Within a Broad Policy Theme on€¦ · Within a Broad Policy Theme on ‘Progress and Development’: General Education for ‘Transport and Society’ This paper proposes the inception

GE CURRICULUM PROPOSAL

Within a Broad Policy Theme on

‘Progress and Development’: General

Education for ‘Transport and Society’

IAN CHAPLIN PhD

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

UNIVERSITY OF MACAU


“One key feature of a good

GE model is the focus on

the commonality of human

experiences, issues that

are of prime importance to

human beings, and the core

intellectual skills and values

that we believe all

undergraduates should

acquire.”


Communication

Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning

Information Technology and Knowledge Society

Physical Science and the World

Life Science, Health and the Human Condition

World Histories and Cultures

Macao, China and other Societies

Values, Ethics and Meaning of Life

Physical Education

Visual and Performing Arts

University Life

Within a Broad Policy Theme on ‘Progress and Development’:

General Education for ‘Transport and Society’

Progress and Development



Examining human initiatives and

the agencies of economic, social,

and cultural development.

Courses would prepare students

to understand, appreciate, and

deal with the complexity of

innovation and change from a

human dimension



One key area identified

which encompasses the

concept of ‘commonality of

human experiences’ is the

study of ‘Transport and

Society’ and its role in the

progress and development

of society.



The concept of ‘sustainable mobility’ needs to

be advocated for future generations who will

increasingly engage in travel for work and

leisure.

The term can be defined as

‘Satisfying current transport and mobility needs

without compromising the ability of future

generations to meet these needs’ (Black,

1996).



This paper proposes the inception of an undergraduate course on Transport and Society to be included in a general education programme offered in this and other tertiary institutions.

The argument for this proposal is the growing importance of transport planning and operational management in the future development of society and the imperative for academic, professional, and vocational education and training integrating the various fields related to transportation.



Rationale for the Course



According to Jack Short, the

Secretary General of the

International Tourism Forum:

“Tourism and Society, our

theme may sound like a

truism, but there are

important policy implications

which need to be addressed”



Is there a right to mobility?

If so, what exactly does this

mean? How can we

provide better access - not

just for increasingly older

and fragile users in the rich

countries but also for a

growing population in

emerging economies.


General Education for ‘Transport and Society

Mr. José Blanco López, Transport Minister for Spain reminded delegates that:“The development of the global economy has made the different sectors of society citizens, companies and organizations focus on transport. Our first duty as those responsible for this sector is to respond to this challenge in an appropriate manner.”



Whitelegg and Haq (2003) have argued that

transport has now become one of the most

significant ethical problems in the world

today.



“Yet the status of the transport worker is seen to be low, and the

status of the transport engineer and the transport manager has for a

long time been little better.

For many people transport is a noble profession and transport

studies should therefore be justified much as medical studies are, as

“a central function upon which light may be cast from a number of

‘purer’ disciplines, to each of which a special loyalty must be

retained” (Hibbs, 2000:22).



The transport engineer should feel a bond of common loyalty with

the transport accountant, the traffic manager, and all the other

specialists in the field.

The field of transport studies cannot be a closed one, but must

accept the contributions of all the related disciplines, while

remaining true to the nature of the transport industry itself.



Vasconcellos (2003) analyzes eight key issues exacerbating the problems of a values-based approach to transport planning: political, institutional, social, technical, technological, economic, operational, and environmental.

For Vasconcellos, political issues derive from the failure of political systems to recognize the value of ensuring democratic representation of the conflicting interests of social groups and classes in the formulation and implementation of transportation and traffic policies



Whitelegg and Haq point out that transport infrastructure re-

modelling involves a very large transfer of resources and

investment capital from the poorer groups to the richer

groups, as tax dollars are allocated to major road and airport

schemes.



Traditional transportation

means have been

constantly neglected and

even banned (Banjo and

Dimitrio, 1990) and

railroads have been

dismantled (Barat, 1985).



Failure to address these issues lead to the steady degradation of the quality of urban life represented by high traffic accident rates, increasingly intolerable air pollution and disruption of residential and living spaces by undue motorized traffic.



The right to public transportation should be seen as the right to participate in the social, economic, political and cultural activities that are essential to living.

Thus the prevailing market paradigm must be replaced by a social paradigm, in which transportation is an essential tool for ensuring the right to access and the achievement of broader social goals.

This may entail the subsidization of public transportation services whenever necessary to ensure equitable access, provided they reach the targeted groups and are not used to support inefficiency (Vasconcellos, 2003:197).



How is the transport environment organized? Who can use it and

under which conditions?

What are the main differences in access to public transport and space? How can we eliminate or minimize these differences?

What is the most efficient way of ensuring the most equitable appropriation of space?

What are the most efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable means of ensuring the equitable appropriation of space?

What are the most democratic ways of using the most adequate instruments to support transport and traffic policies?



The concept of ‘sustainable mobility’ needs to be advocated for

future generations who will increasingly engage in travel for work

and leisure.

The term can be defined as “satisfying current transport and mobility

needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

these needs” (Black, 1996).



References for Course Design



Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley, US.

Transport Studies Unit, Oxford University, UK.

Institute of Railway Studies, University of York, UK.

Hong Kong Society for Transportation Studies, Hong Kong, China.

Traffic and Transportation at Beijing Jiatong University, China.

Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, University of Sydney, Australia



Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies

Journal Transport Reviews

Journal of Transport Policy

Journal of Transport Geography

International Journal of Transport Management

European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research



China Highway Association

China Rail Congress

China Urban Public Transport Association

Eastern Asia Society for Transport Studies

Hong Kong Institute of Transport Studies

Hong Kong Society for Transportation Studies

Rail Commission of China Association of Civil Engineers

Road Traffic Safety Association of the People’s Republic of China

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Hong Kong

Transport Research Board China



John Hibbs (2000:15)

contends that: “The

study of transport may

be carried on for its own

sake, but it can also be

approached through a

number of other

disciplines, each of

them with something of

value to contribute.”



Research on the design of the

course referred to the aims of

the Nuffield Foundation course

on ‘Transport Issues’ which is a

component of the programme

on ‘Science in Society’ - a

widely accessible course that

develops scientific literacy and

communication alongside a

number of valued generic skills



This new specification has been designed to:

broaden the curriculum for those whose interests lie mainly in the arts or humanities;

give those studying science the opportunity to reflect on their specialist studies in a wider context;

develop the knowledge and skills that learners need to grapple with issues related to the science and technology that they meet now and in their adult and working lives; and

provide insight into ideas about How Science Works to enable application of critical thinking skills in a coherent way when reading, writing and talking about science.



TRANSPORT TRENDS

In this activity students practice using graphs to obtain information. They consider changes in transport in the UK over the past 25 years, and some possible future trends. They can then select evidence from the data to argue a case either for or against motorway building.

Students could work in pairs, or individually to consider how transport in the UK is changing. In the first two sections they will use some Department of Transport graphs to investigate what changes have actually occurred, and in the final section they will plan a presentation about past and future trends, different groups selecting from the data to argue opposing positions.



MEDIA WATCH ON TRANSPORT ISSUES

This activity encourages students to investigate how transport issues are portrayed in (mainly) printed media and what these reports show us about how science works. They collect newspaper and magazine articles, adverts and flyers which are concerned with transport issues. The exact issues will vary depending on the location and interests of the students. It should be carried out over a reasonably extended period of time.



Some possible topics are:

Transport and air quality

Poor air quality and health

Future transport options

Political aspects of transport policy – building roads, subsidizing public transport

How can individuals or local government make a difference to the impact of transport?

Who is most at risk from different types of transport, who gets the most benefit?

Using fossil fuels in transport and the effects on the environment

Which mode of transport is most ‘green’?

Alternative ways to fuel cars



Another reference is a

web-based course

offered by Unitar – The

United Nations Institute

for Training and

Research on

Sustainable Urban

Mobility in Developing

Countries



It allows an analysis of the important issues of sustainable transport including transport demand management, improved public and non-motorized transport,environmental protection,road safety, and gender in transport.



In order to achieve

sustainability, it also

provides some means

such as economic and

financial instruments,

institutional

improvements, capacity

building, regulation of

markets and

environmental

standards.



The design is also

based on a course

offered by the

Business School of the

University of

Greenwich, UK on

‘Sustainable

Transport’.



Sustainable Transport

This course provides students with an understanding of the issues involved in planning and management of transport systems. Students examine issues surrounding sustainable transport and the relationship of the transport sector with society. It reviews the impact of demography, politics and environmental factors on the development of transport for both passenger and freight. This is interpreted primarily in respect of the principal modes of transport, such as rail, sea and road.



Students will be able to:

Characterize and describe the transport management process and to comment critically upon both the social and logistical context of this

Debate transport systems and present the results

Assess performance objectives in transport systems

Apply theoretical concepts coupled with practical techniques in transport planning and management



Identify critical issues in developing a global transport strategy

Examine the increasing professionalization of the transport industry and the role of the Trade Union

Recognize the main sources of data in transport business

Learn data collection techniques in transport.



GE Course: Transport and Society



Course Aims

This course aims to familiarize students with major and current issues affecting transportation in local and international contexts. The significance of transport to the economic, social, and cultural development of society is analyzed with particular emphasis on the concept of sustainability. Students will acquire knowledge of the different forms of transportation, infrastructure, and logistics analyzing their significance to society and communities. Case studies of transportation modes and systems that have positive and negative impacts on the progress of society will be discussed.



Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. understand and appreciate the role of transport in the development of society

2. demonstrate knowledge of the different forms of transportation and analyze their significance to society and community development

3. critically analyze and discuss the positive and negative impacts of forms of transportation on society

4 critically analyze and discuss the concepts and issues affecting the planning and implementation of transportation systems



5. present arguments for public consultation in transport

planning and policy making

6. conduct research on local and regional travel activity

using social analysis instruments

7. conduct research on local, regional, and national

transport providers. Analyze their contribution to the

economic, social, and cultural development of society



Course Content

Travel Activity and Social Analysis: concept of mobility; local,

regional and long-distance passenger transport analysis; transport provision and shortfalls; mode choices and preferences

Transport Modes: road transport, rail transport, air transport, river and sea transport

Transport and the Environment: transport and environmental management; land use and development; conservation of natural resources; transport architecture; heritage preservation



Transport Policy: Transport planning and policy making; public and private sectors; public consultation and involvement

Transport and Work: Transport occupations; profiles of transport managers and workers

Transport and the Commuter Society: Urban public transport modes: bus, train, mass transit, taxi, hire car; school transport; park and ride; car pooling; cycling to work

Transport and the Consumer Society: Freight transport modes and infrastructures: road transport and supply/distribution planning, rail transport; aviation and airport planning and management for cargo transport; river and sea cargo transport; port planning and management.



Transport for Leisure and Recreation: forms of transport used in recreational and leisure activities; rural and urban land use and development of transport for recreation and leisure; conservation of the environment

Transport for Tourism: forms of tourism transport; tourism operators; managing tourism transport capacity

Local Issues in Transport and Society: air and noise pollution; free public transport; safety of transportation; controls on ownership of private cars and motorcycles; taxi operators services and charges; parking; traffic free zoning; bicycle lanes; transport for the elderly; transport for disabled; transport provision to mitigate poverty and exclusion



The following are some issues that could be incorporated into the course content. Although they are specific to the Macau context, they could be topics of relevance to other institutions.

Impact of new light rail system on society

Motorcycle usage among the younger generation

Creating traffic-free zones

Improvements in services for the elderly and infirm

Regulating taxi services and fares

Car-sharing or pooling

Encouraging bicycle usage

Transport systems for the new urban conurbation on Hengqin

Island

Electric powered vehicles



Conclusions



The younger generation today is experiencing unprecedented

progress and development of society especially in China.

There have been significant advances in the provision of

passenger and freight transport systems and networks

throughout the country most notably in the improvements to

railway connections between major cities.

Investment in transport is also a major factor in China’s

spending on military defense and space exploration.



As stakeholders in the future of society, it is the responsibility

of young citizens to appreciate and understand the role that

transport plays in new avenues for progress and

development.

It is argued here that a general education course in Transport

and Society should be mandatory for all students whichever

disciplines they pursue in higher education institutions.

Progress and Development

'Transport and Society' is

only one course that could

be included in the area of

study concerned with

'Progress and Development'.

I hope this proposal will

generate other General

Education courses to

introduce students to the

phenomenon which bears

upon their choice of major

and career.



THANK YOU

Documents

Within a Broad Policy Theme on€¦ · Within a Broad Policy Theme on ‘Progress and Development’: General Education for ‘Transport and Society’ This paper proposes the inception