Epidemic is an apt adjective for describing the problem of academic dishonesty. When asked if they have cheated in the past year, a "disproportionately large number" (i.e., the majority) of secondary and tertiary students in the United States (and in every other country in which it's been studied) report having done so. The problem of…

Roughly 30 years ago, American educators stood at a crossroads, with a decision to make about the future of education. With their ears ringing of warnings that they were facing a "rising tide of mediocrity" and recognizing unacceptable gaps in achievement between disadvantaged students and others, educators set off down a path of reform…

Children's theatre in the UK is thriving. Debates about why children should watch theatre and what educational, emotional and expressive benefits it can provide inform cultural policy on education. Children aged 4-11 are increasingly taken to watch tailored theatre performances, yet there has been virtually no reflective research on what theatre…

Schools should not teach values directly, but education can never be value-free. Schools can best promote moral responsibility by treating all students fairly, providing good role models, using discipline to help students, balancing competition with cooperation, and providing opportunities to students for responsible and altruistic behavior. (TE)

Describes a program called the Character Education Curriculum developed by the American Institute for Character Education that is the most widely used plan for teaching the basic traits of character, conduct, and citizenship. (MD)

A comprehensive character education program produces students who understand moral character and incorporate this knowledge in their actions. California advocates coursework in history, the social sciences, and language arts that connects students to political, social, and ethical issues central to our society. Cites examples of projects in four…

Growing public concern with student discipline, increases in student suicide rates, homicides, and high pregnancy rates of teenage girls are causing educators to give renewed attention to the concept of "character development" in public education. (MD)

Compares contemporary issues related to moral and citizenship education in Poland with similar era in late eighteenth century. Describes an educational reform effort that began in 1773 and was based on nationalistic and romantic literature of the time. Contends that the moral values that were derived from this literature are essential for the…

The intent of this book is to analyze the moral and social problems that currently plague U.S. schools. The volume outlines what can be done to confront the problems of student behavior in and outside the classroom. Illegal drug use, theft and deceit, sexual practices, and race relations are among the troubling issues facing educators. Religious…

The "teaching of values" should be relabeled as an effort to help form the character of young people and to aid them in achieving moral literacy. There is a general consensus regarding helping children develop reliable standards of right and wrong to guide them through life. In order that children develop appropriate character traits, it is…

Responses from six engineering professors to a previous article about teaching engineering ethics are presented. Programs at several schools are described. The need to teach ethics to engineering students is reinforced. (CW)

Contends that the concept of levels of moral maturity in psychology focuses on character formation in children's development. Asserts that virtue theory in ethics can be helpful in pointing out the ethical implications of current work with children. Argues for the usefulness of ancient ethical concepts. (CFR)

Argues that decency and good manners are not optional but essential ingredients of a democratic society. Discusses examples of decency and good manners in relation to citizenship education. Claims that there is an implicit and explicit role for schools to teach decency as part of the curriculum. (CFR)

Author Jing Lin contends that there is a great need for educators to reconceptualize education in the 21st century. Here, she discusses the danger of global wars, environmental breakdown, moral vacuum and nihilism in society, and the problems in current debates on school reform. This book calls for a school that facilitates the formation of a…

Addressed to those responsible for educating the rising generation, this collection of excerpts from educational reports is designed to reflect and to encourage the recent emphasis on excellence and civic virtue in public schools. After a foreword by President Reagan, the publication presents an essay by William J. Bennett discussing…