The Impact of Values Education in Adventist Schools on the Level of Knowledge and Understanding, and Internalisation of Values in Year 7 Students: A Case Study of Three Schools

Abstract

In 2005, the Australian government introduced the Nine Values for Australian Schooling to the education arena. This study investigated the nature and impact of values education in three Kindergarten to Year 12 Adventist schools in New South Wales. It examined the effect of these approaches on the knowledge and understanding, and internalisation of the Nine Values for Australian Schooling of students in Year 7. Nine primary school teachers across the schools were interviewed in order to determine their approach to values education. Year 7 students from all three schools completed questionnaires to examine their knowledge and understanding, and internalisation of the Nine Values for Australian Schooling. Year 7 students from School 1 and 2 also participated in focus groups to further evaluate the depth of their understanding. Thematic analysis was employed with data gathered from the teacher interviews and student focus groups. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was employed with the questionnaire. The study concluded that teachers in Adventist schools are intentional in teaching values and use a variety of implicit and explicit teaching strategies although these strategies tend not to focus on experiential learning. It identified that students have a varied knowledge and understanding of the Nine Values for Australian Schooling that does not appear to be connected to gender, school or years at school. It also concluded that students generally have a high level of internalisation of values, although girls at this age rated higher than boys.