Beyond asking ‘should’ and ‘why’ questions: Contextualised questioning techniques for moral discussions in moral education classes

ABSTRACT

The discussion of moral dilemmas has long been a teaching strategy for moral education. However, the questioning techniques teachers use to lead moral discussions are not fully understood. With reference to a collaborative teaching research project on a values education video-story, this study explored the authentic practice of teacher questioning in moral education classes. Data were collected in a Hong Kong primary school through lesson observations, interviews, document reviews and field notes. Teachers used three techniques when leading moral discussions: posing hypothetical questions, asking role-switching questions and playing devil’s advocate. Collectively, these three techniques helped to enhance students’ thinking. The study suggests that teachers’ questioning in moral discussions can be seen as a contextualised activity that involves the analysis of the key characters, plot points and moral values embedded in the story throughout the processes of curriculum planning and teaching. Teacher questioning strategies offer directions for future studies of moral discussions.

KEYWORDS:

• Questioning
• moral discussion
• moral story
• moral video

Acknowledgments

The author expresses gratitude to all the participating teachers and students. Moreover, special thanks are owed to Dr. Mei-Yi Cheng and Dr. Ka-Keung Tam for their support regarding the collaborative curriculum meetings.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mei-Yee Wong

Mei-Yee Wong is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the Education University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining the Department, she engaged in different capacities in the field of education in Hong Kong, including teaching, curriculum development, design of learning materials, provision of school support services and teacher professional development programmes. She is currently engaged in research projects on power relations, religious education in multi-religious society, teaching of values and moral education in primary and secondary schools and higher education classrooms, and teacher professional development. (https://www.eduhk.hk/ssc/wongmy)