The goal of moral education is to move students from one stage of development to the next. The focus is on stages rather than on specific values since no clear consensus on values exists, although Kohlberg believed cultures shared basic moral principles. To move from one stage to another, the child is encouraged to think about contradictions or moral dilemmas inherent in their own reasoning. This process is termed "equilbration."
Kohlberg believed the entire community of students should be encouraged to form collective norms and enforce rules and establish fairness. This practical experience of democratic reasoning in the classroom allowed students to practice moral reasoning in a natural environment. Called the "The Just Community Approach," Kohlberg's desire was to involve students in developing community to combat alienation. As school size has increased, supporters of this approach have called for the development of smaller subgroups within schools.
Since the popularization of Kohlberg's theories, educators have developed materials to assist with the teaching of morality. Budd Churchward's "The Honor Level System: Discipline by Design" outlines how teachers can use tools such as reminders, warnings and infraction slips to enforce rules. Thomas Lickona, former president of the Association for Moral Education, has written books for parents, educators and teens about moral choices and developing morality including moral sexual choices.
Lawrence Kohlberg's colleague, Carol Gilligan, became critical of Kohlberg's theories when she disovered that the theories could not account for what she saw in the college classroom in 1970 -- young men internally struggling with the decision of whether or not to register for the draft did not neatly fit Kohlberg's stages. Gilligan further noted that women's view of morality was more focused on providing care than on ensuring justice.