The Program for Leadership and Character is built upon the research and scholarly work of faculty at Wake Forest and beyond. Here’s a short list of resources from faculty and staff at Wake Forest (shown in bold below) that you may find useful as you seek to educate character in your own context.
For questions, please email us at leadershipandcharacter@wfu.edu.
How To Find Resources
Webinars
How to Educate Character in the University Webinar Series
These five webinars, hosted by the Educating Character Initiative, were recorded in Spring 2024.
Session Leaders: Michael Lamb, Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character, and Kenneth Townsend, Executive Director of Leadership and Character in the Professional Schools, Wake Forest University
Description: In this session Michael Lamb and Kenneth Townsend shared their experiences building institutional capacity for educating character by sharing insights from their work at Wake Forest University. They reflected on lessons learned while establishing the Program for Leadership and Character as they looked back on their efforts to engage diverse stakeholders, build faculty and staff partnerships, and support the character development of students.
Session Leader: Michael Lamb, Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character, Wake Forest University
Description: In this session Michael Lamb provided a theoretical framework and practical examples for seven strategies of character development: (1) habituation through practice, (2) reflection on personal experience, (3) engagement with virtuous exemplars, (4) dialogue that increases virtue literacy, (5) awareness of situational variables, (6) moral reminders, and (7) friendships of mutual accountability. Based on work at Wake Forest and with the Oxford Character Project, these seven strategies offer potential guidance for educators who aspire to develop character education programs in their institutions.
Session Leader: Jason Baehr, Professor of Philosophy, Loyola Marymount University
Description: For educators interested in forming the character of their students, it can be difficult to know how to integrate this concern with the everyday business of teaching academic content and skills. A focus on intellectual virtues – understood as the character attributes of good thinkers and learners – offers a promising way of addressing this challenge. In this session Jason Baehr, an expert on intellectual virtues and their cultivation, provided an overview of intellectual virtues and identified some practical steps teachers can take to support their students’ growth in these qualities.
Session Leaders:
- Diane Ryan, Associate Dean for Programs and Administration and Affiliate Associate Professor in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Studies and Human Development at the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University
- Sunah Hyun, Senior Researcher at Tisch College.
Description: During this session, Diane Ryan and Sunah Hyun will share a brief overview of the Tisch College of Civic Life to provide examples of their programs and best practices designed to foster students’ character development. The programs aim to equip students with the values, knowledge, and skills to address social issues and create meaningful change. Tisch College fosters a supportive community to enhance engagement at Tufts University and beyond. The session will also include an explanation of the evaluation framework and the development of objectives specific to different programs.
You can find the slides from this presentation here.
Panelists:
- Robyn Ilten-Gee: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University
- Chrystal Johnson: Associate Professor of Social Studies Education, Purdue University
- Ashley Floyd Kuntz: Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Florida International University
Description: In this session, panelists discuss educating character across differences, from theory to classroom activities.
How to Assess and Measure Character Education in the University Webinar Series
These four webinars and two in-person session recordings, hosted by the Educating Character Initiative, were recorded in Fall 2024 semester.
Session Leader: Betsy Barre, Assistant Provost & Executive Director, Center for the Advancement of Teaching, Wake Forest University
Description: When faculty hear “character assessment,” we sometimes think we are being asked to do a kind of data collection outside of, and at no value-add to, teaching in our area of expertise. In this session, Betsy Barre will lead a conversation about why classroom assessment is not just about measurement or social science; rather, she shows us such assessment plays a valuable role in course design, faculty understanding of classroom success, and student growth. Barre will introduce some principles and examples of effective assessment for disciplines across the university, as well as consider some of the risks and challenges with assessing character in the context of classroom relationships.
Session Leader: Jennifer Brown Urban, Professor of Family Science and Human Development, Co-Director of the Institute for Research on Youth Thriving and Evaluation, Montclair State University
Description: Developing and implementing a character education program is challenging enough. Knowing how to articulate your distinct approach to character, connecting it to what we know from research, and having a plan for evaluating that program is a whole other challenge. In this session, Jennifer Urban will provide you with practical strategies and tools for articulating your programmatic theory of change, connecting your approach to the already existing literature on character development, and developing an evaluation and measurement strategy.
In her presentation, Jennifer Urban mentions Netway (www.evaluationnetway.com), which is software that can be used to make pathway models. Netway also contains the entire Systems Evaluation Protocol including videos, worksheets, and frequently asked questions.
Learn more about how to create a pathway model at Research Gate Guide to the Systems Evaluation Protocol.
Session Leaders:
● Eranda Jayawickreme, Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology and Senior Research Fellow, Program for Leadership and Character, Wake Forest University
● Juliette Ratchford, Research Fellow, Educating Character Initiative, Wake Forest University
Description: As part of developing character-related programs, it is important to assess the impact of these programs on character development. In this session, Eranda Jayawickreme and Juliette Ratchford will introduce different types of character measures, what questions each type can address, and cover common problems and potential solutions to assessing character specifically. This session will prepare participants to make informed choices on which measures they should select for assessing the impact of their program.
Session Leaders:
● Kendra Thomas, Associate Professor of Psychology, Hope College
● Elise Dykhuis, Assistant Professor, United States Military Academy West Point
Description: When considering good educational practice, we want to ensure that we are using good pedagogical and psychometric techniques to support character development. Character assessments vary in their validity and reliability and are often not designed to measure development in context. This session will prepare participants to avoid the most common pitfalls and provide examples of feasible alternatives. Dr. Dykhuis works on character assessment of college students in context, providing robust personalized feedback to promote professional and character development. Dr. Thomas has experience creating and adapting measures to Brazilian schools and to South African home-
mentoring contexts. Both strive to use psychological assessment to promote character development.
Session Leaders from the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development:
● Richard M. Lerner, Professor, Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science, and Institute Director, Tufts University
● Elizabeth M. Dowling, Research Professor and Deputy Institute Director, Tufts University
Description: The goal of this workshop is to add to the methodological toolboxes of evaluators of character education programs, and of researchers studying character development, change-sensitive and, as well, dynamic approaches to research design, measurement, and data analysis. Session leaders will aim to (1) acquaint participants with the concepts and associated vocabulary needed to make key decisions about the best designs, measures, and analyses for the specific theory-based question they are using, (2) explain the different methodological options available for ascertaining change or dynamic change across time and place, as well as assess the strengths and limitations of each method, (3) consider empirical examples that have used these methods in actual evaluation or research projects alongside different methodological strategies available for each example, and (4) provide resources for further learning, consultation, or collaboration.
This session was an in-person workshop held at ECI’s Educating Character Across Differences Conference, December 5-7, 2024, at Wake Forest University.
You can find the slides from this presentation here.
Session Leaders from the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University:
● Rebecca Park, Senior Research Scholar in the College
● Jessica Koehler, Senior Research Scholar in the Professional Schools
● Susan Fesperman, Research Project Manager in the College
Description: Session leaders will lead a workshop designed to help participants (1) understand how the PLC has approached the basic principles of research and program evaluation, (2) gain a more general awareness of a multitude of research methodologies and data management strategies that can be applied in the field of character education, and (3) help participants think about how they might begin to collect and analyze data for their own context and goals.
This session was an in-person workshop held at ECI’s Educating Character Across Differences Conference, December 5-7, 2024, at Wake Forest University.
Explore By Topic
Why Character in Higher Education?
VIDEO: How to Build the Institutional Capacity to Educate Character: Lessons Learned at Wake Forest
- Brooks, E., Lamb, M. & Brant, J. (2022). Should universities cultivate virtue?: A case for character in higher education. In Cultivating Virtue in the University (pp. 3–26).Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Lamb, M., Brooks, E. & Brant, J. (2022) Character education in the university: Opportunities and challenges. In Cultivating Virtue in the University (pp. 253–277). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
How to Educate Character
VIDEO: Seven Strategies for Cultivating Virtue in the University
- Brant, J., Brooks, E., and Lamb, M. Cultivating virtue in the university. New York: Oxford University Press, 2022.
- Allman, K. R., Maranges, H. M., Whiting, E., Park, R., and Lamb, M. (2024). Exploring character in community: Faculty development in a university-level community of practice. Journal of College and Character, 25(3), 221-238.
- Lamb, M., Brant, J., & Brooks, E. (2022). Seven strategies for cultivating virtue in the university. In Cultivating Virtue in the University (pp. 115–156). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Lamb, M. (Summer 2023). How to educate hope. Virtues & Vocations.
- Lamb, M., Dykhuis, E., Mendonça, S. & Jayawickreme, E. (2022). Commencing character: A case study of character development in college. Journal of Moral Education, 51(2), 238–260.
- Lamb, M. and Townsend, K. (2024). Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character: A case study. In M.D. Matthews & R.M. Lerner (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Character Development, Volume II (pp. 369-389). New York: Routledge.
- Miller, C. B. The character gap: How good are we? New York: Oxford University Press, 2017.
- Phelps, A. and Brown, D. ( 2023). Exemplars embodied: Can acting form moral character? Educational Theory, 73(5), 728-749.
How to Assess Character
Measuring character is notoriously difficult and varies dramatically depending on your research questions and design, your context and population, and available time and resources, both for the study participants and the researchers.
- Collier‐Spruel, L., Hawkins, A., Jayawickreme, E., Fleeson, W., & Furr, R. M. (2019). Relativism or tolerance? Defining, assessing, connecting, and distinguishing two moral personality features with prominent roles in modern societies. Journal of Personality, 87(6), 1170-1188.
- Dykhuis, E., Ratchford, J. & Schnitker, S. (2023) Contextualized measurement of virtues: best practices and innovations. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 19(5), 862-868.
- Dykhuis, E. M., Mendonça, S. E., Jayawickreme, E., and Lamb, M. (2024). The moral role models scale: Assessing connections to and functions of moral exemplars. Journal of Moral Education, 1-19.
- Mendonça, S., Dykhuis, E. & Lamb M. (2023). Purposeful change: The positive effects of a course-based intervention on character. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 19(2), 323-336.
- Maranges, H. M., Allman, K. R., Mendonça, S. E., and Lamb, M. (2024). Exemplars of purpose: Reliance on moral exemplars supports college students’ purpose in life. International Journal of Educational Research, 123, 102269.
- Zachry, C. E., Phan, L. V., Blackie, L. E., & Jayawickreme, E. (2018). Situation-based contingencies underlying wisdom-content manifestations: Examining intellectual humility in daily life. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 73(8), 1404-1415.
Virtues and Vices
- Miller, C. B. (2015). Empathy as the only hope for the virtue of compassion and as support for a limited unity of the virtues. Philosophy, Theology, and the Sciences, 2(1), 89-113.
- Miller, C. B. (May 2022). What is forgiveness? The Future of Flourishing Blog. Templeton World Charity Foundation.
- Miller, C. B. (2018). Generosity: A preliminary account of a surprisingly neglected virtue. Metaphilosophy, 49(3), 216-245.
- Miller, C. B. (May 2018). True generosity involves more than just giving. Aeon.
- Miller, C. B. (2021). Honesty: The philosophy and psychology of a neglected virtue. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Miller, C. B. and West, R. (Eds.) (2020). Integrity, honesty, and truth seeking. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Miller, C. B. (forthcoming). Fostering honesty: A case study in character education. In J. Beale & C. Easton (Eds.), The Future of Education: Reimagining Its Aims and Responsibilities. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Reynolds, C. J., Stokes, E., Jayawickreme, E., & Furr, R. M. (2023). Truthfulness predominates in Americans’ conceptualization of honesty. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1461672231195355–1461672231195355.
- Lamb, M. (Summer 2023). How to educate hope. Virtues & Vocations. University of Notre Dame.
- Lamb, M. (June 2023). Be what you hope for. Aeon.
- Lamb, M. (2024). Difficult hope: Wendell Berry and climate change. In N.E. Snow (Ed.), The Virtue of Hope, (pp. 345–380). New York: Oxford University Press.
- Lamb, M. (2016). Aquinas and the virtues of hope: Theological and democratic. Journal of Religious Ethics, 44(2), 300–332.
- Townsend, K. (2023). The necessity of hope in legal education: Character development in pluralist contexts age. Journal of Christian Legal Thought, 13(2), 7-13.
- Ducharme, J. & Allman, K. R. (forthcoming). Fostering intellectual humility among undergraduate students: Integrating the seven strategies of character development. In J.L. DeVitis and P. A. Sasso (Eds.), Human Flourishing and Higher Education: Critical Social and Cultural Perspectives. Information Age Publishing.
- Porter, T., Baldwin, C. R., Warren, M. T., Murray, E. D., Cotton Bronk, K., Forgeard, M. J. C., Snow, N. E., & Jayawickreme, E. (2022). Clarifying the content of intellectual humility: A systematic review and integrative framework. Journal of Personality Assessment, 104(5), 573–585.
- Furr, R. M., Miller, C. B., Cole, J., Porth, A., Li, J. and Good, R. (forthcoming). What is patience? Insights emerging from an integration of philosophy and psychology. In S. Schnitker & M. Pianalto (Eds.), Patience. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Brady, M., & Jayawickreme, E. (2023). A philosophical approach to improving empirical research on posttraumatic growth. Philosophical Psychology, 1-24.
- Infurna, F. J., & Jayawickreme, E. (Eds.). (2021). Redesigning research on post-traumatic growth: Challenges, pitfalls, and new directions. Oxford University Press.
- Lamb, M., Taylor-Collins, E., and Silverglate, C. (2019). Character education for social action: A conceptual analysis of the #iwill campaign. Journal of Social Science Education, 18(1), 125–152.
- Gross, M. Wiinikka-Lydon, J., Lamb, M., Pierrakos, O. and Yeaman, A. (2021). The virtues of teamwork: A course module to cultivate the virtuous team worker. In 2021 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
- Brown, D. & Lamb M. (2022). Digital temperance: Adapting an ancient virtue for our technological age. Ethics and Information Technology, 24(4), 24-50.
Character-Based Leadership
Benjamin Rigney, Assistant Director for Leadership and Character in the Law School, held a session on virtuous leadership at our 2023 Course Development and Redesign Workshop. You can watch it here:
Several colleagues at the Wake Forest School of Business have written extensively about leadership. In addition, the school’s Allegacy Center for Leadership and Character has an extensive collection of resources related to leadership.
- Sweeney, P. J. (2024). Character development in leadership and organizational studies. In M.D. Matthews & R.M. Lerner (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Character Development, Volume I (pp. 203-221). New York: Routledge.
- Hannah S. T., Avolio B. J., & Walumbwa F. O. (2011). Relationships between authentic leadership, moral courage, and ethical and pro-social behaviors. Business Ethics Quarterly, 21(4), 555-578.
- Jennings, P. L., Mitchell M. S., & Hannah S. T. (2015). The moral self: A review and integration of the literature. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 36(S1), S104–S168.
- Harms, P. D., Spain, S. M. & Hannah, S. T. (2011). Leader development and the dark side of personality. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(3), 495-509.
- Gok, K., Sumanth, J. J., Bommer, W. H., Demirtas, O., Arslan, A., Eberhard, J., Ozdermir, A. I. & Yigit, A. (2017). You may not reap what you sow: How employees’ moral awareness minimizes ethical leadership’s positive impact on workplace deviance. Journal of Business Ethics, 146, 257–277.
- Hannah, S. T., Sumanth, J. J., Lester, P. and Cavarretta, F. (2014), Debunking the false dichotomy of leadership idealism and pragmatism: Critical evaluation and support of newer genre leadership theories. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(5), 598-621.
Educating Character in the Professions
VIDEO: Character, Engineering, and Tech (from our Character and the Professions conference, 2021)
- Pierrakos, O., Prentice, M., Silverglate, C., Lamb, M., Demaske, A., & Smout, R. (2019, October). Reimagining engineering ethics: From ethics education to character education. In 2019 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) (pp. 1-9). IEEE.
- Koehler, J., Pierrakos, O., Lamb, M., Demaske, A., Santos, C., Gross, M. D., & Brown, D. F. (2020, June). What can we learn from character education? A literature review of four prominent virtues in engineering education. In 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access.
- Koehler, J., Pierrakos, O., Yeaman, A. (2023, June). Character development in the engineering classroom: An exploratory, mixed-methods investigation of student perspectives on cultivating character. In 2023 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition.
- Cochran, W.B. and Allman, K. (2023). Cultivating moral agency in a technology ethics course. Teaching Ethics, 23(1), 15-34.
VIDEO: Character and Law (from our Character and the Professions conference, 2021)
- Lloyd, Harold (2022). The role of virtue in legal analysis. Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal, 32, 315-353
- Townsend, K. (2023). Forming good lawyers. Wake Forest Law Review, 58, 981.
- Townsend, K. (2023). The necessity of hope in legal education: Character Development in Pluralist Contexts Age. Journal of Christian Legal Thought, 13, 7.
- Townsend, K. (2021). Preconditions of leadership in law. Wake Forest Law Review, 56, 859.
- Townsend, K. (2024). Purpose, practical wisdom, and the formation of trustworthy lawyers. Mercer Law Review, 75(5), 3.
VIDEO: Character and Medicine (from our Character and the Professions conference, 2021)
- Love, C., James, J. C. & Freeman, K. (2024). Holistic Personal and Professional Development: Implementing a Longitudinal Coaching Model.
- Permar, R. – Pre-Health advising workbook (link)
- Permar, R. – “Good Healer” workbook (link)
- Freischlag, J. A., & Faria, P. (2018). It is time for women (and men) to be brave: A consequence of the #MeToo movement. JAMA, 319(17), 1761-1762.
- Freischlag, J. A., & Silva, M. M. (2016). Bouncing up: Resilience and women in academic medicine. Journal of the American College of surgeons, 223(2), 215-220.
- Freischlag, J. A. (2018). Burnout and depression among general surgery residents: Image is everything—it alters perception. JAMA surgery, 153(8), 711-711.