"What does deep ethical understanding look like and how can we measure the progression of this aptitude?" Qualitative and quantitative data collected from students in Contemporary Moral Problems courses over two successive semesters revealed that the development of moral reasoning skills is a slow process. The progression of moral…

This article suggests that church-linked universities and colleges can and should show that there is an alternative to the expediency and pseudo-utilitarian thinking which currently dominates higher education. Such institutions can and should serve as beacons of a virtuous approach to education which can show others a more positive way forward.…

Inherent in the missions of colleges and universities with a Christian tradition is a goal of building a strong community. These campuses seek to foster a sense of belonging for their students, and they employ principled approaches to the development of effective policies for all aspects of student affairs. Simultaneously, they frequently face…

We present the results of a literature review of studies on teaching strategies for moral education in secondary schools (1995-2003). The majority of the studies focus on the "what" and "why", i.e. the objectives, of curriculum-oriented moral education. Attention to the instructional formats for enhancing the prosocial and moral development of…

The connection between sustained high-level critical and creative thought and positive disposition is explored in this paper. The purpose of the paper is three fold: (1) to present the main ideas behind a dispositional conception of thinking; (2) to discuss research on this topic; and (3) to demonstrate the relationship between high-level thinking…

This research paper attempts to show that the country's dualistic views between perceived morals and practiced morals have confused youth to the point they have difficulty telling right from wrong. The paper advocates that schools should take a more active role in moral education before that role is thrust upon them by a decaying family structure.…

From the very beginning of "Adam Bede," the idea of sight or perception is emphasized. Indeed by reference to a quotation from Wordsworth, George Eliot announces the purpose of the novel: to reveal clearly, to remove from the shade. While most of the characters in "Adam Bede" do not perceive events clearly and must have their…

Although scholars may recognize the importance of ethics for educational leaders, they have not yet resolved how the subject can or should be taught. This paper presents an approach to teaching ethics that incorporates both traditional and nontraditional methods, discusses how this approach is carried out with a diverse student body, and attempts…

Previous studies failed to determine whether Gilligan's (1982) justice and care perspectives represent two distinct orientations of moral reasoning. Using methods developed in research on reasoning and discourse processes, a study used a discursive framework to validate an alternate methodology for the investigation of moral orientation reasoning.…

Character education is the hinge upon which academic excellence, personal achievement, and true citizenship depend. This volume provides guidance for educators who wish to help children forge good character. Its seven chapters create a blueprint for integrating character education into the curriculum. Chapters include (1) "Character…

This paper examines moral education as a holistic structure that evolves from the interplay between the educational applications of anthroposophy, students' developmental needs, the curriculum, as indicated by Rudolf Steiner, and teachers' roles in fashioning the curriculum. The methodology draws upon the qualitative research paradigm of…

This paper on ethical issues in the gerontological nursing curriculum explores meanings of the concept of ethics and differences between ethical decision making and other decision-making processes. Four mind-sets about health care that influence the analysis of ethical dilemmas, identified by M. Aroskar, are described. The contributions of…

The purpose of this study was to measure the ability of very young children (ages 3 and 4) to use intention in making moral judgments. A total of 22 nursery school children, 11 males and 11 females, successfully completed the experiment; additionally, 39 high school students participated. Judgments of the "goodness" of story characters…

States that if conventional moral reasoning led the Watergate characters to err, they were not alone; three hundred and seventy people, predominantly college students drawn from a variety of New England and Midwestern campuses who had been given Kohlberg's Moral Judgment Interview, were asked to decide some of the same dilemmas which confronted…

The values clarification approach is a novel and exciting method of working with students in groups. This article describes a pilot project in values clarification initiated by the Student Personnel Services Branch of the Manitoba Department of Education. (Author)