The research project investigates how teachers and peers shape the development of values among primary school children in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Its aim is to uncover the dynamic processes within the classroom that contribute to children's value formation, thereby providing an evidence-based foundation for fostering value-related competencies during the early years of schooling.

Project Overview and Objectives

Despite the prominent role of values in educational frameworks such as the Swiss Curriculum 21 (Lehrplan 21) and the UK OFSTED education standards, relatively little is known about how the social environment of the classroom relates to children's value development. This project addresses this gap by focusing not only on children themselves but specifically on the roles played by teachers and classmates.

Drawing on a mixed-methods longitudinal design, the project combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. A longitudinal study involving approximately 1,000 children in Switzerland is complemented by qualitative interviews with teachers in both Switzerland and the UK. The project pursues two main objectives: 1) To analyse developmental trajectories of children's values and behaviours during the first two years of primary school; and 2) To identify the mechanisms through which pedagogical practices and classroom social dynamics shape children's values.

For the first time, the study examines how these different sources of influence interact with one another, rather than considering them in isolation.

Scientific and Societal Relevance

Building on the findings of the preceding VALISE (VALues In School Education) research project, the present study, VALISE_CLASSROOM, focuses specifically on the processes of value formation within the classroom context. The findings will support teachers and school leaders in creating classroom environments that effectively foster children's social and moral development.

This research is of considerable societal importance, as reflective values education provides a foundation for identity formation, behaviour, and social cohesion. By improving our understanding of how values emerge and are shaped in educational settings, the project aims to contribute to the development of more effective educational practices and policies.

Duration: September 2026 to August 2030