Moral purpose

Fullan (2001b, 2003, 2005, 2007) argues that change should be driven by a sense of moral purpose. He says that a sense of moral purpose fosters a focus on outcomes that gives coherence to change initiatives. It makes it clear what is and isn’t important, and so helps educators to decide what they need to do. According to Fullan, it is the role of schools to make a positive difference in their students’ lives, and so change must be motivated by a desire to improve the life chances of young people. Echoing Dewey (1907), he adds that change should also be driven by the desire to create a better and more equitable society.

Public schools need to develop what Coleman (1990) termed “social capital” – to help produce citizens who have the commitment, skills, and disposition to foster norms of civility, compassion, fairness, trust, collaborative engagement, and constructive critiques under conditions of great social diversity. Schools also need to develop intellectual capital – problem-solving skills in a technological world – so that all students learn. This too is a moral purpose. To become committed to the development of social and intellectual capital is to understand the goal of moral purpose; to address it productively is to delve into the intricacies of complexity and change.

Fullan, 2001b, page 17

In New Zealand, we might talk about moral purpose in terms of social justice or the need to have a sense of professional purpose. Our current Schooling Strategy is founded on the belief that “As a nation, we want each student to be equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and sense of identity they need to give them the best chances in life” (Minister’s Foreword, Ministry of Education, 2005, page 1). Education, it says, is “central to what it means to be both a New Zealander and a global citizen in a changing world” (page 5).

In 2001, Durie set out a framework for considering Māori education. He introduced three goals that offer a moral purpose for education, and this moral purpose is consistent with commitment to what he calls the “principle of indigeneity”.

Although education has a number of other goals including enlightenment and learning for the sake of learning, three particular goals have been highlighted as relevant to Māori: enabling Māori to live as Māori, facilitating participation as citizens of the world, contributing towards good health and a high standard of living … Education is not the only factor that will determine fluency in te reo, or readiness for participation in a global society, or good health, but it has the potential to be a major contributor, and educational failure significantly reduces chances of success in any of the three areas.

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