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EXPLORING ETHICAL FOUNDATIONS:

INTEGRATING VALUES EDUCATION FOR A JUST SOCIETY

M. Suoth1, D. Licin2, V. Pahaso3, C. Kodong4, A. Minabari5

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English Literature, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, Indonesia
e-mail: author1@undiksha.ac.id, author2@undiksha.ac.id

Abstract

In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, the role of ethics and values education in
forming a just society becomes important. Because in fact, nowadays there are still many people who
have low mastery of ethics and values. Therefore, by applying qualitative methods, researchers will
explore how important ethics and values are in society, find out whether ethics and values education still
need to be studied even in the world of lectures, and observe social problems that occur if someone
does not have ethics and values. good value, such as discrimination. This journal underscores the
importance of embedding ethical values in educational curricula at all levels, encouraging critical
thinking, empathy, and moral reasoning. This emphasizes the practical implications of integrating values
education in various disciplines, ultimately contributing to a more just and equal society.

Keywords : Educational Ethics, Values Education, Ethics in Society

1. Introduction

In the ever-evolving tapestry of human existence, the pursuit of a just society remains a
timeless and noble aspiration. A just society, one where fairness, equality, and the dignified
treatment of all individuals are not mere ideals but lived realities, necessitates a strong ethical
foundation. Such a foundation is intrinsically linked to values education, for it is through
education that we shape the moral compasses of the individuals who will ultimately determine
the character and ethos of society.
In this rapidly evolving global landscape, issues of social justice, equity, and human rights
have gained paramount importance. An inclusive and equitable society, one that upholds the
dignity and rights of every individual, requires a shared understanding of ethical principles and
a commitment to nurturing these values in the hearts and minds of citizens. Education,
particularly values education, plays a pivotal role in fostering the moral and ethical compass
necessary to navigate the complexities of our modern world. Values within the realm of
education encompass a range of aspects, encompassing the values tied to the instruction of
science within educational institutions, the epistemic values intrinsic to scientific inquiry, societal
values, and the individual values held by scientists themselves (Chowdhury, 2018).
Becket, Maynard, & Jordan (2017) Our actions rest upon the foundation of our values.
Values Education for a Just Society is not a new concept, but it is more relevant than ever. It
recognizes the profound impact that our values, beliefs, and principles have on shaping our
individual and collective behaviors. This approach seeks to instill in individuals, from early
childhood to adulthood, a deep understanding and unwavering commitment to ethical values,
such as justice, empathy, respect, responsibility, and integrity. By equipping individuals with the
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moral compass necessary to navigate the complex web of societal issues, Values Education
plays a pivotal role in shaping a world where equality, tolerance, and fairness prevail. Values
Education for a Just Society is built upon the recognition that values are the driving forces
behind our actions and interactions. These values encompass a wide spectrum of ethical
principles and virtues, including but not limited to justice, fairness, empathy, compassion,
honesty, and integrity. The core premise of this approach is that by instilling these values in
individuals and promoting their practice, we can create a society where the principles of justice
and equity are upheld, and where individuals are inspired to act ethically and responsibly.
Values Education recognizes that moral development is a lifelong process, beginning in
childhood and continuing throughout one's life. It aims to shape the character and worldview of
individuals, molding them into responsible, compassionate, and just citizens. The goal is to
equip individuals with the tools to navigate complex moral dilemmas, make ethical choices, and
contribute positively to their communities and the world at large.
Contributors to this journal will address a wide array of topics, including but not limited to
the role of educational institutions in values education, the influence of culture and religion on
ethical norms, and the practical applications of ethical principles in addressing pressing social
issues. Through a diverse range of perspectives and interdisciplinary insights, we endeavor to
provide a comprehensive examination of how ethical foundations can be integrated into the
educational fabric of our society, ultimately guiding us toward a more just and inclusive future.
Together, we can foster a deeper understanding of the ethical foundations necessary for
building a just society and equip the next generation with the values and principles that will
guide them toward a brighter and more equitable future (Gulcan, 2015).
The title of this research is "EXPLORING ETHICAL FOUNDATIONS: INTEGRATING
VALUES EDUCATION FOR A JUST SOCIETY". This research uses qualitative methods with
interview techniques.

2. Research Method
In this research, researcher applies the qualitative research method, because the object
of this research is the campus social environment, and to support this research on the
importance of ethical education in society, we use interview techniques with campus students
to obtain opinions that may differ.
According to David Williams (1995), qualitative research is an attempt by researchers to
collect data based on a natural setting. Of course, because it is done naturally, the research
results are also scientific and can be accounted for.
In qualitative research methods, data is usually collected using several qualitative data
collection techniques, namely;
1).Interview
2).Observation
3).Documentation
4).Focused discussion (Focus Group Discussion).
In this research, the researcher decided to collect qualitative data using interview
techniques. because researchers can directly explore the development of ethics and values in
society and also know directly how important education about ethics and values is.

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Miles and Huberman (1992:20) describes the process of analyzing qualitative research
data as follows.

Picture1. Data analysis according to Miles and Huberman (1992:20)

The figure shows the interactive nature of collecting data with data analysis, data
collection is part integral to data analysis activities. Data reduction is an effort summarize the
data, then sort the data into units certain concepts, certain categories, and certain themes.
The results of data reduction are processed in such a way that they are visible the figure
is more complete. It may be in the form of a sketch, synopsis, matrices, and other forms; it is
very necessary for facilitates presentation and confirmation of conclusions.
Qualitative research from another definition point out that this a is research that utilizes
open interviews to examine and understand the attitudes, views, feelings and behavior of both
individuals and individuals group of people. From this definition, the researcher concludes that
only questioned one method of getting results, namely by interview open.
To carry out this research, researchers used a study approach explanatory case. The
definition of case study as a research strategy is study case is an empirical inquiry that: (Yin,
2002)

1. Explain causal relationships in real-life interventions that are too complex for survey or
experimental strategies.
2. Describe the real-life context in which the intervention has occurred.
3. Evaluations can benefit, again in descriptive form, from illustrative case studies – even
journalistic reflections – on the intervention itself.
4. Case study strategies can be used to explore situations where the intervention to be
evaluated does not have a single, clear outcome structure.
Explanatory case studies are case studies that lead to use of “how” and “why” questions.
That's because such questions relate to operational linkages demands separate time tracking,
and not just the frequency of occurrence (Yin, 2002).
Data collection is carried out by distributing interview forms through Google Forms, and
the researcher also seeks several references through the Internet. Data analysis in qualitative
research will occur simultaneously with other parts of the qualitative research development,

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namely data collection. The informants in this study are students from the English Literature
Major, Faculty of Humanities at Sam Ratulangi University, Manado.

3. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

In this section, we will describe the results of the interviews we obtained during the
research. In this research, we had the opportunity to interview 11 students from the Faculty of
Cultural Sciences, Sam Ratulangi University.
When we ask about whether ethics and values are important in social life, the students
answer that ethics and values are important. Their opinions are quite similar. For them, Ethics
holds great importance in shaping a good personality, particularly in various contexts like work.
It encompasses mutual respect, socializing, etiquette, and politeness, forming the foundation
for good behavior. The presence of ethics helps humans grasp etiquette, positive behavior, and
respect for others. In society, especially among students, ethics and values play a vital role in
developing better character. The ethics and values instilled from childhood by parents serve as
an irreplaceable foundation. Ethics guides behavior, aiding individuals in distinguishing right
from wrong. Both ethics and values are significant as they shape our actions, foster trust, and
have positive impacts on individuals and society.
This significance is crucial. With ethics and morals, we uphold social harmony and protect
ourselves from crime. Ethics operates within groups, while morals are a personal matter. One
student strongly believes that ethics and values are crucial, influencing how we think and act.
Values are the determining factor for whether something is good or bad. According to Elleyne
Legi, one of the students, she said that "In my opinion, both ethics and values are important.
Because why have outside knowledge and insight if it is not ethical and valuable it is just a
waste."
The next question we ask their opinion about since when should ethics and values be
studied, and 10 out of 11 students said that ethics and values had been taught since birth. They
believe it would be highly beneficial to teach ethics and etiquette to everyone from an early age.
Early education ensures that more people develop better behavior as they grow up with the
instilled ethics. Ethics, being a perspective on social matters, is better grasped when introduced
at a young age. Without early instruction in ethics and etiquette, individuals may struggle with
difficulty and rudeness in their interactions as they mature. One of the 11 students answered
that ethics and values must be taught since elementary school.
When we asked about whether there should be ethics and values education, all students
said that this education was important, because Ethics is crucial for respectful relationships and
understanding boundaries among individuals. Despite family teachings, not everyone receives
ethical education, emphasizing the need for formal education. Educating people to think wisely
based on ethical values is essential for cultivating a more civilized mindset. The existence of
ethics and values, tailored to each individual, is crucial for fostering quality human resources
and mutual respect.
This perspective aligns with the belief that values and ethics education is vital, guiding
moral decisions, fostering empathy, and contributing to a responsible community. The
emphasis is on developing a strong moral compass, informed decisions based on justice,
fairness, and respect, with a recognition of the benefits for individuals in understanding rules.
Additionally, the importance of ethics is stressed for helping children distinguish between good

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and bad, fulfilling their dreams, and preventing hindrances to achieving goals due to a lack of
moral development attention.
When we asked more specifically about whether ethics and values education still had to
be studied at university level, the students answered that it still had to be studied. Studying
ethics and values in college is vital as some students may still carry immature traits from high
school and lack an understanding of proper etiquette. In the contemporary era, many prioritize
knowledge over ethics. This education is viewed as timeless due to the constant emergence of
new elements. In educational ethics courses, the focus is on students' preparedness,
particularly for workplace ethics. The learning process starts in childhood, emphasizing word
and action maintenance. School education covers distinguishing between good and bad, along
with responsibilities like submitting assignments and punctuality. In higher education, the
emphasis on ethics persists, especially in work environments and societal contexts. In the
academic sphere, ethics and values remain crucial for interactions with peers and lecturers.
The importance of studying ethics and values lies in cultivating responsible behavior,
fostering moral decision-making, and contributing to societal well-being. Therefore, ethics and
values education remains essential in the educational landscape, aiding students in
comprehending moral values, ethics, and social responsibilities essential for personal and
professional life. Undoubtedly, ethics is still imperative and must be taught in universities,
acknowledging that some students lack good behavior due to a deficiency in understanding the
significance of ethics and values.
We dug deeper into their opinions regarding values and ethics education can be
integrated into the current education system, and their answers were generally the same. they
answered that this education could be included in the current education system (curriculum).
Because understanding ethics and values brings numerous benefits with a positive impact on
the teaching and learning system. Values education focuses on shaping students' character
and morality, while ethics education teaches moral principles and good behavior. Integrating
these principles into education equips students with tools to make responsible decisions based
on ethical considerations. This not only contributes to personal development but also fosters a
collective sense of responsibility and ethical awareness within society at large.
According to Elleyne Legi, one of the students, she said that “Can be put together. In fact,
a good education system is an education system that can balance teaching knowledge and
ethical values.”
After exploring in depth the importance of ethics and values as well as how important
ethics and values education is, we also asked students for their opinions on how ethics and
values are developing in the world of lectures today, and asked whether ethics and values are
still well maintained in the social world of lectures. . The answers of each student varied, but in
conclusion they said that the ethics and values in the social environment of their respective
lectures were relatively low. Even so, there are still ethics and values that are maintained.
These are some examples of social problems that occur if someone does not have good
ethics and values in socializing according to the results of the interview:

 Bully
 Someone does not respect the person they are talking to when speaking.
 Someone easily hurts others, with inappropriate words.
 someone commits defamation

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 people who don't want to hear other people's opinions, causing divisions in
friendships
 Do trouble and don't understand etiquette
 Discrimination
 When someone joins a group, but in that group the person does not behave well
or politely, this can result in the person being excluded from the group.
 Spread of rumors or gossip.
 Disrespect

4. CONCLUSION ANDSUGGESTIONS

5. References

Gülcan, N. Y. (2015). Discussing the importance of teaching ethics in education.

Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 2622-2625.

Chowdhury, M. (2018). Emphasizing morals, values, ethics, and character education in

science education and science teaching. MOJES: Malaysian Online Journal of Educational
Sciences, 4(2), 1-16.

M Rahardjo, (2011), Metode Pengumpulan Data Penelitian Kualitatif, Indonesia: Malang.

Sugiyono. (2014). Metode Penelitian Pendidikan Pendekatan Kuantitatif. Kualitatif, dan

R&D. Bandung: Alfabeta.

Beckett, C., Maynard, A., & Jordan, P. (2017). Values and ethics in social work. Sage.

P. Bhandari, (2020), What is Qualitative Research?, Example & Method, Indonesia.

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