The Conflicts And Reconciliation Between Explicit Moral Education And Implicit Moral Education In Universities

Abstract:There exist two forms of moral education in universities, explicit moral education and implicit moral education. From the perspective of value, these two forms represent the value expectation of college students from society and their moral orientation in real life, respectively. Both forms are harmonious with each other, while on the other hand, they still show conflicts with or deviation from each other. The conflicts between these two forms of moral education reflect those between idealistic moral education and realistic moral education. Judging from the value structure and its reflections on the educated, such conflicts mainly comprise value conflicts of subject positioning, conflicts of perception of social order, conflicts of the primary value establishment, and conflicts of method and choice in value practicing. Chinese universities rely on explicit moral education excessively while neglecting the function of implicit moral education’s influence, and being deficient in designing and controlling implicit moral education, which finally brings about counterforce and thereby the conflicts between explicit moral education and implicit moral education in universities. This essay discusses the reconciliation between explicit moral education and implicit moral education by reverting the former to ideal and humanity, and establishing the environment and resources of the latter. For one thing, we are obligated to respect the principal position and individual features of the educated, lay emphasis on developing moral abilities in response and moral mechanism in motivation, and create living and hierarchical moral goals and contents. For another thing, we ought to endeavor to build implicit university culture, rebuild spiritual homeland, advance the constitution of higher educational institution, establish guaranteeing institution of contemporary universities and effectuate the whole moral education mode by exploring implicit moral education potential of the educated.