Values Education: Dealing with the Responsibility.

Overview & Synopsis

An annotated listing of over 80 journal articles and research reports on values education, a brief summary of the opinions and findings in the articles, and recommendations for educators are presented. The annotations, which form the major portion of the document, are compiled within the following categories: justifications for values education, historical implications, guidelines for establishing values education in the schools, approaches to values education, integration of values education in content areas, research findings on student values, factors influencing values formation, and evaluation of student values. Publication dates range from the late 1970s through 1982. The summary suggests that the two prominent approaches, values clarification and cognitive moral development have proven successful for some, but not all, students. Moreover, human interactions rather than the approach have determined the success or failure of values education. Parents, other adults, and peers strongly influence students' values formation. Recommendations are that educators participate in in-service programs before incorporating values education into the curriculum, involve parents in establishing a values education program, and research existing programs and evaluation techniques. (KC)