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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between instructor moral reasoning level, teaching style, and adult students' perception of the classroom environment. Rest's Defining Issues Test measured the independent variable, principled level of moral cognitive development. Teaching style was identified as either learner-centered or teacher-centered using Conti's Principles of Adult Learning Scale. Student perception of classroom environment was measured by Stern and Walker's Classroom Environment Index (Form 971). The possible influence of the demographic variables of (1) gender, (2) age range, and (3) level of education on principled moral reasoning level was explored. The sample consisted of 34 faculty teaching adult students at six area colleges and 519 students. There was a moderate significant relationship between moral reasoning level and teaching style indicated by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Step-wise regression showed that the utilization score on the Defining Issues Test when combined with the principled moral reasoning score moderated the amount of variance accounted for between the moral reasoning level and teaching style by a 12% increase. There was no significant correlation between teaching style and student perception of teaching style behaviors. There was significant moderate correlation between principled moral reasoning level and gender.
