The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is excited to provide faculty the opportunity to integrate character formation in their courses. The sessions will introduce participants to effective course design and management practices within the context of cultivating character formation and ethical behavior. Following the principles of Lasallian education, participants will explore how to nurture the whole person within the context of their respective disciplines and professionalization goals for students.

Participants will receive a $500 stipend for participating in all four sessions and a $250 stipend for integrating character formation into a future class and presenting on that integration to the wider community.

Schedule

Session Details

• Session 1: Character Formation and Significant Learning
  • Reflect on how you already integrate human development and cultivate the intellectual and performance virtues in classes.
  • Learn about Fink’s expansive model of significant learning outcomes with an emphasis on human, caring, and integrated outcomes.
  • Draft learning outcomes related to the intellectual, moral, civic, and performance virtues.
• Session 2: Integrating Formation Strategies into Assessments
  • Discuss how current assessments form/professionalize students
  • Practice the Transparency in Learning and Teaching framework to improve assessment design and transparently explain formation components in assignments and activities.
  • Design assessments that engage students in ethical and virtuous uses of technology.
• Session 3: Motivating Change and Growth
  • Reimagine course documents as motivational and supportive tools
  • Practice feedback strategies designed to motivate revision and perseverance
  • Work within James Lang’s research on the (nearly) cheating-free classroom to foster intrinsic motivation.
• Session 4: Cultivating Ethical Behavior and Fostering Independence
  • Discuss ethical issues in faculty roles as educators, mentors, and advisors.
  • Clarify role as teachers and role models engaging in character formation.
  • Create an environment in which students can reach formation goals.

Please apply by April 30, 2024.

For questions about this initiative, please contact CELT at celt@smumn.edu.