Values education is the process by which people give moral values to each other. According to Powney et al.Powney, J., Cullen, M-A., Schlapp, U., Johnstone, M. & Munn, P. (2127). Understanding value education in the primary school. York: Reports Express. p. vii It can be an activity that can take place in any human organization. During which people are assisted by others, who may be older, in a condition experienced to make explicit our ethics to assess the effectiveness of these values and associated behavior for their own and others' long-term well-being, and to reflect on and acquire other values and behavior which they recognize as being more effective for long-term well-being of self and others. There is a difference between literacy and education.
There has been very little reliable research on the results of values education classes, but there are some encouraging preliminary results.Saterlie, M. E. (Chair) (1988). 1984 and beyond: a reaffirmation of values. A report of the task force on values, education, and ethical behavior of the Baltimore County Public Schools. Board of Education of Baltimore County, Towson, Maryland.
One definition refers to it as the process that gives young people an initiation into values, giving knowledge of the rules needed to function in this mode of relating to other people and to seek the development in the student a grasp of certain underlying principles, together with the ability to apply these rules intelligently, and to have the settled disposition to do soDavid Aspin (2000) However, the meaning of "initiation into values", "mode of relating to other people", "apply intelligently" and a "settled disposition" needs to be clarified. It is also useful to point out that values education can be conducted with people of any age. A clarification of some key terms in values discussions, in M. Leicester, C. Modgil & S. Modgil (Eds.), Moral education and pluralism: Education, culture and values (Vol. 4, pp. 171–80). London: Farmer Press. Some researchers use the concept values education as an umbrella of concepts that include moral education and citizenship educationCheng, R. H. M., Lee, J. C. K. & Lo, L. N. K. (2006). Values education for citizens in the new century: meaning, desirability, and practice. In R. H. M. Cheng, J. C. K. Lee & L. N. K. Lo (Eds.), Values education for citizens in the new century. pp. 1–35. Sha Tin: The Chinese University Press.Mei-ling Ng, M. (2006). Valuation, evaluation, and value education – On acquiring the ability to value: A philosophical perspective. I R. H. M. Cheng, J. C. K. Lee & L. N. K. Lo (Eds.), Values education for citizens in the new century. pp. 49–66. Sha Tin: The Chinese University Press.Taylor, M. (2006). The development of values through the school curriculum. R.H.M. Cheng, J.C.K. Lee & L.N.K. Lo (Eds.), Values education for citizens in the new century. pp. 107–31. Sha Tin: The Chinese University Press. instead. Values education topics can address to varying degrees are character, moral development, Religious Education, Spiritual development, citizenship education, personal development, social development and cultural development.Taylor, M. (1994)
There is a further distinction between explicit values education and implicit values educationCox, E. (1988). Explicit and implicit moral education. Journal of Moral Education, 17 92–97Halstead, J. M. (1996). Values and values education in schools. I J. M. Halstead, & M. J. Taylor (Eds.), Values in education and education in values (pp.3–14). London: The Falmer Press. where: explicit values education is associated with those different pedagogies, methods, or programs that teachers or educators use to create learning experiences for students when it comes to value questions.
Another definition of value education is "learning about self and wisdom of life" in a self-exploratory, systematic, and scientific way through formal education. According to C.V. Good, value education is the aggregate of all the processes by means of which a person develops abilities and other forms of behavior that reflect the positive values of the society in which he lives.
Commonality in many "educations" Moral education Morals, as socio-legal-religious norms, are meant to help people behave responsibly. However, not all morals lead to responsible behavior. Values education can show which morals are "bad" and which are "good". The behavior change comes from confusing questions about right and wrong.Sharp, A M (1984). Philosophical teaching as moral education. Journal of Moral Education, Vol 13, No 1.Rowe, D and Newton, J (1994) You, me, us! Social and moral responsibility for primary schools. Citizenship Foundation, London.Lipman, M (1987) Ethical reasoning and the craft of moral practice. Journal of Moral Education, Vol 16, No 2.Fisher, R (1994) Moral education and philosophy in schools. NAVET Papers Vol X.
American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg who specialized in research on moral education and reasoning, and was best known for his theory of stages of moral development and believed that children needed to be in an environment that allowed for open, public discussion of day-to-day conflicts and problems to develop their moral reasoning.Kohlberg, L., Wasserman, E., & Richardson, N. (1975). The ideology of the Just Community School. In Recent papers on moral education, Kohlberg, L. (Ed.), Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Kohlberg, L. (1985). The just-community approach to moral education, in theory and practice. In Berkowitz, M.N. & Oser, F. (Eds.), Moral education: Theory and application. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Kohlberg, L., Higgins, A., Power, F. C. (1989). Lawrence Kohlberg's Approach to Moral Education (Critical Assessments of Contemporary Psychology) Columbia University Press.
Teacher education Cross has begun documenting some teacher-training attempts.Cross, M (1995). Values education: a staff development manual for secondary schools. Framework Press, Lancaster.
Multinational school-based values education schemes
Living Values Education Programme This project of worldwide proportions inspired by the new religious movement called the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University incorporates twelve values (unity, peace, happiness, hope, humility, simplicity, trust, freedom, co-operation, honesty, courage, love),Farrer, F. (2000) A Quiet Revolution: Encouraging Positive Values in Our Children (London, Rider). p. 35 and has formed the basis of the whole-school ethos approach in schools such as West Kidlington Primary School, Kidlington whose head master, Neil Hawkes, and Values education coordinators, Linda Heppenstall, used the work and other programs to help them form a values-based school.'The ethics girls and boys of West Kidlington Primary'. The Independent, (London), 18 February 1999 by Frances Farrer'Researching a New Interface between Religions and Publicly Funded Schools in the UK'. Eleanor Nesbitt, Elisabeth Arweck, Warwick Religions & Education Research Unit (WRERU), Institute of Education, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK The Living Values Education Programme website lists 54 countries where values education projects are undertaken.http://www.livingvalues.net/profiles/index.html (accessed 27 February 2008)
Human Values Foundation The Human Values Foundation was established in 1995 to make a comprehensive, values-themed program for children aged 4 to 12, entitled "Education in Human Values," available worldwide. Its fully resourced lesson plans utilize familiar teaching techniques of discussion, storytelling, quotations, group singing, activities to reinforce learning, and times of quiet reflection. Following the success of "EHV", a second program was published. Social and Emotional Education ("SEE"), primarily for ages 12 to 14+, but it has also proved constructive for older children identified as likely to benefit from help getting their lives back on track. The programs enable children and young people to explore and put into practice a wide spectrum of values that can enrich their lives. Through experiential learning, participants develop a well-considered personal morality over time, all the while gaining invaluable emotional and social skills to help them lead happy, fulfilled, and successful lives.
Character education
Character education is an umbrella term for teaching children in ways that help them develop as personal and social beings. However, this definition requires research to explain what is meant by "personal and social being". Concepts that fall under this term include social and emotional learning, moral reasoning/cognitive development, life skills education, health education, violence prevention, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and conflict resolution and mediation. Lickona (1996) mentions eleven principles of successful character education.Lickona, T. (1996) Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education, The Journal of Moral Education, 25(1), pp. 93–100. It seems to have been applied in the UKArthur, J., Deakin-Crick, R., Samuel, E., Wilson, K. & McGettrick, B. (2006) Character Education: The Formation of Virtues and Dispositions in 16–19-Year-Olds with particular reference to the religious and spiritual(Canterbury, Canterbury Christchurch University). and the United StatesLickona, T. (1992) Educating for Character: How Our Schools Can teach Respect and Responsibility By, Nyempho Khusumdam of KHASA B.The 1st Year at I.G.G. College Tezu.
Science of Living Science of Living (Jeevan Vigyan; Jeevan = Life and Vigyan = Science) is a comprehensive program that complements the current educational approach by integrating spiritual and value-based learning. While both mental and physical development are needed for a student's growth, Jeevan Vigyan adds a third pillar – that of emotional intelligence and morality (or values) – to education in schools and colleges. A combination of theory and practice, Jeevan Vigyan draws on findings from various life sciences and nutritional sciences. Our parasympathetic nervous system and endocrine system are known to drive our emotions and behavior. The Science of Living can influence these biological centers through a system of yogic exercises, breathing exercises, meditation, and contemplation. The inspiration for Science of Living comes from Jain Acharya Ganadhipati Shri Tulsi (1914–1997). His thoughts were further developed and expanded by Acharya Shri Mahapragya (1920–2010). Currently, Muni Shri Kishan Lal Ji, under the leadership of Acharya Shri Mahashraman, is the Principal of SOL.
Examples of values education from around the world TaylorI M, Taylor (Ed.), Values education in Europe: a comparative overview of a survey of 26 countries in 1993. pp. 1–66. Dundee: Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum. gives a thorough overview of values education in 26 European countries.
Australia The Australian government currently funds Values education in its schools, with its own publications and funding for school forums on values education at all levels. It also helps in becoming a better person.Values Education | Values Homepage A conference on "Moral Education and Australian Values" was held in 2007 at Monash University."Moral Education and Australian Values"Conference (Monash University)
India The Indian Government currently promotes values education in its schools. The Ministry of Education has taken a strong step to instill values in schools and teacher training centers.
Indonesia A key feature of education in Indonesia is the five principles of Pancasila./06/01/pancasila-our-classrooms.html
Japan Elementary and middle school students from first to ninth grade will be taught the importance of life, of listening to others with different opinions, of being fair, of respecting their country, and of learning about foreign cultures.
Singapore