本研究為教育部公民核心能力推廣子計畫項下之「100年度公民核心能力暨通識教育經典譯著讀書會計畫」執行成果之一。該讀書會旨在以學習社群為教師專業發展途徑，讓教師們透過平時彼此平等對話及分享討論，藉以提升專業知能與促進專業發展。本次讀書會的主題聚焦於哈佛大學課程革新之研究，從理解通識教育在美國大學教育的發展歷程，來反思本國通識教育的理論與實踐。讀書會分兩階段進行研讀與討論：第一階段指定閱讀為《自由社會的通識教育》和《理解核心課程：哈佛大學核心課程革新》（中譯本為主要讀物，輔以英文原著），兩本書闡述20世紀哈佛大學的課程革新；第二階段研究21世紀之課程改革，指定閱讀為2005年出版之《哈佛通識課程檢討報告書》和2007年出版之《哈佛通識課程結論報告書》，其為目前最新實施課程之依據。本研究綜整幾次討論有關哈佛經驗帶給本國通識教育之啟示如下：一、校長角色的重要性；二、通識教育之理念與目標應明確並與時俱進；三、分類必修vs.核心課程；四、師資來源與行政運作。

The present study is a result of the discussions in the regular meetings at a book club created to study and discuss curricular reforms in general education at Harvard University in the U.S. The club aimed to reveal suggestions and implications for the general education development and practice for the field through Harvard’s experience. The assigned readings were: 1. The Red Book - General Education in a Free Society (1945), 2. The White Book - Getting at the Core: Curricular Reform at Harvard (1978), 3. Harvard College Curricular Review - Report of the Committee on General Education (2005), and 4. Report of the Task Force on General Education (2007). The first and second reading described the curricular reforms at Harvard in the 20th century, while third and fourth recorded the reforms at Harvard in the 21st century. Through in-depth discussions about those Harvard’s experience, suggestions and implications for the field were elaborated as follows: 1. the president is important for the success of the curriculum reform; 2. the goals of the general education curriculum should be specific and advanced with time; 3. distribution requirements contrasts with core curriculum; and 4. a separate faculty for general education and administration.