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Dissertation
Levels of Moral Reasoning of Teacher Education Majors
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2010
Abstract
Teachers play a vital role in the moral aspects of education, although the current literature reflects a tendency of teacher education students towards lower levels of moral reasoning as compared to their academic peers. Further, it has been suggested that an overemphasis on the technical aspects of teaching at the expense of the moral and theoretical hinders moral development. The purpose of this study was to examine levels of moral reasoning in upper division teacher education majors based on Kohlberg's theoretical perspective of moral reasoning and development. The study evaluated teacher education students' scores on moral reasoning as measured by the original Defining Issues Test (DIT) and were compared with those of psychology majors and science majors (n = 92). The study also examined the relationship between participants' scores and completion of types of coursework focusing on ethical and theoretical ideas and concepts. Results reflected a significant difference between scores of education majors and psychology and science majors, although no difference was found between scores of psychology majors and science majors. Some significant differences were found in an investigation of effect of coursework, which was categorized by relevance to either education or philosophy, with courses falling outside those areas identified as miscellaneous (e.g., workforce diversity, social problems, bioethics). Additional categories included both (relevant coursework in both education and philosophy) and none (reflecting no relevant coursework completed). Comparative analyses reflected statistically significant mean differences between scores for those who completed coursework in both education and philosophy and between those who completed coursework in both education and philosophy and those labeled miscellaneous. No significant mean differences were found regarding other coursework related categories.
Details
- Title
- Levels of Moral Reasoning of Teacher Education Majors
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 94
- Copyright
- © 2010 Susan Louise Brown
- Identifiers
- 99380090835506600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida