Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Committee Chair

Richard Walls.

Abstract

This Dissertation examines the literature concerning Mindfulness as it relates to Educational Psychology and overviews a research study conducted to add empirical research on Mindfulness instruction and learning. The literature review is divided into three categories of Mindfulness which are defined and discussed according to applications and implications for education. These three categories are (a) Mindfulness as a meditative practice for teachers and in its use in teacher education programs, (b) clinical and therapeutic applications of Mindfulness in contemporary psychology, and (c) Mindfulness in Educational Psychology. Established constructs from the literature of psychology and education are related to the concepts of Mindfulness, and examples are given. The main focus of this review seeks to examine Mindfulness as an instructional strategy and educational goal. Contrasting perspectives on the effectiveness and value of Mindfulness in education are presented. The Dissertation also includes the method section, results section, and discussion section of a research study conducted to answer two research questions on Mindfulness with implications for instruction and learning. The research questions follow. (1) Does a student's propensity for Mindfulness have an effect on learning when a student participates in Mindful Instruction and meditation? (2) Does Mindful Instruction and meditation affect a student's state of Mindfulness? This research study was novel in its attempts to combine the traditional, Buddhist form of Mindfulness meditation defined by Hanh (1991) with the Mindfulness education defined by Langer (1989). Results of the analyses for this study suggest that propensity for Mindfulness is dispositional (trait-like), and the level of propensity (High versus Low) had some effect on participants' content test scores. Limitations in the current study are discussed. The findings implicate (a) the role and influence of Mindfulness as a behavior trait and (b) the effect of previous knowledge on a student's propensity for Mindfulness. The implications for instruction suggest a need for further research (a) on long-term and applied Mindfulness Instruction in actual classrooms and (b) on a combined Hanh (1991) and Langer (1989) form of Mindfulness Instruction.

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