How to be Moral in a Globalized World

Moral education in an age of globalization.

The big idea uncovered in this article is how moral education responds to the challenges of globalization. Nodding asserts that the response comes through relationship, dialogue, reasoning, and modelling that all operate under the arm of care ethics. As teachers, Nodding argues that teachers need to transfer energy to caring for others everyday and that this can be rooted in motivational displacement. This idea of motivational displacement requires teachers to rely on their values, resources and competencies to respond to a wide range of needs. Even though the “carer” is central in this dynamic, we also need to recognize the power of larger global institutions to “create the conditions under which caring-for can flourish, and their attempts to do so should be guided by the spirit of caring as laid out in care ethics” (Nodding, N. 2010, pg. 3).

While the author argues that different views of justice will always exist, he feels that care-ethics can be the bridge between them, and the use of all the skills that are inherent in our responses to care, will move society towards a care-driven system of justice.

How does this article address/frame the following terms?

Once again, we see the two elements of teaching and learning intertwined in the care-ethics. The teaching component allows us to practice this ethic and the learning component allows the students to see it in action through modelling by the teacher.

In respect to innovation and creativity, we need to apply care-ethics to relationships and in that process, we again might create the conditions necessary for innovation and creativity to emerge. The idea of talking, listening, and relating all support the conditions that are apt to ignite conversations that bring forth new ideas.

What questions do you have of the author(s) after having read the article?

How can we help others to sharpen their skills necessary for robust care-ethics practice?

Should the value of care-ethics be explicitly taught to pre-service teachers?

Noddings, N. (2010). Moral education in an age of globalization. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 42(4), 390–396. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-5812.2008.00487.x