Temperate but not Brave Children: Character Strengths in Life Science Course Curriculum

Authors : Ferat Yilmaz

Pages : 409-425

Doi:10.17275/per.97.51.8.4

View : 20 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 2021-12-01

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Character encompasses six basic virtues. These virtues can be listed as wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Each virtue comprises various character strengths that are creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective, honesty, bravery, perseverance, zest, kindness, love, social intelligence, fairness, leadership, citizenship, forgiveness, modesty, prudence, self-regulation, appreciation of beauty and perfection, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality. It was aimed to examine the learning outcomes in the Life Science Course Curriculum (LSCC) in terms of character strengths in the present study. This research was carried out with the analytical research model. In the research framework, deductive content analysis was used. According to the results, prudence, self-regulation, citizenship, kindness, and social intelligence were the top five character strengths in LSCC. The strengths of bravery, persistence, leadership, forgiveness, modesty, hope, and humor were not found in LSCC. The most prominent virtue in LSCC was temperance. It is noteworthy that courage was the least emphasized virtue in LSCC. As the grade increased, the virtue of wisdom was more emphasized within LSCC learning outcomes. Considering the units, self-regulation, social intelligence, citizenship, kindness, prudence, and open-mindedness were the most emphasized character strengths in the unit of Life in Our School. Self-regulation, prudence, social intelligence, open-mindedness, love, and appreciation were the most common ones in the unit of Life in Our Home. Prudence and self-regulation came to the fore in the units of Healthy Life and the Safe Life. Citizenship in the unit of Life in Our Country and curiosity, love of learning, and love in the unit of Life in Nature became distinctive.
Keywords : character strengths, virtues, life science course curriculum