Character Education & Teacher Education: How are Prospective Teachers Being Prepared to Foster Good Character in Students?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what teacher education programs across the country are doing to prepare future teachers in the area of “character education” The study utilized a survey research design, involving both quantitative and qualitative research. The starting hypothesis was that character education is currently an under-addressed topic in the curriculum of teacher education vis-a-vis other concerns. The objective of the study was to generate nationwide data about the current condition of character education in the curriculum of teacher education to help educational leaders and policy-makers better understand what ought to be done to improve the preparation future teachers receive to function effectively as “character educators”