Moral Courage Learning: An experiential approach

Lili Steiner

EDD 8124

Educational Context

• Espacio Anna Frank– Mission: To share Jewish history and

moral values within the Venezuelan society. Promote moral courage to ensure the activation of universal values such as respect, honesty, tolerance and the desire to improve.

Educational Context

• Espacio Anna Frank– Vision for the Educational Area: The

educational area of Espacio Anna Frank has the responsibility to develop and implement educational plans throughout the country that focus on attitudinal change.

Moral Courage Definition

• Kidder and Bracy (2005) stated that moral courage is not quite like other values such as honesty, respect, fairness nor compassion; but, it certainly is the capacity to act upon these values, or to enable others to effectively act upon these values.

Moral Courage

• Kidder (2003) stated that moral courage can be taught. This core value that drive the assessment of risk, the adherence to principle, and the willingness to endure can be intellectually incorporated. As with ethics of any sort, kids can be taught to handle the language of moral courage with relative ease. But… Is that enough?

Moral Courage Learning

Process of Theory Building

Assumption on the nature of attitude change, role of emotions in learning

An experiential laboratory where the student will learn through morally challenging situations and dilemmas

Gagne’s taxonomy within the attitudinal area where the learner “will choose personal actions based on internal states of understanding and feeling” as well as cognitive strategies and higher order rules.

Modeling and mentoring, where real-life exemplars (biographies, testimonials) demonstrate moral courage in action and chart pathways of human endeavor

that they can follow

A direct, incremental skill building process that can enhance their ability to apply moral courage.

Biological and cognitive developments, according to Kohlberg, are necessary but not sufficient factors for

moral development,

Need to foster poststructuralistic thinking, a kind of reflective criticism. Informal learning is a significant aspect of our

learning experience.

Learning Theories Basis

Moral Courage Learning Context

Social Development Strategy for Promoting Healthy Behaviors (Hawkins & Catalano)

Opportunities

Bonding:Attachment

Commitment

Healthy Behaviors, Character, and Moral Courage Development

Skills Recognition

Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards

Individual Characteristics

By providing..

… In family, schools and peer groups

Build..… to family, schools and peer groups

… in family, schools and peer groups

Start with ...

The goal…

…For all children and youthl

From CASEL at http://www.casel.org/home/index.php