Changes in Teachers' Moral Role

Education for democratic citizenship encompasses cognitive as well as moral characteristics. The responsibility for cultivating these democratic virtues is placed upon the shoulders of educators who are required to create and encourage democratic social life. These characteristics are constantly challenged in present society, in which subject-matter goals and instrumental skills are gaining more importance than socially-valued goals, thus tipping the scales in favour of cognitive skills. Promoting cognitive skills by itself cannot sufficiently influence the formation of a social disposition and could ultimately create, in Dewey`s words, 'egoistic specialists' who lack the moral and democratic virtues needed for the creation of genuine social life. This book emphasizes the pedagogical task of education in this regard, and strives to pay greater attention to the obligations of education as a moral socializing agent. This book offers four perspectives on which the education system needs to focus its attention in order to enhance democratic and moral values: Teachers' and students' concepts of moral and democratic education; curriculum design; democratic teaching instructional methods; and teacher education. This volume provides a valuable text for a wide audience of students, teachers, policy-makers, curriculum designers and teacher educators to use as an updated reference book for pedagogical and research purposes.

Inhalt
Preface; AN INTRODUCTION; 1. Current Changes in Teacher's Role Definition. From Passive Observer to Moral and Democratic Leader; PART 1: TEACHERS' AND STUDENTS' CONCEPTS OF MORAL AND DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION PERSPECTIVES; 2. Just a Teacher or also a Moral Example?; 3. Students' Trends and Attitudes on Exam Cheating in Greek Primary and Secondary School Settings; 4. Teachers' Perspectives about Participation at School; PART 2: THE CURRICULUM DESIGN PERSPECTIVE; 5. Voicing Oppressed Palestinian Women. Guidelines for Multicultural Literature Curriculum; 6. Social Literacy Curriculum; 7. Education for Significant Democratic Decision-Making through Integrative Study of Social Problems; 8. Multicultural and Democratic Curriculum. History, Problems and Related Metaphors; 9. Discovering Virtues with Children. An Experience for an Ethical Curriculum; PART 3: THE INSTRUCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE: DEMOCRATIC TEACHING METHODS; 10. Constructivist Teaching Methods. Can it Promote Civic-Democratic Participation among Adolescents?; 11. Dialogical and Reflective Activities in the Classrooms to Improve Moral Thinking; 12. Discussion-Based Teaching Methods Addressing Policy Issues Related to Agricultural Biotechnology; 13. Procedural Justice in a Classroom where Teacher Implements Differentiated Instruction; PART 4: THE TEACHER EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE 14. Values and Knowledge Education. Experiences with Teacher Trainings; 15. Moral and Democratic Education in the Context of Science Education. What are the Implications for Teacher Education?; 16. Educating Teachers' Ethos.