The Civic Mission Of American Higher Education

From America's founding, thc mission of education and democracy has faceddistinctive challenges: nurturing an informed, effective, and responsible citizenry. Overthe past decade,civic education has becomc one of the most important major issues ofAmerica. Civic education in America means education in autonomous government in ademocratic society. That is why I choose "the Civic Mission of American colleges" as myresearch field. Both the research methods of literature gathering and comparing are usedhere in the thesis. Basing on the reviewing on the historical development of the Americancolleges, the thesis surveys the present practice of civic education in American collegesfrom the points of view such as purpose, contents and methods. Meanwhile the thesisintroduce the colleges how to enhance their citizen responsibility and improve their spiritof democracy, though it still remains great room to improve. As the origin of theoreticalresearch of modern civic education, American civic education has exercised a wide anddeep influence not only at home but in many other countries abroad as well. A precisecomprehension of the American civic education will undoubtedly significant in providingsome reference to the construction of the socialist civic education in our country.