Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Curriculum Studies |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2019 |
Keywords
- Moral education
- Ethical Understanding general capability
- John Dewey
- the Australian curriculum
- philosophy for children
Cite this
}
Fostering moral understanding, moral inquiry & moral habits through philosophy in schools : a Deweyian analysis of Australia’s Ethical Understanding curriculum. / Bleazby, Jennifer.
In: Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Fostering moral understanding, moral inquiry & moral habits through philosophy in schools
T2 - a Deweyian analysis of Australia’s Ethical Understanding curriculum
AU - Bleazby, Jennifer
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - This paper provides a Deweyian analysis of Australia’s Ethical Understanding General Capability curriculum documents, which outline a promising moral education curriculum for students aged 4–17 years. The moral development of students has long been identified as a key aim of schooling. However, schools seldom have time for dedicated moral education classes. Furthermore, the two most prevalent approaches to moral education have been subject to considerable criticism: 1) ‘traditional’ character education, which has been criticised for indoctrinating students; and 2) ‘progressive’ inquiry based approaches that are often criticised for promoting moral subjectivism. Australia’s national curriculum offers a promising alternative, named the Ethical Understanding General Capability. It integrates moral education into existing school subjects. Drawing on the ideas of John Dewey, I argue that Australia’s Ethical Understanding curriculum avoids both indoctrination and subjectivism and aims to foster the three key elements of moral education: 1) understanding of moral issues and concepts; 2) moral inquiry skills; and 3) moral habits and values (e.g. being honest and caring). The Philosophy for Children program (P4C), which is heavily influenced by Dewey’s ideas, provides practical methods for implementing the Ethical Understanding curriculum in diverse subject areas at both the primary and secondary levels of schooling.
AB - This paper provides a Deweyian analysis of Australia’s Ethical Understanding General Capability curriculum documents, which outline a promising moral education curriculum for students aged 4–17 years. The moral development of students has long been identified as a key aim of schooling. However, schools seldom have time for dedicated moral education classes. Furthermore, the two most prevalent approaches to moral education have been subject to considerable criticism: 1) ‘traditional’ character education, which has been criticised for indoctrinating students; and 2) ‘progressive’ inquiry based approaches that are often criticised for promoting moral subjectivism. Australia’s national curriculum offers a promising alternative, named the Ethical Understanding General Capability. It integrates moral education into existing school subjects. Drawing on the ideas of John Dewey, I argue that Australia’s Ethical Understanding curriculum avoids both indoctrination and subjectivism and aims to foster the three key elements of moral education: 1) understanding of moral issues and concepts; 2) moral inquiry skills; and 3) moral habits and values (e.g. being honest and caring). The Philosophy for Children program (P4C), which is heavily influenced by Dewey’s ideas, provides practical methods for implementing the Ethical Understanding curriculum in diverse subject areas at both the primary and secondary levels of schooling.
KW - Moral education
KW - Ethical Understanding general capability
KW - John Dewey
KW - the Australian curriculum
KW - philosophy for children
U2 - 10.1080/00220272.2019.1650116
DO - 10.1080/00220272.2019.1650116
M3 - Article
JO - Journal of Curriculum Studies
JF - Journal of Curriculum Studies
SN - 0022-0272
ER -