Course design
Interested in creating a virtue-centered class but not sure where to start? On this page, you will find a number of videos and resources that will take you step-by-step through the course design process.
STEP 1
Why Virtue?
Higher education is not just about knowledge, but about shaping people. Faculty can help students develop character and moral purpose so that all disciplines, whether business or biology or engineering, play their role in promoting human flourishing.
Virtues as Excellences of Character
with Francis Su
Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and is known for his work on character formation and education, authoring the book Mathematics for Human Flourishing. In this video, he discusses how the virtues are excellences of character that then lead to excellent conduct.
Virtues within Professional Education
with Bill Mattison
William C. Mattison, III (Bill) is the Wilsey Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He describes virtues as “ways to stably do certain things well,” and connects the development of virtue to the training that happens as professors prepare students for their professions. In addition to his writing and teaching, Bill Mattison is the Faculty Director of the Moreau First Year Experience, leading the reconception and implementation of the Moreau seminars, part of the Core Curriculum for all Notre Dame undergraduates.
Readings on Virtue & the Purpose of Education
Produced by the Oxford Character Project in partnership with the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, this framework for flourishing lays the groundwork for thinking about holistic character development in the modern university.
In this piece from Virtues & Vocations, Notre Dame Philosophy Professor Meghan Sullivan discusses why many see the university as an unlikely place for character development, but why she believes it must be kept central.
This article clears away some misconceptions that faculty may have about virtue education while also discussing some well-founded potential challenges.
STEP 2
Whose Virtues Are We Talking About?
There are many different virtues: intellectual virtues like curiosity and open-mindedness, moral virtues like justice and honesty, and civic virtues like tolerance and civility. All of these virtues, and many more, can be cultivated in the classroom.
What are Virtues?
with Wes Siscoe
Wes Siscoe, a former postdoctoral fellow with Virtues & Vocations who now works as an assistant professor of philosophy at Bowling Green State University, explains what virtues are and where the concept originated.
Different Kinds of Virtue
with Bill Mattison
William C. Mattison, III (Bill) is the Wilsey Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and the Faculty Director of the Moreau First Year Experience, part of the Core Curriculum for all Notre Dame undergraduates. Mattison describes the difference between categories of virtue such as intellectual and moral.
Readings on Virtue (in Practical and Not Overly Dense Terms)
A theoretical framework for thinking about character and virtue, this guide helps faculty members identify which virtues they want to target in their courses
Learn from Jason Baehr, professor of philosophy and intellectual virtue researcher at Loyola Marymount University, what the intellectual virtues are along with how to cultivate them.
It might be necessary to adapt the language of virtue for your context. Here you will find an approach to virtue and character within a business school, complete with definitions and further resources.
STEP 3
What is the Role of Community?
Virtues are not formed in isolation. The classroom community plays an important role in practicing virtue and helping students cultivate a vision for flourishing. Building community starts from the very first moment that students step in your classroom. As an exemplar, your students will look to you to set the tone and create a culture where it makes sense to care about character.
The Classroom Environment
With Katherine Jo
Katherine Jo is the Director of Program Development and Design with The Purpose Project at Duke University, where she works on curriculum, pedagogy, and programming that engage students in the question of what it means to live a good life. In this video, she discusses the importance of the classroom environment on cultivating and practicing virtue together.
Exemplars and Community
with Bill Mattison
William C. Mattison, III discusses the ways we are formed by community and the importance of giving students places to examine the ways they have been formed. Bill is the Wilsey Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and the Faculty Director of the Moreau First Year Experience, part of the Core Curriculum for all Notre Dame undergraduates.
Readings on Classroom Culture & Community
This article from The Chronicle of Higher Education gives a quick overview of how to create community and culture on the first day of your course.
From the Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning, an in-depth guide to community building in the college classroom with advice, icebreakers, and activities.
STEP 4
How Do I Cultivate Virtue in the Classroom?
Along with the more typical tests and assignments, a character-oriented class can also include many creative assignments, including active learning strategies like habit formation, dialogue, reflection, and relationship-building.
Meaningful Dialogue
with Paul Blaschko
Paul Blaschko is an assistant teaching professor at the University of Notre Dame, where he teaches God and the Good Life, a course dedicated to asking the big questions about meaning, morality, and faith. He also serves as the Director of the Sheedy Family Program in Economy, Enterprise, and Society, a program devoted to exploring how the humanities can help us find meaning in work. In this video, he provides strategies for encouraging meaningful dialogue between students in the classroom.
Virtue, Reflection & Practice
with Jason Baehr
Jason Baehr is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, working especially on “virtue epistemology,” an approach to the philosophical study of knowledge that focuses on intellectual virtues like curiosity, open-mindedness, intellectual humility, intellectual courage, and intellectual tenacity. In this video, he discusses strategies for cultivating virtue in the classroom.
Readings on How to Cultivate Virtue in the Classroom
The Program for Leadership & Character at Wake Forest University in partnership with the Oxford Character Project has developed seven strategies for educating virtue in higher education.
Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, and former president of the Mathematical Association of America. He is the author of Mathematics for Human Flourishing. The resources section of his website contains over 100 open-ended discussion questions as well as activities for cultivating the virtues in a math class. Many of these ideas could be used in other disciplines as well.
Not sure where to start with forming particular virtues like honesty, curiosity, and intellectual humility? These playbooks provide a number of research based guides to educating character in the classroom
STEP 5
What Assessments Evaluate Character Growth?
How will we know if we are successfully cultivating character in our classrooms? Evaluating growth in virtue goes beyond test scores, necessitating a more holistic approach to assessment.
Why Assess Character Growth?
with Elise Dykhuis
Elise Dykhuis is an assistant professor and data analyst at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Her research asks how character assessment and measurement can be improved to be more efficient and effective, and she serves as an assessment consultant on various projects focused on measuring character interventions in higher education. In this video she discusses why assessing character is important.
Tools to Assess Character
with Elise Dykhuis
In this video, Elise Dykhuis suggests tools that can be used in the classroom to evaluate character. Dykhuis is an assistant professor and data analyst at the United States Military Academy at West Point whose research focuses on character assessment.
Readings on Assessing Virtue
A theoretical exploration of character evaluation, this piece considers the conceptual and practical issues that arise when assessing virtue.
Chapter 2 of Understanding Virtue: Theory and Assessment takes an in-depth look at existing research on measuring individual virtues, virtue clusters, and overall character.
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley has developed several online quizzes that can be used as self-assessment tools for several virtues.
