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Contemplative Pause: Practice As Pedagogy In A Liberal Arts Classroom, Sienna R. Craig, Sid Babla, Abbey Savin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This article discusses the integration of contemplative pedagogies – including but not limited to yoga nidra – into two case study courses at an elite private liberal arts institution. We begin by describing the structure, context, and nature of this experiment in contemplative pedagogy, considering this experiment in the context of what we call the “liberal arts promise” at a moment of heightened mental health crises across institutions of higher education and increasing public skepticism about the value(s) of higher education. The article takes as a starting point the idea that building forms of contemplative pause into the fabric of …

Principles, Frameworks And Challenges Underpinning Holistic Education In The 21st Century, Kumar Laxman

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Holistic education is an educational paradigm that is gaining increasing attention in educational circles due to it being eclectic and inclusive in nature. It attempts to embed a wholesome approach to life including spiritual and philosophical ideals in its pedagogical elements to foster a more fulsome development of the individual. In this paper, research literature is parsed through and content analysed to gain a deeper understanding of the historical and curricular underpinnings of the holistic education movement through a theoretical interpretive lens. The beginnings and evolution of the holistic education movement are examined in conjunction with the broad definitions of …

The Bg News October 21, 2026, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. October 21, 2026. Volume 106-Issue 08.

Defining Teacher Envelopment: A Non-Aristotelian Approach To Meta-Practices In The Philosophy Of Teacher Education, Rob Blom

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

The late Jonathan Neufeld argued that redefining teacher development required meta-practices, yet he never defined what these meta-practices were. To define them rigorously requires grounding teacher cultivation practices within coherent structures of truth capable of withstanding philosophical scrutiny—a challenge intensified by post- truth discourse that flattens epistemological depth in secularised educational theory. This paper advances a theory of teacher envelopment to complement conventional teacher development through identifying mindfulness and discernment as foundational meta-practices grounded in non-Aristotelian systems. The framework rests on three interrelated concepts: (1) truth paradigms encompassing contemplative, articulatory, and embodied dimensions; (2) epistemological depth as extensional practices that …

Hear My Voice As Who I Am: Theorizing The Essence Of Poetry In Holistic Global Citizenship Education, Shue-Kei Joanna Mok

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Poetry as an imaginative language art has long been perceived as the core of humanity, the foundation of human advancement (Arnold,1880; Rorty, 2007). By composing, critiquing, and sharing/performing poems, not only does the process enrich and deepen one’s relationship to oneself, understanding and reflecting on the contextual, historical, cultural, social, and creative backgrounds of the poems and poets allows one to have greater connections with the broader environment across temporal, spatial, and social dimensions with human and non-human beings.

This paper first frames the core concepts and values of global citizenship from a Confucius perspective to emphasize the significance of …

Geopoetics: Expanding The Philosophy Of Teacher Education, Linda M. Craig Dr

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Amidst our accelerating ecological crisis, this essay argues for a fundamental reimagining of teacher education through Kenneth White's theory of geopoetics. Drawing on complexity science and Whitehead's process philosophy, I trace a paradigm shift from mechanistic models of education - characterised by fixed knowledge transmission and neoliberal performativity - toward a relational, orientation grounded in emergence and becoming. Geopoetics offers a transdisciplinary framework that dissolves boundaries between science, poetry, philosophy, and spirituality, positioning education not as content delivery but as participation in the creative unfolding of life. Through an exploration of Nan Shepherd's The Living Mountain as geopoetic spiritual practice. …

International Students And Spiritual Capital: Meditation As A Tool To Support Student Well-Being, Anna Grigoreva, Anna Lytkina

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

In a new academic environment, international students often face more than just academic challenges, as they also navigate cultural adjustment, identity shifts, digital overload and emotional stress. These multidimensional challenges are further intensified by performance pressures and rapidly evolving educational technologies. This article explores the role of meditation as a contemplative practice that may support international students’ adaptation within the American higher education system. The article focuses on how international students draw upon inner strength, purpose, and resilience to navigate and sustain themselves through periods of transition and difficulty. Using autoethnography as a primary methodological approach, the authors analyze their …

Nurturing The Spiritual Core In Teachers Within The Nexus Of Science And Spirituality, Sarina C. Molina

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This reflective essay explores the intersection of science and spirituality in nurturing teachers’ inner lives as a foundation for supporting student well-being. Against the backdrop of a global mental health crisis, it integrates insights from neuroscience, Indigenous wisdom traditions, and values-based education to advocate for a holistic mind–body–nature connection. Emerging research on neuroplasticity, heart–brain coherence, and self-transcendence has shown the physiological and psychological benefits of spiritual cultivation for educators. Drawing on Indigenous epistemologies, this essay highlights contemplative and heart-centered practices that foster self-transformation, resilience, and authentic relationality. Practical applications for teacher education, curriculum design, and community engagement illustrate how spiritual …

Toward A Post-Modern Daoist Pedagogy: Bridging Complexity And Dao Through Inner Cultivation And Autopoietic Currere, Jie Yu, Jingyu Liu

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This article first critically examines the call to reenchant the world as it resonates within a middle space between science and mysticism and then connects key ideas from complexity theory and systems thinking on complex adaptive systems with two seminal Daoist texts: the Neiye (《內業》, Inner Cultivation), a proto-Daoist chapter from the Guanzi anthology (4th–3rd century B.C.E.), and the Huangting Jing (《黃庭經》, Yellow Court Scripture), a later Daoist classic (3rd–4th century C.E.). Through this dialogue, the article advocates a post-modern Daoist pedagogy through inner cultivation and autopoietic currere—an autopoietic process wherein curriculum emerges organically through participatory dialogue …

When Quantum Physics Meets Laozi, Jing Lin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper explores the profound convergence between quantum physics and Laozi’s Daoist philosophy, proposing a quantum-Daoist cosmology as a transformative foundation for reimagining education. Drawing on core principles of quantum physics—such as wave-particle duality, entanglement, and the observer effect, and Laozi’s teachings on Dao and De, the paper argues for a cosmology in which reality is energetic, relational, and morally ordered. While quantum science reveals the unseen, interconnected nature of existence, Laozi advances this view by emphasizing the role of virtue as an energetic and ethical force that sustains the universe. The paper proposes that meditative practice and the cultivation …

Bridging The Abyss: Reclaiming Spirituality In Academic Knowledge Production, Neil Boland

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Over recent decades, Western academia has shown a growing interest in spirituality, accompanied by methodological innovations and epistemological expansion. Nevertheless, spiritual inquiry continues to be subtly subordinated to scientific rationalism, with Western science often presiding as gatekeeper over what is considered legitimate knowledge. Drawing on Boaventura de Sousa Santos’ concept of abyssal thinking, this article argues that spiritual and experiential forms of knowing remain largely relegated to the far side of an epistemic divide, valued only insofar as they can be reframed within scientific norms. Despite increasing institutional recognition of spirituality in fields such as education, psychology, and medicine, …

Editors’ Introduction, Kathleen R. Kesson Dr., Susan H. Edgerton, Jing Lin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This is the introduction to the Special Issue

Exploring The Motivations Of Undergraduate Sport Management Students, Kyle J. Brannigan, Tyler J. Hajek

The COSMA Journal

This study explored the motivations of undergraduate sport management in four university programs. Convergent mixed-methods research through the theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory was incorporated with an adapted questionnaire of the Academic Motivation Scale and semi-structured interviews through Thematic Analysis. Ninety-six surveys with nine interviews were deemed usable across four regionally focused, vocationally minded, and accessible universities. Overall, students reported higher levels of extrinsic motivation than intrinsic motivation. The findings suggested intrinsic motivation to know and extrinsic motivation through regulation for identification scored highest with the participants. No significant differences were found between classes and ethnicities. However, male students experienced …

International Student Athletes And The Covid-19 Global Pandemic: Disruption, Uncertainty, And Coping, Isabella M. Franks, Trent A. Petrie, Whitney G. Moore, Carmyn Hayes

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

COVID-19 and its ripple effects (e.g., social distancing, sport cancellations, quarantining) negatively affected the careers of collegiate student-athletes. The disruption to university systems and collegiate athletics and the stress and uncertainty felt globally likely increased international student-athletes' (ISAs) risk for distress. Yet, ISAs also possessed unique characteristics and were immersed within supportive sport environments, which may have shaped their psychological responses in distinct ways. The COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity to understand how ISAs, as individuals navigating both athletic and international identities, responded and coped. To date, no study has examined the initial coping experiences of international collegiate athletes, even …

Can Ungrading Make Sport Management Education More Practical And Engaging?, Michael A. Odio

The COSMA Journal

In this essay I take on the subject of grades in sport management education. While grades are used as a measure of success across higher education, they are an imperfect measure of achievement and learning and have major limitations in terms of student employability. The ungrading movement brings attention to the ways grades can harm learning by shifting attention away from students’ development, and instructor or peer feedback, and intrinsic motivation, while incentivizing compliance and risk-aversion. These harms directly affect what are arguably some of the most important aspects of sport management education, as when grades are the main incentive, …

English Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence, Andrew J. Hookie, James P. Concannon

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

We explored secondary English Language Arts teachers’ perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in the classroom. Using a mixed methods research design process, one hundred and forty-one secondary teachers were surveyed from several urban and suburban school districts in the state of Missouri. Respondents were comprised of forty-three English Language Arts teachers and ninety-seven non-English Language Arts teachers. Data were collected using a Qualtrics survey, focusing on three variables: Experience, Knowledge, and Awareness of AI (EKA); Perceived Outcomes of Using AI (PO); and Perceived Ability and Self-Efficacy with AI (PA). Independent t-tests were conducted and revealed a statistically significant difference in AI …

Urban Indian Parents' Occupational Perceptions Of Play And Governance Of Children's Excessive Screen Time Preferences And Behaviours In This Digital Era, Joanna Priyadarshini Udaykumar, Tony Sam George

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Abstract

Children’s innate urge to engage in joyous, self-directed, meaningful, iterative activities embodies their unique play experiences and facilitates their holistic development. However, the exponential growth of digital technology in an urbanized world has transformed their social landscape by offering them a plethora of novel play opportunities that ‘pushes children away from the outdoors and pulls them indoors’. Moreover, the radical transition from nature-based recreation to media-centric activity insinuates the surge of a global pandemic characterized by low physical activity, sleep deprivation and sedentary, lifestyle diseases. This emerging trend reflects children’s predilection for videophilia over biophilia due to the dominance …

Redlining And Neighborhood Health, Mariam Adams

McNair Scholars Collection

This research paper explores the historical impact of redlining and its connection to respiratory illness within communities of color. It acknowledges the role of social determinants of health, environmental pollution, and mental health disorders through comprehensive literature reviews. The primary objective is to investigate whether redlining contributes to adverse respiratory health outcomes among people of color living in these designated areas. The study delves into the discriminatory practice of redlining that relegated specific neighborhoods, predominantly inhabited by people of color, to substandard living conditions, limited resources, and reduced access to quality healthcare. By drawing upon evidence from various academic sources, …

Built To Move: How Osseointegration Is Defining Post-Amputation Recovery, Brionna Harden-Champion

McNair Scholars Collection

This project investigates the recovery timeline of osseointegration following limb amputation, focusing on surgery, rehabilitation, and prosthetic use compared to traditional socket prostheses.

Odor Vs. Direction Prioritization In Shelter Navigation By The Whip Spider Phrynus Marginemaculatus, Aiden Barno, Daniel D. Wiegmann, Verner Peter Bingman, Sidney Tyler Ley

Honors Projects

Arthropod navigation is known to rely on a variety of multisensory strategies, yet the prioritization of these cues in whip spiders remains poorly understood. This study examined whether Phrynus marginemaculatus prioritizes olfactory cues or idioethic directional cues when the two cues directly conflict with one another. Twelve subjects were trained to associate a shelter with both a specific odor (geraniol or 1‑hexanol) and a consistent directional movement (left or right) from the release site. In a subsequent test trial, odor and direction were dissociated, and subjects’ time spent in front of each shelter was used to determine an association index …

Separating And Identifying Delta-8-Thc And Delta-9-Thc On Gc/Ms, Ann Schmidt

Honors Projects

Delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC are two psychoactive compounds found in marijuana products which are only distinguishable from each other by alternating the location of a single double bond.  This makes them a challenge to separate and identify as different compounds using the GC/MS.  These isomers are legally recognized as the different compounds, so being able to identify delta-8 and delta-9 THC separately is crucial to forensic analysis. The goal of this research project is to optimize an Intuvo 9000 GC connected to a standard MS to be able to separately and prominently identify delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC in a sample.  This was …

Reigniting Identity: Rediscovering My Teaching, Lifelong Learning, And Myself, Rachel Griffith

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

A culmination of two years of work and self-discovery represented through three different types of writing, two academic and one creative. The academic works explore communication and autism in the English classroom, as well as teaching technical writing in practice ways. The creative work is a poetry portfolio that is one of the author's proudest works from their degree track, covering a variety of topics from love to nostalgia to inner turmoil. Together, they narrate three reasons why the author writes, teaches, and lives.

Board Of Trustees Meeting Minutes 2026-05-01, Bowling Green State University

Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

The official meeting minutes of Bowling Green State University's Board of Trustees.

Covid Minds: A Thematic Review Of The Pandemic On Neural Mechanisms And Political Polarization, Madison Jeffries

Honors Projects

This paper analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced political polarization in the United States by examining the interactions between social system disruption, psychological stress, and underlying neurological behaviors. While previous research has extensively discussed pandemic's influence on public health and societal breakdowns, studies fail to examine how these disruptions shaped political divisions. This study synthesizes interdisciplinary literature on pandemic-induced stressors and analyzes factors, including institutional mistrust and social isolation, and how these experiences shape political behavior and perspectives. Applying research from psychology and neuroscience, the paper argues that prolonged exposure to pandemic-related stressors changed neurological and behavioral patterns in response …

The Ethical Ramifications Of Using Insects In Art, Madalynn Lundy

Honors Projects

Artists have been in collaboration with living and dead beings since the beginning of time. Whether it be in the supplies used to create a piece of art or as the subject itself, insects are and have been a key part of art-making for many artists throughout history. This begs the question regarding the ethics of using insects in art and whether this is morally acceptable. I take interest in this topic as an artist who takes inspiration from insects in my own art. This paper explores various qualitative research methods in an effort to bridge the topics of environmental …

Examining Nurse Burnout During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Causes And Mitigation Strategies, Melanie Sena

Honors Projects

Nurse burnout is a multidimensional occupational syndrome that predates the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the pandemic served as a catalyst that intensified its scope and severity in ways that the healthcare system was profoundly ill-equipped to manage. Characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment, burnout among nurses accelerated dramatically between 2020 and 2022 as clinical workloads surged, personal protective equipment remained scarce, and moral distress became a near-universal experience across care settings. This review examines the primary systemic and individual contributors to nurse burnout during COVID-19, explores the consequences of burnout for both nurses and patients, …

Personality, And Generation In Green Entrepreneurship, Julie Garritano

Honors Projects

This research investigates the drivers of Green Entrepreneurial Intent (GEI) by examining the intersection of personality traits and immigrant generation status. Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, the study focuses on how openness to experience and conscientiousness—the traits most strongly associated with sustainability-oriented innovation—influence entrepreneurial intentions.

A central aim is to determine how first- and second-generation immigrant statuses moderate these relationships, particularly through the lens of intergenerational transmission of values and social norms. The study integrates illustrative case analyses of Timberland and Patagonia to trace how environmental stewardship and ethical business practices evolve across successive leadership generations.

The …

Garlic Breath And Beads Of Sweat: The Effects Of Garlic And Chili Peppers On The Growth And Ph Of Streptococcus Mutans., Lena Pitzer

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide a quantifiable and repeatable measurement of how the presence of garlic and chili pepper during the growth of a carious dentine strain of Streptococcus mutans affects the growth of the strain and surrounding pH level.This research project examines two possible alternative agents, garlic and chili peppers, due to the known antimicrobial effects of their active components, allicin and capsaicin. Prepared garlic and chili extracts were used during disk diffusion to assess and measure the zones of inhibition. The anticipated results are that there will be inhibition present with both the garlic and …

Pathways To Success, Annabelle Fyke

Honors Projects

This paper explores the importance of creating trauma-informed classrooms to support students’ emotional and academic success. As increasing numbers of students are affected by adverse childhood experiences, educators must adopt approaches that recognize and respond to trauma. The purpose of this paper is to examine key principles of trauma-informed education and how they can be effectively implemented in school settings. Drawing on current research and educational frameworks, this paper highlights strategies such as building strong teacher-student relationships, promoting emotional regulation, and maintaining consistent and supportive classroom environments. The findings suggest that trauma-informed practices can improve student behavior, increase engagement, and …

Environmental Counseling As A Proposed Discipline And Its Associated Implications And Uses, Alexandria Rion

Honors Projects

Individuals interact with their environment daily, and whether they realize it or not, these interactions can impact their health. Understanding the health impacts associated with the environment is important to human health at both an individual and population level. I am proposing a new field of environmental counseling that would incorporate principles from a variety of practices into one comprehensive discipline that can be used to promote public health. By studying populations that have had negative environmental exposures and looking at their outcomes, I was able to apply principles of environmental counseling to help determine if it would in fact …