RESUMEN

Teaching contemplative neuroscience is emerging as a way to increase the reach and relevance of our field to a wider undergraduate population while also encouraging the beneficial practice of contemplation. In-person classes on the topic have been shown to improve both academic learning and attitudes towards science and meditation. Here we show that a short-term, asynchronous online course in contemplative neuroscience had comparable benefits. Students completed the Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory (DMPI; Williams et al., 2011) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown and Ryan, 2003) at the start and end of the course. Their scores showed reduced barriers to meditation and improved mindfulness after the course, changes predictive of a range of positive behavioral and well-being outcomes. Students also rated the course as highly effective in advancing neuroscience understanding and competency. A comparison group (from an online general psychology class) showed no increase in mindfulness and a significantly weaker reduction in meditation barriers. This success of an online class in both academic and social-emotional learning is promising given the rapid growth of online instruction and the improved access it can provide to non-traditional students. The class format together with its health-relevant topic could thus be a valuable tool for reaching a more diverse student body while at the same time promoting practices linked to both personal and societal benefits.

RESUMEN

In this manuscript we describe our journey as two White coteachers conducting interpretive research with Black and Brown students in a remote-learning teacher preparation course in New York City. In the context of uncertainty, during the twin epidemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice, we explore how we reframed our contemplative pedagogy by embracing an equity-oriented framework. We share stories about moments of awakening drawn from spaces between us and our exceptional cohort of special education teachers - reflections about sensations, emotions, biases, and lived experiences as we embrace the identity of interbeing. Specifically, we explore transformations in our approach to process orientation, reflective journaling, heuristic methodology, and event-oriented inquiry as enacted in the course. We advocate for supporting faculty and students in contemplative enactments to build trust, relationship and communication essential for centering equity in response-able education.

Sa lámhscríbhinn seo, deanaimíd cur síos ar ár dturas, mar dhá chomh-mhúinteoir le craiceann bán, a dhéanamh taighde léirmhínitheach le mic léinn daite i gcúrsa ullmhúcháin múinteoirí cianfhoghlama i gCathair Nua Eabhrac. I gcomhthéacs na neamhchinnteachta, le linn eipidéimí cúpla COVID-19 agus éagóir chiníoch, déanaimíd iniúchadh ar an gcaoi ar athchruthaíomar ár n-oideolaíocht mhachnamhach trí chreat atá dírithe ar chothromas a ghlacadh. Roinnimíd scéalta faoi chuimhneacháin de dhúiseacht a tógadh ó spásanna idir ár gcohort eiseachtúil múinteoirí oideachais speisialta agus an bheirt againn ­ machnaimh faoi bhraistintí, mhothúcháin, chlaontachtaí agus eispéiris mhaireachtála agus muid ag glacadh le haitheantas an fholláine. Go sonrach, déanaimíd iniúchadh ar chlaochluithe inár gcur chuige maidir le treoshuíomh próisis, dialann machnamhach, modheolaíocht heorastúil agus fiosrúchán dírithe ­ mar a achtaíodh sa chúrsa. Molaimíd tacaíocht a thabhairt don fhoireann teagaisc agus do mhic léinn in achtacháin mhachnaimh, chun mhuinín, caidrimh agus chumarsáid atá riachtanach, chun cothromas san oideachas a lárú, agus atá in ann freagairt.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To describe a pilot study testing a metacognition and contemplative pedagogy intervention designed to improve student abilities to identify errors on orders entered into a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system. Educational activity and setting: Student teams worked up five patient cases and entered new orders into a CPOE system. All orders entered by teams were analyzed for errors and faculty members identified fifteen orders representing the top errors and selected these for the pre-exercise, in-class contemplation activity, and post-exercise. Course instructors instructed students to identify all errors on these orders. Students completed a pre/post-survey rating their ability to enter new orders. Two weeks later, students worked up a new patient case and entered orders into the CPOE. These orders were graded and scores were compared to the 2017 cohort to determine any differences in error rates. FINDINGS: Study participants included 205 students The average score of correctly identified errors increased from 22% on the pre-exercise to 62.8% on the post-exercise. On the survey of their skills, students rated their ability to "accurately enter medication orders into the [electronic health record] EHR" more highly after the intervention. The 2017 cohort made 73 errors on 170 orders compared to 45 errors on 165 orders by the 2018 cohort. SUMMARY: Based on improvements in student ability to identify order entry errors and overall positive student feedback, this strategy may be adopted by other educators looking to improve student identification of errors on orders entered into a CPOE system.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Current education in gerontology focuses on sharing knowledge and promoting intergenerational contact in order to shift students' attitudes about aging and elders. Existing interventions, however, may be less effective in modifying students' emotional reactions and implicit ageism. Contemplative pedagogy includes practices that help students notice cognitive and emotional patterns and that may serve to reduce bias. Suggestions are made for ways to incorporate contemplative pedagogy in the gerontology classroom.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

An interdisciplinary, intensive, and experiential course on Neuroscience of Meditation was designed to fulfill a general education science requirement. Class activities included lecture, class discussion of the textbook and scholarly articles, laboratory experimentation, and practicing 15 different forms of meditation. Laboratory investigations included sheep brain dissection, physiological measurements of the autonomic nervous system, electroencephalogram, salivary enzyme assays, attention testing, and psychological questionnaires. The Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory (DMPI) and My Attitude Toward Science (MATS) scales were administered at the beginning and conclusion of the course; barriers to meditation were reduced and positive attitudes toward school science were increased. Comments on course evaluations praised this incorporation of contemplative pedagogy into a neuroscience course.

RESUMEN

This article examines the relation of contemplative exercises with enhancement of students' experience during neuroscience studies. Short contemplative exercises inspired by the Buddhist tradition of self-inquiry were introduced in an undergraduate neuroscience course for psychology students. At the start of the class, all students were asked to participate in short "personal brain investigations" relevant to the topic presented. These investigations were aimed at bringing stable awareness to a specific perceptual, emotional, attentional, or cognitive process and observing it in a non-judgmental, non-personal way. In addition, students could choose to participate, for bonus credit, in a longer exercise designed to expand upon the weekly class activity. In the exercise, students continued their "personal brain investigations" for 10 min a day, 4 days a week. They wrote "lab reports" on their daily observations, obtained feedback from the teacher, and at the end of the year reviewed their reports and reflected upon their experiences during the semester. Out of 265 students, 102 students completed the bonus track and their final reflections were analyzed using qualitative methodology. In addition, 91 of the students answered a survey at the end of the course, 43 students participated in a quiz 1 year after course graduation, and the final grades of all students were collected and analyzed. Overall, students reported satisfaction from the exercises and felt they contributed to their learning experience. In the 1-year follow-up, the bonus-track students were significantly more likely than their peers to remember class material. The qualitative analysis of bonus-track students' reports revealed that the bonus-track process elicited positive feelings, helped students connect with class material and provided them with personal insights. In addition, students acquired contemplative skills, such as increased awareness and attention, non-judgmental attitudes, and better stress-management abilities. We provide examples of "personal brain investigations" and discuss limitations of introducing a contemplative approach.