A reconceptualisation of Vygotsky’s ZPD into ZCD in teaching moral education in secondary schools using real-life dilemmas

Abstract

In an effort to contribute to contemporary debates about alternative ways of teaching moral education, this qualitative study explored moral dilemmas identified by young adolescents and how they made moral choices to resolve the dilemmas. Data were gathered for textual analysis through a modified framework of participatory action research using participant observation, focus group transcripts, interviews and student journals. The data were interpreted using a revision of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, extended to suit the multicultural Malaysian setting, and here called the Zone of Collaborative Development. Participants were 22 16–17-year-old non-Muslim adolescents from different cultural backgrounds attending three different types of secondary schools. Moral Education (ME) in Malaysia (MEM) is designed to cater to this group while Muslim students study Islamic Studies. Findings show that students were concerned about moral issues and values not covered in the current ME curriculum. The moral dilemmas identified were relational and context dependent. Students named autonomy, self and mutual respect, trust, freedom and tolerance as main conflicting themes in their real-life moral dilemmas. The study suggests that including students’ voices in MEM in this way might better engage students’ interest and connecting the subject with students’ everyday lives.

Keywords

• real-life moral dilemmas
• moral education
• students’ voices