Value-Oriented Education in Schools: Theory and Practice

Students, in developing countries, are in the midst of a overwhelming "values" crisis. Seeking more of what western culture can produce, some of the students push for the adoption of western ideas and practices. They are faced with a choice: either staying as they are or adopting the western value system in total and rejecting everything they have known. This confusion and conflict results in literally tearing apart the cultures of the students. A promising approach for dealing with the emerging values crisis among the students is the rejection of the idea of imposing "right" values upon them. Instead we teach them a process and a set of criteria by which they can arrive at and evaluate the soundness of their own values. This approach might give students a set of tools and skills for sorting out the alternatives which are available and the consequences which may result as they continue to live with a focus on their values. "Values" concept is directly related to student growth and development, which needs to be emphasised. This book is an attempt to achieve this objective. It deals with the theoretical as well as the practical aspect of inculcating human values among students in the school system and it also focuses on values clarification among students, process used to develop and evaluate curriculum materials; process used for assessing values; curriculum construction and research. Hopefully, this book may be useful for teachers, students and policy makers.