The Dialectical Relationship between “Changing” and “Unchanging” in GIS Practice Teaching in the Social Transition Period

Abstract

New requirements have been proposed for GIS practice teaching in colleges and universities in response to the developmental changes of national and industrial sectors during the social transition. Meanwhile, the underlying core characteristics of GIS should remain unchanged in GIS teaching to ensure they serve as the inherent attributes distinguishing GIS from other disciplines. Therefore, the clarification of the dialectical relationship between “changing” and “unchanging” in GIS practice teaching becomes the primary issue to address in relevant teaching reform. To address this issue, the present study systematically analyzes the structural contradictions in GIS practice teaching in the social transition period, and then closely examines the dialectical relationship between “changing” and “unchanging” from the key aspects of educational philosophy, teaching content, teaching methodology, and teaching assessment. Next, using the course of “GIS Practice Design” at the Central South University as an example, the present study describes this university’s reform and inheritance in GIS practice teaching, aiming to provide reference for GIS practice teaching in other universities or majors.

Keywords

• |social transition|gis practice design|practice teaching|student-centered|central south university