| Summary: | 博士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 教育研究所 === 87 === Taiwan''s educational policy has been undergone for liberalization since the Martial Law was lifted. The University Law of 1994 defends the right of university autonomy. Curriculum autonomy is one of the very essences of university autonomy. This study explores the development of curriculum autonomy in Taiwan''s higher education. It identifies the power distribution in curriculum decision making between government and institutions, reviews the situation and problem of curriculum autonomy and analyzes the future development.
In order to accomplish the purpose, this study applies the methods of document analysis and case study. Document analysis involves the literature review that includes the meaning, theory point and influence factors of curriculum autonomy, the levels of curriculum decision-making and the curriculum autonomy in other countries. Besides, based on government documents it analyzes the power distribution in curriculum decision making between the government agencies and institutions. Further, by adopting the case study approach, this study selected three universities in Taiwan, supplemented by interviews, to understand the characters and problems of curriculum autonomy on institutional levels.
Several conclusions result from the findings and discussion of this study. They are presented as follows：
1.Curriculum autonomy is based on the academic freedom and professional autonomy. It means that curriculum decision made by faculty members of institutions exclude the effect of political ideologies.
2.External influences on the undergraduate curriculum autonomy include regulation, policy, evaluation system, professional societies, budget, and college interaction. Internal influences include academic department, individual faculty members, academic administration, and the roles of students.
3.Traditionally undergraduate curriculum is highly autonomy in U.S.A. and U.K.. The government involvement in undergraduate curriculum is stronger in Japan and German. But the curriculums in these countries are always supervised by professional institutions.
4.The initial focus on authority-sharing and participation, has been transferred to the enforcement of management of curriculum by institutions.
5.The history of curriculum autonomy in Taiwan is divided into different periods. Before 1994, the curriculum system was highly centralized, and the courses of undergraduate curriculum were controlled by the Ministry of Education. After 1994 University Law, curriculum autonomy was increasing apparently.
6.University institutions have the full right of curriculum autonomy, but the courses in teacher professional program are still controlled by the Ministry of Education. The policy of higher education curriculum trends to autonomy and multi-dimensions. The role of the government on undergraduate curriculum has been transferred to be a supervisor, and it controls the quality of undergraduate curriculum by evaluation.
7.From the level of institutions, we find that curriculum autonomy can help the institutions develop their characters, but the curriculum reform will be through incremental steps. The university institutions have built a good mechanism on Curriculum decision-making gradually, but the system of curriculum evaluation is still inadequate. There are several disadvantageous factors in curriculum autonomy, such as the overemphasizing specialization in academic departments, the deficiency of cooperation between institutions, the experiences on whole curriculum development by faculties, the autonomy of student choosing programs and the lacking of curriculum evaluation.
Finally, the study recommends some suggestions for the improvement of curriculum in higher education in Taiwan, as well as future research in the future.
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