A Conceptual Basis for Ethics in Teacher Education

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Abstract
Interest in ethics teaching within teacher education is growing. Refining this in terest and putting it into practice re quires addressing important questions about the nature and goals of ethics teaching, its content, and appropriate in structional methods. Using an example of an ethical dilemma frequently en countered by practicing teachers, Howe articulates the goals of ethics teaching and argues that engaging students in "critical reflection" should be the over riding aim and activity. The use of discus sions of cases that exemplify ethical problems central to teaching is ad vanced as the kind of instructional method and content that best comple ments the "critical reflection" approach. Next, three alternative ways of ground ing ethics teaching — applied ethical theory, applied Kohlberg, and values clarification — are critiqued. Finally, the author argues that ethics instruction and curriculum development will most likely succeed if they involve the input and par ticipation of experts in ethics.

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