Abstract
Moral education as a school subject has started in Japan. In such a major milestone, it is important to consider how to shape moral education. This study focused on the relationship between moral education and creativity education. Fostering creativity is also considered an important goal. However, recent empirical studies have pointed out that activating creative attitudes can induce immoral behavior. If moral education and creativity education are at odds with each other, it may be difficult to promote them in parallel. Therefore, in this study, after reviewing the empirical research findings that creativity and morality conflict, the goals and approaches in moral education were organized. Then, focusing on the goals of moral education in Japan, the relationship between creativity education and moral education was theoretically examined. In conclusion, the negative impact of creativity education on moral education is likely to be limited. In the current Japanese moral education, there is a stronger emphasis on the development of independent judgment and multifaceted thinking skills than on the acquisition of specific moral values. Creativity may be at odds with morality in the narrow sense, but it is likely to make a positive contribution to the development of moral thinking skills. Although it depends on situational factors, the direction in which creativity is utilized depends largely on the moral values and beliefs of the individual. In order for creativity to be reciprocated, morality is necessary, and in order for morality to be exercised at a high level, creativity is necessary. Morality and creativity can be seen as having such a complementary relationship. In the future, it is required to examine more realistically how to develop moral education in relation to creativity education, from the perspective of class contents and achievement goals at each school level.
