Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between parental attitudes and moral development of a selected group of Greek children, age 5.0 - 6.0The following instruments were used: The Georgas Intelligence Test for Children; Shoben's University of Southern California Parent Attitude Survey; and Piaget's Stories on the Moral Judgment of the Child followed by semi-structured interviews, along with pictorial representations of Piaget's stories.The subjects were fifty two males and forty-eight females enrolled in five private upper middle class kindergarten classes in the Athens area.An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze two null hypotheses. A chi-square analysis was used to test the remaining null hypothesis. Post hoc analysis, using analysis of variance on simple effects was conducted to further interpret the results. The .05 level of confidence was postulated for the rejection of the three null hypotheses.The results of this study indicated that: 1) there is no relationship between the sex and moral development of preschool children, however further statistical investigation indicated significant interactions with sex by certain variables or with sex within a story, 2) there is a relationship between parental attitudes and the moral development of preschool children, and 3) there is a relationship between intelligence scores and the moral development of preschool children.The most significant psychological/educational implication was that moral development of preschool children depends on parental attitudes which influence the child's concept of moral issues. Awareness of the child's cognitive and emotional readiness to integrate moral concepts can help promote moral judgment.

This study investigated what constitutes a moral development program in Buddhist temple preschools in Thailand. The researcher employed three qualitative methods: structured, in-depth interviews, observations of teachers' instruction, and document analysis of curriculum guides. Four Buddhist temple preschools were selected as the sites. Participants for interview included three abbots and one head nun, four principals, and twelve teachers. Participants for observations included four teachers of third year classes in each preschool. The study concentrated on four research questions: (a) what are the elements of the character education curriculum? (b) How do teachers teach moral development concepts and skills? (c) What are the teachers' perceptions of the moral development of third year preschoolers? (d) How do teachers assess their pupils' moral development? Key findings for the research questions were: character education was not a subject in the National Preschool Curriculum which was implemented in the Buddhist temple preschools. Core morality was integrated into every topic. The moral behaviors emphasized in the curriculum and the lesson plans included discipline, mindfulness, kindness, helpfulness, patience, honesty, respect, thriftiness, and politeness. The Buddhist concept of the process of moral development includes character education and meditation. The preschoolers were trained to pay respect to teachers and parents as an obedience approach to character education. Preparation of teachers included screening for their values and pre-service training. The instruction of meditation was approached gradually and aroused the children's interest. After three years of schooling, the third year preschoolers were well-behaved, helpful, and kind; no aggressive behaviors were reported. The assessment of moral development of preschoolers was based on observation of the teachers throughout the school year. Implications for practice are discussed, including procedures for gathering information on beliefs, attitudes, and culture of the parents before implementation of different models of moral development. Finally, future research directions are proposed.

University of Macau / Faculty of Education