PERCEPTIONS OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT AMONG GRADUATE EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA
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2022
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Moral education at the graduate level is challenging since most students are mature adults with a strong worldview. This comparative case study utilized a survey and qualitative methods to investigate graduate students’ perceptions of moral growth from their experiences in the College of Education at Spring University in the United States and Summer University in China. Although students took the Defining Issues Test 2 (Rest et al., 1999), results were inconclusive in measuring their moral judgment scores due to a small participant group. This study utilized semi-structured interviews to collect students’ perceptions and experiences of learning at the colleges. Qualitative findings present three themes including students’ perceptions of morality learning at school, norms and morality inside the college, and students’ expectations of moral education. Students from the two colleges revealed similarities and differences in their responses. From students’ perspectives, although there was some academic and research ethics instruction, a systematic, continuous, and vigorous moral education was missing in both colleges. Second, students from both colleges expected morality teaching to be innovative and engaging. Third, students from both colleges presented the same self-contradiction regarding the perception of moral development. On the one hand, many students believe that their moral beliefs are formed and fixed at their age and educational level and doubt whether moral education in graduate school can regulate their morality; on the other hand, they stated that adding moral intervention activities/curriculum is necessary at the graduate school. Differences included perceptions of the limited and noncontinuous learning of morality at school. Students from Spring University in the United States were exposed more to multicultural-related morality, whereas students in China learned more about political-related morality. Based on students’ comments, this article presents recommendations on moral education to educators in graduate school settings regarding content, curriculum, and pedagogy.
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Education, Graduate Education, Moral Development, Moral Education
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137 pages
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