Enhancing school crisis prevention immunity through moral education: Insights from the framework of social and emotional learning

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ABSTRACT This article introduces current initiatives in moral education and discusses the future direction of its practice. Moral education has recently been designated in the Japanese curriculum as a ‘special subject,’ prompted by increasing school crises such as bullying. However, practices in moral education instruction lack an evidence-based approach. One key to achieving true effectiveness lies in the new framework of Social and Emotional Learning, with multiple evidence-based approaches proposed. The aim has shifted toward helping students not only become ‘more prosocial’ and ‘moral’ but also achieve a ‘healthier’ state of well-being. To nurture students’ abilities, a moral approach that contributes to each student’s personal development, academic success, and social impact is required. In this context, considering the development of both the individual and the ever-influential environment, this article proposes a direction for moral education in the future, highlighting the importance of holistic approaches to foster healthy development in students.