Description
A deeper understanding of connectedness and existential thinking in education is needed now more than ever. Within this thesis, I will be researching forms of spiritual development for my own personal growth and exploring how to integrate meaning making practices into teaching methods in education. In a public school, church and state must remain separate. How does one cultivate an awareness of connected nature without religion? I will begin my research with how to first define spirituality outside the religious context as I explore insights on spirituality through scholarly educational articles. I will also include in depth research of studies of spirituality including neurotheology, connections to nature, partnerships with creativity, and explore spiritual development in adolescents and in holistic education. Spiritual Intelligences is a concept that will be discussed along with an approach to nurture spiritual development in the classroom known as Contemplative Pedagogy. Results from my research show that integrating some of these practices may not be appropriate in all education systems but is one step forward in cultivating a global society. I have used these topics as a catalyst for my personal artwork concentrating on each category of study.
Keywords: Spirituality, Neurotheology, Spirituality in Nature, Spirituality and Art, Spirituality in Education, Contemplative Pedagogy, Art Education
