Reform of paleontology teaching in Xinjiang based on curricular integration of regional resources
Abstract
Xinjiang University has implemented a regionally distinctive reform of its Paleontology course according to outcome-based education and the requirements of Emerging Engineering Education and First-Class Undergraduate Course development. The reforms focused on several major issues in course instruction, including insufficient integration of textbook content with the unique regional resources of Xinjiang, inadequate emphasis on geological spatiotemporal thinking, and weak linkage between classroom instruction and field practice. The course contents, teaching methods, and assessment mechanisms were systematically optimized to address the overemphasis on knowledge memorization. The reform established a "One Core, Two Wings, Four Dimensions, Three Linkages" framework, with the new curriculum including the fossils and stratigraphic sections of Xinjiang, as well as regional research findings, thereby combining theoretical instruction with practical training. Application of this framework resulted in restructuring of the course content, teaching methods, learning environment, and assessment mechanisms, emphasizing knowledge acquisition, competence development, and value cultivation. Three modules, namely, foundational theory, Xinjiang-focused topics, and field practice, were created to connect classroom instruction, laboratory studies, and fieldwork, with integration of local fossil resources throughout the teaching process and implementation of diversified, formative assessment enabling continuous improvement. This led to the transformation of information on regional resources from fragmented illustrative cases into instructional units aligned with the course objectives, tasks, and assessment, while student learning expanded from simple memorization to the articulation of identification criteria, stratigraphic correlation, and paleoenvironmental interpretation, together with strengthening task continuity across different sections of the course. These reforms demonstrate that the inclusion of relevant regional material can yield stable and lasting educational value.
Document Type: Research Article
Cited as: Feng, S., Qin, S., Wang, X., Hu, C. Reform of paleontology teaching in Xinjiang based on curricular integration of regional resources. Higher Engineering Education Transformation, 2026, 1(1): 10-18. https://doi.org/10.46690/heet.2026.01.02
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46690/heet.2026.01.02Keywords:
Xinjiang regional resources, paleontology, outcome-based education, geological spatiotemporal thinking, practical teachingReferences
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