The moral imagination in pre-service teachers' ethical reasoning

• Published in: The Australian journal of teacher education Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 131 - 143
• Main Authors: Chapman, Amy, Forster, Daniella, Buchanan, Rachel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edith Cowan University 01.05.2013
• Subjects: Australia; Caring; Decision Making; Emotional Response; Ethical education; Ethics; Foreign Countries; Higher education; Imagination; Interpersonal Competence; Knowledge Base for Teaching; Learning communities; Learning Experience; Moral development; Moral Issues; Moral Values; Preservice teacher education; Preservice Teachers; Reflection; Secondary school teachers; Skill Development; Student Attitudes; Student teachers; Teaching practice; Thinking Skills; Australia
• ISSN: 0313-5373; 1835-517X; 1835-517X
• DOI: 10.14221/ajte.2013v38n5.8

This paper discusses findings from a teaching project pilot study designed to investigate the ways in which preservice teachers understand and reason through ethical tensions perceived to arise during their final professional experience situation. The project utilised an assessment strategy based on the 'community of inquiry' model to document the ways in which preservice teachers understand and reason through ethical tensions perceived to arise in their profession. Whilst there is significant research examining the pedagogical development of preservice teachers' knowledge and skills after their internship experience, there is little research examining their experience of ethical tensions, nor ways to further enhance preservice teachers' ethical reasoning. This research aims to provide points of reflection regarding how preservice teachers process and reason through situations and indicates directions learning opportunities more aligned with their experiences and expressed needs. [Author abstract, ed]