美国当代大学经典教育初探——以哈佛大学通识教育改革下的经典教育为例

Classical Education in Contemporary U. S. Universities:A Case Study of Classical Education in Harvard’s GE Reform

哈佛大学的教育在独立性、影响力和多样性方面成效显著,为美国高等教育体系的建设做出了贡献。2019年开始实行的通识教育体系,其目的在于为学生成为积极投入社会的公民做准备,提高学生对伦理维度的认识,使之能够快速有效地面对变革,并理解自身乃艺术、思想和价值观的产物与塑造者。其中的经典教育则以不同形式展开,以实现哈佛大学的三个基本价值观念:真理、卓越和机遇。通过对哈佛大学通识教育体系的观察,能管窥西方经典教育的形式和特点,并对中国经典教育有一定启示。

Harvard has helped to shape the American system of higher education,which is magnificent in its independence,sweep,and diversity. The General Education system that came into operation in 2019 has made great effort to prepare students for civic engagement,to develop students’ understanding of the ethical dimensions of what they say and do,to enable students to respond critically and constructively to change,and to teach students to understand themselves as products of,and participants in,traditions of art,ideas,and values,in the process of which,the classical education is provided in different forms,embodying and defending three essential values Harvard represents:veritas,excellence and opportunity. The exploration of the forms of classical education and its features,based on an observation of the GE system at Harvard University,may bring about some inspiration for China.