Exter receives 1 of 29 Wake Forest ECI grants to develop ‘character education’
Purdue University is among 29 institutions receiving funding from a Wake Forest University Educating Character Initiative (ECI) 2024 Institutional Impact Grant, which will allow a diverse group of colleges to launch character education initiatives.
College of Education faculty member Marisa Exter, associate professor of learning design and technology, is the primary investigator (PI) for the grant, “Integrating Character Development in Engineering and Computing Undergraduate Courses.” It involves integrating teaching/learning and assessment of dispositions within computing, engineering, and engineering technology undergraduate courses at the three partner institutions.
Exter’s collaborators include Dr. Iryna Ashby (Co-PI, Purdue University); Dr. Cassandra Thomas (Tuskegee University); Deacon Steve Frezza, PhD (Franciscan University of Steubenville); and Dr. Mihaela Sabin (University of New Hampshire).
The project aims to cultivate well-rounded, ethical graduates by integrating character development into the curricula of six computing, engineering, and engineering technology programs across three diverse institutions: Franciscan University of Steubenville, Tuskegee University, and University of New Hampshire, Manchester. By piloting innovative undergraduate course development, as well as engaging and immersive teaching and learning practices, the project will integrate essential character traits to help faculty foster holistic character building as part of formal engineering and computing education through use of instructional practices to develop related dispositions (e.g., “being ethical”, “being perseverant,” “being collaborative”).
The initiative expects to impact minimally 680 students directly, create reusable educational resources and develop a sustainable model for character-formation in undergraduate education. The long-term goals include ensuring demonstrably stronger professional and ethical character of graduating engineering and computing students, inspiring faculty and peer teaching assistants to integrate measurable and mapped character education in their coursework, and championing character education in the larger engineering and computing education community.
“Character development is such an important but often neglected aspect of undergraduate education, especially in the STEM fields,” said Wayne E. Wright, associate dean for Research, Graduate Programs and Faculty Development. “We are thrilled to have our College of Education lead this effort in collaboration with great university partners in other states to ensure its broad impact on students.”
About the Educating Character Initiative (ECI)
The Educating Character Initiative (ECI) is a part of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University. The mission of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University is to inspire, educate, and empower leaders of character to serve humanity. Thanks to the support of the Lilly Endowment Inc. and Wake Forest University, the ECI has awarded $15.6 million in Institutional Impact Grants to 29 colleges and universities.
Sources: Marisa Exter, mexter@purdue.edu; Office of Communications & External Relations, Wake Forest University, media@wfu.edu
More information: Wake Forest News – https://news.wfu.edu/2024/08/07/wake-forests-educating-character-initiative-announces-15-6m-in-grants-to-29-institutions/