Sustainable solutions for moral education of students in pedagogical universities

Abstract

Purpose. This article aims to examine and analyse the real-world outcomes of moral education for students in primary, secondary, and high schools across various regions of Vietnam. By investigating the relationship between the results of moral education at the general education level and the qualities and competences of teachers, the study aims to determine the requirements for pedagogical universities in the field of moral education of future teachers.

Results. The state of moral education for students at the general education level has seen some successes in both educational content and methods. However, challenges and inadequacies persist, such as outdated educational content, lack of creativity in teaching methods, and insufficient knowledge and skills among teachers to conduct effective moral education. The quality of moral education remains uneven, and students still exhibit ethical violations. Negative behaviours among students, such as using profanity, skipping classes, cheating in exams, and showing disrespect towards teachers, remain quite common. The reasons for this are related to various factors, among which teachers play a central role in determining the quality and effectiveness of moral education.

Scientific novelty. The current state of moral education for students in primary, secondary, and high schools reflects regional representation and thus provides a basic overview of moral education at the general education level in Vietnam. From the incomplete and outdated educational content and students’ unethical behaviour, the article identifies the root causes of these issues. The core problem lies in the lack of knowledge and skills among teachers, including subject knowledge, general social knowledge, and the ability to integrate moral education into each subject. The knowledge and skills gap among teachers partly originates from the training and professional development processes of pedagogical universities.

Practical value. The results of moral education for students at the general education level reflect the meeting of quality and competency requirements of teachers – a product of pedagogical universities. Therefore, the analysis and evaluation of the current state serve as the basis for proposing moral education solutions for students at pedagogical universities. Perfecting moral education solutions for pedagogical students holds high practical significance in the context of the ongoing Industrial Revolution 4.0, characterised by rapid digital transformation in education. The ethical issues in the use of artificial intelligence and in the development of open educational resources need to be updated. The recommended moral education solutions for students are expected to inspire pedagogical universities to think more deeply and pave the way for in-depth research to meet new training requirements. If these solutions are effectively implemented, they will contribute to the sustainable development of moral education at the general education level in a rapidly changing society.