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Degree

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, College of Education, 2011.

Abstract

This dissertation focused on teachers' reasons of why they were willing or reluctant to have discussions of a controversial nature. This dissertation used vignettes in an emergent grounded theory approach. Interviews and focus groups consisted of eight male and 27 female middle school teachers in central Ohio. A division of teachers into two groups of willing and reluctant revealed numerous findings. Willing teachers employed teachable moments through educationally relevant discussions and understood adolescents' struggles through moral development. Reluctant teachers resented the lack of teaching time or were uncomfortable with controversial discussions in their classrooms. The results of this research recommended that teacher education programs provide additional information about moral developmental of middle school students.

Subject Headings

Middle School Education

Keywords

middle school; moral development; character education; vignettes; controversial questions

Committee / Advisors

Carla Edlefson, PhD (Committee Chair)
David Kommer, EdD (Committee Co-Chair)
Carl Walley, PhD (Committee Member)
Robert Thiede, PhD (Committee Member)

Pages

152p.

Document number: ashland1322676165
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ashland1322676165

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