学研究成本上升的问题。在美国国家科学基金会和其他组织的支持下，美国国家科学院/国家研究委员会（NAS/NRC）将召集一个委员会，对美国的地理学进行全面评估。评估的目标是(1)确定该学科的关键问题和制约因素，(2)明确教学和研究的优先事项，(3)将该学科的发展与国家对地理教育的需求联系起来。(4)提高科学界对地理学的重视；(5)与国际科学界就美国地理学的未来发展方向进行沟通。委员会成员将来自学术界、公共部门和私营部门。委员会将采用简报、实况调查练习和讨论的方式编写一份报告，总结其调查结果。该报告将服从NAS/NRC的审查程序，并将随时提供给地理学家和其他人。这个项目将为地理学的前景和面临的问题提供有价值和及时的检查。特别有益的将是关于研究优先次序的建议和可以采取的步骤，以便将地理学的基础研究和应用研究更紧密地联系起来。＊＊＊

9319015 CROWLEY The scientific discipline of geography plays a central role in economic, political, and social life in the United States. It also has become a major focus of educational reform in the nation, having been designated as one of five core subjects for American schools in the National Education Goals adopted by the President and state governors in 1990. Several significant challenges now face the discipline, however. Among these challenges are: - connecting geography as a science with grassroots interest in geographic literacy, - strengthening the relationship between geographic scholarship and geographic education, - meeting the demand for geographic educators, focusing more research by geographers on national and global issues, - clarifying the role of geography as a discipline relative to the many partly geographic multidisciplinary activities, and - coping with the higher costs of scientific research in geography. With support from NSF and other organizations, the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (NAS/NRC) will convene a committee to conduct a comprehensive assessment of geography in the U.S. The objectives of the assessment are (1) to identify critical issues and constraints for the discipline, (2) to clarify priorities for teaching and research, (3) to link developments in the discipline with national needs for geographic education, (4) to increase the appreciation of geography within the scientific community, and (5) to communicate with the international scientific community about the future directions of geography in the U.S. Committee members will be drawn from the academic, public, and private sectors. The committee will use briefings, fact-finding exercises, and discussions to produce a report that will summarize its findings. This report will be subject to NAS/NRC review procedures and will be readily available to geographers and others. This project will provide a valuable and timely examination of the prospects and problems facing geography. Especially beneficial will be recommendations regarding research priorities and steps that can be taken to more closely link basic and applied research in geography. ***