Theory, Pedagogy, and Resources for Teaching History and

Contemporary Issues Through Dilemma Discussions

Theory, Pedagogy, and Resources for Teaching History and

Contemporary Issues Through Dilemma Discussions

Discussing Dilemmas in Promoting

Cognitive-Moral Growth Discussing Dilemmas in Promoting

Cognitive-Moral Growth

Overview of Presentation

1. Rationale

2. Research and Theory in Moral Development1. Piaget (1969)

2. (1971)

3. Gilligan (1982)

3. Implementing Dilemma Discussions in your classroom

4. Curriculum Resources and Developing your Own Dilemmas

1. Rationale

2. Research and Theory in Moral Development1. Piaget (1969)

2. (1971)

3. Gilligan (1982)

3. Implementing Dilemma Discussions in your classroom

4. Curriculum Resources and Developing your Own Dilemmas

Why Consider Social-Moral Issues and Hold Dilemma Discussions

Students have the need and capacity to engage in discussions about American history 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)

Guiding Principles of Dilemma Discussions

Integrated with standards and academic aims

Concordant with overall approach to classroom atmosphere and development of student personal responsibility

Grounded in age-developmentally appropriate discourse

Guiding Principles of Social-Moral Issues

Research in Moral Development: Piaget’s Influence

Research in Moral Development: Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Growth

Principles of Morality that Come into Conflict During a Dilemma Discussion

Affiliation Authority Contract Conscience Law Life Liberty Punishment Property Truth

Research in Moral Development: Gilligan and Kohlbergian Perspectives

Constructing a Discourse Community - Types of Discourse

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

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

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

Review and Development (5 minutes)

Form groups of four or five at tablesSummarize the points Expand and add ideasRaise Questions for Clarification

Transactional Discourse Skills Builders (up to 5 participants)

Elaboration Game - Students provided with an issue. One player records the # of paraphrases and elaboration (paraphrases or selective parroting) - Grades inhibit meaningful learning?

Rebuttal Game - same as elaboration but now the transactions must refute the statement of the other accurately taking into account the argument presented - Teachers should be drug-tested?

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 - the death penalty should be abolished

The Five StepDilemma Discussion Teaching Process

Kohlberg’s Questions for Facilitating Dilemma Discussions

Perception Checking: Can you tell me what Fred Said

Seeking Reasoning: Why? Definitional: What do you mean by terrorism? Student to Student Interaction: What do you think

of what Maria has argued for? Issue-related: How can breaking the law ever be

an act of justice? Role-switch: How would you feel if you were held

unjustly at Guatanomo? Universal Consequences: What if everybody ..?

RESOURCE HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lockwood, Alan L. and David Harris. 1985. Reasoning With Democratic Values: Ethical Problems in United States History. New York: Teachers College Press. (examine examples in handout: note the questions and issues raised)

Power, F. C., Higgins, A., & Kohlberg, L. (1989). "Lawrence Kohlberg's Approach to Moral Education." New York: Columbia University Press.

“Studies in Moral Development and Education” [online] (cited 20 July 2004); available from http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/; INTERNET.

“Gilder Lehrman Institute of American Hisotry” [online] (cited 20 July 2004); available from http://www.gilderlehrman.org/teachers/boisterous/section4_7.html; INTERNET

CREATING YOUR OWN DILEMMAS

Identify significant events or central issues from American history, e.g. Jim Crow Laws

Identify the moral principles that are in conflict in the dilemma

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

Provide questions that ask students to interpret/resolve the the issue of the dilemma

Review and Development

In Groups of four of fiveSummarize key pointsExpand and add ideasRaise questions for

clarification