Teaching character; cultivating virtue perception and virtue reasoning through the curriculum

Abstract

Given the increased interest in character education across the world, educators are seeking guidance for their practice. This paper seeks to add to the evidence base about if and how character can be taught by discussing the results of a pilot evaluation (n 527) of a curriculum intervention designed to enhance two components of character: virtue perception and virtue reasoning. After the intervention the participants had improved virtue perception and reasoning scores compared to the control group. Further, female students scored higher in the pilot than their male counterparts. The results demonstrate how educating these components of character might be possible, providing evidence for a debate that goes back to Aristotle and today is keenly debated in academic, policy and practice circles. The findings are significant as they provide evidence as to how character might be taught through and within the programmes of study of existing curriculum subjects.

Wisdom in the digital age: a conceptual and practical framework for understanding and cultivating cyber-wisdom

“…Cyber-wisdom literacy Understanding of the nature of different virtues such as compassion and honesty as well as of the contexts and ways in which different virtues apply to, and can be deployed in, the digital age • Ardelt’s ( 2004 ) wisdom component of cognition (knowledge of human life and events) • Grossmann et al’s ( 2020 ) wisdom component of PMC (meta-cognition necessary to navigate knowledge of different events) • Darnell et al’s ( 2019 ) and Kristjánsson et al’s ( 2021 ) constitutive function of phronesis (understanding of different events and what virtues apply to those events) • Jubilee Centre’s ( 2017 ) concept of virtue literacy (knowledge of different virtues and when these may be needed) To be taught through: • Narratives and stories (see, e.g., Arthur et al, 2014a ; Carr & Harrison, 2015 ) aimed at encouraging students to develop an understanding of what different virtues entail and how these apply to, and can be deployed within, online contexts 2. Cyber-wisdom reasoning Evaluation of, and ability to prioritise, different virtues online, particularly when these clash depending on context • Grossmann et al’s ( 2020 ) wisdom component of PMC (meta-cognition necessary to navigate dilemmas) • Darnell et al’s ( 2019 ) and Kristjánsson et al’s ( 2021 ) integrative function of phronesis (evaluation of events that present dilemmas) • Jubilee Centre’s ( 2017 ) concept of virtue reasoning (deliberation aimed at choosing which virtues to deploy depending on context) To be taught through: • Classroom discussions (see, e.g., Harrison et al, 2018 ; Hedayati-Mehdiabadi et al, 2020 ) aimed at encouraging students to evaluate possible dilemmas online both hypothetically and in relation to their own online experiences 3. Cyber-wisdom self-reflection Reflection on the moral dimensions of one’s own experiences online in ways that are grounded in (1) awareness of one’s own biases and how these can clash with the perspectives of others, and (2) the ability (a) to regulate one’s own emotions (e.g., when experiencing ethical dilemmas online) and (b) to navigate, depending on context, the emotions of others • Ardelt’s ( 2004 ) wisdom component of reflection (self-examination of events from multiple perspectives) • Grossmann et al’s ( 2020 ) wisdom component of PMC (meta-cognition necessary to navigate multiple perspectives) • Darnell et al’s ( ...…”

“…• Classroom discussions (see, e.g., Harrison et al, 2018 ; Hedayati-Mehdiabadi et al, 2020 ) aimed at encouraging students to evaluate possible dilemmas online both hypothetically and in relation to their own online experiences…”

“…Conceived in this way, this component echoes how the concept of virtue reasoning (i.e., deliberation aimed at choosing which virtues to deploy depending on context) may be cultivated in practice via formal education (Jubilee Centre, 2017 ). Indeed, we know from character education research that asking students to explore and discuss ethical dilemmas contributes to their ability to use moral reasoning to evaluate multiple scenarios and choose the best course of action in a given situation (Harrison et al, 2018 ; Hedayati-Mehdiabadi et al, 2020 ).…”

The Future of Art Education: Enhancing Character Values Through Karawitan at Prymary School

“…Found that educational strategies for student character development are needed for long-term change [21]. Teach characterfostering moral perceptions and moral lessons through the curriculum [22]. Professional formation to support teachers as educators who are effective in motivating for moral development is determined by previous studies [23; 24; 25;].…”

The Modern Textbook as a Laboratory of Creating a Morally Full-Fledged Individual

“…The process of obtaining knowledge and mastering skills and abilities in certain disciplines, no doubt, should be combined with formation of young people's inner world and the moral basis of their behavior. Teachers, psychologists, education coordinators not only put the moral upbringing alongside with the development of intelligence, physical fitness, industriousness, aesthetic sensibility; they put it in the priority place among other goals of educational tasks (Xue & Jian, 2021;Goodman, 2019;Harrison, Burn & Moller, 2020).…”