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

Overview of Presentation Rationale Research and Theory in Moral Development 1. 1.Piaget (1969) 2. 2.(1971) 3. 3.Gilligan (1982) Implementing Dilemma Discussions in your classroom Curriculum Resources and Developing your Own Dilemmas Rationale Research and Theory in Moral Development 1. 1.Piaget (1969) 2. 2.(1971) 3. 3.Gilligan (1982) Implementing Dilemma Discussions in your classroom Curriculum Resources and Developing your Own Dilemmas

Why Consider Social-Moral Issues and Hold Dilemma Discussions F F Students have the need and capacity to engage in discussions about American history that can promote moral growth and democratic aims F F 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 F F Integrated with standards and academic aims F F Concordant with overall approach to classroom atmosphere and development of student personal responsibility F F Grounded in age-developmentally appropriate discourse F F 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 F F Affiliation F F Authority F F Contract F F Conscience F F Law F F Life F F Liberty F F Punishment F F Property F F Truth

Research in Moral Development: Gilligan and Kohlbergian Perspectives

Constructing a Discourse Community - Types of Discourse F F Strategic discourse - aim to win an argument, don’t have to listen. –Debates –family arguments –teacher imposition of authority F F 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.

Review and Development (5 minutes) F F Form groups of four or five at tables F F Summarize the points F F Expand and add ideas F F Raise Questions for Clarification

Transactional Discourse Skills Builders (up to 5 participants) F F Elaboration Game - Students provided with an issue. One player records the # of paraphrases and elaboration (paraphrases or selective parroting) - Grades inhibit meaningful learning? F F 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? F F 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 Step Dilemma Discussion Teaching Process

Kohlberg’s Questions for Facilitating Dilemma Discussions F F Perception Checking: Can you tell me what Fred Said F F Seeking Reasoning: Why? F F Definitional: What do you mean by terrorism? F F Student to Student Interaction: What do you think of what Maria has argued for? F F Issue-related: How can breaking the law ever be an act of justice? F F Role-switch: How would you feel if you were held unjustly at Guatanomo? F F Universal Consequences: What if everybody..?

RESOURCE HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIBLIOGRAPHY F F Lockwood, Alan L. and David Harris 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) F F Power, F. C., Higgins, A., & Kohlberg, L. (1989). "Lawrence Kohlberg's Approach to Moral Education." New York: Columbia University Press. F F “Studies in Moral Development and Education” [online] (cited 20 July 2004); available from INTERNET. F F “Gilder Lehrman Institute of American Hisotry” [online] (cited 20 July 2004); available from _7.html; INTERNET

CREATING YOUR OWN DILEMMAS F F Identify significant events or central issues from American history, e.g. Jim Crow Laws F F Identify the moral principles that are in conflict in the dilemma F F Construct an abstract that contains the main themes and moral principles you wish students to address (dilemmas) F F Provide questions that ask students to interpret/resolve the the issue of the dilemma

Review and Development F F In Groups of four of five F F Summarize key points F F Expand and add ideas F F Raise questions for clarification