Haiyang Kaifa yu guanli (Jan 2023)
Coupling Ocean-City: Methods and practice of ecological civilization education in coastal cities
Abstract
The coastal zone offers opportunities for the rapid economic development of the world, particularly in China. 70% of the metropolis with more than 10 million inhabitants are located near coastal zone estuaries. Coastal cities have the typical characteristics of land and sea interaction, and they have become the representative example of ecological civilization education because of their combination of urban and marine identity. This study considered ocean-city coupling as a cutting-edge starting point for fostering innovation in educational research, as well as teaching methods in the curriculum for coastal city ecological civilization. The novel methodological framework was produced by fusing the Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on Ecological Civilization, complexity theory, and systematics theory. To bridge the gap between academic education, general education, and public scientific understanding of ecological civilization in coastal cities, a concise summary of the practical issues and requirements of ecological civilization development in coastal cities was provided through "disciplines coupling, land-sea coupling, and human-sea coupling." With the practical of ocean-city coupling course, students majoring in ecological civilization might grow their marine awareness, realizing the mutual benefit of education and scientific research, as well as the integration of scientific research and citizen science. With the coupling of ocean-city, we aimed to collaboratively advance the education and development of ecological civilization in coastal zone cities. The paper initiatived a novel teaching paradigm of ocean-city coupling, encouraged the interdisciplinary innovation of ecology, marine science and management, to cultivate high-quality ecological civilization talents in coastal cities, and contribute to the development of ecological civilization and the strategy of maritime power in China.
