Spirituality and Pedagogy: Faculty's Spirituality and Use of Student-Centered Approaches to Undergraduate Teaching

Abstract

Using data from a national survey of college faculty, this study examines faculty members' preferred teaching practices as one aspect of their professional behavior that may reflect the spiritual dimension of their own lives. Findings show that faculty who are highly spiritual are more likely than their less spiritual colleagues to use student-centered pedagogy. The results have implications both for enhancing understanding of pedagogical practice and addressing faculty personal and professional development issues.

Spirituality Among the Professoriate at a Private University in Lima, Peru

“…As pointed out earlier, most early research into spirituality in academia focused on student spirituality (Lindholm & Astin, 2008). Nonetheless, research that has focused on the faculty is emerging.…”

“…Shahjahan (2010) studied the role of spirituality among faculty of color teaching for social justice. Lindholm and Astin (2008) investigated faculty spirituality and the use of student-centered approaches to undergraduate teaching. Tolliver and Tisdell (2006) Some studies have found gender-based distinctions concerning personal spirituality.…”

“…Sólo el género mostró una diferencia significativa en las puntuaciones de bienestar espiritual. La fase cualitativa se dio por medio de According to Lindholm and Astin (2008), "From a research standpoint, with few exceptions (see Astin & Astin, 1999; Braskamp, 2003), the empirical research on spirituality that has been conducted in higher education institutions has focused primarily on students, ignoring completely the experiences, attitudes, expectations, and behaviors of faculty" (p. 201).For this reason, the faculty voice regarding spirituality in the academic workplace was the problem to be explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the professoriate view of spirituality at a private university in Lima, Peru.…”

Community college as liminal space

“…The situation is similar with approaches to faculty development, most of which concern themselves with scholarship, teaching evaluations, and service to the institution without regard to the hopes, fears, and frustrations of faculty members (Lindholm, Astin, and Astin, 2005;Astin, 2004 and sense of community within this structure. Is it any wonder that despite the efforts of faculty development centers, faculty discontent is growing?…”

Contemplative Administration: Transforming the Workplace Culture of Higher Education

“…This view values personal development yet also suggests a need to move beyond the personal and into influencing the world through social justice initiatives. Spiritual development is an integral part of our development as human beings and should be considered in faculty and student lives (Lindholm and Astin 2008). One of the ways Naropa is unique is how it values the spiritual paths of employees.…”