Directive teaching in the community of moral inquiry

Abstract

Is there a place for directive teaching when it comes to moral education in the Community of Inquiry? Michael Hand think s that we should make room for it. While some common restrictions on the role of the teacher in the Community of Inquiry and the kinds of questions with which it deals appear to militate against it, he argues that they either have no force or are intellectually or educationally misguided. In evaluating what Hand has to say, I examine the justificatory framework of moral standards within which he sets out his arguments and then look at how those arguments fare in light of that examination.

Keywords

• community of inquiry, directive teaching, indoctrination, moral education, moral standards, open questions, philosophical attitude