More specifically, this study first demonstrated that SSI instruction could
bring about a moderately large impact on students’ ability to understand the
key ideas of others and to value others’ perspectives. Considering that a
majority of the participating students had not previously been exposed to SSI
instruction, this effect was quite noticeable. We suggest that this effect is
caused, in part, by the inherent nature of SSI, which is complex and to which
there is often no clear correct answer. Lacking clear-cut procedures and a
fixed solution, the further students discussed an issue, the more they realized
that being open to the different perspectives surrounding these issues was
important for developing better solutions. They also tended to adopt and
understand the perspectives of others so as to better understand disparate
viewpoints. This confirms the findings of previous research that SSI
instruction can also contribute to the character development of students as
moral agents (Lee et al. 2012, 2013).