Recognition of moral values in university students

Abstract

The importance of encouraging both cognitive and moral development in the classroom is highlighted. To achieve this, 323 students were initially assessed on the values of support (affection), conformity, recognition, independence, benevolence, and leadership using Gordon's Interpersonal Values Questionnaire. The sample was chosen conveniently due to interest in examining the moral growth of young people entering university. Based on the results, a moral development project was conducted during their first semester, utilizing a comic strip featuring real-life situations created by teachers for the tutoring program at the National Polytechnic Institute. Students engaged in group and individual activities weekly, inspired by the comic strip. The findings indicated a significant positive shift in the values of leadership, independence, and benevolence. The work done during the semester appears to have fostered interpersonal values centered on autonomous and prosocial leadership rather than adherence to external norms or seeking approval. The research in the current literature also confirms that educational activities can promote ethical leadership, reinforce benevolence associated with trust, collaboration, and well-being, and encourage autonomy—aligning with shifts toward values focused on personal and social growth.