The Liberal Arts Curriculum in China's Christian
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THE LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM IN CHINA’S CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITIES AND ITS RELEVANCE TO CHINA’S UNIVERSITIES TODAY by Leping Mou A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Leping Mou 2018 The Liberal Arts Curriculum in China’s Christian Universities and Its Relevance to China’s Universities Today Leping Mou Master of Arts Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto 2018 Abstract This thesis considers the historical background, the development, and the characteristics of China’s Christian universities, with a special focus on their curriculum design. Through the lens of postmodern theory, the thesis explores the concept and essence of liberal arts education as reflected in the curriculum of the Christian universities through a qualitative methodology, focusing on the analysis of historical archival material. The purpose is to find insights for today’s trend towards reviving liberal arts education in China’s elite universities as a way of countering the influence of utilitarianism and neo-liberalism in an era of economic globalization. ii Acknowledgements The completion of this Master thesis marks the accomplishment of two years’ academic study at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Along with my hard work, it is made possible because of the insightful suggestions and guidance from OISE's erudite professors and the help and support from family and friends. It is also an encouragement for me to proceed to further doctoral study. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation to everybody who helped me to accomplish this journey. First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Ruth Hayhoe, my thesis supervisor, for her constant support, academic guidance, and insightful suggestions offered to me during the preparation and the whole writing process of this thesis. I would also like to extend my deep appreciation to Dr. Julia Pan, my second reader, who inspired me and provided many practical suggestions from the very beginning of this research. I would also like to give my thanks to the professors who have offered guidance in my academic study and provided great encouragement for my study here at OISE. My special thanks go to Dr. Jane Gaskell, in whose class the proposal for this thesis was developed. Besides the academic support and guidance, I would like to thank my colleges and friends at OISE who supported me spiritually. My sincere thanks go to Dr. Annette Ford, Dr. Grace Stephenson, and Dr. Katharine Janzen. Last but not least, my warm appreciation goes to my dear family members who have supported me constantly in many aspects of my life. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix List of Appendices ...........................................................................................................................x Chapter 1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................1 1 Background and contextual information .......................................................................................1 2 Research questions ........................................................................................................................3 3 Objective and significance ............................................................................................................4 4 Structure of the thesis....................................................................................................................5 Chapter 2 Literature Review ............................................................................................................7 1 Higher education in Nationalist China ..........................................................................................7 1.1 Different levels and types of higher institutions ...................................................................8 1.2 Geographic distribution .........................................................................................................9 1.3 Women’s education .............................................................................................................10 2 Christian universities in China ....................................................................................................12 2.1 Historical background .........................................................................................................12 2.2 Development stages ............................................................................................................14 2.3 Contributions and influence ................................................................................................16 2.4 The work of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia .............................17 2.5 Previous research and limitations .......................................................................................19 3 Liberal arts education ..................................................................................................................20 3.1 Liberal arts education history and tradition ........................................................................20 iv 3.2 Liberal arts education in the American context ..................................................................22 3.3 New trends around the globe ..............................................................................................23 3.4 Challenges for current liberal arts education reform ...........................................................26 4 Educational thought and current higher education trends ...........................................................28 4.1 Educational thought development .......................................................................................28 4.2 Tradition and Confucianism ................................................................................................29 4.3 Critical opinions of Chinese education and the concept of person-making ........................31 Chapter 3 Theoretical Framework and Research Methodology ....................................................33 1 Theoretical framework ................................................................................................................33 1.1 The central mission of education ........................................................................................33 1.2 The intrinsic value of liberal arts education ........................................................................35 1.3 The value of education in Chinese tradition .......................................................................37 1.4 Postmodernism in education ...............................................................................................39 2 Research methodology and methods ..........................................................................................41 2.1 Qualitative document analysis and secondary literature .....................................................41 2.2 Rationale for the methodology and method used ................................................................43 2.3 Strength and weakness ........................................................................................................44 Chapter 4 Data Analysis and Key Findings ...................................................................................45 1 Ginling Women’s College ..........................................................................................................46 1.1 History and development ....................................................................................................46 1.2 Mission and goal .................................................................................................................48 1.3 Curriculum in 1919 .............................................................................................................48 1.4 Curriculum in 1933 .............................................................................................................52 1.5 Curriculum in 1947 .............................................................................................................53 2 Yenching University ...................................................................................................................54 2.1 History and development ....................................................................................................54 v 2.2 Mission and goal .................................................................................................................56 2.3 Curriculum in 1920 .............................................................................................................56