This study begins by examining the philosophical foundations of care education, with a particular focus on the theories of Nel Noddings and Matthew Lipman. Through a comparative analysis of their respective approaches, the study aims to clarify the ch...
This study begins by examining the philosophical foundations of care education, with a particular focus on the theories of Nel Noddings and Matthew Lipman. Through a comparative analysis of their respective approaches, the study aims to clarify the characteristics and educational implications of each theory. Based on this analysis, it explores the applicability of Lipman’s concept of caring thinking within the context of elementary moral education. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to redefine the educational direction of care education and propose concrete teaching and learning strategies that can be implemented in actual classroom settings.
First, the study analyzes the concept of care in everyday contexts and as it appears in the 2015 and 2022 revised elementary moral education curricula in South Korea, in order to understand how care is taught and why it holds educational significance. It then examines Noddings’ ethics of care, which extends the concept of care from ethical discourse to educational theory. Noddings emphasizes care as an emotional response grounded in sensitivity to others’ needs and relational contexts, highlighting the formation of reciprocal relationships between the one-caring and the cared-for. However, her approach has been primarily applied in curricula with a focus on emotional and relational dimensions, often neglecting students’ opportunities for cognitive inquiry and ethical reasoning. As a result, care tends to be reduced to the imitation of moral virtues, rather than being explored as a subject of critical thought.
In contrast, Lipman’s theory of caring thinking offers a complementary framework that addresses these limitations. Caring thinking refers to the sustained and rational reflection on care, ranging from emotional concern to concrete action. It is one of the dimensions of Lipman's multidimensional thinking, which includes valuational, emotional, behavioral, normative, and empathetic thinking.
When compared from the perspective of care education, Noddings and Lipman share several commonalities: both emphasize the importance of empathy, dialogue as an educational method, and contextual, reciprocal practice. However, Noddings centers care on emotional relationship-building and positions the teacher as a moral exemplar, whereas Lipman approaches care as a form of thinking that integrates cognition and emotion. In his view, the teacher serves as a facilitator and co-inquirer who guides students in their philosophical exploration.
Authentic care education, aligned with the key competencies outlined in the 2022 revised curriculum, should aim to cultivate caring thinking. This approach moves beyond emotions or attitudes alone and fosters students' ability to empathize with others' perspectives, analyze ethical situations, and make thoughtful judgments. Furthermore, it supports the development of autonomy and a sense of community, thereby enhancing competencies such as communication, collaboration, and self-management.
Based on this integrated perspective of emotion, cognition, and behavior, this study proposes an instructional model grounded in Lipman's caring thinking. The model consists of eight stages: Opening Thinking, Cultivating Concern, Generating Questions, Selecting a Central Question, Making Judgments, Valuing, Imagining, and Acting. This model is applied to reconstruct the fourth-grade moral education unit on care in alignment with the 2022 revised curriculum, using Lipman’s philosophical novel My Friend Boin to design a moral inquiry-based lesson. The methodological approach incorporates the Community of Philosophical Inquiry to encourage open dialogue in a respectful and caring classroom atmosphere, allowing students to engage with diverse perspectives and contexts while developing their own thoughtful responses.
Through this process, students reflect on values they care about and assess their moral validity, thus enabling caring thinking to be actualized through action. A care education grounded in caring thinking contributes to students’ development as democratic citizens who practice genuine care and sustain its values. Ultimately, it fosters the creation of a morally and ethically conscious community.