www.jsser.org 

Journal of Social Studies Education Research 

Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi 

 

2018:9 (2), 295-305 

  

 

295 

 

Ethical Discussions in the National Literature as a Form of Moral Education of the 

Students 

 

Farida Gabidullina1, Zifa Akhatova2, Irina Karimova3, Olga Glukhova4, Raif Zakirov 5 

 

Abstract 

The article is devoted to the problems of moral education of students through the ethical conversations at 

the seminars of the course "history of Tatar literature". On the example of several classical works, firstly, 

the educational potential of literature is shown, and secondly, the effectiveness of ethical conversations and 

the system of value-oriented situations is emphasized. Experimental work on the basis of ranking the life 

values of young people shows the degree of effectiveness of the combination of ethical conversations and 

value-oriented situations in the formation of moral personality.  

 

Key words: society, literature, moral education, transcendent dialogue, problem situation, value-

oriented situations. 

 

Introduction 

The problem of moral education is in the center of society's attention. This problem becomes 

especially urgent in the conditions of progressive change of all aspects of society. Undoubtedly, 

education should begin with birth and even before it, but its duration also has a great importance. 

To student, being a practically formed personality, on the one hand, it is more difficult to be 

influenced by the educational influence than, for example, a pupil. However, a number of factors, 

in particular, immersion in a new environment for him create positive conditions for absorbing the 

positive impact of university life (Akhmetshin et. al., 2017; Aydarova et al., 2017; Korableva et. 

al., 2017b). Therefore, the work on the formation of spiritual and moral qualities of the individual 

continues in terms of study in a higher educational institution.  

 Each teacher of the University uses different forms and methods of teaching and education of 

students in order to improve the quality of education (Bochkareva et al., 2017). The seminar lesson 

                                                 
1 Assoc. Prof., Yelabuzhsky Institute of Kazan Federal University, Tatarstan, farida-vip@mail.ru  
2 Assoc. Prof., Naberezhnye Chelny state pedagogical University, Tatarstan, ahatova-z@yandex.ru  
3 Assoc. Prof., Naberezhnye Chelny state pedagogical University, Tatarstan, ava.tar16@mail.ru  
4 Assoc. Prof.,, Naberezhnye Chelny state pedagogical University, Tatarstan, kate-fashion@yandex.ru  
5 Assoc. Prof., Naberezhnye Chelny state pedagogical University, Tatarstan, razina.mh@mail.ru  

mailto:farida-vip@mail.ru
mailto:ahatova-z@yandex.ru
mailto:ava.tar16@mail.ru
mailto:kate-fashion@yandex.ru
mailto:razina.mh@mail.ru


Journal of Social Studies Education Research                                                      2018: 9 (2), 295-305 
 

 

is one of the most effective and at the same time the most complex form of educational process 

(Tarman et al., 2015; Yiğit & Tarman, 2016). The level of the seminar, its pedagogical, methodical 

and educational effects are determined by the activity of students in the classroom.  

The development of personality depends on a variety of factors, among which the important role 

is played by the volume and nature of reading. Reading helps to broaden their horizons, develop 

intelligence, the ability to see beauty in art and everyday life, the material selected for reading, 

affects the moral development of man (Mauch, & Tarman, 2016). Moral and spiritual education 

forms the core of the individual, positively affecting all parties and forms of the relationship 

between man and world: on his ethical and aesthetic development, ideology and the formation of 

a civic stand, patriotic and family orientation (Magsumov, 2017), intellectual capacity, emotional 

state and overall physical and mental development.  

The works of such famous teachers as Huziahmetov (2006), Nizamov (2005), Magsumov (2013a, 

2013b, 2014, 2015, 2016), and Jallaliev (2003) etc. has made a significant contribution to the 

theory of moral education. Their works mainly appeal to the means of national pedagogy, put at 

the forefront the formation of patience and tolerance, respect for elders, self-discipline and respect 

for the national wealth. At the same time, it should be noted that the socio-cultural situation in the 

country, creating a blurred value ideas and uncertainty of life orientations of young people, greatly 

complicated the educational process.  

 

Method 

In this work we explore the possibilities of one of the methods of education of moral and spiritual 

qualities – ethical conversations (Magsumov, 2014). The work is based on general scientific 

methods of analysis, synthesis, systematization and such empirical methods as observation, study 

of pedagogical activity results, experiment.  

 

Findings 

Observation of the reaction of students of philology faculty reveals two polar tendencies in their 

attitude to the environment: some of them show a pattern of tolerance to the events taking place in 

the historical arena, others show a hot disagreement with the socio-political situation. It is 

sometimes difficult to determine where are the tolerance and indifference border, the ability to 

fight for their rights, civic activism and madness of others (Abduali et al., 2017; Il’yashchenko et 



  Gabidullina et al. 

al., 2014). There is no doubt that history has tendency to repeat, which means that the substitution 

of concepts, increasingly and more clearly manifested double standards in respect of people of 

different backgrounds, different nationalities has already taken place in the national and world 

history, has already been described in the literature. Defining the program of moral development 

of students, we set the following purposes: 

- the student should understand the course and prospects of world development; correctly assess 

the events within the country and in the international arena; understand moral and spiritual values; 

strive for justice and freedom of peoples; 

 - it is important to foster love and devotion to the motherland; intolerance of national and racial 

hostility; culture of international relations; 

 - to form respect for own and other people's work; the desire to work in good faith for the common 

and personal good; 

 - to foster care in relation to nature, the ability to take care of the public wealth; 

- ability to work in a team, to show humanity, mutual assistance; ability to take care of the family 

and upbringing of children; 

 - training the honesty, truthfulness, personal dignity, etc. 

Seminar classes on the subject "History of Tatar literature" showed the importance and expediency 

of applying to the transcendent dialogue, ethical conversations during the working with students.  

It is not necessary the approach to a common opinion in such lessons, in our opinion, "the revival" 

of the value and semantic sphere of the students' personality is much more important, their 

understanding of the spiritual and moral problems of educational content. The transcendental 

dialogue in the seminars on literature can be built on the following technological chain (Korableva 

& Kalimullina, 2016; Korableva et al, 2017a): 

- the teacher creates a problem situation on the basis of the content of the studied text. The task of 

students is to realize the inconsistency of the proposed situation. The teacher organizes reflection 

on the problem and its formulation. Students identify and formulate the problem of moral content;  

- the teacher organizes the search and testing of the hypothesis through the dialogue. Students put 

forward hypotheses that explain the problem;  

- the teacher organizes a generalization of all the hypotheses and gives a block of information. 

Students summarize hypotheses and test them on the material of the text;  



Journal of Social Studies Education Research                                                      2018: 9 (2), 295-305 
 

 

- the teacher establishes a connection between the studying story or events and similar events in 

the life. Students compare and analyze the events of their own spiritual experience;  

     Transcendental dialogue helps to create truth, to understand the situation from different sides, 

because in life the same actions, based on motivation, historical reality, etc. can be regarded in 

different ways (Tarman, 2016; Korableva & Kalimullina, 2014; Тesleva & Belkova, 2014). 

Scientists, appreciating the advantages of this method of conversation, write: "live communication 

of the teacher and student in the process of analyzing works of art in the classroom takes place 

mainly in conversation" (Fedorova, 2003, p. 55). 

At the same time to understand the term we refer to the work of Ryabchikova (2009), in which the 

transcendent dialogue is explained as "the dialogue interaction of participants in the educational 

process, aimed at finding the truth, exploring the essence and content of values-ideals in the 

interaction of teachers and pupils"  (p. 15). That is, the method is very close to ethical 

conversations, which serve as a method of attracting correct assessments and judgments to the 

development. In order to test the effectiveness of the method of conversation, we organized an 

experimental work.  

At the first stage of experimental work the initial diagnostics of the values' system of students of 

philological faculty was carried out. During the experiment, the predominant method was the 

questionnaire "Ranking of the sphere of value orientations".  

In total, 32 full-time students participated in the experimental work. The work was carried out in 

the period from September 25 to December 30, 2017. Students were offered to choose the five 

most important values out of 16 offered. Thus, a total of 80 answers were chosen by students. The 

results of the survey are presented in table 1. 

Table 1  

The results of the survey  

System of values The number of choices System of values The number of choices 

(in percentage)  (in percentage)  

Material 15 (47%) Material 15 (47%) 

Professional 10 (31%) Professional 10 (31%) 

Panhuman  6 (19%) Panhuman  6 (19%) 

 

Thus, the choice of students shows that material and professional values are the most important 

for them. The spiritual values that were proposed in questions 3, 8, 10, 13 were designated as the 



  Gabidullina et al. 

least important. These questions in the questionnaire relate to enjoying the beauty of nature and 

art, initiation to the spiritual culture, realization of their talents and abilities, creative self-

expression.  

At the formative stage, we have organized seminars on the basis of the transcendental dialogue. 

The theme of the seminar lessons are in table 2. 

 

Table 2 

The theme of the seminar lessons  

The theme of the  The purpose of the lesson The theme of the  The purpose of the lesson 

The work of R. Zaidulla. 

Symbolic images in the story 

"Soyembika". Comparative 

characteristics of the Queen 

Soyembika  and Soyembika 

– the heroine of the story.  

Education of national 

consciousness, denial of 

psychology of slavery as a 

brake of progress of the 

nation and happiness of the 

individual.  

The work of R. Zaidulla. 

Symbolic images in the 

story "Soyembika". 

Comparative characteristics 

of the Queen Soyembika  

and Soyembika – the 

heroine of the story.  

Education of national 

consciousness, denial of 

psychology of slavery as a 

brake of progress of the 

nation and happiness of the 

individual.  

The work of Z. Hakim. The 

problem of a positive 

character in the drama 

"Sadness of the century". 

The problem of preserving 

humanity in a series of 

bloody historical events.  

Education of understanding 

of that it is impossible to 

create good, operating evil. 

Society built on blood and 

bones does not bring 

happiness even to its 

creators. 

The work of Z. Hakim. The 

problem of a positive 

character in the drama 

"Sadness of the century". 

The problem of preserving 

humanity in a series of 

bloody historical events.  

Education of understanding 

of that it is impossible to 

create good, operating evil. 

Society built on blood and 

bones does not bring 

happiness even to its 

creators. 

The problem of drug abuse 

in the work by M. Malikova 

"Flower honey".  

Show the dependence of the 

process of formation of the 

individual and his 

environment; return to the 

origins, to nature as a means 

of healing from vices. 

The problem of drug abuse 

in the work by M. Malikova 

"Flower honey".  

Show the dependence of the 

process of formation of the 

individual and his 

environment; return to the 

origins, to nature as a means 

of healing from vices. 

The problem of preservation 

of purity and morality of the 

Tatar people in the novel 

"Karabulak" by F. 

Bayramova. Clash of 

national interests in the 

novel.  

To show the importance of 

preserving the integrity, the 

danger of blind adherence to 

public opinion (in the 

manner of Anna Vavilovna); 

education of respect for 

themselves, for their nation; 

the education of intolerance 

The problem of preservation 

of purity and morality of the 

Tatar people in the novel 

"Karabulak" by F. 

Bayramova. Clash of 

national interests in the 

novel.  

To show the importance of 

preserving the integrity, the 

danger of blind adherence to 

public opinion (in the 

manner of Anna Vavilovna); 

education of respect for 

themselves, for their nation; 

the education of intolerance 



Journal of Social Studies Education Research                                                      2018: 9 (2), 295-305 
 

 
to any manifestations of 

genocide of nations. 

to any manifestations of 

genocide of nations. 

 

Conversation, dialogue in the classroom, first of all, depends on the correct, well-chosen questions. 

They should not reveal how much the student is familiar with the plot of the work, as the seminar 

originally implies knowledge of the content, questions should show the student's attitude to the 

hero, actions; there should be a link between the past and the future, the work and today's realities. 

Now we consider the issues that we discussed at the seminar on the novel "Karabulak" by F. 

Bayramova.  

1. Tell us about the main characters of F. Bayramova's novel "Карабулак" ("Karabulak"). 

2. What is the national character of the characters? Is this characteristic of national heroes 

traditional in modern literature? 

3. Whose voice sounds stronger: the voice Gulcihan or Anna Vavilovna? 

4. Is Anna Vavilovna patriot or pseudo patriot? What difference do you see between these 

two concepts? 

Without going into the content of the novel, let us briefly explain the essence: the modern famous 

Tatar writer F. Bayramova tells about the tragic fate of the inhabitants of the Tatar village 

Karabulak. There honor and respect for their ancestors, for their land, faith reigned for a long time. 

Even in the terrible Soviet times, when those who held the post were persecuted by the authorities, 

the people tried not to retreat from the Covenant of the oldest (Fedorov, 2014a; Fedorov, 2014b). 

As a result, rarely people did not live to a hundred years. Once near the village begins construction 

of a strange object called "Маяк" ("Lighthouse"). Presented as an object of salvation for the people 

(thanks to him, many received jobs), "Маяк" ("Lighthouse") in fact becomes the object of death. 

Due to testing performed on "Маяк" ("Lighthouse"), a huge number of harmful, radioactive 

materials emitted into the air, hardly anyone in the village retains its health, children start to hurt, 

many people suffer from baldness, cancer in 40-50 years is becoming the norm. Gulcihan goes 

into the struggle for life and health of the nation, which is also about fifty and third stage cancer. 

Time spent in the archives, does not pass for nothing, a terrible secret reveals for Gulcihan: experts 

have concluded that in the village of Karabulak is forbidden to live long time ago, on paper 

residents have long been relocated; the fact that doctors respond to complaints from residents about 

their health "you have a common disease", in fact oncology; other areas affected by radiation, 



  Gabidullina et al. 

receive state aid through which somehow can support the body, residents were refused and in this, 

moreover, the village was erased from the map and the document of inhabitants are burned in 

specially arranged fire. Gulcihan was fighting with injustice and for it she was considered 

nationalist, who is capable of terrorism.  

During the discussion of the second issue, the views of students were divided. It was expected that 

they would turn to pre-revolutionary works, where the national character is the most vivid: patience 

of Yusuf (Kul Gali), hardworking Nafisa (G. Bashirov), but practice has shown that students prefer 

to turn to modern literature. For example, the idea that there is no trace of the national character in 

the modern Tatar village is emphasized: the work of N.Gimatdinova "Проклятие белого 

журавля" ("Curse of the white crane") describes a Tatar village full of jealous, unhappy, drunk 

people. Some students emphasized the subservience of the characters, their obedience to the 

detriment of their interests, their nation in the story of R. Zaidulla "Syuyumbike"; at the same time 

the national traits of the main characters Zarif and Zadin presented as mutual aid, humanity, 

passion for music in the drama of Z. Hakeem "Немая кукушка" ("The mute cuckoo"). During the 

conversation, the way of creating a national hero in the Tatar literature was traced: patient, 

generous, good-natured, honoring Allah and the canons of Islam in Medieval literature; decisive, 

advocating for gender equality, the ability to fight for personal happiness of the Enlightenment; 

devoted himself to the struggle for the progress of the nation of the early twentieth century. It was 

revealed that after the revolution of 1917 it becomes more difficult to operate with the concepts of 

the national hero, the national character, the nature of the Bolshevik is talked about in the works. 

During the war years both the Russian and Tatar literature praises the heroism, the ability to 

sacrifice them for the homeland. Based on contemporary works that are read by students in the 

course "Modern Tatar literature" the students shared thoughts about such national characteristics 

as the desire for a peaceful life, without the oppression of people of other Nations, religions (M. 

Khabibullin, "Khan Kubrat", humanism and the desire to help your friend (Z. Hakim, "The mute 

cuckoo", but contemporary national character is often broken by reality.  

Other questions were also discussed with interest, students showed a high degree of interest. In 

particular, the image of Anna Ivanovna Vavilova suffering from the cancer, losing her husband 

and her children because of the "Lighthouse", but is staunchly showing "patriotism" caused no 

laughter, not condemnation, but regret that there are a lot of such social activists and we hear their 

voice, while the voice such as Gulcihan's voice is tried to be drown out. There was discussion not 



Journal of Social Studies Education Research                                                      2018: 9 (2), 295-305 
 

 

of the work, there was a discussion rather of a moral component which is useful for students, in 

the course of such seminars they are brought up such qualities as justice, honor, the ability to 

distinguish positive from negative, even if it is presented as positive.  

The effectiveness of this program was tested at the control stage of the study. To do this, an output 

diagnosis of the system of values of students by the method of "Ranking the sphere of value 

orientations" was carried out at the end of the experimental work, the results of which are fixated 

in table 3.  

Table 3  

Results of an output diagnosis of the system of values of students by the method of "Ranking the 

sphere of value orientations"  

System of values 

 

The number of choices 

(in percentage) 

Material 8 (25%) 

Professional 14 (44%) 

Panhuman  4 (12%) 

Spiritual 6 (19%) 

 

Conclusion  

One of the most important tasks of the seminar classes in literature is to educate a competent 

reader, and the word literacy means not a person with a high level of speech culture, but the 

qualification of the individual as a reader, watching not only the development of the plot, but also 

able to understand the text, understand the author's position, to make their own interpretation. 

Thus, it was experimentally revealed that ethical conversations help the birth of truth, 

understanding the situation from different sides, as there are a lot of the same actions, based on 

motivation, which can be regarded in different ways; moreover, this form of work has an influence 

on the formation of moral values of students.  

 

Acknowledgements 

The work is performed according to the Russian Government Program of Competitive Growth of 

Kazan Federal University. 

 

 

 

 

  



  Gabidullina et al. 

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