The MelArete Project to Foster Ethical Development: from theory to practice

The chapter presents the MelArete project, which includes the following components: (a) a theory of ethical education, conceived as education to care and virtues; (b) an educational programme aimed at encouraging primary school children to reflect on ethical concepts and experiences; and (c) a qualitative research to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of the designed educational activities in fostering the development of children’s ethical thinking. In particular, the chapter outlines the theory of ethical education in which the educational programme is grounded, also by comparing it with the main traditions in this field. Then, it presents in detail the educational activities designed for primary school and, in the conclusion, discusses them with reference to research findings.