Examining the effects of an intervention program concerning sport competitive theory and moral reasoning on the moral cognitive growth of freshmen /by Justin J. Barnes.

During the fall of 2008 and the spring of 2009, two Sports and American Society Core Discovery courses' pedagogical styles were examined to determine if there was a variation in how they effected moral reasoning development in freshmen students. One course featured an instructor utilizing a Maieutic Socratic teaching methodology while the other featured an instructor using a social constructivist approach. The mixed methods study involved 65 students with 30 enrolled in the experimental course (Male, N=22; Female, N=8) and 35 enrolled in the control course (Male, N=21, Female, N=14). However, due to transfers and student dropouts, only 13 students in the experimental course (Male, N=8; Female, N=5) and 22 students in the control course (Male, N=11; Female, N=11) were part of the final posttest. The sample was classified as: (1) experimental group with a moral reasoning education intervention and, (2) a control group, using a Social Constructivist theory style of teaching. An ANOVA using GLM procedures found no significant difference between experimental versus control Sports and American Society Core Discovery courses. Wilks Lambda: F(1,31) = 1.585, p = .221, partial eta2 = .093. However, the experimental Sports and American Society Core Discovery course group moral reasoning scores increased from Time 1 (mean = 35.41, SD = 4.85) to Time 3 (mean = 39.25, SD = 7.30) where the control Sports and American Society Core Discovery course group moral reasoning scores decreased from Time 1 (mean = 34.13, SD = 6.43) to Time 3 (mean = 32.59, SD = 10.03). Though no significance was found, perhaps instructors may be able to use these results to better pedagogical framework for effective moral reasoning development in first year courses specifically designed for college freshmen.Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, December 2009