Moral education programs derive from Kohlberg and target reasoning levels.

Evidence

Most moral education programs are an outgrowth of Kohlberg’s work on moral development (Kohlberg, 1969). For instance, the first “just community” schools were based on this theory (Kohlberg, 1981). These schools not only taught moral reasoning but were also designed to create egalitarian, caring learning communities. Other moral education programs emphasize moral discourse, attempt to inculcate respect and interpersonal sensitivity, promote tolerance and understanding of others, or place moral education in the historical context of the Holocaust (Battistich et al., 1989; Fine, 1995; Oser, 1985). The primary goal of these programs is to increase students’ levels of moral reasoning, typically through discussions of moral dilemmas. These programs can improve intergroup relations indirectly through their emphasis on justice and egalitarianism. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2677