1. HOLISTIC PURSUIT IN LEARNING AND CHARACTER
Prof S.I. Ofoefule, Dean Student Affairs (PG Orientation, July 11, 2018)

2. Preamble
Holistic Learning addresses whole personalities of learners with all their diverse characteristics preferences.
Holistic education is a philosophy of Education based on the purpose in the natural world, and to humanitarian values such as compassion and peace.
Holistic education aims to call forth from people an intrinsic reverence for life, and a passionate love for learning. it gives attention to experiential learning and places significance on “relationships” and primary human values within the learning environment.

3. Holistic education promotes several strategies to address the question of how to teach and how people learn.
Education is a value-infused enterprise. The very question is how to train students for positive character formation.
Character, ethics and spirituality in education are important component of education.
This has become increasingly important because, in the present culture milieu, Children are reared increasingly in toxic environment that pose special challenges for their moral and social development.

4. How do we develop our students to be useful citizens?
In developing our students to be good and useful citizens, the problem practitioners of character development and national education face is that of finding out if the students have developed certain competencies.
The desired outcomes of education must emphasize the importance of the character and moral values of a person, other than academic achievement.
Lickona and Davidson (2005) defined the eight strengths of character as

5. Lifelong learning and critical thinker
Diligent and capable performer
Socially and emotionally skilled person
Ethical thinker
Respectful and Responsible moral agent
Self-disciplined person who pursues a healthy lifestyle
Contributing community member and democratic citizens
Spiritual person engaged in crafting a life of noble purpose

6. Courage (valour, perseverance and integrity)
Values and Virtues that create successful and happy life academically, personally and professionally.
The following virtues were identified from a research carried out by Martin Selignias
Wisdom (curiosity, love for learning, judgement, ingenuity, social intelligence and perspective
Courage (valour, perseverance and integrity)
Love and Humanity (kindness, generosity, nurturance and capacity to love be loved)
Temperance (modesty, humility, self control, prudence and caution)
Justice (good citizenship, fairness, loyalty, teamwork and human leadership
Transcendence (Appearance of beauty, gratitude, hope, spirituality, forgiveness, humour and zest).

7. Holistic development framework in character and learning
The following scheme show the domains, learning outcomes and behavioural indicators that reflect the set of attitude, values and skills our PG Students showed possess at the end of the UNN experience.
Holistic development framework (HDF, adopted from the works of Lickona and co, 1991, 2005 and 2009)

8. Holistic Development Framework (HDF)
Domain
Learning outcome
Behavioural Indicator
Moral uprights
Display good behaviours
Talk reasonability function
Have moral courage
Follow school rules
Uphold school values
Acknowledge wrong decisions made
Accept consequences
Take remediation actions to mitigate the wrong decision made
Take appropriate action to prevent or stop negative behaviour
influence others positively

9. Social Responsibility
beware of roles and responsibility
be informed about sound & environmental issues
respect & relate well with others
be inspired to contribute & involved in making a change
Recognize role & responsibility each individual plays in the family, school, nation & world
Show awareness and understanding of issues affecting self, family, school, nation & world
Consider other perspectives
Work well with others (collaborative learning)
Communicate effectively
Show care & concern
Take ownership for improving lives of others
Mental Environment & Physical Health
Be mentally fit
Possess a healthy self esteem
Able to manage emotions
Be physically fit
Able to appreciate aesthetics
Possess a positive outlook
Possess a right mindset on social issues eg. Sexuality & Cyber-wellness
Accept and respect themselves for who they are
Acknowledge and manage once feelings appropriately
Meet the physical demands of an active growing youth
Do not engage in substance abuse/addictions eg. Alcohol, tobacco & dress
Maintain a healthy diet
Enjoy & empress themselves through the arts.

10. Pursuit Excellence
Embrace the spirit of excellence
Able to innovate
Inspire & Lead others to achieve their potential
Show initiative, self discipline & handwork
Display of resilience in the face of challenges
Make connections, integrate knowledge & generate alternative solutions
Influence & impact others to excel
Lifelong learning
Be aware of personal interest & aspirations
Approach learning as an ongoing process
Possess the attitude, skills & knowledge to engage in lifelong learning
Develop an awareness of personal strength & weariness
Set personal goal & monitor progress, reviewing strategies where appropriate
Take initiative in self directed learning
Be curious, open & discerning towards learning
Demonstrate reflective, critical & creative thinking
Harness technology

11. Conclusion
Effective teaching for moral character should align with best practice instruction for academic achievement.
Teachers should consider not only how instructional practice influence academic learning but also how it shapes student character development.
Effective teaching promotes both moral and academic excellence
Character formation, however begins with a caring relationship, first in the home, them at school. A caring relationship forms abridge from adult to child through which mutual influence can take place.

12. THANKS FOR LISTENING