Options
The impact of teachers on the development of moral integrity
Author
Jayamalar Ayadurai
Supervisor
Soucie, Daniel
Abstract
The Mission Statement of CHIJ St. Joseph's Convent states that the school will nurture all students to become God-fearing women of integrity, in whom are instilled the values of Love, Truth, Justice and Freedom. The ministry of education has also explicitly stated that one of the eight Desired Outcomes of Education in Singapore is to produce students who, at the end of the secondary school, will have moral integrity.
Whilst the academic development of SJC students can be charted by performance of students in national exams, the moral development of the students has no tangible yardstick of measurement. Although many factors impact on the moral development of students, this action research was a perception study to assess the impact of only the teachers on the development of moral integrity in the graduating students of the convent.
All 173 students in the graduating classes and all 39 permanent member of the teaching staff answered a 34-item questionnaire, against a 4-point Likert Scale. The 3 sub-scales in the instrument measured Teacher Commitment to the Mission Statement, Role-Modeling by the Teachers and Overt Strategies employed by the teachers to develop moral integrity in their students.
Although the findings report positive perceptions from both the teachers and the students, the student's perceptions of their teachers' impact on the development of moral integrity in them is significantly less positive (p<05) than the teachers' own perceptions. Comparisons between teacher perceptions also yielded in a significant difference between teachers who have taught in other schools and those who have taught only in the convent. Teachers who have taught in other schools were more positive (p<01) of their impact on students. Significant differences in perception were also reported amongst from different classes (p<01).
The results were consistent with similar past research. The results confirmed that interpersonal relationships, namely rapport with the teacher, respect accorded by teacher to students and role modeling of good behavior by teachers, enhanced the impact of teachers to develop integrity in their students.
Whilst the academic development of SJC students can be charted by performance of students in national exams, the moral development of the students has no tangible yardstick of measurement. Although many factors impact on the moral development of students, this action research was a perception study to assess the impact of only the teachers on the development of moral integrity in the graduating students of the convent.
All 173 students in the graduating classes and all 39 permanent member of the teaching staff answered a 34-item questionnaire, against a 4-point Likert Scale. The 3 sub-scales in the instrument measured Teacher Commitment to the Mission Statement, Role-Modeling by the Teachers and Overt Strategies employed by the teachers to develop moral integrity in their students.
Although the findings report positive perceptions from both the teachers and the students, the student's perceptions of their teachers' impact on the development of moral integrity in them is significantly less positive (p<05) than the teachers' own perceptions. Comparisons between teacher perceptions also yielded in a significant difference between teachers who have taught in other schools and those who have taught only in the convent. Teachers who have taught in other schools were more positive (p<01) of their impact on students. Significant differences in perception were also reported amongst from different classes (p<01).
The results were consistent with similar past research. The results confirmed that interpersonal relationships, namely rapport with the teacher, respect accorded by teacher to students and role modeling of good behavior by teachers, enhanced the impact of teachers to develop integrity in their students.
Date Issued
1998
Call Number
LC315.S5 Jay
Date Submitted
1998