A Comparison of Paradigms of Ethical Learning

In the summer term 2002 we carried out a survey based on relevant preliminary studies concerning the effect of two different paradigms of ethical learning in classes for religious education at teacher training colleges (paradigm 1: Dilemma-discussions: "learning by dealing with contradictions"; paradigm 2: hermeneutical tuition). This article outlines the most important results of this intervention-study.

Due to the fact that neither ethical learning nor morals themselves occur in "vacuous" i.e.context-free space (cf. the compilation by Edelstein & Nunner-Winkler 2000), we throw some light on the context in which ethical learning takes place within the framework of reflection in religious education (cf. Langer 1995) classes (see chapter 1). Not least of all, within ethical learning, the definition of the objectives and the search for a way there depends on establishing this context (chapter 2). In part three the two paradigms are examined empirically by assigning them to experimental and control groups followed by the conclusion (chapter four).