Investigates the hypothesis that those individuals who have not reached their full potential in moral reasoning given the limits set by their stage of Piagetian development would advance significantly more than those who have reached their potential in response to a moral education program. (Author/SS)

Provides a critical appraisal of two significant contributions of the Minnesota approach to moral development. Describes one contribution as the componential model that describes the four psychological components underlying moral behavior. Identifies the second contribution as the conceptual and methodological reformulations known as the…

Outlines a Vygotskian perspective on moral development. Summarizes Lev Vygotsky's ideas about the "zone of proximal development" and extends them into the domain of moral education, focusing on an extract from the film, "Boyz 'n the Hood." Shows how the zone of proximal development facilitates moral development differently from…

Argues the main deficiency of the Lawrence Kohlberg theory is that it has never lived up to the claim of being a structural developmental theory. Explains that the theory has never shown specific problems at each stage. Ends with a discussion of a new stairway for Kohlbergian theory. (CAJ)

Remarks directed to Peter Augustine Lawler and an earlier article are presented. The rationale for a program of philosophy for children developed at Montclair State College is compared with Roland Garrett's conception of philosophy. Distortions in Lawler's perception of current philosophical practice and teaching are indicated. (MLW)

Although research on the moral development of college students is in its infancy, recent findings indicate promise for future study and institutional action. The theory of moral development is described from a cognitive developmental perspective, and research on improving thinking about justice and fairness at the college level is examined.…

This paper identifies moral judgment as a needed aim in higher education and teacher education, suggesting that moral issues are a central part of the content of various disciplines in higher education and noting that there are calls to integrate ethics across the curriculum. A cognitive-developmental theory that includes new social role-taking…

Reports on a study of the effect of community service on 71 undergraduate students. Finds that community service work combined with discussion of relevant moral issues is an effective way of moving students into the postconventional stage of principled moral reasoning. Discusses other benefits of community service work. (CFR)

Four experiments were conducted to explore issues in the development and modification of both moral choices and judgments of achievement using concepts and data from a social judgment perspective. In the first experiment, college students functioning at different reasoning levels indicated on a 20-point scale their strength of belief that an…

Outlines an instructional approach for teaching moral thinking, based on considering consequences of alternative options. Discusses R. M. Hare's two-level theory of moral thinking, and cautions against relying solely on critical thinking for moral education. Suggests students must learn open-minded thinking, be aware of the consequences of their…

This argument for process analysis in moral education focuses primarily on social developmental processes and educational processes that influence the development of moral reasoning structures. The descriptive-developmental approach, the developmental-ethical approach, and the developmental-process approach to moral discourse are briefly…

Argues that communication education must cultivate in teachers the capacity to respond sensitively to teaching values. Defines the responsible teacher as one who: (1) understands structure of the discipline including the relationships among communication, ethics, and morality; (2) understands students' cognitive, social, and moral development; and…

This book argues that higher education is fundamentally a moral enterprise that needs to be guided by commitments to what is morally right and fundamentally good. It takes issue with prevailing tendencies to give attention merely to what is intellectually warranted, operationally feasible, or superficially attractive to students who consider…

This study describes the steps taken to measure the integrity of an intermediate concept measure and test the assessment strategy of a well-validated dental ethics curriculum. Because this curriculum, which had been in place for 15 years, had consistently been shown to influence moral judgment, it was posited that a cross-sectional comparison…