2015 Theses Doctoral

The Retrieval of Contemplation: Mindfulness, Meditation, and Education

Comstock, Patrick Warren

Mindfulness, meditation, and other contemplative practices are being incorporated into educational settings at increasing rates, and while there is a substantial body of empirical research in psychology and the cognitive sciences attesting to the mental and physical benefits of mindfulness and meditation, relatively little has been written about their educational value. In this dissertation, I offer an account of the educational value of contemplative practices. I focus on the claims that contemplative practices have a positive impact on attention, metacognition, stress levels, and empathy, all of which are important in the context of teaching and learning. The fact that there is empirical and theoretical evidence to support these claims justifies the employment of contemplative practices and contemplative pedagogy in education.