The decades since the 1960s have been unfortunate in many respects for American higher education, but things are not uniformly bleak. Here and there, the study of Great Books persists. The general picture that is available, then, of the health of great-books study in colleges today is mixed. High-visibility news stories, along with curriculum…

The way in which foreign languages, including the Classics, are taught is evolving. There are those who teach language for literature-based, instrumental purposes only, and those who want to see foreign language education cross boundaries into literature, culture, history, and geography. Foreign language educators have the opportunity to teach…

The author joined the faculty of Macalester College in the fall of 1968. Much to his surprise, he discovered at the first faculty meeting that he could not understand what his new colleagues were talking about. For many years he literally had no one to talk to about subjects that mattered most to him, such as the philosophy of education. Then…

Discusses the argument among critics of American higher education on the relationship between theory and practice. Compares the ideas of John Dewey and Bernard Lonergan and examines the movement from classicism to method and its significance to education. (DM)

Examines Bloom's ideas on reading and books, suggesting that his stance on determining greatness is philosophically flawed and arguing that his prime criterion for selecting great texts is premised on a problematic theory of legitimation and greatness, leading to a restrictive view of possibilities for university-level reading. The Freirean notion…

This account of learning journeys, taken from interviews with a group of adults graduating from a part-time humanities program, traces one prominent pattern from first enrollment to graduation, prioritizing the importance of "time out". Students who had joined a course out of curiosity found themselves traveling in a land of unexpected pleasures,…

Asserts that great books, the standard classics that decades ago were fare in school curriculum, teach young readers the subtlety and nuance of how language works. Suggests that, given the difficulty college freshmen have in writing essays, perhaps it is time to reintroduce great books in schools. (EV)

Distressing the classics can be avoided by avoiding three biases in the most commonly taught research program for literary historiography: (1) the bias of bibliography; (2) the bias of antiquarianism; and (3) the bias against social and behavioral sciences. Successful interpretation of text is possible when recognized as being context-dependent,…

Reports on a study indicating that education students entering a beginning children's literature course have not read or heard read aloud many of children's literature classics and award-winning books. (RL)

Explores how, although minority and female authors have found a place on many English departments' reading lists, the debate over the benefits of a diverse curriculum still linger. (EV)

Reveals the ways college curricula influence secondary school reading lists, and examines how and why definitions of "classic" literature change. (JL)

Addresses the question of what graduate students should know about fields of English in which they are not specializing. Finds the best answer is to teach "the classics." Illustrates with the example of a course on "The Faerie Queene" and "Paradise Lost," to show students how to work with texts and what can be…

A study examined a national trend towards dropping Shakespeare and other Great Authors from college English major requirements, and asked what new courses are taking their places. Programs from 70 representative schools were analyzed. Results indicated that 23 schools require a course in Shakespeare, which may include other authors as well, but…

Presents students' responses when the author asked whether or not it was worthwhile to study King Lear. Recognizes that she could not sell Shakespeare to her students and that most of them will never read another of his plays. (SG)

Describes how the authors taught their students to read "Hamlet" from a critical literacy perspective, analyzing how particular readings of texts and characters are constructed or produced; how they are determined by historical and cultural conventions; analyzing values that various readings support or challenge--rather than trying to…