Relationship Between Teaching And Research In The Changing University Field

The relationship between teaching and research is both a fundamental problem and a controversial topic of the modern university. The relationship between teaching and research as well as the ways of dealing with the relationship has always been the important task in the area of higher education. Since the late 20th century, as the higher education's becoming popular and the marketization's boosting, the relationship problems between teaching and research have become the hotspot of the study.So far as the research paradigms are concerned, the research can be classified into the essentialism paradigm and the social constructivism paradigm. The former one makes an attempt to explore the essential relationship between teaching and research; while the latter one tries to describe the social constructivism of the relationship between teaching and research, which belongs to the sociological studies of the relationship between teaching and research. On the basis of the detailed literature review, this research suggests that the research paradigm of the social constructivism has more realistic significance and more theoretical value, and that it will become the trend of the future researches. Therefore, this study focuses on the sociological research of the relationship between teaching and research.The sociological studies have both the structure paradigm and the action paradigm. The former one emphasizes the inhibition of the society on the subject practice; while the latter one lays stress on the subject's initiative action. This research is based on the Bourdieu's social practical theory, which harmonizes "the structure" with "the action" Bourdieu's basic position is to oppose the "binary opposition" of the social structure and the subject's action, emphasize the double construction of the social construction and the individuals. Therefore, Bourdieu constructed a series of the theoretical system including the field, habitus and capital.On the basis of the theory of Bourdieu, this study sees the university as a changing field; we can comprehend the relationship between teaching and research more profound through analyzing the teacher's practice and its logic in this changing field, university field has its unique features:the subjects of the university field are teachers and students; the basic activities of the university field are teaching and research; the foundation of the university field is advanced knowledge; university field is a very secretive struggle places. The university field also has its own run logic, i.e. the logic of knowledge. The university field is relatively independent; it is also undergoing changes with the evolution of university and social relations and the evolvement of knowledge. On the whole, in 19th century and before the universities are rational ones; while in 20th century and especially since the second half of the 20th century, universities have gradually became the academic capital ones.Field change leads to the alternation of the field subject i.e. the teacher's action. Although teachers still widespread have the faith that teaching and research should be unified, their actions present the separation of them and also the tendency of "heavy research and light teaching". In the teaching and research relationships, university teachers deviate from their faith and action, the reason behind which is the alternation and conflict of the existed habitus (the habitus in the rational university) and the new habitus (the habitus in the academic capital university) in university field. The existed habitus include "teach students knowledge, tell students the way to live and answer students'questions","make the academic research a career" and "unify teaching and research", while the new habitus include "research first", "make a living with academic research "and "submissive waiting" etc.In a new field i.e. an academic capital university, teachers have to use all kinds of capital to seek research project. During the process of capital mobilization and position preemption, university teachers are polarized to the dominant teachers and the subordinated teachers. However, they defend their own action with the same strategy which is "in the name of teaching". The action strategies that dominant teachers use include:Emphasize the foundational status of research to universities and promote research based teaching. While the subordinated teachers use the strategies like improve the status of teaching, develop the scholarship of teaching and establish the teaching-only teachers etc. After suffering and constant struggle, university teachers have the crisis of identity in teaching and research and they also forget the traditional culture of the university.The separation and opposition of teaching and research as well as the polarization of the university teachers'identity both make students far away from the scientific inquiry. In the university, education without exploration is lifeless. Teachers are specific practitioners and fundamental carrier in university teaching and research, therefore, it vital to improve university education by reconstructing the relationship between teaching and research. To reconstruct the relation of teaching and research should base on the double innovations of field and teachers' action. University should have the mission of reconstructing field which can lead to "democratic university", namely, universities should be a communication center where one can critically associate with others and freely express opinions. Meanwhile, in a university, the system of teachers' development and evaluation should be improved and the mission of associating teaching and research should be strengthened. And also the teachers should learn experience and wisdom from excellent teachers and make reflection after teaching, as well as joining in community in which they can develop themselves thus the relationship between teaching and research will be ascend.