核心課程與分類課程選修的比較－－從哈佛大學通識課程改革說起

Comparisons of Core Curriculum and Distribution Requirement: Reflections Based on Harvard's Recent Reform on General Education

「核心課程」與「分類選修」是實施通識教育的兩種課程類型。美國哈佛大學在2007年5月通過通識教育改革報告，實施近三十年的「核心課程」改稱為「通識教育課程」，似乎又回到過去分類選修方式。本文釐清核心課程與分類選修的差異，並分析哈佛大學通識教育課程類型的走向。結論指出哈佛最新通識教育課程類型為前述兩種類型的折中，而通識教育背後所蘊含的大學理念為何，以及大學教育工作者是否認同這樣的理念，才是通識教育能否推動成功的關鍵。

”Core curriculum” and ”distribution requirement” are two forms of general education implementation. Harvard University passed a report on general education reform in May 2007, replacing the core curriculum by ”general education courses.” Many people be1iev that Harvard has chosen to back to the distribution requirement. This paper examines and compares the above two forms of general education courses, with reference to the development of Harvard's general education courses. The paper concludes by arguing that (1) Harvard's recent reform leads to a compromise of the two forms and (2) the idea of general education which a university endorses, not the form of the courses, is the key to the success of general education implementation.