The goal of this study is to achieve the hope that authentic moral education can be realized by improving critical thinking. Moral education teaches students to be a moral agent who can use moral consideration, judgment, emotions, and independent thin...
The goal of this study is to achieve the hope that authentic moral education can be realized by improving critical thinking. Moral education teaches students to be a moral agent who can use moral consideration, judgment, emotions, and independent thinking. People who can make an autonomous moral judgment can understand the meaning of life and the rules of community. In our nomal life, we may face a lot of moral problems and have some difficulties in dealing with them. Critical thinking is necessary for us to be able to solve these problems in a positive way, to live a satisfactory life, and to fulfill the purpose of moral education. However, in reality, Korea’s moral education doesn’t currently satisfy this need. Compulsory moral education doesn’t spur students themselves to research and make decisions actively and independently. Compulsory moral education simply allows them to accept a teacher’s lesson as it is presented. Neither teachers nor students appear to recognize the problem that our current educational system confronts, Or even if they do recognize it, they can’t solve the problem because there are no appropriate alternatives. To cope with this problem, critical thinking ability has to be taught. This study is mainly focused on ways to improve critical thinking ability. Critical thinking ability is required to deal with a variety of problems in a positive way. It is an active and independent mental activity which logically analyzes difficult situations, so that a person can fully understand them and find reasonable solutions. Critical thinking ability is essential to cope with problems we face throughout our lives and to perform our rights and duties as a democratic citizen. Even though independent judgment and critical thinking are emphasized in a subcategory of moral education, it is very difficult to perform it in our reality because of our educational system which focuses only on college entrance exams rather than giving students practice in critical thinking. Feasible education of critical thinking will mean combining it with the education of each subject. The teacher's role is very important in the education of critical thinking. Teachers should be good role models for critical thinking and try to achieve a more open school atmosphere which allows the students to practice critical thinking.
This research focuses on specific teaching methods to develop critical thinking ability in moral education. For example, “free thinking and asking questions,” “enhancement of critical thinking ability through discussion,” “research and education of critical thinking education,” “epic approach and critical thinking education,” and “critical thinking education through performance testing,” etc. “Free thinking and asking questions” is a very basic method to enhance critical thinking and philosophical discussions based on this method would be a great lesson to enhance critical thinking. “Epic approach and critical thinking education” requires students to tell about their own stories and to reflect on their own life. “Critical thinking education through performance testing” requires comprehensive thinking ability to assess students’ process of learning.
We can expect the following effects through these kinds of critical thinking education: First, it helps students make judgments about moral issues, helps them internalize desirable values, and makes them into an active agent in their own lives. Secondly, it helps them seek reasonable solutions about various moral problems and form their own identity. Thirdly, it helps them grow into a morally mature personality and develop as a learner who can integrate what they learn not only in the subject of moral education, but also in other subjects.
Critical thinking is a necessary means of moral education but not a purpose of itself. Critical thinking is an imperative means of truth, justice, and holistic human education. Moral education requires a deep understanding of moral education itself as well as lessons based on critical thinking before it can fulfill its true purpose. When not only the teachers of moral education, but also teachers of other subjects teach students based on critical thinking, our society will greatly benefit because of the enhanced ability of our citizens to use critical thinking in their daily lives.