Introducing interdisciplinary contemplative pedagogy: A case study of “The Art and Science of Meditation”

A conceptual framework is presented for applying contemplative pedagogy in higher education, emphasizing rich contextualization and interdisciplinarity. The model places embodied contemplative activities within concentric layers of socio-cultural, political, religious, ethical, and material context. Cosmopolitanism is introduced to address epistemological, cultural, and practical diversity encountered by educators and students. The framework is illustrated through a case study of an undergraduate subject, The Art and Science of Meditation, designed by the authors.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article presents a model for the application of contemplative pedagogy in higher education settings, with a focus on rich contextualisation and interdisciplinarity. We articulate a vision for a multiplicity of contemplative pedagogies, and present a conceptual framework to guide the understanding, analysis, and evaluation of contemplative practices within learning processes. This framework draws from a range of disciplinary perspectives, placing the embodied activities associated with contemplative practices in concentric layers of context (socio-cultural, political, religious, ethical, and material). We extend the discussion of contemplative pedagogies by exploring several challenges that educators may confront in contemporary university settings. Specifically, the concept of cosmopolitanism is introduced to reason through the epistemological, cultural, and practical diversity that educators and students encounter when engaging with contemplative practices as part of educational life. To illustrate how the model of contextualised, interdisciplinary contemplative pedagogies can be applied, we present the case of The Art and Science of Meditation, a first-year undergraduate subject designed and developed by the authors.