An Analysis of Values Literacy and Internalisation in Students Commencing High School: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This mixed methods pilot study investigated the impact of values education on Year Seven students in three Christian K-12 schools in Australia. Participants were surveyed to determine their knowledge, understanding, and internalisation of the Nine Core Values for Australian Schooling. Further, random selections of students from two schools participated in three focus groups that discussed scenarios describing value-laden interactions. The study found that Year Seven students had a varied knowledge and understanding of the Nine Core Values for Australian Schooling that appeared independent of background variables. The study also found that the participants generally had sound levels of internalisation of values, but that the levels of internalisation among girls exceeded that among boys. Further, the study found no relationship between the knowledge of values and the internalisation of values.