Reflection On "Higher Education Adaptation Theory"

"Higher education adaptation theory" is the mainstream argument which leads Chinese higher education development after 1949.The argument holds the idea that the relationship between higher education and the economy and society is as that between the adaptation and the dominance.The higher education should adapt to the development and the change of economy and society,meet the needs for talents from the society and serve the economic growth and the social change.It emphasizes the subordinate status of higher education.Under the guidance of this argument,Chinese higher education has not fully considered the subjectivity of human being,resulting in some defects of higher education system and some students who can't be fully developed.Herbert Marcuse's One-Dimensional Theory made a profound analysis of the alienation of science and technology.It revealed the "one-dimension" condition in the developed industrial society,whose representation is the loss of independent thinking and the ability to rethink.It also described the influence of the alienation of science and technology on people and society.The word "One-dimension" describes the status that "Higher education adaptation theory" is lack of the functions to lead and transcend and college students can't be fully developed.The "Higher education adaptation theory" was originated in the 1950s,formed in the middle of the 1980s,and was put forward with the symbol of the relationship of education between internal and external.This theory clarified the nature of higher education,promoted the development of higher education,and pushed the reform of higher education system.The defects of "Higher education adaptation theory" are as follows.First,"higher education adaptation theory" itself is "one dimensional".It is lacked of screening to the external factors,attention to the problems which appeared and the concrete analysis on foreign cases.Second,there are defects in the higher education system,such as the unfairness in higher education field and the conflicts between the academic power and the administrative power.Third,college students are "one dimensional".They are lacked of moral behavior,humanistic spirit and innovation ability.The elimination paths of the defects of "Higher education adaptation theory" are as follows.First,perfect the higher education system,deepen the enrollment system reformation and improve the funding system for poor students.Second,improve the modern university system,strengthen the construction of academic committee,govern universities and colleges according to university charter and promote democratic management in universities and colleges.Third,pay attention to the fully development of students,strengthen the moral construction of college teachers and students,cultivate the humanistic spirit of college students and perfect the cultivation mode of innovative talents.