General Capability – Ethical Understanding

This year the staff of the College have been engaging in the General Capabilities of the Australian Curriculum. We have begun to investigate how they link to the virtues and how they could be a vehicle for developing a practical application of the virtues in their learning as well their social interactions.
Ethical understanding encompasses the knowledge and skills students require to identify ethical concepts, understand different ethical perspectives and apply ethical thinking in response to issues.
It is divided into two strands:
Understanding ethical concepts and perspectives

* Explore ethical concepts
* Examine values, rights and responsibilities and ethical norms
* Recognise influences on ethical behaviour and perspectives.

Responding to ethical issues

* Explore ethical perspectives and frameworks
* Explore ethical issues
* Make and reflect on ethical decisions.

The General Capability of Ethical Understanding provides an avenue to explore and explicitly teach the practical application of the Cardinal Virtues:

* Prudence: students make wise judgements and decisions to do what is right in relation to God, their neighbour and their learning and are able to apply it in various learning contexts.
* Justice: students make a conscious choice to develop the gifts God has given them (having five talents and making five more – Matt 25:20) and showing respect for the rights of their peers when engaging in collaborative learning partnerships.
* Temperance: students exercise self-control or self-mastery in their decisions and desires related to all aspects of their academic and social learning.
* Fortitude: students have the courage to do what is right, even when it is hard and face learning challenges with perseverance and persistence. They also accept mistakes and failures in learning as feedback and opportunities for future success.

God bless,
David Williams