A Study On The Historical Development Of General Education In Harvard University

As a theory and a practice of higher education, general education seeks to provide students with reasonable structure of knowledge and competence, to help them to master the means of acquiring knowledge, and to cultivate whole men and responsible citizenship. General education and specialized education are inseparable, and they together constitute a complete university education. By virtue of the great importance of general education in talent developing, many universities across the world are positively exploring the useful ways to carry out general education. In this respect, Harvard University sets us a good example, for in the course of carrying out general education, it can continuously richen the connotation of general education according to the requirements of times, which as a return, heightens the quality of talent accordingly. To borrow for reference from and absorb the helpful experience of Harvard's general education, is not only the imperative demand of the fast development of our society on universities in China to advance the talent quality, but also the advisable choice for the healthy growth of themselves.This study explores the development of Harvard's general education mainly from the historical perspective, analyzing emphatically the evolution of the ideas and the curriculum of its general education. History witnesses five great changes which have taken place in Harvard general education throughout nearly four centuries, and every one of which seeks to meet the requirements of the different age quite well. By doing so, the idea of Harvard general education has been enriching and deepening; the curriculum also has been improving, which wins itself great praise from all over the world. The first chapter analyzes the earlier situation of Harvard general education characterized by the classical liberal education, mainly training priests and dealing with classical literature. The second chapter introduces the ideas of general education of C. W. Eliot's and A. L. Lowell's, and probes into the background, practice and influences of the elective system and concentration and distribution. The third chapter deals with the idea of general education of J. B. Conant's, and describes the content of the report The Red Book and the plan of general education. The fifth chapter presents the ideas of general education of Derek Bok's and Henry Rosovsky's and analyzes the background and practice of the Core Curriculum reform. The sixth chapter displays the new envision of general education of Harvard in the early 21st century. The new reform displaces the Core Curriculum with new general education program which emphasizes the training of international perspective, scientific and technical consciousness, reflective and critical spirit, integration of knowledge, and serving the future life of students. And as a conclusion, the author summarizes three characteristics from the history of Harvard general education: first, Harvard general education embodies the features of times; second, the presidents of Harvard play a key role in the development of general education; third, relatively complete systems of general education curriculum were developed to realize the objectives of talents training throughout different ages. Besides, the author draws three enlightenments from the history of Harvard general education as a reference, namely, first, the importance of general education in cultivating talents in our universities must be clear in our mind; second, we must accurately define the goal of talent training of general education in universities; last but not the least important, a scientific system of general education curriculum should be established.