Because colleges and universities create and disseminate knowledge, and because of the power knowledge creates, these institutions of higher learning possess a moral responsibility to society. The scholar's role is crucial because of his or her power to define reality for and exercise control over society in general and students in particular.…

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…

This brief report summarizes a longer document with the same title. It explains that institutions of higher education have a moral responsibility as disseminators of knowledge to foster proper values and ethical thinking in its students for the well-being of society. The collegiate ethos, the practices and customs of the institution, are important…

Drawing on contemporary research literature, recently developed curriculum guides, and blue-ribbon reports, this digest reviews 10 contemporary trends in K-12 social studies in the United States. Trends are as follows: (1) History, history, and more history; (2) More geography, too; (3) Using literature to teach social studies; (4) Focus on the…

This curriculum presents an overview of responsibility as a concept intrinsic to the functioning of a democratic society. The curriculum has been developed to provide students with an increased awareness of the importance of responsibility in their own lives and its place in contemporary society, and to encourage their capacity and inclination to…

A series of articles and essay reviews are represented on issues of concern in humanities education. First, Benjamin DeMott's "A Moral Argument for the Humanities" asserts that humanities instruction should stress certain moral questions, such as the connection of moral life with civilization, individual responsibility, and institutions.…

This expansion of the Sanford Lectures, delivered at Duke University (North Carolina) on March 23 and 24, 1988, discusses the issue of whether universities are doing enough to meet the many challenges that affect the United States' ability to maintain a growing, competitive economy while providing adequate security and opportunity for all its…

The question of whether academicians are or should be ethical requires serious discussion, especially given the presence of select instances of unethical behavior among some professionals. One history professor responded to claims that he was a boring lecturer by presenting videotaped instruction; one English professor failed a student on an exam…

A review of literature on sex education in the schools traces the changing opinions and attitudes on the subject over the past century. Early sex education efforts (1880s to 1920s) in the schools focused upon the repression of sexual activity, the prevention of immorality, hygiene, and prevention of venereal diseases. A gradual movement (1940s to…

One thread that runs through the definition of what students are to become as a result of their participation in the U.S. school enterprise is the ability to think analytically and behave ethically. This paper describes an effort at curriculum design in which attempts were made to increase critical thinking skills and moral development in…

The Lilly Endowment has a long-standing commitment to supporting liberal arts programs and teaching at the undergraduate level. The Endowment-sponsored summer workshop on the liberal arts, held annually at Colorado College, has a 28-year history. It offers professors and deans from a variety of colleges and universities the opportunity to study a…

Designed for classroom teachers and youth leaders, this self-contained manual contains classroom tested background information, lesson plans, activities, class exercises, tests, suggested visual aids, and references for teaching basic historic crafts and skills to junior high and senior high school students. An introductory section briefly…

This reader provides teachers with background material on a range of sex-related subjects likely to surface in any classroom at every level, but particulary in middle or high school science classrooms. The first section presents statements of the National Science Teachers Association supporting the right and responsibility of teachers to provide…

Current trends in ethical/moral instruction are placed in context by tracing educational and social change from the 19th century to the present. The focus on religion for salvation and on good behavior lasted in modified form well into the 19th century. In the late 19th century curriculum in the schools changed due to immigration, industrialism,…

Conference papers address selected issues and problems being faced by contemporary educators. The presidential address describes how both analytic and phenomenological philosophers of education can cooperate and, for purposes of illustration, shows how this cooperation can contribute to the field of teacher education. In papers delivered at the…