Study On Civic Education In American Research Universities In The 21st Century

Since the end of the 20 th century,the United States has proposed new requirements for improving civic education in view of the decline on the quality of undergraduate education and the civic education in research universities.For this reason,research universities have taken a series of initiatives to strengthen civic education.This paper takes the civic education of American research universities as the research objective,studying its elements including mission and goal,curriculum and content,methods and forms of civic education in order to gain a deeper understanding of it.There is a certain reference to the development of civic education for Chinese research universities.Since the 21 st century,American research universities have clearly proposed to strengthen civic education on the educational goals and missions,and take civic education as one of the university's important functions.In terms of civic education curriculum and content,research universities infiltrate the content of civic education in professional teaching and offer specialized curriculum aiming at civic education,and distribute compulsory curriculum,core curriculum and competency-based civic education in general education curriculum so as to improve the students' civic knowledge,civic skills and civil character.In terms of civic education methods and forms,research universities conduct citizenship practices such as participation in school-joint governance,freshman seminars,service learning,community-based research,freshman seminars,dormitory-based life learning programs and volunteer services.Activities to improve students' civic awareness and enthusiasm for citizen participation will lay a solid foundation for active participation in social affairs and undertaking social responsibility in the future.The continuous development and improvement of civic education in American research universities arecharacterized by taking the cultivation of responsible and effective citizens as the goal,offering high-quality civic courses as the basis,developing diversified practical activities as the focus,ad promoting social multi-party participation and collaboration as the approach.However,in the implementation of civic education,research-oriented universities are also faced with such challenges as the restriction of teachers' scientific research function,the impact of the market behavior of colleges and universities,and the lack of civic participation standards.The civic education of American research universities provides some referential values for the civic education of Chinese research universities in goal setting,course setting and method form.