Interests in COSEE-China
---My Personal Perspectives
Dr. Minhan [email protected]
College of Oceanography & Environmental Science
(COE)
Xiamen University
(XMU)
State Key Lab of Marine Environmental
Science (MEL)
Overview
• Ocean science education at various aspects is underdeveloped in China
• “Ocean” is becoming one of the top priorities in China’s strategic development, and ocean science research has been growing in a fast trend ever in China, which needs outreaches
• The success of COSEE network and concept set a model for ocean science education
• COSEE-China is much needed and is timely to be developed as a national program with strong international partnership
About the Ocean and our vision
Demand in ocean science education
Issues in ocean science education in China
Motivations and timing of a COSEE-China
Outline
Ocean from Space
Cover 71% of the surface of the Earth
NASA
Qingdao
Guangzhou
Xiamen
ShanghaiPacific OceanPacific Ocean
Beijing
Ancient Chinese’s View:Natural barrier & the mother of the mankind
From a 7-grade student
• Home of marine life and food source• Area of discovery
-Yuri Dai
From non-marine-program college students
• ….• Blue color…
About the Ocean and our vision Demand in ocean science education
National development priorities (enterprise, jobs, general publics….)
Fast growing of ocean research
Issues in ocean science education in ChinaMotivations and timing of a COSEE-China
Outline
Revenues
• 2001-2006 ， marine related revenue
~14.7% ，
• In 2007, $ 2.5 K billion, ~ 10.11% GDP
(from 8.58% in 2000)
• In 2010 ， > 11% GDP 1 M jobs/yr
MEL SCI Papers
Ocean Research growing dramatically
•NSFC budget: 25% increase in the past 5-10 yrs
•Research output: ex:
■ SCI journal■ International journal
About the Ocean and our vision Demand in ocean science educationIssues in ocean science education in ChinaMotivations and timing of a COSEE-China
Outline
Grade Age
Higher Education in various formats C1~ 19
~
Vocational &
Technical High
School
Upper Secondary (Senior High
School)
H3 18H2 17
H1 16
Lower Secondary (Junior High School)
9 158 147 136 125 11
Primary School
4 103 92 81 7
Kindergarten 3~6
Science Education in the Curriculum StructureGrade
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Moral Education
& Life
Moral Education & Society
Moral EducationHistory & Society (or History, Geography)
Science Science (or Biology, Physics, Chemistry
Chinese LanguageMathematics
Foreign Language
Physical Education Physical Education & HealthArt (or Music, Fine Arts)
Comprehensive & Practical Activity
Local & School-based Curriculum
At Colleges
High educations of ocean science are limited to some of the universities
Not Yet as a significant component of the general educations
Xiamen University
Ocean Sciences Research in China
First started in the 1920s in Xiamen University
Focused primarily on marine biology
Issues to be concerned in ocean science education
Chinese culture used to view the ocean as a natural barrier rather than an asset of living
General publics rarely participated in ocean society More vision on the land Education policy:
“Watch” the ocean from the land General public Curriculums of general education/trainings are lacking
Lags between human resources & national enterprise demand
• Quantities
• Quality
• Capacity vs demand
Xiamen University
Summary
‘Ocean Literate’
Outreaches of ocean research
International network
Demand vs capacity
Reef Check in China
In Guangdong since 2005
Training seminar annually
> 6 sites and 30 volunteers
About the Ocean and our vision Demand in ocean science educationIssues in ocean science education in ChinaMotivations and timing of a COSEE-China
Outline
Motivations
• National Interests:– Job market: 500 K – 1 M increase/yr
• Global vision needs international cooperation in education in ocean science (in contrast with on research cooperation)
Timing
• NSFC’s strategic planning (2020) is
underway
• SOA has a strategic plan in place to submit
to the national council for the next 10 years,
emphasizing the community building
• MOE is making strategic planning for ocean
science research and education
COSEE-China?
Increase ocean awareness in college/schools and in the general public
Build up infrastructure for ocean science education with better bridges between research and educations
Increase number of students choosing careers in ocean sciences
Increase number of students from under-represented groups in ocean science
Increase knowledge and interest in ocean sciences resulting in an increase in science literacy
Xiamen University
COSEE Mission:
Scientists and educators working together to advance ocean discovery and make known the vital role of the ocean in our lives
US NSF, COSEE-US
NSFC, SOA, MOE
All participants
Let’s work together!
