A Study On The Theories And Practice Of Kohlberg's Moral Education

Kohlberg, a famous contemporary American moral psychologist and educationist, has attained great research outcomes in the field of moral cognitive development of children and moral education study, so he is in reputation of the father of modern approach to moral cognitive development. To study such theories of Kohlberg and his practical method is not only to enrich and enhance the research in this aspect but also to enlighten the significance upon contemporary moral education in our nation.This paper will do some research from the following three aspects.Firstly, something about Kohlberg's moral educational theory. This theory is based on the thought of Socrates, Plato, Piaget, Dewey and Durkheim. It is such a theory of characteristics in philosophy and psychology, which is derived from Piaget's cognitive development theory and has taken in some other thinkers' viewpoints. Kohlberg holds that moral development is an essential part of cognitive development and divides moral judgment of children into three levels and six stages. He also makes some wonderful discussion about such moral education aspects of aims contents, objects and occasions based on the foundation of moral psychology research.Secondly, something about Kohlberg's moral education methods. Kohlberg supposes concrete moral education methods, i.e, moral discussion method in dilemma, which strongly opposes the instillation model and assist on leading model by a democratic way. He dedicates that the teachers should not enforce students to abide by morality, but promotes and guides their moral development. He also points out the concrete methods and stages. All of these come from Kohlberg's moral education theory and the experience of the way of Socrates.Thirdly, the practices in Kohlberg's moral education. Enlightened by middle schools moral education practices of collective democracy in Israel and Durkheim's collective moral educational theory, Kohlberg puts forward a more practical and just community model. He makes emphasis on the just and democratic atmosphere of morality, which affects students' moral development, because he thinks the children who grow up are among social interaction and role-taking. He puts forward farther discussions on hidden curriculum and a set of operative methods of just community model of how to carry out.