Natural Resources Distance Learning Programs in The United States and China

This paper reviews the status of natural resources distance learning program in the United States and China and discusses the feasibility of educational cooperation between the two countries. By identifying and comparing computer-based learning programs offered at 300 American and 7 Chinese institutions of higher education, I found that only a small number of schools in both countries currently provide natural resources courses via distance learning. Although great opportunities exist for cooperation between the two countries, challenges must be overcome. Some of these challenges include expanding the existing distance learning curriculum to offer more natural resources courses, providing greater flexibility for faculty members who must adjust to a new teaching role, and improving the English proficiency of Chinese students for more effective international distance learning.