回应历史教学法——美国大学通识教育实施的创新途径

Reacting to the Past Pedagogy:An Innovative Approach to American General Education Implementation

教学是课程实施过程中最重要的一环,也是实现教育目标的关键要素。从上世纪80年代开始,美国高校积极开发和实验"主动学习教学法",以确定哪些教学法可以有效地实现通识教育目标。其中,"回应历史教学法"通过让学生以扮演角色的方式参加一种或多种根据历史情境精心设计的游戏,有效地实现了以下通识教育目标:合作学习能力、写作与口头表达能力、批判性思维、道德价值观与移情、公民参与能力和全球化的视野。该教学法不仅成为21世纪美国大学通识教育实施的一种创新途径,而且对我国现阶段的大学通识教育改革具有重要的启示作用。

Instruction is the most important step in curricular implementation and a key element for realizing educational goals. Since the 1980s, American higher education institutions have been actively developing and experimenting ＂active-learning pedagogy＂ in order to identify which pedagogy can effectively reach the goals of general education. As a type of active-learning pedagogy, ＂Reacting to the Past Pedagogy＂ makes students participate in one or several elaborate games set in historical context by playing roles, which has effectively achieved such major goals of general education as collaborative learning ability, written and oral communication skills, critical thinking capability, moral values and empathy, civic engagement and global citizenship. Not only has this pedagogy become an innovative approach to American general education implementation in the 21st century, but can greatly enlighten the current general education reform in the Chinese higher education institutions.