Needs based curriculum and materials for moral education in Seventh-day Adventist elementary schools

The purpose of this study was: to develop research based curriculum and materials to teach moral values consistent with Seventh-day Adventist philosophy. Biblical teachings and the expressed needs of Adventist teachers.

In order to attain this purpose the researcher attempted to:

1. Identify through the use of a questionnaire the degree to which Adventist teachers saw a need for moral education materials.

2. Incorporate Adventist teachers' suggestions into the curriculum and materials, assuming that such a need was identified.

3. Develop moral education curriculum and materials for use in the Bible course taught in Adventist classrooms.

4. Subject the materials developed to further evaluation and refinement by Seventh-day Adventist teachers.

A questionnaire was designed with the purpose of determining if Adventist teachers felt there was a need for specifically designed moral development materials. The questionnaire also assessed teachers' perceptions about important aspects of a moral education program: (1) the types of materials teachers would be most likely to use; (2) the topics which ought to be included in moral development materials, and (3) appropriate goals for a program of moral development. The results of the questionnaire formed the basis of this moral education curriculum and materials project.

Specific information gained from the questionnaire such as: appropriate topics to be covered, teaching methods, dissatisfaction with the Bible program currently used, and the goals of a moral education program directly affected the curriculum and materials designed. The materials consist of student worksheets for grades 3-8 and a teachers' page for each topic. Topics include honesty, friendship, family responsibility, etc. A copyright for this moral education curriculum and materials has been applied for.

After the materials were developed an initial material evaluation instrument was developed by the research and administered to a group of Adventist teachers.