The idea of higher education

Bibliographic Information

The idea of higher education

Ronald Barnett

Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press, 1990

  • : pbk

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Note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

: pbk ISBN 9780335094202

Description

Despite an increasing volume of talk about and a growing literature on higher education, very little of it asks the question - what, in essence "is" higher education? The tradition of overarching thinking about higher education - from Newman onwards - has almost vanished. The debate has focused, instead, on technical, administrative, financial and narrow academic concerns and the terms of discussion have been framed by concepts such as efficiency, unit costs, access and the needs of industry - none of which focus on higher education as such. There is, therefore, a need for the aims of higher education to be restated in modern terms. This book explores such concepts as culture, rationality, research and academic freedom; it aims to provide a new approach to educational theory, embracing debates in social theory, philosophy of social science, critical theory, sociology of education and sociology of knowledge. It aims to give an account of the idea of "higher education" draw out the practical implications and propose specific strategies for realizing a liberal higher education.

Table of Contents

Higher education - educationally speaking the missing element a contested concept? The epistemological undermining of higher education witchcraft, astrology and knowledge policies the truth, the whole truth The sociological undermining of higher education ivory tower? living with ideology Key concepts culture rationality research academic freedom Restoring higher education beyond teaching and learning a critical business redrawing interdisciplinarity a liberal higher education regained
Volume

ISBN 9780335094219

Description

Despite an increasing volume of talk about and a growing literature on higher education, very little of it asks the question - what, in essence "is" higher education? The tradition of overarching thinking about higher education - from Newman onwards - has almost vanished. The debate has focused, instead, on technical, administrative, financial and narrow academic concerns and the terms of discussion have been framed by concepts such as efficiency, unit costs, access and the needs of industry - none of which focus on higher education as such. There is, therefore, a need for the aims of higher education to be restated in modern terms. This book explores such concepts as culture, rationality, research and academic freedom; it aims to provide a new approach to educational theory, embracing debates in social theory, philosophy of social science, critical theory, sociology of education and sociology of knowledge. It aims to give an account of the idea of "higher education" draw out the practical implications and propose specific strategies for realizing a liberal higher education.

Table of Contents

  • Higher education - educationally speaking: the missing element
  • a contested concept?. The epistemological undermining of higher education: witchcraft, astrology and knowledge policies
  • the truth, the whole truth. The sociological undermining of higher education: ivory tower?
  • living with ideology. Key concepts: culture
  • rationality
  • research
  • academic freedom. Restoring higher education: beyond teaching and learning
  • a critical business
  • redrawing interdisciplinarity
  • a liberal higher education regained.

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