Academy of Education Journal

Vol. 17, No. 1, January 2026, Page: 162-167

ISSN: 1907-2341 (Print), ISSN: 2685-4031 (Online)

162

Vinna Dinda Kemala et.al (Redefining Character Education: A Review....)

Redefining Character Education: A Review of

Essential Goals and Values

Vinna Dinda Kemala

a,1

, Alil Rinenggo

b,2

, Ary Purwantiningsih

c,3

, Vinni Dini Pratiwi

d,4

Indonesian Education Department Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara

UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung

Program Studi PPKn Universitas Terbuka

Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan Ilmu Pendidikan Budidaya Binjai

vinnadindakemala@umsu.ac.id;

[email protected];

[email protected].id;

vinnidinipratiwi@stkipbudidaya.ac.id;

Corresponding Author

INFO ARTICLE

ABSTRACT

HistoryArticle:

Received: September 28, 2025

Revised: October 27, 2025

Approved: December 19, 2025A

vailable Online: January 1, 2026

In one decade lastly, education character experience shift significant conceptual

along increasing complexity challenge social, cultural, and global. This article

aim for reconstruct understanding education character through review

systematic to goals and values growing essentials in literature academic cutting-

edge research this use approach systematic literature review to article journal

reputable and source policy relevant education, with analysis thematic for

identify patterns, tendencies, and redefinitions conceptual education character

contemporary. Findings study show that education character no again

understood as planting individual moral values that are normative and static, but

rather as approach education holistic that integrates moral, social, emotional

and civic dimensions in a way simultaneously. Core values such as honesty,

responsibility responsibility, fairness, caring, respect, and citizenship show

consistency cross context culture and country, but redefined as competence

behavior that can developed through experience planned learning, culture

supportive schools, as well as practice pedagogical reflective. This study also

confirms convergence between education character and social-emotional

learning, which strengthens view that character nature dynamic, relational, and

evolving through interaction sustainable social. With thus, the article this offer

framework conceptually broadening understanding education character as an

educational process contextual and adaptive sustainability, at the same time

give implications theoretical and practical for development curriculum as well

as policy education characters in the 21st century.

Keywords:

Education character,

Moral education,

Education values,

Learning social-emotional

This is an open access article under CC BY-SA license

1. Introduction

Character building has appear as focus main in policy global education as well as

national in two decades lastly, along with with challenge social and progress increasingly

advanced technology complex. Character understood as a group moral disposition, ethics, and

values social which includes consistent behavior, attitudes, and habits in life individual

(education character in a way general covers values education, moral education, and

approaches integrative other in curriculum). Silay (2014) shows that education character own

connection close with education values and moral education, so often the approach this become

runway important in form ethical and responsible citizens answer social.

In context formal education, goals education character has develop far beyond just

traditional moral formation. Research The latest by Yuan, MacDonnell, Poliakova,

Hatchimonji, Linsky, Selby & Elias (2025) emphasizes that education character is also an

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Vol. 17, No. 1, January 2026, Page: 162-167

ISSN: 1907-2341 (Print), ISSN: 2685-4031 (Online)

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Vinna Dinda Kemala et.al (Redefining Character Education: A Review....)

educational strategy holistic in purpose develop ability social-emotional like empathy, sense of

responsibility answer, and work the same or crucial competencies for participant educate for

participate in an increasingly global society pluralistic and dynamic. In line with that, Hadi,

Kholis, Remanita & Harta (2025) stated that approach based grades at school can strengthen

learning character through teacher involvement, environment schools, and integration mark to

in contextual curriculum.

More further education character viewed as runway for future generations who do not

only intelligent in a way cognitive but also have integrity, resilience, and adaptability to

demands of the times (Arthur, Kristjánsson, Harrison, Sanderse & Wright, 2016). In the digital

and globalization era, the challenges to moral integrity of the generation young the more

complex, so that education character considered as business strategic in implant values ethics

and competence adaptive social, for example skills soft skills like solution problem,

communication effective, and leadership. Implementation education effective character not

only form moral behavior but also facilitates internalization mark in various aspect life

participant educated (Rasyid, Fajri, Wihda, Ihwan & Agus, 2024).

Character building face various significant facts and problems in the environment school.

For example: lack teacher's understanding of draft education comprehensive character,

limitations source power and support facilities, as well as influence environment social that is

not always support desired moral values; things this cause implementation education character

often not optimal and not integrated in a way effective in the learning process daily. Studies

scientific show that challenge this is also exacerbated by the lack of parental and community

involvement, as well as impact negative progress global technology and culture that influence

behavior students, so that formation strong character still become issue necessary center

handled in a way collaborative between school, family, and maker education policy (Albet et

al., 2024).

In addition, literature latest confirm that education character no just individual realm, but

also has implications for the quality connection social and structural more community broad.

According to Dewi, Mutiara, Husna, Reywanda, Purnomo, Rahmat & Nurlaili (2025)

education strong character can support aspirations education national and objectives further

development wide, including in context Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where

increasing quality individual characterful can contribute to development a just, tolerant and

responsible society responsible for the environment social.

With thus, redefinition education character required for unite objective pedagogical with

challenge contemporary and needs global society. This study take approach literature for serve

analysis integrative about how objective education character and values has reconceptualized in

study academic during ten year lastly, and how matter this give runway strong conceptual for

practices and policies more education effective.

2. Method

This study use method studies literature with systematic literature review approach to get

understanding comprehensive about redefinition education character, especially related goals

and values its essence. Selected literature fulfil criteria inclusion in the form of article journal

reputable, relevant in a way thematic, and reviewed colleagues. Data analyzed use analysis

thematic, which includes the coding process, grouping concept and synthesis findings for

identify patterns, tendencies, and development conceptual education character in decade last.

Approach this allows compilation framework systematic and argumentative conceptual.

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Vol. 17, No. 1, January 2026, Page: 162-167

ISSN: 1907-2341 (Print), ISSN: 2685-4031 (Online)

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Vinna Dinda Kemala et.al (Redefining Character Education: A Review....)

3. Result and Discussion

Character Education Goals

Educational goals character has develop far beyond just traditional moral formation that

emphasizes comply rule or social norms solely. Literature academic contemporary show that

education character now understood as an educational strategy holistic that is not only implant

moral values, but also develop competence social-emotional participant students (Yuan et al.,

2025). Systematic review latest about education character show that role education character

covers development empathy, tolerance, and understanding to diversity, which is important for

formation citizens who can life productive in a pluralistic and dynamic global society

(Sitanggang, Lubis, Muljono & Pramono, 2025). For example, in context development

tolerance, education character play a role in foster respect, empathy, and awareness will

importance diversity culture in environment more learning and social wide.

In addition, the approach education modern character in explicit combine element social-

emotional learning (SEL) which aims develop interpersonal skills such as ability arrange emotions,

building connection positive, and ability Work The same in group (Chowkase, 2023). The SEL program

has identified in a way wide in literature education as factor key factors that contribute to the

improvement empathy, sense of responsibility answer social, as well as ability collaborative participant

educate dimensions that transcend traditional moral learning that only focuses on behavioral norms.

In line with that, Warlim, Rozak & Revalina (2025) showed that practice education character

show that integration character with curriculum and activities learning in a way overall tend more

effective in form behavior positive like honesty, sense of responsibility answer, and work same. This

model put education character as an integral part of overall experience study participant educate, not as

cargo addition solely, so that objective education character covers formation a person with integrity,

responsible answer in a way social, as well as capable adapt in context complex social.

Essential Values of Character Education

Essential values in education character positioned as foundation normative for development

personality participant educate in a way whole, beyond approach moralistic traditional compliance -

focused normative just. According to Arthur et al. (2016) education character contemporary understood

as part from values education (Figure 1) which integrates moral, social and emotional dimensions in

frame form capable individuals functioning in a way ethical and responsible answer in modern society.

Review comprehensive to study One decade final confirm that mark character no nature individualistic,

but rather relationship-oriented social and responsibility answer citizenship in context life together

(Putri, Astuti, Rahmat, Febriyanti, Putri & Azizah, 2025).

Figure 1. The relationship between general approaches to values education

Academy of Education Journal

Vol. 17, No. 1, January 2026, Page: 162-167

ISSN: 1907-2341 (Print), ISSN: 2685-4031 (Online)

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A number of study empirical and systematic review identify core values that are consistent

appear in various context education across countries, including honesty, respect, responsibility

responsibility, justice, caring, and citizenship. Values the not only understood as objective normative

education, but also as competence behavior that can developed through design planned and continuous

learning. In line with the opinion of Birhan, Shiferaw, Amsalu, Tamiru & Tiruye (2021) who stated that

evaluation of educational programs character show that internalization values this contribute to

improvement climate school, relationship positive social, as well as behavior prosocial participant

educate.

More further development literature latest show existence convergence between education

character and development SEL skills. Character education viewed effective when integrated moral

values with ability empathetic, management emotions, work same, and taking responsible decisions

answer (Chowkase, 2023). A study by Taylor et al. (2017) showed that integration mark character and

competence social-emotional give impact significant to readiness participant educate face challenge

complex social, including ability adaptability, tolerance, and collaboration in environment multicultural.

In context globalization and plurality social, values essential education characters also experience

expansion meaning in a way conceptual. Values such as tolerance, appreciation to diversity, justice

social and responsibility global responsibility is increasing occupy position central in curriculum

character contemporary research latest confirm that education relevant characters with challenge the

21st century must nature contextual, adaptive, and responsive to dynamics social, so that values

character no treated as static concept, but rather as construction evolving ethics along change society

(Saepurokhman & Ali, 2025).

Redefining Character Education in Contemporary Context

In one decade lastly, education character undergoing a process of redefinition significant

conceptual along with change landscape social, cultural and global which are increasingly complex.

Character education no again understood as effort normative that focuses on planting individual moral

values statically, but rather as approach education holistic development-oriented capacity ethical, social,

emotional, and civic participant educate. Arthur et al. (2016) emphasized that education character is a

pedagogical process that is designed in a way aware for grow moral, intellectual, and civic virtues

through experience integrated learning in life school. This definition reflect shift from approach

moralistic traditional going to understanding character as related multidimensional constructs close with

life social and participation citizen.

Redefinition education character is also reflected in literature that places character no just as a set

personal values, but as competence behavior that can developed and observed in context social. Hadi et.

(2025) defines education character as approach education based purposeful values form pattern

thoughts, dispositions, and actions ethical participant educate through environment consistent and

continuous learning. Within the framework this, character understood as results interaction between

individual and context social, so that success education character is very dependent on design

curriculum, culture school, and practice supportive pedagogical internalization mark in a way real.

In line with development in this regard, Addzaky, Bustomi, Khusnadin & Alfani (2025)

emphasized that redefinition education modern characters must integrate moral dimension with aspect

emotional and relational. Character no can released from ability individual in understand and manage

emotions, building relation healthy social, as well as take decision ethical in complex situation.

Therefore that, education character understood as a development process virtues that are manifested in

practice social, not just as a transfer of value normative or teaching moral rules. This views strengthen

argument that character nature dynamic and growing through experience reflective social.

In context globalization and increasing plurality social, redefinition education character is also

characterized by expansion values essential to be focus curriculum character contemporary. Jerome and

Kisby (2022) show that education characters in various countries are increasingly directed for prepare

participant educate life in public multicultural and democratic. Values like tolerance, appreciation to

diversity, justice social and responsibility global responsibility becomes an integral part of education

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Vol. 17, No. 1, January 2026, Page: 162-167

ISSN: 1907-2341 (Print), ISSN: 2685-4031 (Online)

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Vinna Dinda Kemala et.al (Redefining Character Education: A Review....)

character 21st century. This is mark shift important from individual-oriented character towards

character oriented social and civic, where participants educate positioned as moral subject at the same

time actor social in life together.

Redefinition education character is also strengthened by integration between education characters

and framework SEL. Taylor et al. (2017) defines education character contemporary as an approach that

is not can separated from development skills social-emotional like empathy, work same, management

emotions, and decision making responsible decisions answer. Meta-analysis they show that the

education program designed characters and SEL in a way systematic contribute to improvement

behavior prosocial, quality relation social, as well as climate positive school. This findings confirm that

education character no only functioning as objective normative, but also as a pedagogical strategy that

has an impact real in practice social participant educate.

Literature systematic review and evaluation policy education the more confirm consistency core

values in education character cross context culture and country. The What Works Clearinghouse report

from the US Department of Education (2018) identified values like honesty, respect, responsibility

responsibility, justice, care, and citizenship as foundation main educational program effective character.

However thus, the values the no positioned as draft abstract, but rather as competence behavior that can

developed through planned learning, habituation institutional, as well as involvement active community

school. This approach strengthen redefinition education character as an educational process sustainable

which involves dimensions cognitive, affective, and behavioral in a way simultaneous.

More far, education character in perspective 21st century understood as construction contextual

and adaptive ethics to change social. UNESCO (2015) through framework global citizenship education

emphasize that education character must equip participant educate with global awareness, commitment

to justice social, as well as ability act ethical in face global issues such as inequality, conflict, and

sustainability environment. Within the framework this, character no again understood as a set values

that are static and universal in nature ahistorical, but rather as results of ongoing dialogue between

universal values and context socio-cultural that continues changed.

4. Conclusion

Character building contemporary has experience redefinition from approach narrow normative

going to framework education holistic that integrates moral, emotional, social and civic dimensions in a

way simultaneous. Character education no again understood as planting static personal values, but

rather as a development process competence manifested behavior in action ethical, relationship healthy

social and participation responsible answer in life socializing. Literacy latest show existence

consistency cross-core values context culture, such as honesty, respect, responsibility responsibility,

justice, care, and citizenship, which must be developed through experience meaningful learning,

practice pedagogical reflective, as well as culture supportive schools internalization mark in a way

sustainable. With thus, education character understood as a dynamic and contextual process whose

success depends heavily on the design curriculum, environment institutional, and involvement active all

over community education in form individuals who have integrity, empathy, and are capable contribute

in a way ethical in a pluralistic and ever-changing society develop.

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Arthur, J., Kristjánsson, K., Harrison, T., Sanderse, W., & Wright, D. (2016). Teaching character and

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