IMPLICATIONS OF THE MORAL DEVELOPMENT THEORIES FOR EDUCATION

 The national curriculum has been tailored in such a way that it fosters the child’s moral development. Subjects like Social Spiritual and Moral Development (SSME), Social and Development Studies (SDS), Religious Education and Civic Education have topics that are meant to help children’s moral development.

Some practices in schools such as: school assemblies, are influenced by aspects of theories of moral development. At the lower level institutions of education disciplinary measures are handled with the collaboration of parents. Parents are called to attend to disciplinary cases of their children. This can be attributed to the fact that most of the pupils at these levels are unable to handle the issues on their own because their moral development is not fully developed. At the higher institutions of learning students are expected to read and interpret the rules and regulations on their own. If they are found wanting, they are asked to exculpate themselves instead of calling their parents or guardians to do so.

Kohlberg suggests that to help children wrestle with moral dilemmas, teachers should offer reasoning one stage above a child's current stage. For instance, a teenager girl concerned primarily about gaining peer approval (stage 3) and often lets a popular boy copy his homework. His teacher might present law-and- order logic (stage 4) suggesting that because homework assignments are designed to help students learn more effectively, all students should complete them without other's assistance.  If teachers present arguments too much higher than children's current reasoning, children will have trouble understanding their logic and will benefit little.

Kohberg also argues that children’s moral reasoning is formed from their own experiences, not just from the values taught by adults. By engaging children in classroom discussions of controversial topics and moral issues, this appears to promote increased perspective-taking and the transition to more advanced reasoning.

Kohlberg’s theory deals more with the atmosphere of the classroom setting and how the students and the teacher interact with each other in an educational environment. As children grow they go through different levels of moral development and each stage can alter the learning environment of the classroom. So teachers should be careful about how they interpret the pupil’s behaviour in relation to their moral reasoning. Basically, the theory allows insight into the challenges one may encounter, such as differing views on equality, race, money, personal achievement, collectivism, and independence. It allows the teacher to view each student in a different light and realise the backgrounds they may come from can affect the way they progress through the moral development levels.

One of the methods teachers use in teaching is a debate which sometimes involves topics that need moral reasoning. The moral dilemmas in these topics help to engage students in internal thinking. Kohlberg’s theory discusses the process behind a significant developmental process (moral reasoning) which is an essential aspect of teaching. One of the many roles a school plays is the training of students in proper social behaviours. The morals and ethics students learn (sharing, honesty, responsibility, empathy, and respect for authority) assist them in becoming responsible and contributing citizens in society.

Additionally, teachers’ use of moral dilemmas to teach children moral reasoning and ethics is a model of instruction intended to enhance cognitive development. This theory is key to help unlocking how a child’s mind works so that we can assist them in solving their problems and helping them to see the difference between right and wrong.