GED 544 - Mindfulness Education: Cultivating Caring, Attention, Awareness and Self-Regulation

Mindfulness practices and other contemplative approaches are increasingly being adopted in many professional settings, including medicine, psychology, therapy, and education, and a growing body of research suggests cognitive, emotional, social, ethical and spiritual benefits. This course will examine a variety of current perspectives, theories, and research studies on mindfulness education, as well as practical approaches to teaching them at all levels from early childhood through adulthood. It will also emphasize the current cultural context, especially the impacts of technology on attention, and the critical importance of connecting mindfulness practices to compassionate, ethical, and ecological ways of living. The course will also draw on personal experience and experimentation, and it is appropriate for those with little knowledge, as well as those who have previously studied or practiced varied forms of mindfulness. Class activities will include readings, discussions, lectures, guest speakers with varied approaches, and mindfulness practices. The course aims to engage curiosity about and strengthen mindfulness and presence capacities of educators themselves, as well as to help them develop mindfulness curriculum and teaching practices relevant to their students’ development and needs.

Credits: 3 cr.