What is Character? Virtue Ethics in Education

Program Overview

This 2-week MOOC from the University of Birmingham explores character education, examining its importance, implications, and methods for teaching and fostering character in schools.

Program Outline

Outline:

• Duration: 2 weeks
• Week 1:
• Examination of what character education is, what it is not, and why it matters.
• Discussion of the question "Should character be taught in schools?"
• Week 2:
• Exploration of the implications of character education in practical settings.
• Discussion of how character can be "caught" and "taught" in schools.
• Examination of the role of teachers in character education.
• The course is delivered through an interactive web-based platform.
• The course content is quality-assured in line with other University of Birmingham programs.

Other:

• The course is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) offered through FutureLearn.
• The course is free and open to learners from across the UK and the world.
• The course provides a taster course for the MA in Character Education offered by the University of Birmingham.
• The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a research center that examines the impact of character and virtues on individuals and society.
• The Centre promotes the practical application of its research through various development projects.
• The Centre believes that the virtues that make up a good character can be learned and taught.