Dissertation Defense: Ali Nabavian

The College of Education has scheduled the final oral examination of Ali Nabavian for the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership. The title of the dissertation is High School English Language Arts and Social Studies Teachers as Teachers of Ethics in the Classroom: Teacher Perspectives and Practices.

 

Character education, ethics, and/or morality have been a part of American education since its  inception. High school humanities courses such as English language arts (ELA) and social  studies have been steeped in ethics education throughout that time. However, evolving and  competing American cultural, social, and political movements have brought changes to the  specific ethical forms and ideologies that permeate curriculum and are delivered pedagogically.  
 

High school humanities teachers have been at the center of ethics education for decades and  have had to navigate this evolving and often controversial landscape. This study attempts to  understand how current high school humanities teachers perceive their roles as teachers of  ethics, how they enact that role, and what variables impact their ability to fulfill their desired  roles. This study was conducted at a suburban/rural public high school in Northeastern United  States with a population of 3,300 students. This study utilized qualitative methodologies: semi structured interviews and artifact analysis. The study was developed and data was analyzed  employing two theoretical frameworks, the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI)  and the Four Component Model (FCM) of ethical decision making.