2nd article:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/05/15/harvard.reut/index.html

The article’s main focus is on the change in curriculum in Harvard University in 30 years. It mentions that this curriculum change would be “putting new emphasis on sensitive religious and cultural issues, the sciences and overcoming US parochialism”. Parochialism is when one is concerned with only a narrow range of issues, particularly those that concern one. The reason for this curriculum change is because there had been criticism about the curriculum in what was considered the “oldest US institute of higher learning”.

I think that this change would be beneficial for all in various ways, and it would also expose the students to many different customs, traditions, culture and habits that they have not known before. Besides, Harvard is a prestigious college, and it should not just focus too narrowly on academic topics or issues that concern US. Instead, there should be education on the various different parts of the world, as well as real life issues, for example, ethical issues in science as mentioned in the article.

This article mentions US parochialism more than once. I think that parochialism belonging to any form is not beneficial, as this will only narrow a person’s view of the world, and also limits the so-called knowledge for the person to learn. Education can begin from issues directly concerned with the person, and then slowly branch out to include bigger, broader issues. It should not be stagnated at a point where the learning only comes from the issues directly concerned.

Education should not just be about the facts of life and in science and languages, it should be able life itself, and how knowledge can be applied to life. There are many different things about education such as culture and beliefs that are worth learning and looking into. Every different culture and belief is a new window of knowledge, and enriches one’s learning experience as well as provides one with more information about others instead of just issues and things that are directly concerned with oneself. This provides a broader perspective for one to look into, and there’s more room for exploration too.

Only when knowledge not only about oneself, but also about others is grasped, can that be considered as truly learning. Education should aim to achieve this level, whereby there is no parochialism. By changing the curriculum, Harvard is in fact leading by example to other colleges, and I think that this change would be for the betterment of education.