Session Information
99 ERC SES 04 L, Health and Wellbeing Education
Paper Session
Contribution
The influence of spirituality on pedagogical phenomena has been discussed in the literature for many years (e.g. Behera & Dash, 2015; Ben-Arieh et al. 2014; de Souza et al. 2009; Fisher, 2011; Pandya, 2017; Wane et al, 2011). At the same time, the importance of its investigation is supported by findings of associations between levels of spirituality and positive formation of personality, or lower levels of risky behavior or depressive symptoms among students (Dankulincova Veselska et al., 2018; Henningsgaard & Arnau, 2008; Pérez et al., 2009; Raftopoulos & Bates, 2011). Despite the growing interest in this topic abroad, less attention has been given to this issue in educational research in the Czech Republic. If it is explored, it is so far in an unsystematized form (Jirásek, 2023; Říčan, 2006; Suchánková & Matušů, 2020; Veselský et al., 2013).
To support the initiation of this research, this paper offers an overview of theoretical approaches to conceptualizing spirituality that can be applied to pedagogy. It maps key approaches to spirituality in the pedagogical context over the last forty years and highlights the possibility of applying them both in terms of research and in the formulation of educational objectives or tools for pedagogical action. In doing so, it also aims to open a discussion on how spirituality can be explored in a pedagogical context and whether it is beneficial to work with it in mainstream pedagogical practice.
Based on the literature, we identified three key theoretical approaches that work with the concept of spirituality in contexts relevant to pedagogy, namely (1) the psychology of religion, (2) philosophy and theory of education, and (3) the well-being approach. The study aim is to clarify disciplinary and transdisciplinary grounding of these theoretical approaches and their distinct and congruent aspects. Further, review based on this classification allows us to better highlight the possibilities of application of these approaches in education.
The ECER proposal will present (1) the importance of exploring spirituality from an educational science perspective, (2) a review of theoretical approaches conceptualizing spirituality applicable to pedagogy, and (3) introduce possible future steps to explore this topic further.
Method
The paper is designed as a literature review of a traditional/narrative character. This approach is characterised by a more extensive set of sources and aims to analyse and summarise findings over a specified timeframe and may or may not include empirical findings (Grant & Booth, 2009; Mareš, 2013). This type of review was chosen for two reasons. First, it is the focus on mapping theoretical approaches. As such, it does not rely on a strictly defined body of work but draws on a range of sources of different nature (quantitative and qualitative studies, compendia, legal and other documents). Second, it is the breadth of the topic of spirituality. The paper draws on the findings of various disciplines, synthesizing or contrasting them on the one hand, while on the other hand respecting the conceptual apparatus of each approach and highlighting their most important aspects. The first step was a thorough research focused on the topic of spirituality in general and then on the individual theoretical approaches. A mind map was created to capture the main elements of each approach and the basic structure of the text. The text of the study was written iteratively with the aim of refining the arguments or adding perspectives. This methodology allowed us to map and finally synthesize a range of findings from different disciplines in which the concept of spirituality is anchored.
Expected Outcomes
The paper concludes that the perspective of the psychology of religion allows us to identify spirituality within the school environment as a potential factor (1) enhancing positive personality development, (2) promoting positive behaviour, and (3) contributing to the formation of healthy interpersonal relationships. We believe that further pedagogical research should focus on exploring these relationships, included the potential risks. Conceptualisations of spirituality from philosophy and theory of education can be insightful for education because they enable to conceptualise spirituality in relation to the needs of the educational process. The most important aspects emerging from this approach are the emphasis on (1) holistic student development, (2) the complementarity of student experiences, and (3) specific educational methods designed to develop spirituality. The contribution of the "well-being approach" to spirituality in relation to education is seen in three basic areas: (1) the empirically grounded concepts of spirituality, (2) the research tools for its measurement, and (3) the possible applicability of the chosen concepts at the level of curricular documents. However, when working with these concepts of spirituality, it is necessary to take into account their grounding in concepts of quality of life. The contributions of the paper are threefold: (1) it provides an overview of the approaches conceptualizing spirituality that are applicable to pedagogy, (2) it highlights their potential applications in terms of research and the formulation of educational goals, and (3) it contributes to the broader discussion on the relationship between spirituality and education.
References
Behera, S., & Dash, M. (2015). Stress and spirituality among school teachers. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 6(3), 305–308. Ben-Arieh, A., Casas, F., Frønes, I., & Korbin, J. E. (Ed.). (2014). Handbook of Child Well-Being: Theories, Methods and Policies in Global Perspective. Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9063-8 Dankulincova Veselska, Z., Jirasek, I., Veselsky, P., Jiraskova, M., Plevova, I., Tavel, P., & Madarasova Geckova, A. (2018). Spirituality but not Religiosity Is Associated with Better Health and Higher Life Satisfaction among Adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(12), 2781. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122781 de Souza, M., Francis, L. J., O’Higgins-Norman, J., & Scott, D. (Ed.). (2009). International Handbook of Education for Spirituality, Care and Wellbeing (Roč. 3). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9018-9 Fisher, J. (2011). The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-Being. Religions, 2(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel2010017 Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x Henningsgaard, J. M., & Arnau, R. C. (2008). Relationships between religiosity, spirituality, and personality: A multivariate analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(8), 703–708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.07.004 Jirásek, I. (2023). Pojmové zakotvení modelu spirituální gramotnosti v českém pedagogickém prostoru a možnosti její kultivace ve školním prostředí. Pedagogika, 73(1), 63–84. https://doi.org/10.14712/23362189.2022.2301 Mareš, J. (2013). Přehledové studie: Jejich typologie, funkce a způsob vytváření. Pedagogická orientace, 23(4), 427–454. https://doi.org/10.5817/PedOr2013-4-427 Pandya, S. P. (2017). Teachers’ views on spirituality for adolescents in high schools across countries. Pastoral Care in Education, 35(2), 88–110. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2017.1290132 Pérez, J. E., Little, T. D., & Henrich, C. C. (2009). Spirituality and Depressive Symptoms in a School-Based Sample of Adolescents: A Longitudinal Examination of Mediated and Moderated Effects. Journal of Adolescent Health, 44(4), 380–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.08.022 Raftopoulos, M., & Bates, G. (2011). ‘It’s that knowing that you are not alone’: The role of spirituality in adolescent resilience. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 16(2), 151–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2011.580729 Říčan, P. (2006). Spiritualita jako základ mravní výchovy. Pedagogika, 56, 119–131. Suchánková, E., & Matušů, R. (2020). Spiritualita pedagogů tradičních a alternativních škol. Sociální pedagogika / Social Education, 8(2), 29–43. https://doi.org/10.7441/soced.2020.08.02.02 Veselský, P., Poslt, J., Majewská, P., & Bolcková, M. (2013). Spiritualita ve vzdělávání – zpět k širšímu pojetí učení se. Paidagogos, 2013(2), 411–430. Wane, N. N., Manyimo, E. L., & Ritskes, E. J. (2011). Spirituality, education & society: An integrated approach. SensePublishers.
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