Character Education
About Character Traits
Character education helps students develop the traits needed to make thoughtful, ethical, and responsible choices in school, work, and community life. This page explores how virtues appear in real situations and how they grow through practice, reflection, guidance, and everyday decision-making.
While contributing to an international open-source project, a student notices comments that stereotype developers from certain regions as submitting “low-quality code.” The student is uncomfortable but unsure how to respond.
After seeking advice from a professor, the student posts a respectful message explaining the harm of the comments and suggesting a community code of conduct. Others share similar concerns, and the maintainer apologizes and invites the student to help draft a new contribution policy.
The Four Pillars of Virtue
A holistic education develops the “whole person” through four distinct categories of virtues [1]:
| Category | Character Traits (examples) | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Moral | Honesty, Courage, Integrity, Justice, Compassion, Hope | Guiding ethical behavior and personal “north stars.” |
| Civic | Citizenship, Service, Responsibility | Connecting students to their roles within a community. |
| Intellectual | Intellectual Honesty, Open-mindeness | Fostering academic excellence and a love for learning. |
| Performance Strengths | Resilience, Leadership, Teamwork | Enabling success in high-pressure academic and career settings. |
Character education isn’t just about following rules; it is the intentional cultivation of character traits (or virtues), that shape how we think, feel, and act “for the good”. By developing these character traits, students don’t just learn what to do; they become the kind of people who instinctively do the right thing for the right reasons.
The vignette above demonstrates that character is not separate from learning or professional work. Virtues such as judgment, responsibility, courage, humility, and care shape how people make decisions when there is pressure, uncertainty, or no obvious right answer.
While contributing to an international open-source project, a student notices comments that stereotype developers from certain regions as submitting “low-quality code.” The student is uncomfortable but unsure how to respond.
After seeking advice from a professor, the student posts a respectful message explaining the harm of the comments and suggesting a community code of conduct. Others share similar concerns, and the maintainer apologizes and invites the student to help draft a new contribution policy.
This vignette above highlights judgment in navigating online discourse, courage and integrity in addressing discrimination, civic responsibility in promoting inclusive digital spaces, and the performance strength perseverance in advocating for ethical community norms.
The Core: Practical Wisdom (Phronesis)
The meta-virtue is Practical Wisdom (or phronesis). This is the “integrative virtue” that allows us to balance competing virtues in complex situations [2].
For example: What happens when being honest might hurt someone’s feelings? Practical wisdom helps navigate the tension between Honesty and Compassion, allowing you to act decisively and ethically in real-time.
How Traits are Grown
Traits can be fostered and grow over time. The more you exercise them, the stronger they become. Unlike a fleeting emotion, attitude, or one-time act of gratitude, a virtue is a reliable trait that becomes part of your identity.
When a student chooses resilience in the face of a difficult exam, they aren’t just passing a test; they are “fortifying” their character for the challenges of the future.
Character isn’t just “taught” in a classroom; it is absorbed through every aspect of the university experience [3].
- Caught: Internalizing virtues by observing mentors and faculty who lead by example.
- Taught: Explicitly exploring ethical frameworks and case studies within the curriculum.
- Sought: Pursuing personal growth through reflection, mission statements, and intentional habit-building.
Some approaches to teaching character are discussed in Strategies for Character Development.
Ready to Grow or Help Others Grow?
Character education is a lifelong journey of becoming. How will you practice your virtues today? Explore suggestions on our pages.
The Impact: Beyond the Classroom
Character education is the ultimate preparation for the real world. Research shows that students who focus on virtue development experience needed for their personal and professional growth.
References:
[1] Kristjánsson, K., & Arthur, J. (2022). The Jubilee Centre Framework for Character Education in Schools, 3rd revised version. Birmingham: The Jubilee Centre for Character and Values. Retrieved from https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/character-education-/the-jubilee-centre-framework-for-character-education-in-schools/
[2] Kristjánsson, K., McLoughlin, S., & Thoma, S. (2023). Phronesis: developing and validating a short measure of practical wisdom. Retrieved from https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/files/211342338/Phronesis_DevelopingAndValidatingAShortMeasureOfPracticalWisdom_Final.pdf
[3] Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues. (2020). Character education in universities: A framework for flourishing. Retrieved from https://oxfordcharacter.org/uploads/files/Character-Education-in-Universities.pdf.
This resource was made possible through funding from the Educating Character Initiative, a project of The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University. The Educating Character Initiative is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.