Recently, I have been thinking about the topic of "university education.In addition to understanding the universal values of higher education, these topics focus on the five issues of university education: 1. comprehensive university and professional university education; 2. professional and general education; 3. teaching and scientific research.Among them, the topic of "teaching and scientific research of university teachers" is a "permanent topic".This topic often leads to a heated discussion among faculty and students at science online universities.Whether or not university teachers should do scientific research is a topic with Chinese characteristics.For example, there have been media reports that a student at a prestigious university in China has not done research for a long time, but "good class" instructors can not be promoted to associate professor complain.The school explained that the teacher was a good lecturer, but no scientific research results and did not meet the basic requirements of associate professors.I think if the teacher pays attention to teaching, and carries out scientific research on his curriculum direction appropriately, the teaching content will be expanded in depth and breadth, and the teaching effect will be better.
As we all know, there are two main types of teacher posts in Chinese universities: a few research universities only set up "teaching science posts and full-time scientific posts", and full-time research posts do not seem to have a fixed establishment.Most universities have set up three kinds: teaching and research posts, teaching posts, research posts.Obviously, the teachers who set up full-time teaching posts in these universities seem to be able to concentrate on teaching without doing scientific research.I discussed this topic in the article "Unbelievable Teaching Professors" (ScienceNet, November 4, 2012).As far as I know, even lecturers in Western universities usually have a good academic background and have experienced more systematic scientific training.These lecturers will continue to work in scientific research while teaching.Only 60 per cent of new teachers are assigned to Cambridge University in order to keep them motivated by scientific research.
At present, even the teachers employed by most provincial universities in China usually require applicants to have a postgraduate degree.Their scientific research experience has laid a good foundation for the post of university teacher.Therefore, there should be no ambiguity about the scientific research that university teachers should do.Instead, we should focus on how to balance teaching and research relationship and how to combine scientific experience and achievements with curriculum teaching to improve the teaching quality.My understanding of the problem of university education is based on the perceptual and fragmented understanding that I have experienced over the past decades.Among them, some knowledge about "why university teachers should do scientific research" is as follows:
First, scientific research experience and achievements are the material foundation of a well-known university professor and the capital of serving students.Mr. Qigong of Beijing Normal University wrote for the school's motto: "Learning as a teacher, acting as a model" should be the basic code of conduct for university teachers.Obviously, a teacher without a scientific background cannot be a "teacher" for students."Teacher" must be "high moral character, profound learning", his or her "behavioral style" can benefit students for life.Our famous professors in universities during the Republic of Korea, whether in the natural sciences or in the humanities or social sciences, were not productive works.It is the scientific and technological achievements created by these teachers and the students cultivated that made China's universities brilliant.
Secondly, the "style" of university teachers engaged in scientific research can stimulate students' enthusiasm for learning.There are four "meaningful" pictures in the foreword to my public service report "Do Your Own Scientific Research".Among them is a picture of a MIT math professor working in an office (see photo).It was an office that looked "cluttered" with documents piled up on its desk, and the professor sat in the corner of his desk.I named this picture "Quiet in the midst of chaos", "Quiet in the distance", and I paid a solemn tribute to the professor's working condition.However, I have also seen some professors in China "clean and tidy" offices, indoor modern office supplies and sofa chair coffee table, a comfortable and comfortable working environment.In the article "Several Senior Teachers on the Road to Thanksgiving", I introduced the help and influence of some senior teachers on me (ScienceNet, August 10, 2018).Some of the senior teachers did not have direct contact, it is their "behavior" reflected in the "scholarship" deeply infected me."Teacher Lan speaks Fujian accent, and the academic style embodied in teaching is still deeply imprinted in my mind" (Liu Qingsheng, My University's Scientific Research Experience, ScienceNet, March 8, 2019).
Once saw a blog post, recorded a touching scene: "One day, he and several of his classmates passed by his alma mater, Northwestern University, and met a professor at school.The professor, now aged, wearing high-myopia glasses and thick books under his arm, walked past them stooping, bowing to the teacher and paying attention to him, although he had never been to their classes at school.After reading this paragraph, my heart is full of respect for these students, see the responsibility and value of university teachers.(Liu Qingsheng, Quiet Zhiyuan is the High Level of University Environment, ScienceNet, May 20, 2013).It is conceivable that these students must have been "true biography" by the school's well-educated professors, "teaching is more important than teaching", they were personally inspired and influenced by the school's well-educated professors.As Sun Yat-sen University students wrote to a senior professor of lectures, "In my heart, you are a respectable and knowledgeable elder who secretly hopes to have your presence in the future."
Third, the university teachers can improve the quality of curriculum teaching based on their own scientific research experience and achievements.As far as I know, most university teachers generally follow their major in scientific research.Therefore, the scientific research experience and results of these teachers can provide their professional curriculum teaching with rich front-line knowledge and results cases.These materials are valuable materials for interpreting some of the basic concepts in the curriculum.I once talked about the need for 20% front-line knowledge in professional curriculum teaching, which students find acceptable (China Land University (Wuhan) undergraduate platform teachers, Guangming Daily, February 28, 2004).On the other hand, those who do not do scientific research and propaganda or PPT propaganda teachers can only teach students a little bit of the same knowledge on the textbook for years.I basically do the same course in my own teaching, although the basic knowledge will not change much, but there will always be new cases every year to supplement.These cases mainly come from the latest scientific literature and related achievements.
Fourth, the scientific research process is conducive to teachers' improvement of curriculum teaching thinking methods, optimization of curriculum teaching content structure, improvement of teaching quality.I have always believed that there is a close relationship between scientific research and curriculum teaching.As Huazhong University of Science and Technology advocated: "Scientific research is the source, teaching is the flow", teaching and research are closely related, and research must be ahead.A high level of scientific research will promote the improvement of teaching level (from the network).We university teachers who "walk through the river of scientific research" often inadvertently apply rigorous logical thinking and visual thinking to curriculum teaching in the course of daily teaching.Though the content form is different between scientific research and curriculum teaching, the thinking mode is closely related.For example, scientific research condenses scientific and technological problems, highlights the key points, analysis of the problem of clear hierarchy and so on.A course also requires careful clarification of its focus (some called knowledge points) and key points.Classroom teaching also needs to be focused, clear-cut, clear-level, in order to facilitate students to accept the basic content of the curriculum.
Fifth, the university is the main position of producing great scientific and technological achievements, and the university teachers are the main force of national scientific and technological innovation.Throughout the history of the world's scientific development, major original scientific achievements, such as the Nobel Prize, have been produced mainly in universities.We can see from the annual distribution of the three major national awards for science and technology: universities, scientific research institutes and industrial institutions.Universities should be the frontiers of basic research results, providing innovative scientific and technological knowledge for enterprise technology research and transformation.
Therefore, as university teachers, we should not separate teaching from scientific research, both are the essential work of university teachers.We should strive to achieve the coordinated development of teaching and scientific research and make our own efforts to train outstanding talents and produce high-level scientific and technological achievements.However, some people doubt that some universities in our country lack the funds and necessary research platform, teachers want to do scientific research can not help.