Discusses a model for teaching critical thinking and the changes observed in student abilities after taking a course emphasizing the model. Finds that scores on a critical thinking test were significantly higher among the 24 students in the course. Presents a graphic example of the model applied to the issue of homelessness. (CFR)

A survey of 549 biomedical trainees (graduate and postdoctoral students, medical students, residents, fellows) investigated training in research ethics, observation of scientific misconduct, and willingness to select, omit, or fabricate data to win a grant or publish a paper. The efficacy of current ethics instruction is questioned. (Author/MSE)

Addresses issues in preparing teachers to be moral decision makers, examining assumptions in holistic teacher education. The article discusses how 195 teacher education programs address ethical and moral issues. It describes how a team of educators created and implemented a program addressing elements of holistic education, noting practical…

Compares five designs of an undergraduate ethics course at Saint Edward's University (Texas) in a 5-year study involving 318 students. Reveals the effectiveness of directly targeting and teaching in tandem the elements of moral reasoning. Bases study on Lawrence Kohlberg's moral development theory. Argues that this approach best develops moral…

This study examined the moral values embedded in the instruction and practice of higher education, focusing on instruction within three disciplines at a mid-sized residential university in the Pacific Northwest over the course of three semesters. Through classroom observations and transcriptions of tapes of classroom interaction in 46…

This paper describes a study of ethical decision making by teachers and the application of resulting case studies to teacher education. The initial study examined ethical decision making and the professional ethical philosophy of 18 elementary, middle and secondary teachers from urban, small town and rural areas of Montana. Case studies of the…

Many indicators point to a crisis of confidence and credibility in the role of the teacher as a professional and moral leader. In response, many educational researchers are recommending that reflective teachers examine the moral and ethical issues embedded in their everyday thinking and behavior. A study was conducted, therefore, to identify and…

Three approaches to teaching moral reasoning were implemented by expert teachers in classes at three small colleges and outcomes were compared. Teaching models included the following: Model A, a "good reasoned" approach in which students discussed scenarios and determined the best course of action; Model B, a teacher-centered lecture,…

Explains an intervention project which was initiated in response to the apparently increasing alienation of youth from traditional social organizations, their preoccupation with self and their diminishing concern for the welfare of others. Describes this longitudinal field experiment relative to background, research design, variables measured,…

Examines the cross-cultural universality of Kohlberg's theory of moral development in Communist Chinese society. Presents results of a study that supports the structure criterion of the moral model. Confirms the collectivistic and utilitarian themes in Chinese morality. Concludes further research is necessary to determine compatibility with…

Over a 4-year period, researchers measured several outcomes in 5 school districts initiating or enhancing character education programs. Based on student, teacher, and administrator surveys, there was a noticeable improvement in character-related behavior. In certain districts, suspension and drop-out rates also decreased after the implementation…

The 640 member schools of the Association of American Colleges were surveyed in 1978 to determine interest in curriculum on business ethics. It was also attempted to determine how many schools provided their students with a general education program that included basic courses in the nature and operation of American business. The purpose was to…

Recommendations for facilitating religious literacy programs in public schools are presented in this 1976 annual report. Written primarily for an audience of Catholic priests, the report aims at spreading understanding about the legal parameters of religious studies in public education and at increasing religious literacy of public school students…

Presents a study, framed according to Aristotelian ethics, that combined philosophical analysis with empirical inquiry to examine the manner of a teacher's moral conduct, concluding that it is possible to systematically observe and interpret manner in teaching and suggesting that increased teacher attention to manner might result in improved…

Veteran teachers of various ages and levels of experience responded to questionnaires and interviews designed to reveal their perceptions in five thematic areas drawn from historical and contemporary research about teachers as moral agents. These areas are: (1) teachers' characterization of their personal values; (2) their understanding of their…