TY - JOUR
T1 - High school biology students’ use of values in their moral argumentation and decision-making
AU - van der Leij, Tore
AU - Goedhart, Martin
AU - Avraamidou, Lucy
AU - Wals, Arjen
PY - 2023/3/16
Y1 - 2023/3/16
N2 - In this qualitative case study we examined the impact of a specially-designed classroom intervention for a group of 15–16-year-old Dutch biology students’ use of values in contemplating five socioscientific issues in the human-nature context. The students worked in small groups to support various aspects of their morality. An ethical matrix was used as a heuristic to explore different arguments and moral values from different perspectives. The collected data consisted of written assignments, group conversations, and individual interviews. The results show that students’ use of values differed from one issue to another. The values they used in their moral decision-making indicated that the influence of the intervention activities, aimed at enhancing a relationship between moral agent (student) and moral object (topic), was limited. The study provides evidence that the intervention positively conduced to students’ cognition of the values that are personally relevant. Recommendations for further theorization, research and practice are discussed.
AB - In this qualitative case study we examined the impact of a specially-designed classroom intervention for a group of 15–16-year-old Dutch biology students’ use of values in contemplating five socioscientific issues in the human-nature context. The students worked in small groups to support various aspects of their morality. An ethical matrix was used as a heuristic to explore different arguments and moral values from different perspectives. The collected data consisted of written assignments, group conversations, and individual interviews. The results show that students’ use of values differed from one issue to another. The values they used in their moral decision-making indicated that the influence of the intervention activities, aimed at enhancing a relationship between moral agent (student) and moral object (topic), was limited. The study provides evidence that the intervention positively conduced to students’ cognition of the values that are personally relevant. Recommendations for further theorization, research and practice are discussed.
KW - moral argumentation and decision-making
KW - secondary biology education
KW - socioscientific issues
KW - Values
U2 - 10.1080/03057240.2023.2185595
DO - 10.1080/03057240.2023.2185595
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85150800677
SN - 0305-7240
JO - Journal of Moral Education
JF - Journal of Moral Education
ER -