Teaching for Active Citizenship

Moral values and personal epistemology in early years classrooms

Joanne Lunn Brownlee, Eva Johansson, Susan Walker, Laura Scholes

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781317632191
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

There is strong social and political interest in active citizenship and values in education internationally. Active citizenship requires children to experience and internalize moral values for human rights, developing their own opinions and moral responsibility. While investment in young children is recognised as an important factor in the development of citizenship for a cohesive society, less is known about how early years teachers can encourage this in the classroom.

This book will present new directions on how teachers can promote children's learning of moral values for citizenship in classrooms. The research provided offers important insights into teaching for active citizenship by:

• providing an analysis of educational contexts for moral values for active citizenship

• highlighting teachers' beliefs about knowing and knowledge (personal epistemologies) and how these relate to children's learning and understanding about social and moral values

• discussing the impact of teachers' beliefs on teaching practices.

Evidence suggests that investment in the early years is vital for all learning, and specifically for developing an understanding of active citizenship for tolerant and cohesive societies. This book will be essential reading for the professional education of early years teachers interested in teaching for active citizenship.

Chapter 1
Active citizenship, values education and personal epistemology

While investment in young children is recognised as important for the development of citizenship for a cohesive society, less is known about how early years teachers can promote this in the classroom. Active citizenship, here, is referring to children experiencing and internalising moral and democratic values, and developing their own opinions and moral responsibility. However, the early years have been neglected in research on active citizenship, despite the early years being an international priority and of significant policy concern (Harcourt and Hägglund, 2013; Johansson and Thornberg, 2014a). Research suggests that investment in the early years is vital for all learning (Cuhna and Heckman, 2006), and specifically for developing understanding of active citizenship for tolerant and cohesive societies (Howe and Covell, 2009; Invernizzi and Williams, 2008). For example, there is a growing body of research that shows prejudice emerges relatively early in childhood, underlining the importance of promoting moral integrity, tolerance, justice and equity in early childhood (Killen et al., 2011).

This book draws on research and theory to provide new directions about how teachers can promote children’s learning of moral and democratic values for active citizenship in classrooms. It is important to consider that the book is not a manual for teachers; rather it is a book illuminating the complexities and elaborating a conceptual framework including a reflexive approach in professional teaching for active citizenship. In doing so, it considers processes that are involved in this kind of teaching for social justice and the kind of knowledge and beliefs demanded of teachers by addressing the following research questions:

1. What is the nature of teachers’ personal epistemologies in the context of teaching moral reasoning for active citizenship in the classroom?
2. How do teachers’ personal epistemologies relate to children’s learning about moral values for active citizenship?
3. What is the nature of young children’s personal epistemologies in the context of moral reasoning?
4. What is the relationship between children’s and teachers’ personal epistemologies in the context of moral reasoning for active citizenship?

In this first chapter, we introduce the perspective of teaching practices for moral values in active citizenship and then the personal epistemology framework that underpins this book (Johansson et al., 2011; Walker et al., 2012). Research shows that children learn much about moral values through the teaching practices enacted in classrooms (Emilson and Johansson, 2013; Johansson and Thornberg, 2014b; Tomanovic, 2003). However, Greenberg et al. (2003; see also Bigsten, 2015; Colnerud, 2014; Orlenius, 2014) note that little is known about how teachers enact moral values teaching practices in the classroom. Teachers’ personal epistemologies, or cognitions about knowledge and knowing, as well as the beliefs they hold about how children learn, are important to teachers’ practices in the classroom (Brownlee et al., 2011, Entwistle et al., 2000; Hofer and Pintrich, 1997; Johansson and Johansson, 2003). Yet little is known about such beliefs in the context of teaching practices for learning moral values for young school-aged children (5–8 years). In this chapter we also introduce the conceptual framework that is the basis for this book. The framework, ‘Teaching practices for learning moral values: A holistic personal epistemological framework’, draws on the work of Feucht (2010, 2011) to understand how teachers’ beliefs about knowledge and knowing (personal epistemologies) might be related to their teaching practices and children’s learning in the context of values education.

In Chapter 2, we theorise teaching and learning for active citizenship through the lens of personal epistemology. We also overview the research methodologies used throughout the book. Next, in Chapter 3, we use our conceptual framework and research from a large-scale study of teacher beliefs, as well as case studies, to highlight teachers’ beliefs about knowing and knowledge (personal epistemologies) and how these might relate to beliefs about children’s learning and teaching practices. In Chapter 4, we examine the nature of children’s personal epistemologies using research from a large-scale longitudinal study of children’s personal epistemologies and moral reasoning. The conceptual framework is further developed in Chapter 5 by exploring case study research that links educational contexts and teaching and learning about moral values for active citizenship. Finally, in Chapter 6, we draw out implications for professional learning in teacher education and professional development, as well as children’s learning for active citizenship.

The role of values education in learning about moral values for active citizenship

Teaching about active citizenship is related to values education (Thornberg, 2014). Taylor (1994, cited in Johansson and Thornberg, 2014b, p. 10) notes that, ‘values education, in its various forms, encourages reflection on choices, exploration of opportunities and commitment to responsibilities, and, for the individual in society, to develop values preferences and an orientation to guide attitudes and behaviour’. Thornberg (2014) suggests that values education is a term that can be used to refer to moral education, civic education, and citizenship education. Active citizenship is also used to specify, as a component of values education, a focus on teaching and learning moral values that is concerned with ‘reflection on choices, exploration of opportunities and commitment to responsibilities’ (p. 3). Active citizenship, as part of values education, refers to children being an active part of a society of today but also being an active and responsible member of a society of tomorrow. Children are encouraged to investigate opportunities, analyse moral perspectives and options and take responsibility. In Figure 1.1 the term ‘values education’ is shown as the overarching concept for (intended and/or unintended) teaching and learning for moral values. ‘Active citizenship’ is represented one level down in the diagram to show that it can be embedded in values education. Moral values for active citizenship are then represented as a subset of both active citizenship and values education. Such values concern the wellbeing of self and others, rights and responsibilities, democracy, participation and justice and serve to link individuals with communities. Based on this hierarchical representation of key terms, teaching practices for learning about moral values in the contexts of active citizenship and values education enable children’s voices to be heard and help children to develop understandings of moral values for inclusion and care for others.

Figure 1.1 Overview of key terms

Embedded in values education and active citizenship are the various moral values, ideals, rules and expectations for being a good citizen. In particular, we are interested in moral values for right and wrong, and for good and bad evident in active citizenship, particularly social cohesion (Giddens, 2000). This interest means that helping children to learn and reason about moral values supports not only children’s personal growth but also social cohesion through negotiating, justifying, prioritising, (re)constructing and questioning. Here social cohesion relates to how ‘members of a society voluntarily “play by the rules of the game” and when tolerance for differences is demonstrated in the day-to-day interactions across social groups within that society’ (Heyneman, 2003, pp. 2243–4). Moral values, of importance in social cohesion, are socially constructed agreements for what is believed to be positive and negative qualities in our intersubjective behaviours, acts and attitudes. Social cohesion can be promoted in the early years when children are helped to experience and internalise moral values for human rights (MacNaughton and Hughes, 2007), and to reflect on their own opinions and moral responsibility. These reflect transformational teaching practices, which involve teachers and children in processes where explicit or implicit inequalities are analysed and reflected on in the process of addressing democratic values and social action. Democratic values concern the relation between the individual and the community. It is about being part of a community and the possibility for experiencing rights and responsibilities. This also highlights both inequalities and privileges. Rather than seeing democracy as a direct outcome of teaching, democracy can be regarded as an aspiration.

This reflection on moral values that involve different perspectives and moral responsibility and concerns for others relates to values for democracy and includes children’s rights to participation through engagement in, and responsibility for, community issues and inequalities (Sigauke, 2011). So we argue that moral values include values for democracy, which are important in promoting active citizenship. We now examine values for democracy in more detail, as a way in which to understand active citizenship as a participatory process for children and teachers.

Moral values for active citizenship: a rights-based approach to teaching

There is strong social and political interest in teaching values (UNESCO, 2004), as evidenced by research across a range of countries such as the United Kingdom (Halstead and Pike, 2006; Hawkes, 2008); United States (Cooley, 2008; Leonard, 2007); Canada (Darling, 2002); and the Nordic countries (Einarsdóttir et al., 2014; Johansson and Thornberg, 2014c). This research shows worldwide concern about how children learn values for participation in society (Cooley, 2008).

In Australia, values education has been a national priority since 2003, when a federally funded Quality Teaching Program initiative led to the development of policy on values education in Australian schools. As part of this policy, values education was considered to be an important way in which children can become responsible and contributing members of society and reach their full potential (Lovat and Toomey, 2007). A further focus on values education was provided in 2005 by the development of the Australian National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools (DEST, 2005a). This framework was used as the basis for a number of projects that were designed to establish research links between values education and teaching practices. These projects included the ‘Values Education Good Practice Schools Project’; the ‘Project to Test and Measure the Impact of Values Education on Student Effects and School Ambience’; and the ‘Values in Action Schools Project’ (Lovat et al., 2011).

The Australian National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools framework was developed to reflect values deemed to be important in supporting a democratic way of life (DEST, 2005a). In particular, the values reinforced the significance of pursuing a multicultural and environmentally sustainable society where justice is believed to be the prerogative of every citizen. It comprised various values: care and compassion; freedom; honesty; integrity; respect; responsibility; tolerance; and inclusion. The goals of teaching to promote such values were to help students to understand and apply the identified values. Teachers were to provide a safe and secure learning environment within which students can explore values within a whole school approach to values education (DEST, 2005b). The authors of the framework advocated for a range of teaching strategies including implicit (e.g. teacher modelling moral values) and explicit teaching, opportunities to practise values, explicit planning, implementation and monitoring, and learning through all facets of school life, discussion and reflection.

In 2008, the Australian government published the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008). This document has been a key driver for the development of Australian education policy and curricula at both state and federal levels. The development and wellbeing of children to promote social cohesion is central to the Declaration, as well as a holistic approach to education (Lovat et al., 2011). Schools need to play ‘a vital role in promoting the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, moral, spiritual and aesthetic development and wellbeing of young Australians’ (MCEETYA, 2008, p. 4). The Melbourne Declaration cites as important the goal of young Australians becoming active and informed citizens who ‘act with moral and ethical integrity’ (MCEETYA, 2008, p. 9). There is also implicit reference throughout the document to the importance of moral and values-based education. The Australian National Curriculum was introduced in 2011, and while there is no specific curriculum focused on moral values, there are seven ‘general capabilities’, which are integrated throughout the curriculum, three of which are related to values education: ‘personal and social competence; ethical behaviour; and intercultural understanding’ (Christian, 2014, p. 35).

Despite the political and curricular interest in values education in Australia, Lovat et al. (2011, p. 62) argue that ‘the challenge remains one of finding the practical structures and pedagogies that facilitate such an ambience’ (‘ambience’ refers to the holistic development of students as advocated in the Melbourne Declaration). The report Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education, about the ‘Values in Action Schools Project’ (VASP) (DEEWR, 2010), aimed to provide empirical evidence to support policy and practice in values education. Based on 15 cluster action research projects (comprising between three and ten schools in each cluster), the study showed that five impacts were significant in values education projects across the schools. These impacts of values education included an awareness of values in promoting learning and life, the promotion of wellbeing, developing students’ agency in learning and life (responsible citizens), connectedness (students, parents and teachers) and transformation (teachers and students reflected on actions). However, limited a...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword Teaching for active citizenship in early education classrooms: research insights from the fields of moral values and personal epistemology
• 1 Active citizenship, values education and personal epistemology
• 2 Personal epistemologies in the context of teaching and learning about moral values
• 3 Teachers’ personal epistemologies and teaching practices for learning moral values
• 4 Children’s personal epistemologies
• 5 Epistemic climates for teaching moral values: A holistic approach
• 6 Promoting personal epistemologies for learning moral values: Implications for active citizenship
• Index