TITLE: THE SEARCH FOR A MEANINGFUL DIALECTIC
AUTHOR: Dwayne Blackwell; Northwest High School,Justin, Texas
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 12 Government
OVERVIEW: When pressured by an overzealous, high-pressure
instructor, some students will participate in class discussions about
public policy issues; however, even the most dedicated, creative
instructor eventually confronts one or more of the following
conditions/situations:
1. Students who participate in public policy discussions are not
sophisticated enough to address the more abstract issues because
they are not conversant with models or paradigms which may be used
for evaluating the pros and cons of particular public policy
arguments.
2. Other students passively sit and listen to classroom discussions,
yet retain very little of the information imparted during such
exchanges. Not surprisingly, research indicates that students retain
less if they do not actively participate in the learning process.
PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this activity is to introduce each
student to a framework of political and social values which may be
used to evaluate the validity of any public policy debate, bill, law,
etc. A secondary purpose of this activity is to socialize the learning
process by introducing cooperative learning in terms of the group
investigation model.
OBJECTIVES:
As a result of this activity, the students will:
1. Primary
a. Identify a "real-world" problem which
needs a solution.
b. Use a legal-ethical model or paradigm
to evaluate the problem area.
c. Formally present their identified
solution(s) to a problem area.
d. Use their version of the legal-ethical
framework or paradigm to question the
validity of various solutions to the
identified problem area.
2. Secondary
a. Help students become acquainted with
each other.
b. Help students acquire interpersonal
and small group skills.
c. Introduce students to the first and
second stages of the inquiry model.
The model includes four stages:
Stage 1 - Orientation; sensitization to a
public policy issue which students
consider a major problem in American
society; students identify values and
value conflicts as they articulate the
causes for the problem.
Stage 2 - Students choose possible
solutions to the problem area.
Stage 3 - Students identify the best
possible solution(s) to the problem
area.
Stage 4 - Presentation of the best
solution(s) as a result of the research -
the bill.
ACTIVITIES - STUDENT
1. Day One:
a. Announce to the class that the class will
be doing group work for the next 2 to 3
class periods. Point out to the class
that the groups will be formed on topics.
Turn overhead projector on and project a
suggested list onto the screen:
censorship of Rock lyrics; teenage
curfews; civil rights for nonwhites ( a
quota system for public universities);
economic democracy; punishment for
habitual sex offenders. Continue to
point out that each group will be limited
to 5 students and that no two groups will
be allowed to research the same topic or
problem area. Emphasize that the topics
will be assigned on a first come first
served basis. At this point, start
putting pressure on the students to form
their groups. Encourage students to make
a choice of topics.
b. After 4 or 5 groups have formed, instruct
the groups to elect a chairperson,
recorder, philosopher, facilitator,
artist, etc. Titles may vary with the
interest of the group. The important
point is for everyone to have a role and
function. Put considerable pressure on
the groups to expedite this activity.
c. Instruct the groups to identify and list
in writing several possible causes for
their problem area. Encourage each
member of each group to participate.
Quite obviously, you will be moving from
group to group while monitoring group
and individual activity.
d. After the groups have struggled with
finding causes for their problem areas,
start distributing copies of two study
sheets ( see Joyce and Weil, Models of
Teaching, pp.264-265): "The Legal-
Ethical Framework: Some Basic Social
Values" (Table 15-1) and "Some General
Problem Areas" (Table 15-2). After you
have distributed the study sheets,
suggest to the groups that the study
sheets should be used as a reference
source as they attempt to identify values
which may have caused the problem area.
At this point (close for the end of Day
One), assign the study sheets for
homework and suggest that the groups
should start thinking about solutions to
the problem area if they have not done so
already.
2. Day Two:
a. Ask each group for their list of causes.
While perusing the lists, suggest that it
is now time for each group to come up
with solutions to the problem area.
Emphasize that the solutions should take
into consideration the possible
consequences of their solution(s). You
should also emphasize that each group
should identify any underlying value
conflicts by using the study sheets as
a resource.
b. Announce at this point that the groups
will start making their presentations on
Day Three. Point out that all members
of each group should somehow have a part
in the presentation.
c. With ten minutes left in the period,
encourage the groups to finalize their
activities by completing their written
lists of causes and solutions. Remind
the groups that they should present their
findings in terms of a legal-ethical
framework.
3. Day Three:
a. Ask the groups to volunteer for the order
of presentation. If there are no
volunteers, then simply select any one
group.
b. Sitting together in their area of the
room, each group will have a spokesperson
(usually the elected chairperson) to act
as moderator for the discussion.
Instruct the class to listen to the
group's findings. The floor will then be
opened to questions about the validity of
the solutions, observations, etc.
Emphasize that the discussion will
revolve around the relationship of the
solution(s) to the two study sheets.
ACTIVITIES - TEACHER
1. When the students are forming groups and
identifying problem area causes and
solutions, the teacher guides, advises,
encourages, counsels, and yes, even threatens
in a gentle way each student and group.
Necessarily, the teacher will model the
various social skills which are necessary
for the success of cooperative work.
2. As each group presents its findings about the
problem area, the teacher must fulfill
several responsibilities:
The teacher, using the Socratic method,
models for both active and passive
students a method by which each group's
positions are probed by "...questioning
the relevance, consistency, specificity,
and clarity of the student's ideas until
they become more clear and more complex."
(see: Joyce and Weil, Models of
Teaching, p. 263). Gradually, through
the modeling process, the teacher exposes
each group and each student to a legal-
ethical framework or model which can be
used for analyzing public policy issues.
3. As students become more actively involved in
class discussions, the teacher will become
less active and more passive in terms of
class discussion. The teacher refocuses the
discussion only if students stray too far
from the path of applying the model to the
discussion.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER
1. After each group has thoroughly discussed
their problem area, the teacher achieves
closure by relating the specifics of the
discussion to the legal-ethical values
paradigm. During this phase, the teacher
constantly encourages students to interact
and offer their observations about the
relationship of the paradigm to the problem
area(s).
2. On a more covert level, the teacher and
student slowly realize that the goal of
public policy is to achieve a "balance of
values in which each value is minimally
compromised. To achieve such a balance,
each party in a controversy should try to
understand the reasons and assumptions
behind the other's decisions." (see: Joyce
and Weil, Models of Teaching, pp.263-268)
3. This activity is used to introduce the first
and second stages of a cooperative research
project which will involve the student in
writing and passing a bill into law.
ADDENDUM
TABLE 15-1
THE LEGAL-ETHICAL FRAMEWORK: SOME BASIC SOCIAL VALUES
RULE OF LAW. Actions carried out by the government have to be
authorized by law and apply equally to all people.
EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW. Laws must be administered
fairly and cannot extend special privileges or penalties to any
one person or group.
DUE PROCESS. The government cannot deprive individual citizens of
life, liberty, or property without proper notice of impending
actions (right to a fair trial).
JUSTICE. Equal opportunity.
PRESERVATION OF PEACE AND ORDER. Prevention of disorder and
violence (reason as a means of dealing with conflict).
PERSONAL LIBERTY. Freedom of speech, right to own and control
property, freedom of religion, freedom of personal associations,
right of privacy.
SEPARATION OF POWERS. Checks and balances among the three
branches of government.
LOCAL CONTROL OF LOCAL PROBLEMS. Restriction of federal
government power and preservation of states' rights.
TABLE 15-2
SOME GENERAL PROBLEM AREAS
__________________________________________________
PROBLEM AREAS SAMPLE UNIT TOPICS CONFLICTING VALUES
__________________________________________________
Racial and School Desegregation Equal Protection
Ethnic Civil Rights for Nonwhites Due Process
Conflict and Ethnic Minorities Brotherhood
of Man Housing for Nonwhites and v.
Ethnic Minorities Peace and Order
Job Opportunities for Property and Contract
Nonwhites and Ethnic Rights
Minorities Personal Privacy
Immigration Policy and Association
Religious and Rights of the Communist Freedom of Speech
Ideological Party in America and Conscience
Conflict Religion and Public Education v.
Control of "Dangerous" or Equal Protection
"Immoral" Literature Safety and Security
Religion and National of Democratic
Security: Oaths, Institutions
Conscientious Objectors
Taxation of Religious Property
Security of Crime and Delinquency Standards of
the Freedom
Individual Due Process
v.
Peace and Order
Community Welfare
Conflict Organized Labor Equal or Fair
among Business Competition and Bargaining
Economic Monopoly Power and Competition
Groups "Overproduction of Farm Goods General Welfare and
Conservation of Natural Progress of the
Resources Community
v.
Property and Contract
Rights
Health, Adequate Medical Care: Equal Opportunity
Education, for the Aged, Brotherhood of Man
and Welfar for the Poor v.
Adequate Educational Property and Contract
Opportunit Rights
Old-Age Security
Job and Income Security
Security of Federal Loyalty-Security Freedom of Speech,
he Nation Programs Conscience, and
Foreign Policy Association
Due Process
Personal
Privacy
v.
Safety and Security
of Democratic
Institutions
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