蘇二梅

【Abstract】Cultural communication is playing an increasingly important role in the communication between between China and the United States，which not only promotes the communication and cooperation between the two countries，but provides experience and reference for the development of campus culture and education.We should find the root causes，draw lessons from the essences of American campus culture based on our excellent traditional culture，create campus culture with our own national characteristics to train comprehensive high-quality talents and develop the education system of our country.

【Key Words】United States； China； Campus Culture； Difference； Cause

1 The Differences Between American and Chinese Campus Cultures

1.1 Differences in Teaching and Learning.In China，some students may only need to be sitting quietly and listening to his teacher carefully.They are inclined to follow the same thinking model and make the same decision upon each problem.However，in the U.S，teachers pay more attention to lead rather than instill knowledge to form a relaxing and active student-centered learning atmosphere.A teachers task is to improve the students self-study ability.In class and campus in the United States students critical thinking，judgment ability and active participation are highly valued.While in Chinese culture，learning the scope of textbook is thought as learning assessment and objectives.In Chinese class，teachers are good at pooling a large amount of prepared knowledge into students mind.Students are willing to accept and seldom to challenge or even question the teacher.

1.2 Differences in Independence and cultivating the innovative personality.In China，children have been living in a greenhouse and their biggest task is to study and get good grades.Parents arrange everything for their children to grow and children are much relying on their parents decision to do things，lacking their own subjective ideas.And following the teacher in campus as the highest demands makes students not come up with their own point of view and curbs the students creative ideas.We can see the differences in the U.S.，American students are more autonomy，do their own things on their own decisions and are responsible for the consequences.The most outstanding characteristic of campus culture in the U.S is to cultivate students innovative consciousness and ability.It lays stress on the challenge spirit，critical thinking and actual usage of knowledge.

2 The Reasons that Cause the Differences

2.1 Cultural Historical Background.China has a history of ancient civilization and its own cultural tradition has a long history.In the long history of development，Confucianism occupies the main position for a long time and provides the ideological basis for the rulers.We cannot deny the role of Confucianism in the history of Chinas development，but its cultural bondage should not be underestimated.The United States has no feudal society in its short history of nearly two hundred years and crosses from the colonial society to the capitalist society.So he is like a piece of white paper.The United States is a super immigrant country because of different nationalities from around the world bringing different cultures and different ideas，and absorbs a variety of the most advanced productive forces and the worlds most progressive thinking at the time.

2.2 Level of Economic Development.China is a developing country and its economic level is somewhat low as a whole，which result in the poor quality of teaching facilities in most schools and the lack of teaching resources.Therefore，it is no wonder there exist some defects among the cultivation of students.Nevertheless，America is the greatest country around the world especially financially，so there is no doubt that advanced education facility will cover almost all the schools in those states.Each school is equipped with research labs，activity centers，dance centers，and libraries running the disk searching which can link with all national libraries around the country.Meanwhile，bountiful social educational resources provide a sound condition for cultivating innovative talents.

2.3 The Family Education.Parents education methods and education attitude have a significant influence on children.In China，under the influence of traditional ideas，children are the center of the family and all is for the children.So parents spare no efforts to cultivate the children，even docile and obedient.In learning，the parents take a fancy to test scores much，which puts pressure on children and affects their physical and mental development.And lower education degree of parents leads to improper family education，influencing students personality development.On the contrary，in the United States family，parents pay attention to develop the childrens subjective initiative.Family encourages enterprising，opposes to suppress their personality and pay attention to cultivating their independent spirit of responsible for themselves.

References：

[1]Lewis，R.G.& Smith，D.H.Total Quality in Higher Education.St Lucie Press.1994.

[2]Robert，B.Habits of the Heart：Individualism and Commitment in American Life.Berkeley：University of California Press.1985.