Learning to Use the Head and the
Heart Together: Development of
Critical Thinking and Sensitivity
through Value Discussion Approach in
the Classroom
Manisha Shelat
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Educational Objectives
•Cognitive
•Affective
•Psycho-motor
Value Education
Need for informed judgments
in a democracy
as citizens, policy makers, consumers,
members of work force and families
Value conflict
The complex process of
value development and
approaches to value education
Communication for Gender
Sensitization: The Value
Discussion Approach
Research

Pretest-post test quasi experimental

Control group and experimental group


Change in attitude, value, gender
stereotyping vis a vis vocational choice
Quantitative and qualitative data
Results and Observations


Statistically significant change in value
judgment, value clarification, and gender
stereotyping
Interesting to see a very wide range of
justifications for the same choice
 Post-test
responses showed more
cases of an individual offering
multiple arguments to support a
choice.
 Popular
cinema has great attraction
and can be explored as a rich
teaching tool
Concomitant Impact



Value discussion sessions had shaken
absolute and uncritical acceptance of the
status quo: even a small number of
students could have considerable impact
Expression and reassurance
There is always not only one way of
responding to a situation
The Value Discussion Model
 Based
 Close
on value clarification approach
to Paulo Freire’s
conscientization and critical
pedagogy
 Participatory,
requires sharing,
critical thinking and analysis
 Facilitates
exploring the complexities
of a concept
The Approach:
Dilemma and Discussion
A Good Dilemma
 Group
Appropriate
 Relevant
 Scope
to the course
for generating value conflict
 Opportunity
for analysis,
questioning, decision making
Presenting the dilemma




Video and audio recording of
dramatized situations
Clips from commercial Hindi cinema
TV snippets
Ads
 Newspaper
clippings
 Oral
and written presentations with
blackboard
 Role-play
 Puppet
play
 Organizing
small group discussion
based on choice of alternative
 Conducting
 Closing
the class discussion
the discussion and final
voting (no pressure for a choice or
public declaration)

J 201 Introduction to mass
Communication
Examples
 YOU
ARE IN THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS OF A MAJOR
TELEVISION NETWORK. YOUR
PRIME –TIME NEWS SHOW HAS
BEEN LATELY A MATTER OF
CONCERN. YOUR AUDIENCE
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE
SHOW IS LOSING THE MARKET
LEAD AND AD REVENUES. BESIDES,
THE SHOW MOSTLY ATTRACTS
OLDER SUBURBAN VIEWERS. THERE
IS A PROPOSAL TO REVAMP THE
SOME IN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT THIS
PROPOSAL WHILE SOME OTHERS
ARE STRONGLY AGAINST IT AND
FOR MAINTAINING THE SERIOUS
CONVENTIONAL NEWS FORMAT. A
THIRD GROUP DOES NOT FIND ANY
OF THE TWO ATTRACTIVE. WHICH
GROUP DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD
SUPPORT?
 REVAMP THE SHOW
 KEEP THE SHOW AS IT IS
 FIND A THIRD ALTERNATIVE
Dr. Maya is a school principal in a
small Wisconsin town. The school
has been lately facing resource
crunch and with the support of PTA it
has been trying hard to sustain
programs that are needed for wellround development of children and
also help raise the test scores. This
has been hard.
One of the PTA member brings a corporate
donor who is willing to fund the school’s cocurricular activity program in return of printing
snack and drinks ads on the school stationary.
He would also like to place a wending machine
in the school corridor. The PTA is split. Some
can’t wait to give this proposal a green signal
while others are opposing. The final decision
rests with Dr. Maya.
WHAT SHOULD DR. MAYA DO?
1.GIVE A GREEN SIGNAL TO THE
PROPOSAL
2.NOT ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL
1.FIND SOME OTHER
ALTERNATIVE
Limitations
 Mostly
intra-group inputs
 Moderator
needs great clarity on
issues to ask the right probe
questions
Future

Supplementing with appropriate
reading and audio visual material
 Adapting
the model to mass media/
On-line learning environments, class
wikis
Thank You
shelat @wisc.edu