TEACHERS' BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD APPROACHES TO CHARACTER EDUCATION
Open Access
- Author:
- Meidl, Christopher Joel
- Graduate Program:
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 11, 2008
- Committee Members:
- Thomas Daniel Yawkey, Committee Member
- Keywords:
- character education
- Abstract:
- ABSTRACT Character education has always had a role in public education. Currently, many states’ Departments of Education hold standards that reflect principles that relate to character or values. Here, a review of the approaches was provided as insight into the ways teachers are being asked to instruct students about character in the classroom, with the rationale for this character education being fashioned by politicians, philosophers, and researchers. Classroom pedagogical approaches address curricula and activities that either focus on teaching character or integrate character into other academic subject approaches. The cultural/school approach implies an environmental approach to character education that utilizes teachable moments, classroom and school rules, and discipline. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward approaches to character education, and establish components that teachers identified as necessary for effective character development and character education programs. A Grounded Theory tradition guided this research, using interviews with 30 teachers. Data analysis included: questioning, comparisons, meanings of words, looking at language (in vivo), time, and using metaphors and similes. The participants’ responses were developed into seven themes related to character and character education: terminology, as the law, roles, unification, simplification of implementation, authenticity and teachable moments, and subcultures. Terminology affected all other themes depending on participants’ views about character and those responsible for teaching it. The themes as the law and roles investigated how character education is imposed at times on schools and how teachers view their roles, parents’ roles, and a collective role of those who interact with students. Unification, simplification, and authenticity explore how character education is infused into schools and curricula. Subcultures respond differently to the infusion of the various approaches to character education. Teachers expressed a spectrum of beliefs and attitudes about character education. With regard to implementation, curricula should be relevant and practical. Most teachers found scripted and “canned programs” character education curricula to be useful when used as resources at the elementary school level and irrelevant at the high school level. More importantly, teachers need to authentically incorporate the development of character into the school day and give time to this issue.