Where civil and moral issues Where civil and moral issues are consideredare considered

Where civil and moral issues Where civil and moral issues are consideredare considered

What is a Politicized What is a Politicized CClasslass??

What is a Politicized What is a Politicized CClasslass??

A Politicized Classroom - Where Social-Moral Issues are

Considered

A Politicized Classroom - Where Social-Moral Issues are

Considered Students have the need and capacity to engage in

discussions that can promote moral growth and democratic aims

In an adequately politicized classroom, students may begin to experience school as a place to which they can bring some meaning. School will no longer be experienced as a compulsory act in a theater of the absurd (Nels Nodding)

Many of the ideas that follow were drawn from a workshop delivered by Professor Larry Nucci of the University of Illinois at Circle (see his WWW: http://www.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/misc/)

Students have the need and capacity to engage in discussions that can promote moral growth and democratic aims

In an adequately politicized classroom, students may begin to experience school as a place to which they can bring some meaning. School will no longer be experienced as a compulsory act in a theater of the absurd (Nels Nodding)

Many of the ideas that follow were drawn from a workshop delivered by Professor Larry Nucci of the University of Illinois at Circle (see his WWW: http://www.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/misc/)

Guiding Principles of Social-Moral Issues

Guiding Principles of Social-Moral Issues

Integrated with-

regular academic aims

Guiding Principles of Social-Moral Issues

Guiding Principles of Social-Moral Issues

Integrated with the regular academic aims

Concordant with the overall approach to classroom atmosphere and

development of student personal responsibility

Grounded in age/developmental discourse

Moral DomainMoral Domain

Actions which have an intrinsic effect upon the rights or well-being of others, moral concerns focus on justice, rights and human welfare

Examples hitting and hurting stealing personal property distributing limited resources allowing another to be punished for one’s own actions

Actions which have an intrinsic effect upon the rights or well-being of others, moral concerns focus on justice, rights and human welfare

Examples hitting and hurting stealing personal property distributing limited resources allowing another to be punished for one’s own actions

Social Convention DomainSocial Convention Domain

Shared behavioral uniformities which serve to coordinate interactions among members participating in as social system. Arbitrarily designated, the right or wrong of such actions is determined by social consensus

Examples calling professional people by their professional titles women wear dresses, men wear pants eating lunch at noon eating spaghetti with fingers

Shared behavioral uniformities which serve to coordinate interactions among members participating in as social system. Arbitrarily designated, the right or wrong of such actions is determined by social consensus

Examples calling professional people by their professional titles women wear dresses, men wear pants eating lunch at noon eating spaghetti with fingers

Personal DomainPersonal Domain

Actions that have consequences that pertain primarily to the actor. Viewed as beyond societal regulation and moral concern

Examples choice of friends content of correspondence recreational activities actions that concern the state of one’s body (physical

appearance, smoking)

Actions that have consequences that pertain primarily to the actor. Viewed as beyond societal regulation and moral concern

Examples choice of friends content of correspondence recreational activities actions that concern the state of one’s body (physical

appearance, smoking)

Domain OverlapDomain Overlap

Mixed Events - conventional concerns for order and social coordination are in conflict with moral considerations of fairness and equality

Second-Order Events - Violations of another’s convention is considered morally wrong in the sense that those adhering to the convention experience psychological harm

Ambiguously Multidimensional - Issues such as abortion where significant differences emerge in individual’s domain attributions of the action

Mixed Events - conventional concerns for order and social coordination are in conflict with moral considerations of fairness and equality

Second-Order Events - Violations of another’s convention is considered morally wrong in the sense that those adhering to the convention experience psychological harm

Ambiguously Multidimensional - Issues such as abortion where significant differences emerge in individual’s domain attributions of the action

Forms of Domain RelationsForms of Domain Relations

Subordination - Predominate emphasis on one domain with subordination of the other

Conflict - Inconsistencies and the absence of resolution or reconciliation of the two components.

Coordination - Coordination of the two components, such that the two are taken into account in the action desired

Subordination - Predominate emphasis on one domain with subordination of the other

Conflict - Inconsistencies and the absence of resolution or reconciliation of the two components.

Coordination - Coordination of the two components, such that the two are taken into account in the action desired

The Role of Factual AssumptionsThe Role of Factual Assumptions

Whether a behavior is viewed in value laden or neutral terms depends on our understanding of the action.

Shared meanings emerge from actions experienced directly (e.g., hitting)

Other actions (washing hands before eating) depend on factual assumptions about generally non-observable phenomena

“Assumptions” about the truth depends on the information provided by “experts.”

Whether a behavior is viewed in value laden or neutral terms depends on our understanding of the action.

Shared meanings emerge from actions experienced directly (e.g., hitting)

Other actions (washing hands before eating) depend on factual assumptions about generally non-observable phenomena

“Assumptions” about the truth depends on the information provided by “experts.”

Examples of Factual Assumptions

Examples of Factual Assumptions

Medical - Germs cause disease. Smoking causes cancer and heart disease. Exercises reduces health risks. Drinking moderate amounts of red wine is healthy

Superstition - People can tell the future Religion - There is an afterlife. People who obey

God’s laws will go to heaven. Those who disobey God will not. Killing an infidel is a holy act.

General - Removing a girl’s clitoris and labia will make her chaste. Women are unstable during menses and shouldn’t be in charge of nuclear weapons.

Medical - Germs cause disease. Smoking causes cancer and heart disease. Exercises reduces health risks. Drinking moderate amounts of red wine is healthy

Superstition - People can tell the future Religion - There is an afterlife. People who obey

God’s laws will go to heaven. Those who disobey God will not. Killing an infidel is a holy act.

General - Removing a girl’s clitoris and labia will make her chaste. Women are unstable during menses and shouldn’t be in charge of nuclear weapons.

Review and DevelopmentReview and Development

In Groups of three to fiveSummarize the Key PointsExpand and Add IdeasRaise Questions for Clarification

In Groups of three to fiveSummarize the Key PointsExpand and Add IdeasRaise Questions for Clarification

Constructing a Discourse Community - Types of Discourse

Constructing a Discourse Community - Types of Discourse

Strategic discourse - aim to win an argument, don’t have to listen. Debates family arguments teacher imposition of authority

Communicative Discourse No Speaker can contradict themselves May only assert what you really believe Everyone is allowed to question any assumption Disputation of a proposition or norm not under

discussion must be given with a reason for wanting to do so.

Strategic discourse - aim to win an argument, don’t have to listen. Debates family arguments teacher imposition of authority

Communicative Discourse No Speaker can contradict themselves May only assert what you really believe Everyone is allowed to question any assumption Disputation of a proposition or norm not under

discussion must be given with a reason for wanting to do so.

Transactive Discourse Skills Builders

Transactive Discourse Skills Builders

Elaboration Game - up to 5 participants. Students provided with an issue. One player records the # of paraphrases and elaborations - What is the proper role of parents in relation to their children’s education?

Rebuttal Game - same as elaboration but now the transactions must refute the statement of the other accurately taking into account the argument presented - Do grades inhibit meaningful learning

Consensus Exercise (for older students) - students start in small groups and are given a controversial issue attempting to reach consensus on the issue. Don’t vote for consensus

Elaboration Game - up to 5 participants. Students provided with an issue. One player records the # of paraphrases and elaborations - What is the proper role of parents in relation to their children’s education?

Rebuttal Game - same as elaboration but now the transactions must refute the statement of the other accurately taking into account the argument presented - Do grades inhibit meaningful learning

Consensus Exercise (for older students) - students start in small groups and are given a controversial issue attempting to reach consensus on the issue. Don’t vote for consensus

During a Discussion of Controversial Issue

Am I listening to what other people are saying or am I missing important points?

Am I making claims clearly and supporting them with facts?

Am I critiquing ideas not individuals and being respectful of other’s viewpoints?

Am I helping to develop a shared understanding of the problem or issue

An ApproachAn Approach

Identify the primary domain features of interesting or central issues in the academic material for your class

Select a range of issues that deal with particular domain themes (examine factual assumptions)

Construct an abstract that contains the main themes you wish students to address (dilemmas)

Identify the primary domain features of interesting or central issues in the academic material for your class

Select a range of issues that deal with particular domain themes (examine factual assumptions)

Construct an abstract that contains the main themes you wish students to address (dilemmas)

An Approach (cont’d)An Approach (cont’d)

Provide questions that ask students to interpret/resolve the domain related issues (make explicit reference to particular domain issues)

Place students in groups of 5 to engage in an in-class discussion of the questions you have posed

Written Assignment providing understandings and position

Provide questions that ask students to interpret/resolve the domain related issues (make explicit reference to particular domain issues)

Place students in groups of 5 to engage in an in-class discussion of the questions you have posed

Written Assignment providing understandings and position

Review and Development

In Groups of three to fiveSummarize the Key PointsExpand and Add IdeasRaise Questions for Clarification