Gilman Ideas Of Higher Education Research

Daniel Coit Gilman is not only a famous higher education educatorand reformer, but also a representative of the United States’“UniversityMovement” between the1930’s and the beginning of the20th century.He is also the first school master of the Johns Hopkins University. Hiseducation thought was a reflection of the needs of higher education inthe United States during that period. So this thesis focuses on studyingthe higher education thoughts of Daniel Gilman. Altogether, there arefour parts of this thesis.The first part: this section mainly introduces the reason and thesignificance of the selected topic, and combs and reference of bothdomestic and foreign scholars on Gilman’s higher education thought. Ialso introduce the primary coverage and the research methods of thisthesis.The second part: this chapter mainly amplifies the historicalbackground and life experience of Gilman. Gilman lived in the timewhen the civil war was end. This battle not only made the politics of theUnited States stable, but also the economy rapidly developed. In themeantime, the development of the “University Movement”, theimplement of the “Morrill Act”, the Scientific Thoughts and Pragmatismall not only provided better opportunity for the higher education, butalso required more from the higher education of the United States.Besides, lots of American scholars were influenced by the thoughts ofGermany Universities. They helped to introduce the philosophy ofGermany Universities to America. Gilman was one of them. He receivedvery good education, and had two opportunities to the Europe. Thesetwo trips helped Gilman to develop a more advanced highereducation thought to establish a real university in the United States.After returning back, Gilman worked for Yale Scientific College, Sheffield Scientific College and California University. During those years,Gilman continuously practiced his thought, prepared for finally beingthe school master for the Johns Hopkins University, and gradually madeit perfect.The third part is the central part of this thesis, including the ideologyof University, the function and characteristics of the University, thescientific education and education system, the thought of universityteachers and thought of postgraduates. On the basis of the aboveparts, I analysis Gilman’s higher education thought. First, a schoolmaster’s ideology of University determines what the university will be.Gilman had full description of what the university is, what and how theuniversity should practice education. Secondly, Gilman’s recognition ofthe functions and characteristics of university is a more detailedinterpreter for his ideology of University. Gilman took the relationbetween the university and the society very seriously. It was due to himthat the university developed the function of serves the society. Thirdly,Gilman had very distinctive understandings regarding the setting ofcourses, the methods of teaching, and the development of schoolculture. Besides, Gilman focused on the selection and training forteachers. He established a full set principle to select the right teacher,and to train them. This set of principle not only helped to establishteacher’s royalty of the university, but also create very goodopportunities for teachers to do researches. Lastly, as a researchuniversity, Gilman settled what and how to carry out the education forpostgraduates. It created the new era for the research universities in theUnited States.The Fourth part: the last part describes the influence of Gilman’shigher education thought, and its enlightenment to the educationtoday in our country. His thought helped the higher education tochange in the United States, made school mangers to think about how to manage a university and help teachers to develop, and raised theteachers’ passion to participate in research. Meanwhile, his thoughtsvalues in the universities development for our own country.