Research On The Value-choosing Of University Curriculum Reform In China

Since the late 1970s and the early 1980s, universities in China have been exploring their curriculum reform. As the spirit of curriculum reform, value-choosing plays an important role through the whole proceeding. Tracing back the evolution of the university curriculum reform in the past three decades, value-choosing mainly focuses on three contradictions: first, the contradiction between the fundamental and the professional of the university curriculum; second, the conflict between the humanities education and the science education in university curriculum; third, the balance of university curriculum between elite education and popular education after the entrance of higher education into the popularized stage. Admittedly, the focus of value-choosing varies in different stages. However, the previous focus on value-choosing will continue in future curriculum reform.To focus on the above-mentioned values conflict, and to further understand the practice of schools and students' attitudes and evaluation, in addition to literature review, I also made a large number of surveys and conducted further interviews of some relevant issues. Meanwhile, I combine theoretical analysis with practical cases of the curriculum reform in order to find out the theoretical errors and the practical confusion on the issue of value-choosing of university curriculum reform. I endeavor to put forward the reform solutions and suggestions on this basis to make values-choosing of university curriculum reform more scientific and rational, and to enable university curriculum reform to be more effective as well.This thesis focuses on the three contradictions above chapter by chapter:First, in fundamental and professional issue, although values-choosing of "strengthen the foundation, weaken the profession" was proposed in curriculum reform, such issues as what kind of foundation needs strengthening and whether there is need to weaken profession still lack theoretical support, resulting in some confusion in practice. Therefore, I interpret the meaning of "weaken the profession" and "strengthen the foundation" respectively. At the same time, analysis of the typical case of curriculum practice in "weaken the profession" and "strengthen the foundation" is conducted. Based on this analysis, I advance questions for further research after referring to the survey analysis of university students' attitudes towards "strengthen the foundation, weaken the profession". I also put forward "strengthen the foundation" needs to enhance the foundation of professional disciplines and that of profession related subjects and practice. However, an analysis into all aspects including the essence of higher education, the division and integration of the experience and knowledge, the science and technology and the demand of students and job market illustrates that "weaken the profession" cannot be the value-choosing in the curriculum reform.Second, on the issue of "strengthen humanities education", based on a summary and an analysis of the main issues concerned by scholars towards it, with the practice of curriculum reform under this value-choosing, I re-define the concept related to the humanistic education and point out humanities education is not equivalent to humanities, social sciences and arts education and it is not only for science and engineering students, and the relation between humanities education and science education is not antagonistic but permeable. Thus, I insist that "strengthen humanities education" should be open to all students, and humanities education should be implemented in various disciplines. Moreover, "strengthen humanities education" also needs greater focus on building of a humane school environment.Third, on the issue of the balance of university curriculum between elite education and popular education after higher education entered into the popularized stage, I put forward "we need to implement popular education as well as elite education in the popularized stage " based on an analysis into the typical case and practical survey. I further analyze that the elite stage does not mean the elite education, and the popularized stage does not signify the popularized education, and the elite education of the popularized stage is not exactly equal to the elite education of the elite stage. I also expound some related concepts. This thesis also emphasizes on the importance and necessity of implementing elite education in the popularized stage, and analyzes the misunderstanding of the two modes of education from the leading and the general universities in the popularized stage. Finally, I put forward the solutions and suggestions in value-choosing of the elite education and the popular education respectively.