Examines recent trends in general education, discussing its importance, definitions of general education, and its inconsistent status. Provides three examples of successful general education programs, as well as an ideal model for a community college program. (AYC)

This issue of "New Directions for Community Colleges" focuses on the community college curriculum. The articles are based on a study of the college catalogs and course schedules from 164 colleges. The featured articles are: (1) "A Historical and Contemporary View of the Community College Curriculum" (Gwyer Schuyler); (2) "The Liberal Arts"…

General education is the process of developing a framework on which to place knowledge stemming from a variety of sources. Its goals are to help students think critically, develop values, understand traditions, respect diverse cultures and opinions, and, most importantly, put that knowledge to use. Even though its goals parallel socially supported…

Reviews documents from the ERIC junior colleges collection dealing with the predominant interdisciplinary teaching methods used in community colleges, and the application of interdisciplinary approaches to general, vocational, and developmental education. Suggests that interdisciplinary studies enhance the quality of community college education.…

Cites ERIC documents and journal articles dealing with general education planning and programing in the community college. Focuses on the general education agenda, curriculum and course development, general education in vocational programs, guidelines and models, and practices. (DMM)

Discusses cooperative school-college programs with respect to academic preparations of high school students, strengthening program articulation, heightening high school student interest in liberal arts education, and increasing the number of academically gifted students attending community colleges. Recommends increasing cooperative efforts to…

Cites documents from the ERIC collection dealing with occupational education in community colleges. Addresses the following aspects: special programs for women and the handicapped, occupational program planning and evaluation, the relationship between general education and career training, cooperative relationships between schools and industry,…

Strategies and problems facing the small private liberal arts colleges as a group are described. Many of these schools have weathered the financial emergencies of recent years by cutting expenditures to the point where the quality of education is threatened. New measures have been called for to reduce the tuition gap between private and public…

The articles in this collection recommend ways of bringing greater direction and focus to community college general education and thereby enhancing the fulfillment of collegiate missions and augmenting student learning. The sourcebook contains: (1) "Toward a Second Wave of Reform," by Jerry G. Gaff, which reviews the general education reforms of…

This digest discusses the rationale for integrating academic and occupational education. It describes models for, and barriers to, integration, and offers suggestions for advancing integration efforts. Integration of academic and occupational education reinforces the shifting paradigm from teaching to learning and requires that students become…

The past and current condition of general education in the two-year college is examined in this four-part monograph. Part 1 reviews the history of general education, tracing its roots in the European tradition of liberal education from Greco-Roman antiquity to the end of the 19th century in America. In addition, the 20th century general education…

The changing tradition of liberal education in America is examined against the backdrop of Greek, medieval, colonial American and German expressions of the liberal tradition and its necessary humanistic disciplines and pursuits. After a historical discussion of various manifestations of liberal education through the ages, recent strains of liberal…

Various aspects of liberal arts education in the community college are discussed in the 11 articles in this monograph. First, Myron A. Marty presents an overview of current conditions and pressures affecting the liberal arts in the two-year college. Then, Jack Friedlander reviews the data on student participation in liberal arts courses. Ruth G.…

The term general education has been employed to characterize an array of community college non-vocational programs, from Great Books courses to guidance services. General education at present differs from previous decades in terms of its emphasis on tighter curricular structure, global, gender, and ethnic studies, and the integration of knowledge.…

Research conducted by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges in Los Angeles on the status of the community college liberal arts curriculum found that liberal arts programs have a beneficial impact on students. Research findings have consistently revealed that what students know is related to what they study and how they have studied it.…