Implementation of The Good Project Lesson Plans

Over the past 25 years, The Good Project, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero, has investigated individuals and institutions that exemplify “good work.” We define “good work” according to three criteria: it is 1) excellent (high quality), 2) ethical (socially responsible), and 3) engaging (meaningful). It’s clear that new challenges have emerged that may hinder the encouragement and achievement of “good work.” The world of work is rapidly changing: many jobs are disappearing, others are being dramatically reconfigured, and new technologies are not equipped to handle common ethical dilemmas. Despite calls for the development of “21st century skills” (e.g., critical thinking) in adolescents necessary for success in employment, current educational experiences about “work” are insufficient. Generally, secondary and tertiary education devote little attention to work in practice, programs that do exist to explore the topic most often take the form of isolated lessons or classes. Few outlets allow students to grapple with ambiguity, complexity, and their own opinions and beliefs. 

Our lesson plans attempt to fill this gap by giving young people the skills and strategies to flourish as future workers. Drawing on many years of research in the professions, we expose adolescents to real-world dilemmas, reflective activities, and guided conversations that will help to prepare them for the working world of today. Our contention is that students who are exposed to our materials will develop the skills, understandings, and repertoires to effectively navigate their future work lives. To this end, the Good Project curriculum helps adolescents develop and internalize moral (i.e., a good neighbor), civic (i.e., a good citizen), performance (i.e., a good student/worker), and intellectual (i.e., a good thinker) character virtues. These virtues embody The Good Project’s 3 Es of good work: Ethical (for the greater good); Excellent (high quality); and Engaging (meaningful). 

Through a generous grant from The John Templeton Foundation, The Good Project has been engaging in a three year mixed method with a diverse, global group of teachers using the lesson plans. Together, the project explores deep questions about the nature of work, its connection to one’s values and identity, and its relationship to social good. In Year 1, the study used surveys, focus groups, and student portfolios to assess teacher fidelity to the curriculum and students’ potential growth in character virtues and ability to navigate complex dilemmas. In Year 2, the curricular content was adapted and additional feedback on the lessons was gained through focus groups. Year 3 currently focuses on scalability and sustainability of the lesson plans.

Educators participating in the study have worked with the research team to build an online community of practice via Slack and participate in online meetings where they can exchange ideas, strategies, and materials as they implement the lesson plans. Overall, the project aims to create a community of practitioners who will help build a strong, scalable character program.