中图分类号：G649.712 文献标识码：A 文章编号：1003-2738（2011）11-0132-01 Abstract：Academic high-flyers from different countries flock to America"s universities every year. It is evident that there are great advantages to American education. However, there exist some serious problems and drawbacks. Here are some analysis of both the advantages and the disadvantages of the American higher education。
Key Words： American higher education；advantage；disadvantage
1.Advantages of the American higher education
1.1 Laying stress on practicality－developing community college
American higher education has a sound structure. As an important part of the American higher education, community colleges are usually primarily undergraduate institutions which are often open admissions. As an indivisible part of economic development, community college has undertaken the task of the local human resources development, training shortage of skilled professionals. It gives prominence to application and practice in teaching. Therefore, in recent years, community college with the characteristic of practical applicability is becoming highly valued by the government.
1.2 Students-centered mechanism
American institutions offer an enormous variety of course options. For instance, public universities such as Ohio State University offer hundreds of degree programs and have academic catalogs listing different courses ranging from Aerospace Engineering to Women’ Studies. Institutions establish curriculum according to the choice of the students such as what the students are interested in, what strong points the students have. In addition, students can transform specialties based on their own hobbies.
1.3 Flexible educational method and content
American higher education tends to put more emphasis on developing critical thinking skills than they do on acquiring quantities of facts. The teachers encourage students to choose specialties based on their interest instead of going after the popular majors. Besides, the teachers pay much attention to enable students to acquire new knowledge, develop analytical and creative capacities. In class, students are expected to participate actively and even to challenge the teachers. At the end of every semester, when teachers assess students, they emphasize more on the ability to analyze and solve the question but not memory.
1.4 Extreme diverse system
The diversity of society urges the American university to adopt the open policy to absorb all advantages from other countries. As a result, the university seems like a microcosm of the larger diverse society. It not only enrolls foreign students, but also foreign faculty and visiting scholars.
2.Disadvantages of the American higher education
2.1The shrinking state appropriation aid and the rising college costs
In America, the cost of higher education has been rising faster than inflation and health care costs for two decades. From 2002 to 2004 alone, tuition rates at public schools increased by just over 14%. To make things worse, College costs are rising at the same time that state appropriations for aid are shrinking. “During 2001-2004, the average state appropriation aid for each student has decreased $650. In public universities, the share of appropriation aid from state government has fallen from 45% to 36%.” 4The rapid decline of state financial support has made not only the public universities facing heavy pressure for running, but also the drop of the teachers.
2.2The tenure system being questioned
The tenure system plays an important part on the American education system. It guarantees academic freedom by offering employment security. Nowadays, some parents and administrative staffs call in question this system, because some tenured professors’ enterprising consciousness has been weakened, and they have not attached importance to their students. Therefore, reform of the tenure system is one of central task of the American higher education.
3.An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages
3.1Progressivism－John Dewey
“Progressive education was a theory that was created by John Dewey in the 1920s that essentially states that people best learn through experiencing or being given examples of real life situations.”1 Dewey claims that students learn best through experimentation and practice and problem solving rather than lectures. The only worthwhile knowledge is knowledge that can be used. Since then the theory of Dewey has been widely applied everywhere. This is why American universities strive to be practical. Teachers do not want to teach useless facts which will quickly be forgotten. Instead, they pay more attention to raise student"s self-confidence, independence, and supporting oneself in order to live a useful life. “Besides, Dewey also influences teaching techniques.”1
3.2 Paideia Proposal
“Paideia Proposal states that all education should be liberal and numerous types of teaching must be used for all students and that preparation to enter the work force should not be the main reason for school.”2 In addition, teachers must push students to learn but not simply lecture. Instead, numerous educational techniques must be applied in teaching rather than simple lectures. Thus the entire idea of the Paideia Proposal is used in lots of higher learning institutions. Usually the freshmen begin their grogram taking “general education” or “liberal arts”, because the university tends to cultivate the students to be “well-rounded”. They do not select majors until second year. By doing so, the students do not need to specialize from the very beginning, which means they have more options.
参考文献：
[1]林玉体，《美国教育思想史》，九州出版社。2006：292。
[2]单中惠 朱镜人，《外国教育经典解读》，上海教育出版社。2004：221。
[3]徐军伟. 《美国高等教育的特点与隐忧》. 宁波大学学报. 2008 (8): 30。
[4]杨明，杨建华. 论美国高等学校收费偏高的现状、成因和后果[J]. 外国教育研究，2006（2）：21～26。