Integrating Values Education into Teaching: Perspective from Subject Teachers in Thailand

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: This study explored how Adventist teachers integrate values education into their teaching practices, and its impacts on student development within Christian educational contexts. It specifically focused on the integration of values education, particularly Biblical moral values, by science and mathematics teachers at Adventist International schools in Thailand.

Introduction/Background: Values education is essential for shaping students’ character and moral compasses in today’s era. Increasingly, growing evidence suggests a concerning trend of moral decline that has impacted the field of education. Reports of questionable attitudes, student altercations, and even criminal behavior among young people raise an alarm within communities. If these issues are not addressed, it will become increasingly difficult to find effective ways to strengthen both societal and student morality. Although the importance of moral education is widely recognized, research indicates that moral instruction is often treated as a separate subject instead of being integrated into academic learning. This separation can make values feel abstract or disconnected from students' real-life experiences and daily decision-making.

Christian school settings, particularly within the Adventist educational framework, are based on holistic development and aim to enhance students’ spiritual, intellectual, physical, and moral growth. Adventist education prioritizes the word of God, the Bible, as the focus of knowledge. Teachers in Adventist education serve as spiritual mentors, integrating faith into their teaching methods. While this philosophy positions values education as integral to the curriculum, in practice, moral values are still at risk of being taught in isolation, limiting students’ ability to recognize their relevance across subject areas. There is currently limited empirical evidence on how Biblical moral values are integrated into academic subjects, particularly in fields like science and mathematics. Additionally, few studies explore how this integration takes place at various stages of teaching—before, during, and after lessons. Addressing this gap is essential for understanding how Adventist teachers can successfully integrate faith, values, and academic rigor, which is important for students’ holistic development.

Methodology: This research employed a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological approach, focusing on the experiences of ten teachers with a minimum of five years of teaching experience in Adventist education. The study was conducted in three different provinces of Thailand, focusing on Adventist International Schools located in Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Saraburi. These schools were chosen because their teachers and students come from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, providing rich perspectives for exploring the integration of moral values in education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was employed to understand the teachers' experiences during three phases: pre-teaching, during teaching, and post-teaching. The study was validated through peer review and member checking to ensure accurate reflection of the participants' experiences and perspectives. Direct quotations were used to support analytical assertions and ensure the reliability, accuracy, and consistency of the coding process.

Findings: The findings revealed that during the pre-teaching phase, teachers intentionally planned moral values by setting clear moral objectives and using Biblical verses or stories that aligned with their lesson content. During the teaching phase, teachers connected Biblical values to lesson contents through real-life applications, facilitated discussions on moral issues, and served as models of Christian behavior. Teachers applied various pedagogical strategies and approaches, including analogies, cooperative, hands-on, experiential learning, critical thinking, consistent moral teaching, and fostering student autonomy, to make moral concepts engaging and meaningful for students. In the post-teaching phase, teachers reflected on the behavioral changes observed in students, such as increased classroom harmony, unity, respect, leadership, and responsibility. The study also found that integrating moral values has a lasting impact on students’ moral development, providing lifelong guidance and protection.

Contribution/Impact on Society: This study provides practical insights for Christian teachers seeking to nurture moral growth alongside academic learning. It emphasizes the importance of intentional planning, various teaching strategies, including cooperative learning, hands-on experiences, critical thinking, metaphorical, mana-inspired leadership, and reflective practices. These strategies are crucial in shaping students’ moral development within faith-based education systems. The study also contributes to a deeper understanding of how faith and education can be effectively integrated to support students’ holistic development.

Recommendations: Schools in faith-based educational settings may consider implementing similar frameworks to promote moral reasoning and social responsibility. To facilitate the effective integration of faith and learning, schools should provide workshops on faith-based integration strategies, for example, connecting Biblical analogies in science and math, designing moral dilemma activities, promoting students' autonomy, cultivating positive mindsets, and encouraging collaboration among teachers to share best practices for integrating moral values into diverse subjects.

Research Limitation: This study’s scope focused on the experiences of science and math teachers in Adventist International Schools. This limits its applicability to other subjects or educational institutions outside the context of Christian schools. While the study emphasized the role of teachers, it did not consider the perspectives of students, including students' viewpoints, which could have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the impacts and effectiveness of these practices.

Future Research: Future researchers are encouraged to collect data from multiple sources, including teachers’ lesson plans, classroom observations, and student feedback surveys. Additionally, future studies replicating this study among non-Adventist Christians, secular institutions, or other cultural contexts may assess the generalizability of the findings. Furthermore, conducting student-centered research may provide further enriched insights into the perceived impact of values education on their moral development.