View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Liberty University Digital Commons A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL GROUP DESIGN STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF INTEGRATING CHARACTER EDUCATION INTO A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM THROUGH STORYTELLING by Russell L. Long Liberty University A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University April, 2014 A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL GROUP DESIGN STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF INTEGRATING CHARACTER EDUCATION INTO A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM THROUGH STORYTELLING by Russell L. Long A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA April, 2014 APPROVED BY: Leldon W. Nichols, Ed.D., Committee Chair Anna L. Cates, Ed.D., Committee Member Lucas Kavlie, Ed.D., Committee Member Scott B. Watson, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Advanced Programs 2 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to offer evidence for the development of student character through the integration of historical storytelling into a social studies classroom. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine the effect of character education through historical storytelling integrated into a United States history curriculum on student commitment to ethical goodness. The study took place in a public high school in Savannah, Georgia. Student commitment to ethical goodness was measured by a paired samples t-test on pretests and posttests taken by students. The overall study demonstrated that participants did not exhibit a statistically significant change in commitment to ethical goodness as a result of these treatments. There was no statistically significant change in either the experimental or the control groups. 3 Table of Contents List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 8 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Problem Statement .......................................................................................................................... 9 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................................... 10 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................................. 11 Research Question ........................................................................................................................ 13 Hypothesis..................................................................................................................................... 13 Identification of Variables ............................................................................................................ 14 Definition of Terms....................................................................................................................... 14 Research Summary ....................................................................................................................... 15 Assumptions and Limitations ....................................................................................................... 16 Assumptions .............................................................................................................................. 16 Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 16 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................ 17 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................................. 19 Bandura’s Social Learning Theory ........................................................................................... 20 Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development ................................................................................ 20 Sanchez’s Character through Historical Storytelling ................................................................ 22 Definition of Character Education ................................................................................................ 23 Character and Moral Development ............................................................................................... 24 Why Character Education? ........................................................................................................... 25 4 A Brief History of Character Education ....................................................................................... 28 The Impact of Character Education on Schools ........................................................................... 30 Character Education Improves Character ................................................................................. 30 Character Education Improves School Climate ........................................................................ 31 Character Education Improves Academic Performance ........................................................... 33 Character Education and Students with Disabilities ................................................................. 34 Evidence-based Studies ................................................................................................................ 37 Character Education through Social Studies ................................................................................. 37 Character Education and Storytelling ........................................................................................... 39 Character Education through Historical Storytelling .................................................................... 40 Teaching Character ....................................................................................................................... 42 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 46 Design ........................................................................................................................................... 46 Research Question and Hypothesis ............................................................................................... 48 Participants .................................................................................................................................... 48 Setting ........................................................................................................................................... 49 Instrumentation ............................................................................................................................. 49 Procedures ..................................................................................................................................... 50 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 51 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS .................................................................................................... 52 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 52 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 53 5 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION ................................................................................................. 58 Summary of the Findings .............................................................................................................. 58 Discussion of the Findings ............................................................................................................ 58 Implications................................................................................................................................... 62 Limitations of Study ..................................................................................................................... 64 Recommendations for Further Study ............................................................................................ 65 Reflections on Research Results ................................................................................................... 66 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 68 Appendix A: Commitment to Ethical Goodness Scale ................................................................. 76 Appendix B: Lesson Plans (Treatments) ...................................................................................... 85 Appendix C: IRB Approval Letter ................................................................................................ 86 Appendix