Assessing students' moral development and motivation in moral education

Abstract

Major global crises such as the surge of terrorism and the repercussions of the economic downturn have rekindled an interest in the development of morality and the nurturing of universal values. To date, research on moral functioning has originated predominantly from Western contexts. This study aims to provide an Asian perspective to the existing models. It combines a Kohlbergian approach for the assessment of moral judgment, with a framework based on the Self-Determination Theory to assess the motivational regulations of Singaporean students. The presentation outlines the methodology used and the interim results obtained in the pilot study. The preliminary data indicate that, generally, the development of moral reasoning of the Singaporean students matches the level prescribed for their age group in Kohlberg’s theory. There is however, a need to review the way in which Moral Education is conducted in schools in order to improve students’ motivation in the subject.