The University in the Twenty-first Century: Teaching the New Enlightenment in the Digital Age

This volume addresses the broad spectrum of challenges confronting the university of the 21st century. Elkana and Klöpper place special emphasis on the questions regarding the very idea and purposes of universities, especially as viewed through curriculum—what is taught—and pedagogy—how it is taught. The ideas recommended here for reform concern especially undergraduate or Bachelor degree programs in all areas of study, from the humanities and social sciences to the natural sciences, the technical fields, law, medicine, and other professions. The core thesis of this book rests on the emergence of a 'New Enlightenment', which requires a revolution in curriculum and teaching in order to translate the academic philosophy of global contextualism into universal practice or application. The university is asked to revamp teaching in order to foster critical thinking that would serve students their entire lives. This book calls for universities to become truly integrated rather than remaining collections of autonomous agencies more committed to competition among themselves than cooperation in the larger interest of learning.

Table of Contents:
Preface Foreword Chapter 1: Introduction What We Are Up Against The Difficulty of Comprehensive Curriculum Reform The Problems of Contemporary Higher Education Rethinking the Enlightenment What May Be Done to Address the Problems The University in the Age of Globalization Rethinking the Enlightenment and Global Contextualism Academic Freedom Funding & “Publish or Perish” Principles for a New Undergraduate Curriculum Curriculum Research and the Future of Higher Education Some Speculative and Optimistic Thoughts Chapter 2: The Idea of the University The Ideal of the Research University From ‘Solitude and Freedom’ to The Multiversity The Problem of Commercialization The Universalism of the Idea of the University Where Are We Today? The British University The German University The American University Chapter 3: The Aims of the University The University’s Purposes—A Historic Perspective Einsamkeit und Freiheit —Solitude and freedom Lehr- und Lernfreiheit—The freedom of teaching and learning Einheit und Differenzierung von Wissenschaft—The unity and differentiation of science Bildung durch Wissenschaft—Learning through academic study Einheit von Lehre und Forschung —The unity of teaching and research Humboldt’s Relevance Today and What the 19th Century did not Know The Liberal Arts Tradition Higher Education for the “New Global Century” Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world Intellectual and practical skills Personal and social responsibility Integrative learning Learning Objectives in a Curriculum Reflecting the New Enlightenment Educate Everyone for “Concerned Citizenship” Train the Next Generation of Researchers Conceive Undergraduate Education as Substantially General Education Make the Study of Values a Cornerstone of an Education in Critical Thinking Create an Intellectual Fusion of Theory and Practice Prepare Students for the Complexity and Messiness of the World Cultivate Self-understanding Establish a New Culture of Collective Networked Learning Learning from Life about Life and for Life Chapter 4: A Manifesto for Curriculum Reform The Core Ideas behind Comprehensive Curriculum Reform The Theoretical Basis of the Curriculum Reform Manifesto A New, Comprehensive Understanding of General Academic Education How the New Enlightenment Will be Incorporated in the Curricula The History of Debate on Curriculum Reform New Approaches for a Comprehensive General Education German and European Debates Optimistic Thoughts Chapter 5: The Renaissance of Rhetoric and Meaning Some Theoretical Considerations “Teaching Rhetoric” or the Cultivation of Reasonableness A Redefinition of Critical Thinking Communicating Science to the Public Epistemological Considerations Rhetorical Considerations Policy Considerations Cunning Reason: Metis Practical Reason: Phronesis Chapter 6: New Curricula and New Disciplines The Crisis in the Humanities: A Never-Ending Controversy The Role of the Humanities in the 21st Century Some Examples: Economics and Psychology A New Curriculum for the Natural Sciences Recognizing and Promoting Quality: A Challenge Spanning across Disciplines The Establishment of New Scholarly Disciplines Global Contextualism and the New Enlightenment: Guidelines for a Meaningful Renewal of Teaching Chapter 7: Rethinking the Unity of Research and Teaching Teaching Quality: Taking Stock of the State of Affairs The “Publish or Perish” Paradigm and its Effect on the Quality of Teaching The Impact of the Science Citation Index Research is not the Measure of All Things How the Research Imperative Determines the Quality of Teaching The Future of Evaluating Academic Performance From Bulimic Learning to the Conveyance of Skills and a World View Tenure and the Relevance of Teaching Rankings Chapter 8: Democracy and the Philosophy of Education Some Preliminary Theoretical Considerations The Role of the State Towards a Philosophy of Higher Education On the Meaning of Practical Reason Cultivating ....

About the Author :
Hannes Klöpper is CEO & Co-Founder of iversity, Europe’s digital learning platform for higher education and professional development. Yehuda Elkana (1934–2012) was historian and philosopher of science, former President and Rector of Central European University (1999–2009). Marvin Lazerson is Professor of Higher Education in the School of Public Policy, Central European University and Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania.