ETHIKA – Philosophy, ethics and values education at schools and kindergarten

We meet ethics in everyday life: in reflecting, judging and valuing our acts as well as those of others. The daily relevance of the concept of ethics outreaches the common association used by the social and economic ethics. The European joint project “ETHIKA“ takes the important role of ethics in the personality development of young people seriously, as its declared aim is the early support of critical thinking and therefore empowers capacity for judgment in normative questions, conflicts and dilemmas. Consequently, we pass skills that restore self-confidence, responsibility and confidence in handling with internal and external behaviour.

The early advancement of ethical thinking and acting is not a matter of course in German institutions of learning: in all states (except for Berlin) Ethics or Applied Philosophy is only a compulsory optional subject to religious education. Six of the sixteen states offer the subject from the first grade on, others not until junior or senior years in school. During primary school, a bigger part of the pupils does not come in contact with ethical educology. Depending on the state, there are substantial different requirements on future teachers of ethics. In Bavaria, for example, future teachers of ethics are presumed to have a particular interest in the subject, in Baden-Württemberg it is required to have a completed degree in Philosophy.

It is the declared aim of the EU project ETHIKA (Ethics and values education in schools and kindergartens) to support ethical education already at an early age. The education of critical thinking and ethical judgment is at the focus: The ability of argumentation and expressing oneself, reasoning and the expression of opinion can be taught and learned. In a society characterized of social and cultural diversity, the ideological neutral conveying of values is a particular challenge. The result can all the more be fertile for society. Ethical education is more than common sense, but it does teach how to use it as well as how to analyze it critically. Therefore ETHIKA supports the didactical competence of teachers, provides freely accessible teaching material and develops teaching methods, syllabus and further training.

The first step is to analyze the status quo of ethical teaching methods in associated countries so that teaching material as required can be worked out in seven different languages. Those will be tested and optimized in a pilot phase.

An important and sustainable aim of the project is the development of an European network for the conveying of values and ethical education that contributes to a cooperative cross linking of teachers, experts, schools and other organizations. Until now, partners from Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Croatia and Slovenia joined the project. If you would like to take part, you can become an „associated partner“ of the project. Feel free to contact us, we are looking forward to welcoming you.

Project partners: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology, Slovenia; Osnovna šola Valentina Vodnika, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule Graz, Austria; Amitie (Amitie), Italy; Scienter España, Spain; Institut für Lern-Innovation, Nürnberg-Erlangen, Germany; Association Petit Philosophy, Croatia; Bundesverband Ethik (BVE), Marburg, Germany; Osnovna šola Šmartno v Tuhinju, Slovenia

Contact: Thomas Pfeil, Telefon +49 6421-968 415 00, Fax +49 6421-968 415 09, E-Mail: ethika@bv-ethik.de

The EU project »ETHIKA« can be found online at: www.ethics-education.eu and www.ethik-unterrichten.de

Die ETHIKA Lehr- und Lernmaterialien sind unter der Creative Commons-Lizenz lizensiert. Diese Lizenz erlaubt es, den Inhalt zu vervielfältigen, zu verbreiten und öffentlich aufzuführen unter folgenden Bedingungen: BY-NC-SA