Lessons in Character shows no discernible effects on knowledge, attitudes, and values¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r1–r2 · q2–q3
Currency · newest study 2006 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? In the randomized controlled trial, average responses across four character-attitude scales were not statistically significant as calculated by the WWC (domain average effect size 0.21). → Lessons in Character 2006 q2 i? In the DeVargas quasi-experimental study, differences on moral development were neither statistically significant nor substantively important (effect size 0.11). → Lessons in Character 2006 (2)

Evidence¶

Lessons in Character 2006¶

Lessons in Character. (2006). WWC Intervention Report, What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/InterventionReport/270

q3 · i? · causal · r2

WWC analysis of the Dietsch, Bayha, & Zheng (2005) trial's four SCCP-II-based attitude scales (student respect, friendship and belonging, shaping the environment, support and care by teachers and staff); none reached significance.

"The average response across each of these four scales was neither statistically significant (as calculated by the WWC) nor large enough to be substantively important using WWC criteria."

Lessons in Character 2006 (2)¶

Lessons in Character. (2006). WWC Intervention Report, What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/InterventionReport/270

q2 · i? · causal · r1

The quasi-experimental DeVargas (1998) study of 61 fifth-grade students in Fort Worth, Texas measured moral judgment with the Sociomoral Reflection Measure—Short Form; the WWC-calculated effect size was 0.11, not significant.

"The DeVargas study reported neither statistically significant nor substantively important differences between the Lessons in Character group and the comparison groups on a measure of moral development."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Four of seven knowledge, attitudes, and values outcomes favor the comparison group, including ethnic identity (effect size -0.19) and both moral reasoning measures, none statistically significant — related
• Lessons in Character shows no discernible effects on student behavior — related
• One item-level attitude finding, on teachers helping students who need extra help, was statistically significant in the randomized trial — related
• In the RCT, the average effect across knowledge, attitudes, and values outcomes was substantively important (0.35) but not statistically significant, with several individual outcomes null — related
• Lessons in Character has potentially positive effects on academic achievement, with statistically significant effects on mathematics grades and attendance in one randomized controlled trial — related
• Improvement indices favor Lessons in Character across all three outcome domains, largest for academic achievement — related