Antarctic Science and Policy: Interdisciplinary Research Education (ASPIRE)

科学教育的目的应该是促进批判性思维、解决问题的能力和创造力。在此背景下，“南极科学与政策：跨学科研究教育”（ASPIRE）将让学生参与到一个创造性的教育环境中，他们将通过提炼问题来学习；设计和实施自主项目；并为团队决策做出贡献。ASPIRE课程将在2年的时间里发展成为全国各大学正在兴起的地球系统科学课程的典范顶点课程。ASPIRE的每个学生都将成为一名“大使”，负责制定和谈判建议，这些建议将以书面和口头形式在模拟南极条约协商会议上提出。互动式多媒体课件的设计将帮助学生提高他们的探究能力。将通过将在伯德极地研究中心升级的万维网网站促进更多的师生互动。将设立一个咨询委员会，以确保成功地设计、执行、评价和传播ASPIRE。评估将在整个项目中持续进行，以确保ASPIRE(1)采用适当的教学理论和实践，(2)有助于学生的知识获取，(3)促进创造性的信息寻求和决策。除了在南极洲引入独特的国际和跨学科科学融合之外，ASPIRE还将帮助学生发展苏格拉底技能，这是在我们日益复杂的社会中学习和繁荣所固有的技能。

Science education should be designed to promote critical thinking, problem-solving skills and creativity. In this context, Antarctic Science and Policy: Interdisciplinary Research Education (ASPIRE) will involve students in a creative educational environment where they will learn by refining questions; designing and implementing self-directed projects; and contributing to group decision-making efforts. ASPIRE will be developed over 2 years as a model capstone course for Earth system science curricula which are emerging in universities across the nation. Each student in ASPIRE will become an "ambassador" for the purpose of developing and negotiating recommendations which will be presented in writing and orally in Mock Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. Interactive multi-media courseware will be designed to help students enhance their inquiry skills. Additional student-teacher interactions will be facilitated through the World Wide Web site which will be upgraded at the Byrd Polar Research Center. An Advisory Committee will be established to ensure that ASPIRE will be successfully designed, implemented, evaluated and disseminated. Evaluation will be ongoing throughout the project to ensure that ASPIRE (1) employs appropriate pedagogical theories and practices, (2) contributes to student knowledge gain, and (3) fosters creative information seeking and decision-making. Beyond introducing the unique fusion of international and interdisciplinary science in Antarctica, ASPIRE will help students develop the Socratic skills which are inherent to learning and thriving in our increasingly complex society.