Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Leading And Learning From Inside Out: Insights From Meditative Inquiry, Jody L. Rebek

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This article explores our modern world and our role in shaping collective experiences. By our thoughts, choices and behaviours (our character), we influence our shared reality. Higher education has an imperative responsibility to engage students ethically and develop their character. I offer a teaching metaphor and case study to meaningfully develop students’ self-awareness of character via an undergraduate leadership course. I employed the ‘seed’ metaphor to illustrate how nurturing students’ self-awareness and agency mirrors the growth of a seed within a carefully cultivated ecosystem. Each contemplative practice (character development) intertwined with leadership content (competence and confidence), serves as essential nourishment, …

Narrative Inquiry As Contemplative Methodology, Lauren A.H. Brown

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This reflective essay describes how contemplative practices, including mindfulness, presence, deep listening, contemplative reading, free writing, visualization, bearing witness, and loving kindness, were engaged during my doctoral research study. As a novice researcher but experienced practitioner, contemplative practice guided my research and creative processes, allowing me to present a deeper understanding of the participants in my study while simultaneously bringing a heartfulness to my ethical decisions. While it is not uncommon for researchers to draw on their existing skills in mindfulness and other contemplative practices, I propose that contemplative practice is central to narrative inquiry research, making it both a …

Wisdom Responses To Troubled Times: Healing Through Contemplative And Somatic Approaches, David Smith, Thomas Falkenberg, Remy Y.S. Low, David Chang, Åsa Jarskog, Jason Brown, Randy Persad, Anna Rumjahn, Charles Scott, Heesoon Bai

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Humanity is facing troubled times, as witnessed by increased polarization and division that are exploding into various forms of violence. Collectively, we are facing unprecedented ecological and environmental disasters. On campuses throughout North America, and closer to home, student anxiety, depression and other mental health issues are increasingly prevalent. The academic fields of contemplative inquiry and somatic studies, which highlight holistic approaches to education, are responding to these troubled times by showing how we can accomplish presence of mind, promote healing, and embrace the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and ecological dimensions of wellness.

Slow Reading Course Evaluations: From Discomfort To Discovery, Brian Baldi, Colleen M. Kuusinen

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) help faculty to get feedback on their teaching, identify areas of strength and growth, and document their teaching effectiveness from the student perspective. While much has been written about whether or not student evaluations are biased (Benton & Cashin, 2012; Kogan, et al., 2010; Shorter, 2023), about the validity of student evaluations in measuring student learning (Uttl et al., 2017), and how to interpret data (Davis, 2009; Hoover-Dempsey n.d.; Lewis, 2001; Linse, 2017; Perlmutter, 2011; Petchers & Chow, 1988; Reibman, 2004), we offer a new, mindful approach to reading student evaluations that might help instructors …

Contemplative Practices Facilitating Awareness, Compassion, And Healing In Study Abroad: A Reflective And Explorative Study, Ciara C. Hoyne, Jing Lin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This reflective essay focuses on the relationship between contemplative practices and participation in a short-term study abroad trip. The study explores how contemplative practices help facilitate self-understanding, alleviate stress, enhance connection to the host community and culture, and enable healing. We use our experiences participating in a short-term study abroad program as an example for examining the role of contemplative practices in the context of study abroad. We discuss and integrate relevant literature on the topic of meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative inquiry to offer insight into how contemplative practices can be integrated into study abroad in a way that enhances …

Healing In Relation: Honoring Post-Graduate Grief As An Opportunity For Relational Scholarship, Tanya J. Behrisch, Anna Rumjahn, Chris Yakimov

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper is a three-way conversation about grief that follows a graduate program. We explore our experiences with post-graduate grief in community, attending to each other’s sense of loss following separation from supervisors, theses, and graduate programs. In committing to slow scholarship, processes—such as navigating feelings and living—have been valued over producing a manuscript quickly. Slowness, including long gaps between meetings, enabled us to follow the diverse contours of quiet alchemical processes such as grieving, opening up to emptiness, self-acceptance, being enough, and letting go. After years of compression and dialogic friction with her mentor, Tanya confronts feelings akin to …

Imagination: Bridging The Intended, Delivered, And Received Curricula, Vicki Boley Dr., Paul A. Michalec Dr.

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper explores the transformative potential of imagination in higher education, particularly its capacity to bridge the intended, delivered, and received curricula. Through a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with graduate students, the research highlights how imagination fosters holistic, socially just, and humanizing educational experiences that transcend traditional instructional boundaries, encouraging student ownership and creative engagement in the higher education classroom and beyond.

Fan Perceptions Of Dynamic Ticket Pricing In Professional Sports: The Impact Of Transparency, Incentives, And Demographics, Joshua Greer, Nicholas Zoroya

The COSMA Journal

Abstract

Dynamic Ticket Pricing (DTP) has become a widely implemented strategy in professional sports, allowing organizations to adjust ticket prices based on demand fluctuations. While DTP optimizes revenue generation for teams, its impact on fan perceptions, purchasing behavior, and loyalty remains a crucial consideration. This study examines the influence of age, gender, pricing transparency, and promotional incentives on fans’ perceptions of fairness, trust, and purchasing decisions within a dynamic pricing model.

A total of 57 participants completed a survey assessing their attitudes toward DTP. Key areas of analysis included perceived fairness, willingness to pay for high-demand games, trust in pricing …

The Craft Store, David W. Jardine

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This poetic expression focuses on beingness, attention, and our creations and perceptions of beingness and the implications that flow from those perceptions, some of them having to do with how we relate to one another.

Dr. David W. Jardine is a retired University of Calgary Professor who spent years thinking, reading, teaching and writing about the kinships between ecological thinking, pedagogy and hermeneutics. His latest book is "Why Study for A Future We Won't Have?" Commiserations and Encouragement for Ecologically Sorrowful Times, and the forthcoming “[This Ain’t] No Nature Poetry: On Education, Scholarship, and Ecological Mirth.”

Drawing Conclusions: A Study On Student Comic Creation As A Formative Assessment, Madeline Wright

Honors Projects

This study explores the effectiveness of comics as an exit ticket to help improve student learning and achievement. Students today are struggling with grasping social studies concepts, and this study seeks to look into the researcher’s creative solution to this issue. While extensive research highlights the effectiveness of comics as an instructional tool, little research has been done on its effectiveness as an assessment tool. The hypothesis of the study is that if students create comics as an exit ticket, then their perceived understanding and engagement in the content will improve. Data was collected by student drawn comic panels/sheets, observations, …

Using Social Emotional Learning To Connect Social Awareness And Classic Literature, Erin Anderson

Honors Projects

The following case study explores how social-emotional learning (SEL) teaching strategies enhance seventh-grade students’ engagement with classic literature during English Language Arts (ELA) class. Using S.E. Hinton’s classic novella The Outsiders as a foundation for this research, this study examines whether SEL-based lesson plans help adolescents make deeper connections between literature and their own lives. Two groups of students were compared in the study: one group received traditional, comprehension-based instruction, while the other participated in SEL-based assessments, encouraging perspective-taking and personal reflection. This study utilizes qualitative assessments like character analysis, reflection, and surveys to affirm that students who are exposed …

Teaching About Bodily Autonomy In The Early Childhood Classroom, Alaina Foster

Honors Projects

Research and evidence-based practices for the need to implement instructional materials in regard to elementary bodily autonomy and childhood sexual assault prevention education in the general education classroom.

Construct Validity, Test-Retest Reliability, And Inter-Rater Objectivity Of The Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (Scas), Jon Sundan, Håvard Lorås, Monika Haga

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study aimed to investigate the construct validity, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability of a newly developed and comprehensive instrument for assessment of children’s swimming competence. The Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (SCAS) consists of six consecutive test items (entry, swim on front, surface dive, float, swim on back and exit) that aligns with the Norwegian curricular standard of swimming competence. The exploratory factor analysis retained a unidimensional model, supporting one underlaying statistical dimension with acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.79). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between test and retest ranged from .84 to .98, and .97 for the total score. Strong …

"Feel For The Water": What Is It, Really?, Robert Keig Stallman, Kristine De Martelaer

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The phrase, 'feel for the water,' is commonly used. But what does it really mean? The traditional idea of this 'feel' focuses on the sensation of touch and use of the hands to produce propulsion. But what about water resistance? Mastering a feel for how to reduce resistance is equally important as the unique relationship between aquatic propulsion and resistance is of great importance. While being in the water, the effects of gravity and buoyancy also need to be perceived by the learner and taught by the instructor. Reflection on the effects on propulsion-resistance and gravity-buoyancy requires relevant exercises to …

Water Orientation Skills And Basic Safety And Swimming Skills Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kelle L. Murphy, Min Liu

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is the leading cause of death among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined water orientation (i.e., comfort level), water safety, and beginning swimming skills of individuals with ASD of ages ranging from 3 to 13 years using the Aquatic Orientation Checklist (AOC) (Kilian et al., 1984). Data were collected during consecutive Fall and Spring semesters. A total of 23 children (n = 15 boys; n = 8 girls) volunteered for the study. Lessons were conducted twice a week for 10 weeks continuously and each lesson was 45 minutes in length. Overall, the swimming program had …

In This Issue 14:4, Stephen J. Langendorfer Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In This Issue 14:4

The Perceived Benefits Of And Barriers To Open-Water Swimming: A Mixed-Methods Examination, David Elliott Ph.D, Mark A. Christie Ph.D

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study set out to determine the perceived benefits of, and barriers to, open-water swimming (OWS). Adopting a mixed-methods approach, six hundred and sixty-five open-water swimmers responded to an online survey consisting of the Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale (EBBS) and a series of open-ended questions. Data from the EBBS revealed the strongest perceived benefits to be ‘Psychological Outlook’ and ‘Life Enhancement.’ In terms of barriers, those presented in the EBBS received low ratings with only ‘Physical Exertion’ considered as being somewhat problematic. Content analysis performed on the open-ended responses showed social aspects, mental well-being, and connection to nature as …

Evaluation Of Online Information On The Cold Shock Response To Accidental Immersion In Cold Water, Adam Wilson, Heather Massey, Clare M. Eglin

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Many of the UK open water accidental deaths have been attributed to the initial responses to cold water immersion (CWI) collectively known as the cold shock response (CSR). The aim of this study was to analyse the publicly available internet information on CWI and CSR for accuracy and quality compared to the ‘gold standard’ published, peer-reviewed research. Seventy-eight webpages which provided information in English on unexpected CWI and CSR were evaluated. Webpages were accessible, widely available, and had appropriate readability scores. Webpage accuracy was suboptimal including only presenting on average 10 (range 3-16) CSR components out of 19. Quality of …

A Preventionist Framework For Reducing Drowning: A Case For Parenting Interventions, Miriam G. Clark, Linda Quan, Patricia Chamberlain

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is preventable but still claims the lives of over 300,000 people worldwide every year. The purpose of this theoretical review paper is threefold: 1) discuss the theoretical framework for a multi-faceted system of prevention; 2) discuss the importance of parenting, a crucial area where current drowning prevention research is falling short in this multi-faceted approach; and 3) discuss how evidence-based practices from psychosocial parenting research could be used to create drowning prevention interventions that support parents to implement water safety practices in their families. Practical ideas for integrating psychosocial parent interventions with drowning prevention knowledge are discussed. Such interventions …

The Heart Of Higher Education: Rediscovering Meditation From The Margins Of Learning To A Liberatory Pedagogy In The Post-Pandemic University, Jinting Wu, Yuejia Wang, Yu Wu, Qi Zhang

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

On May 14^th, 2022, a racially motivated mass shooting occurred in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Western New York. The trauma brought fresh anguish to a fraught social landscape already shaken by COVID-19 and resurgent racism. This paper explores the formation of a campus meditation group that emerged in light of the shooting tragedy and prolonged pandemic suffering, and its members’ journeys of healing, self-discovery, and transformation. While scholars have critiqued the neoliberal higher education for producing self-enterprising individuals motivated by economic rationality, this paper offers our humble attempt to re-center meditation as a liberatory pedagogy in fostering …

Tales Of A Contemplative Academic: Lessons Learned From Integrating Meditation In The College Classroom, Steve Haberlin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

In this autoethnographical reflective essay, the author recounts his struggles and micro-victories with integrating brief meditation with undergraduates at a private college. The reflection offers three major insights for other faculty considering sharing meditation in higher education.

Holistic And Decolonial Approaches To Mass Education, Deepa Srikantaiah, Jwalin Patel

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper discusses the opportunities and limitations of mass education systems, which are influenced by materialism, modernism, reductionism, and anthropocentrism. While mass education systems provide skills-based education and training, they also reduce cultural diversity. This has consequently led to a fragmented view of oneself and the world, and several global crises. This article explores alternative, decolonial, and southern knowing, living, and being in education. These approaches call for holistic education that can bring unity and connectivity to address global concerns such as knowledge, well-being, justice, democracy, and climate change.

Labyrinthine Routes To Meditation: Contemplative Pedagogy And Instructor Self-Care, Natalie Mera Ford

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

In the pandemic- and post-pandemic era, new as well as exacerbated work-life stressors have led academia to recognize the vital role wellness plays in teaching and learning. While most institutional and pedagogical response has understandably focused on students’ holistic health, this essay promotes increased instructor self-care as a necessary complement to supporting learners in higher education. By practicing meditative exercises drawn from contemplative pedagogy, faculty and instructional staff can create synergy between mindfulness strategies that we might invite students to try and our own attention to the whole self outside class. As the essay’s case study shows, labyrinth walking in …

The Laughing Buddha: The Education Of Compassionate Leaders Through Improvisational Play, Belinda Chiu

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

With an urgency to build a generative future, educational systems do not have a choice but to pay attention to how and what we train our future leaders. Yet there is still a gap as leadership studies are often relegated as a “soft” skill, rather than integrated as technical knowledge critical to the holistic effectiveness of a tertiary education. As a result, there is often a disconnect between students immersed in the idealistic bubble of the academy and graduates navigating life outside. Inquiry- and reflective-based methods of contemplative practices may be critical for leaders to avoid short-term, short-sighted decisions that …

Folding Lessons From A Librarian Who Designed A Seven-Week Course For Undergrads, Robert J. Snyder

University Libraries Faculty Publications

In this article, a faculty member at a mid-size state university describes the context, creation, and content of a credit-bearing college course he taught focused on the art and science of origami.

Student Speed Dating As A Catalyst For Creative Idea Generation In Sport Management Programs, Logan Schuetz Ph.D., Yo Han Lee Ph.D., Tyler J. Hajek, Brandy Runyan

The COSMA Journal

This article presents a novel approach to addressing the challenges of idea generation among students in higher education, particularly in the field of sport management. Based on research into student engagement and creativity, the authors suggest incorporating speed dating techniques into both in-person and online classes. Speed dating sessions, conducted in breakout rooms via platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, offer students multiple opportunities to engage in brief, structured interactions, thereby enhancing their presentation skills, idea generation, and perspectives through structured, rapid interactions. Additionally, this method encourages greater collaboration and active participation, improving the overall learning environment. This strategy not …

The Reclassification Of Sport Management, Robyn Lubisco, Kerry Fischer, Genevieve F.E. Birren, Kathleen Burke

The COSMA Journal

Institutions of higher education use Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes to categorize and track academic programs. Developed by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), CIP codes are used for various purposes, including data collection, analysis, and reporting (NCES, 2010). Academic administrators can use CIP data to initiate or revise academic curriculum, develop market research for new programs, and reallocate programs. Institutions can establish benchmarks in the form of teaching, research, qualifications, and funding (Knudson, 2016). A survey distributed in November 2022 to members of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) revealed less than one percent of …

Faculty Perceptions Of Soft And Hard Skills In Sport Management Curricula, Jonathan Rosenberg Ed.D., Simon M. Pack

The COSMA Journal

While employers still see the value in accessing hard skills, the current hiring process involves placing a greater emphasis on the transferable skills known as soft skills. These soft skills include critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, written and oral communication, and the ability to research independently. As such, hiring managers suggest the onus for developing soft skills rest with faculty as they equip these future employees with the soft skills necessary for a given role or industry. There exists an abundance of research in skill development and employability from the vantage point of the employer and of the graduating student, however, …

Integrating A Practical Sport Analytics Course Into Sport Management Education, Bradley Congelio

The COSMA Journal

Integrating analytics into sport management curricula has become increasingly crucial as the sport industry embraces data-driven decision-making. However, many programs struggle to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in analytics education. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to teaching sport analytics that emphasizes hands-on experience with data using the R programming language and RStudio. The course structure and content described herein focus on leveraging the tidyverse ecosystem and National Football League (NFL) data to immerse students in conducting sport analytics. By progressing through modules on data manipulation, visualization, web scraping, and statistical analysis, students acquire both the …

Re-Imagining Professional Learning For Teachers: A Reflection On The Transformative Experience Of An Organic Inquiry., Desiree J. Gilbert Dr

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Challenged, frustrated and motivated by my observation and sense that learning experiences are often designed and facilitated with an emphasis on criticality over creativity, I engaged in PhD studies to explore the question, How can expanding my understanding of creativity and its connection to learning assist me to re-imagine professional learning for teachers so that their learning experiences are enhanced? In this article I discuss how my practice as a professional learning facilitator for teachers transformed through this study. In particular I describe my experiences and findings from my open exploration of creativity as a phenomenon and how the organic …