To apply fairness and care to a scenario, name the value, say what the person should do in this case, and give the reason. A value without an action leaves the question only half answered.
This lesson is the first in community and civic responsibilities, inside SPM Pendidikan Moral.
What does “apply” mean in a moral scenario?
Applying means connecting a general value to the particular facts of the case. “Fairness” is the value, and “the food stall should give the last portion to the person who queued first” is the application.
The marker wants to see that you read the scenario. Your action should only make sense for this case.
The four-part routine
- Value. Name the value the scenario tests.
- Case. Point to the detail in the scenario that matters.
- Action. Say what the person should do.
- Reason. Explain how the action shows the value and helps the people involved.
Worked example: a shared court
This is an original scenario. A taman residents’ association has one badminton court. On Saturday morning, a group of teenagers has booked it, but an elderly resident arrives with a grandchild who has waited twice before and never got a turn. What should the teenagers do?
Value: fairness and care. Case: the court is shared, the booking is valid, and the resident and child have already waited twice. Action: the teenagers should play for half the slot, then offer the court to the resident and child for the second half. Reason: this respects the booking, which is fair to the teenagers, and shows care for the child who has not yet had a turn.
The action is specific and keeps everyone’s interest in view. It also does not claim that the teenagers were wrong to book the court.
A common mistake: stopping at the value
A weak answer reads: “The teenagers should show fairness and care.” It names two values, but it does not say what to do, and it would fit almost any scenario.
Compare this with the answer above, which names the booking, the waiting resident and a concrete split of time. Use the same test each time: could a classmate read your answer and know what happens next in the scenario?
Watch for decisions that punish someone
Some actions look caring to one person but unfair to another, such as forcing the teenagers to give up the whole slot. Check each action against everyone in the scenario.
A balanced action usually gives each person something reasonable. If your action takes everything from one side, look for a fairer way to share.
Check yourself
A class notice board has room for one poster. Two groups each want to display their poster for the school’s clean-drain campaign. One group’s poster was submitted first. Write a two-sentence answer applying fairness and care.
Answer
A sample answer: The first group’s poster should go up first because they submitted it first, which is fair. The second group’s poster should go up the following week or on a nearby board, which shows care for their effort.
Any answer that gives each group a reasonable share and names the detail of who submitted first is correct in approach.
What to study next
Move on to explaining cooperation in a diverse society. Plan a response with the moral scenario response planner, then try the cluster practice set.
If you want a teacher to give you fresh scenarios and discuss your reasoning, see online one-to-one Pendidikan Moral tuition.