Expanding the Presence of Geographic Techniques in the Geography Undergraduate Curriculum at Illinois State University

扩大伊利诺伊州立大学地理本科课程中地理技术的存在

• 批准号: 9552050
• 负责人: James Carter
• 金额: $ 2.5万
• 依托单位: Board of Trustees of Illinois State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-06-15 至 1997-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9552050&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Expanding; Presence; Geographic; Techniques; Geography

The tools of doing geography are changing dramatically, but the need for good, rigorous geographical thinking is a constant. Varying levels of preparation among students and the gaps revealed by the geographic diagnostic exam are the motivation for changing the techniques courses. Geographic Techniques, the new foundations course, is the focus of this new approach. The objective is to introduce basic concepts and skills as students move through the program. This goal is not to see how many techniques can be taught to students but to build a functional base. The new computer-based laboratory is a major instrument in achieving the goals of the new introductory course as well as an important instrument in the following techniques courses. Sophomores and juniors intending to major in geography are directed to Geographic Techniques after having completed a minimum of three introductory geography courses. This course is the prerequisite for all of the traditional techniques courses in the department. As students complete this course they should be comfortable working in the computer lab; able to use e-mail and move about the Internet; have the beginnings of the vocabulary of geographic techniques; have an integrated exposure to content of the various techniques used in geography; be aware of the nature of geographic data and how to get such data for local questions or global questions; and have some experience in using a word processor, spreadsheet, and the Idrisi GIS package. The impact of building this foundation can be realized in all subsequent techniques courses as well as in the preparation of the students as they move into their internship and ultimately into the work place or on to graduate school.

研究地理的工具正在发生戏剧性的变化，但对良好、严谨的地理思维的需求是不变的。学生的准备程度不同，地理诊断考试暴露出的差距是改变技术课程的动机。地理技术，这门新的基础课程，是这种新方法的重点。课程的目标是在学生学习该课程的过程中介绍基本概念和技能。这个目标不是看能教给学生多少技术，而是建立一个实用的基础。新的计算机实验室是实现新的入门课程目标的主要工具，也是后续技术课程的重要工具。打算主修地理的大二和大三学生在至少完成了三门地理入门课程后，被指导学习地理技术。本课程是本系所有传统技术课程的必修课。当学生完成这门课程时，他们应该适应在计算机实验室工作；能够使用电子邮件和在互联网上走动；开始掌握地理技术词汇；综合接触地理中使用的各种技术的内容；了解地理数据的性质以及如何为本地问题或全球问题获取这些数据；并有一些使用文字处理器、电子表格和IDRISI地理信息系统软件包的经验。建立这一基础的影响可以在所有后续的技术课程中实现，以及在学生进入实习并最终进入工作场所或研究生院的准备过程中实现。