Examined were the effects of story elements in teaching moral concepts to college freshmen and sophomores. The two story elements studied were (1) context (descriptions of observable circumstances and observable actions) and (2) substance (descriptions of the internal character, feelings, desires, and beliefs of the actor). A total of 59 students…

A belief that teachers and the school environment cannot be neutral forces in terms of shaping attitudes and behavior, that a publicly supported school should make no apology for trying to help young people understand and incorporate into their lives those civic virtues that almost everyone agrees are important to a democracy, plus a perceived…

This paper observes that Americans, although they broadly and vocally resist informational censorship in the schools even for children, waffle in their efforts to eliminate the powerful and sometimes offensive cultural artifacts of popular "teen culture" from school curriculums. Potent economic and political forces, however, conspire to…

Although a growing number of speech communication departments are developing internship programs, the ethical issues involved are rarely addressed, even though communication interns and intern directors are potentially involved in ethical issues merely by their involvement in the discipline of communication. There are three areas to consider from…

The following papers were presented at this meeting: (1) "The Moral Import of the Concept of Education" (Robert D. Heslep) Response: J. Gordon Chamberlin; (2) "Religion and Public Education: Formulating a Rational Legacy" (William F. Losito) Response: James W. Garrison; (3) "Using Scientific Logic To Reconcile Theism and Secular Humanism as…

At Ball State (Indiana) University, the moot court format's replication of real-world advocacy has been found far more conducive to teaching ethics and values than debate because it provides internal monitoring devices and instantaneous feedback. Of course, the main purpose of the moot court is to polish communication skills. Still, even with this…

A simple role playing exercise provides a device for helping public relations students to develop their own idea of what ethical behavior is, why it is important, and how it can become a practical part of their daily lives as public relations practitioners. A few basic premises apply to the problems of ethical behavior in organizations: (1)…

This researcher examined the development of social (moral) reasoning as a result of student exposure to the social, experiential atmosphere of a school community with intensive education. A group of 250 students in grades nine through twelve were given the Defining Issues Test which examined social reasoning on six moral judgment stories. The…

This trainer's manual describes a college level mini-course on moral education. As a result of the course experience, participants will gain an appreciation of the importance of moral education, learn to lead moral discussions, and incorporate relevant moral issues into the elementary and secondary curriculum. There are three parts to the…

This unit, comprised of a student booklet and a teacher's guide, contains readings and activities dealing with the moral aspects of pollution and the ecological perspective to help college or secondary level students develop competencies in moral reasoning. Although knowledge of ecological concerns is important, the major aim of the unit is to…

Before considering the portrayal of values in children's dramaturgy, this paper discusses definitions of values, examines the way in which children learn values and the confusion about values that contemporary children may feel, and reviews books that deal with the role of children's literature in values education. It then identifies five…

These selected resource materials have been compiled to illustrate the type and range of materials available for population awareness, family life, and sex education for young people. The items selected are not necessarily the most up-to-date or comprehensive, but have been chosen to indicate a variety of approaches. They are intended to be used…

This monograph critically examines the growth metaphor advanced by Lawrence Kohlberg as it relates to the development of a moral ideology. Kohlberg's stage theory is viewed as an ideology--that is, as a "style of thinking." Much of the critique in this study is informed by a perspective called "critical social theory." While…

Because religious communicators deal with issues most profound and consequential to their audiences, it is imperative that they examine their motives, aspirations, and rhetorical methods, as well as the ethical dimensions of their communication. Religion operates, along with every other rhetorical system, in the world of contingency, of the…

Four models for interpreting values education strategies are provided. Six examples form curriculum projects are analyzed in light of three of these conceptual models. The first model categorizes values approaches by whether they describe, analyze, or advocate a particular value position. The second model categorizes values approaches by whether…