2. Where civil and moral issues Where civil and moral issues are considered are considered Where civil and moral issues Where civil and moral issues are considered are considered What is a Politicized C lass ?

3. 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/)

4. Guiding Principles of Social-Moral Issues  Integrated with- regular academic aims  Integrated with- regular academic aims

5. 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  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

6. Moral 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

7. Social 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

8. Personal 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)

9. Domain 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

10. Forms 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

11. The 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.”

12. 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.

13. Review and Development  In Groups of three to five  Summarize the Key Points  Expand and Add Ideas  Raise Questions for Clarification  In Groups of three to five  Summarize the Key Points  Expand and Add Ideas  Raise Questions for Clarification

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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  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

17. An 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)

18. 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

19. Review and Development  In Groups of three to five  Summarize the Key Points  Expand and Add Ideas  Raise Questions for Clarification  In Groups of three to five  Summarize the Key Points  Expand and Add Ideas  Raise Questions for Clarification