Developing a Model of Factors Influencing Students’ Moral Competencies
Keywords:
Moral competence, student, causal model, content analysis, structural equations, educationAbstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify and model the causal factors influencing students’ moral competencies using a mixed-methods approach.
Methodology: This study employed a mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, grounded theory and qualitative content analysis were used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 educational experts and analyzed via open, axial, and selective coding. In the quantitative phase, a researcher-made questionnaire was administered to 370 teachers using cluster sampling. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed in Smart PLS to analyze the data.
Findings: Qualitative findings revealed five main causal factors influencing students’ moral competencies: family, school, society, individual, and digital media. Quantitative results showed that all causal paths from the five components to moral competence were statistically significant (p<0.01), with society (β = 0.870) and school (β = 0.816) having the strongest effects. Model fit indices such as AVE, CR, and R² indicated acceptable construct validity and reliability.
Conclusion: Students’ moral competence is a multidimensional construct shaped by individual, familial, educational, social, and media-related factors. The findings provide a foundation for developing educational policies and designing ethical development programs within school systems.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ahmed Abdulzahra Abd Zaid (Author); Faranak Mosavi; Ali Raheem Mohammed Alsaeedi, Nasrolah Ghashghaeizadeh (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
