ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

Marine Knowledge in Geography Textbooks (1901–1949): Presentation and Evolution from the Perspective of Science Education Modernization

• In Event: Evolutionary Histories 1

English Abstract

The late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China (1901–1949) constituted a pivotal phase in China’s science education modernization. As core carriers of knowledge dissemination, geography textbooks’ presentation and evolution of marine knowledge hold significant research value. This study takes such textbooks as the research object, adopting a perspective of science education modernization and constructing a three-dimensional analytical framework of "knowledge dimensions—educational objectives—compilation logic" to explore the characteristics and historical evolution of marine knowledge in these textbooks. Findings indicate that the representation of marine knowledge synchronized with the process of science education modernization: in the late Qing, it featured common sense, focusing on basic land-sea distribution to serve national awareness amid the context of national salvation; the early Republic expanded knowledge scope, attempted scientific enlightenment, emphasized interactions between the ocean and human society, and realized the transformation of educational objectives; the mid-late Republic formed a systematic knowledge system integrating marine scientific principles, maritime sovereignty, and practical applications, achieving the dual goals of science education and sovereignty education. This evolution was jointly driven by science education policies, social demands, and the integration of Western learning with local practices, with its core lying in the advancement of marine knowledge from "common sense" to "scientization, systematization, and valorization" in the process of science education modernization.

Authors

• Xue Yang, Inner Mongolia Normal University

• CHAO LIU, Inner Mongolia Normal University