The Spiritual Dimension of Adult Learning
Location
Hamilton B
Proposal Track
Practice Report
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
As our culture becomes more diverse, interest in spirituality in both the adult education classroom and in workplace learning is increasing (Khasawneh, 2011). Tisdale (2003) notes that for many people, spirituality and religion are interrelated. Religion, explains Lerner (2000), is organized, has codes of behavior, and has a written doctrine while spirituality focuses more on meaning-making and often relates to the ways people learn (Tisdale, 2003). Furthermore, “the spirituality of most people connects to what they value and how they behave in the world (Tisdale, 2003, p. 41). What Lerner (2000) calls “emancipatory spirituality” (p. 65) is when spirituality leads people to share a sense of communal responsibility that impels them to pursue social justice in the world.
The purpose of this study is to explore the role spirituality plays in adult learning both in the classroom and in the workplace. The theoretical framework for this study is transformative learning, a framework advocated by Mezirow that impels adults to understand the world in ways that take into account their unique experiences (Erickson, 2007).
This study apples Mezirow’s transformative framework to illustrate how spirituality can enhance the learners’ engagement in the learning process.
Key Words: spirituality, religion, transformative learning, engagement
Keywords
spirituality, religion, transformative learning, engagement
Recommended Citation
Lawton, Dianne F., "The Spiritual Dimension of Adult Learning" (2017). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 14.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2017/2017/14
The Spiritual Dimension of Adult Learning
Hamilton B
As our culture becomes more diverse, interest in spirituality in both the adult education classroom and in workplace learning is increasing (Khasawneh, 2011). Tisdale (2003) notes that for many people, spirituality and religion are interrelated. Religion, explains Lerner (2000), is organized, has codes of behavior, and has a written doctrine while spirituality focuses more on meaning-making and often relates to the ways people learn (Tisdale, 2003). Furthermore, “the spirituality of most people connects to what they value and how they behave in the world (Tisdale, 2003, p. 41). What Lerner (2000) calls “emancipatory spirituality” (p. 65) is when spirituality leads people to share a sense of communal responsibility that impels them to pursue social justice in the world.
The purpose of this study is to explore the role spirituality plays in adult learning both in the classroom and in the workplace. The theoretical framework for this study is transformative learning, a framework advocated by Mezirow that impels adults to understand the world in ways that take into account their unique experiences (Erickson, 2007).
This study apples Mezirow’s transformative framework to illustrate how spirituality can enhance the learners’ engagement in the learning process.
Key Words: spirituality, religion, transformative learning, engagement
