The Modern Liberal Arts College in America ( 美国的现代文理大学） Scott Wilson The University of the South (Tennessee, USA) Professor and Chair, Politics Department.

The Modern Liberal Arts College in America

( 美国的现代文理大学）Scott Wilson

The University of the South (Tennessee, USA)Professor and Chair, Politics Department

2014-15: Fulbright Scholar at Wuhan University Environmental Law Research Institute

[email protected]

Introduction

• Personal background– Studied at Oberlin College, a liberal arts college– Have taught at The University of the South, a liberal arts college, for

20 years• Defining the liberal arts

– By classical definition of course of study （古典课程）• Humanities: philosophy, music, theatre, literature, languages, history• Social Sciences: economics, politics, anthropology, sociology• Sciences and Mathematics

– In contrast to practical/vocational studies （工作专业的课程）– Carnegie Definition: “These institutions are primarily undergraduate

colleges with major emphasis on baccalaureate programs. They award at least one half of their baccalaureate degrees in liberal arts fields.”

Introduction, Continued

• Why is this model of education important?– Was the dominant model of education in the U.S.– Considered the best pedagogical model （教学模

范）– Shows changes that are taking place in American

education– Distinct model of education– Embodiment of some American values

Organization of Today’s Talk

• Model of liberal arts college• Philosophical roots of liberal arts• History of liberal arts colleges in the U.S.• New trends in liberal arts colleges• Liberal arts colleges and their future

Model of the Liberal Arts Experience

• Students trained in basic disciplines• Emphasis on general educational tools• Schools either prescribe a “general education”

model or allow choice of general education courses （通识教育课程）

St. John University First-year Readings

St. John University Sophomore and Junior Year Readings

St. John University Senior Year Reading

The University of the South’s CurriculumSewanee’s General Education Requirements (10-12 courses)

A major (10-13 courses) （主修课）

Electives (7-12 courses) （选择课）

Liberal Arts Experience, Continued

• A major course of study– Usually chosen after 3 semesters of study– Allows students to discern （发觉，看清楚） their interests

• Integrated/interdisciplinary learning– Classical liberal arts integrated learning （综合学系）– Research institutions often have very strongly defined

disciplines– More interdisciplinary work at liberal arts colleges, e.g.

Women’s and Gender Studies, Asian Studies, Environmental Studies

• Study abroad

Liberal Arts Experience, Continued

• Residential life– Rural settings– Sustained contact

between faculty and students

– Model values （提供道德模型，生活模型）

Goals of liberal arts modelDevelopment of the “whole person” （道德修养）Community of learningIntensive interaction between students and facultyStudent responsibilityDevelop contributing citizens （有贡献的公民）Lifetime of learning

Liberal Arts Experience, Continued

Honor Codes （荣誉法典） and Student Obligations• Students pledge to uphold honor• Students enforce the honor pledge

through student committee• Each student is responsible for

upholding the pledge• Some schools have students rewrite

the pledge every few years

Philosophical Roots of Liberal Arts

• Greek tradition (Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle)

• Subjects (Trivium （三学课） and Quadrivium （四艺 )

• Socratic method• Emphasis on civic

obligations• Sophists• Cicero

European Universities and Liberal Arts

• Early universities drew on trivium and quadrivium

• UK elaborated on the liberal arts model• Europe developed liberal arts, but began to

abandon them in the 17th and 18th centuries

American Approach to the Liberal Arts

• John Dewey’s emphasis on democracy and education• Eugene Lang (philanthropist, born 1919): “The

philosophy of the liberal arts is the philosophy of a democratic society in which citizenship （公民权、责任） , social responsibility, and community are inseparable. An educated citizenry is the essential instrument for promoting responsible social action and community well-being. It is characterized by an ongoing effort to develop informed, humane, and thoughtful judgments of social issues and to act appropriately on these judgments”

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges

• All early colleges were liberal arts colleges– Including all Ivy League Schools (except Cornell)– Educate white, Christian men– Others denied entry• Women’s colleges formed• Later, black colleges formed (but not as liberal arts

colleges

– Provide moral training

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Access to society, required access to education– W.E.B. DuBois and training black intellectuals– Yale Report (1828) defined liberal arts• Pfnister: “was not to ‘teach that which is particular to

any one of the professions’ but rather to ‘lay the foundation that is common to them all.’”• Found separate schools for professional training• Affected the continued curricular approach of liberal

arts colleges

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Morrill Act of 1862– Granted land to states for

development of universities

– Focus on engineering （工程）， agriculture （农业）， and mechanical arts （机械艺术）

• Led to spread of state universities

• Significant threat to liberal arts colleges

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

Daniel Coit Gilman, first president of Johns Hopkins University

Early photo of Johns Hopkins University. Said Gilman, “The best teachers are usually those who are free, competent, and willing to make researches in the library and the laboratory.”

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

A. D. White Reading Room at Cornell University

Andrew D. White, co-founder of Cornell University, “I would found an institution where any individual can find instruction in any study.”

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Second Morrill Act of 1890

• Universities had not opened to blacks

• Creation of black colleges, separate from whites’ colleges

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Development of professional associations （专业协会） around 1900

• Standardized exams （资格考试） , e.g. Bar exams (lawyers), medical exams (doctors)

• Forced changes in American teaching

History of U. S. Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Expansion of educational opportunities– 1900: 4% of population went to college– 1920: 8%– 1940: 16%– New kinds of students went to college• Less wealthy and elite• More interested in practical training

• The Number of liberal arts colleges fell through the 20th century

New Trends in Liberal Arts Colleges

• Collaborative Research （合作研究）– Teach students how to apply

research methods– Goal: shared discovery

through research

• Non-liberal arts colleges also do this, but it is more successful and common at liberal arts colleges

New Trends in Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Community engagement （与社区参与）

• Take lessons from courses and engage in problem-solving in the community

• The University of the South’s land management approach– Survey local population– Work with population to improve

land management– Train timber industry in better

harvesting techniques

• Transfer skills to the community

New Trends in Liberal Arts Colleges, Continued

• Internships （实习工作）– Help students develop job

skills– Help students to discern what

they wish to do

• Blending excellence in teaching and research– Originally liberal arts colleges

focused just on teaching– Studies show liberal arts

colleges best achieve goal of excellence in teaching and research

Experiences of Students at Liberal Arts Colleges and Other Institutions

College Experiences of Seniors by Type of Institution

Service

Learning

Research with

FacultyInternship/Fieldwork

Study Abroad

Culminating Experience

Research Universities 59 15 36 8 37

Master's (medium

programs) 65 23 46 12 46Liberal Arts

Colleges 68 44 66 39 74Other Bacc.

Colleges 67 24 50 9 50

Source: NSSE Survey 2013 Annual Results

Liberal Arts Colleges and Their Future

• Challenges– Affordability– Perceived “practicality”– Limited size

• Reforms– Application of theories to practical exploration– Extend learning beyond the classroom– Greater attention to inclusion of multicultural

students

Liberal Arts Colleges and Their Future, Continued

• Advantages of liberal arts colleges– Social capital– Personal attention– Close relations with faculty– Acceptance of diversity among students– Learn to work with others– Preparation for citizenship– Attention to the whole person– Students have high level of satisfaction– Students have high level of success

• Liberal arts colleges and American values/principles