A glitch in the machine or a glimmer of what could be? Mindfulness as resistance in higher education
- Authors: McDonough, Sharon
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Mindfulness in the academy : Practices and perspectives from scholars Chapter 16 p. 247-258
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- Description: The work of academics in higher education institutions is widely recognised as having intensified in demands and in accountability measures. In the field of teacher education, this intensification alsomanifests in academics needing to meet the requirements of both the university and external stakeholders and accrediting bodies. In this chapter, I draw on a central narrative “A glitch in the machine” to explore the demands that academics face in contemporary higher education contexts. I use this narrative as a stimulus for considering the nature of academic work and I contend that the adoption of the principles and practices of mindfulness provides an opportunity for academics to engage in resistance that enables them to remain focused on their authentic self and purpose as academics. In so doing, I describe the strategies I have adopted in order to make mindful choices about my work and identity as an academic in this space.
Mindfully living and working in the academy : Continuing the conversation
- Authors: Lemon, Narelle , McDonough, Sharon
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Mindfulness in the academy : Practices and perspectives from scholars Chapter 17 p. 259-283
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- Reviewed:
- Description: As scholars and administrators in higher education institutions begin to implement mindfulness practices and perspectives, it is worth examining what can be learned through examining their diverse understandings and perspectives. In identifying the formal and informal mindful practices used by the contributing authors of this volume, we argue that they provide others with a basis for reflection on their own practices and perspectives. In this chapter, we present seven approaches to mindfulness as enacted by the chapter authors. We present an overview of these key strategies and approaches and suggest the possibility of such approaches for individual and collective change.
Mindfulness in the academy : An examination of mindfulness perspectives
- Authors: Lemon, Narelle , McDonough, Sharon
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Mindfulness in the academy : Practices and perspectives from scholars Chapter 1 p. 1-21
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- Reviewed:
- Description: In a complex and demanding higher education, environment wellness for scholars is an ethical imperative and is an essential component of self-care, required to prevent burnout, distress, and impairment. As we navigate the contemporary higher education environment, it is important to look at ways of working that bring to the forefront self-care and mindfulness. In this chapter, we explore how scholars understand and apply the concept of mindfulness in higher education contexts. We examine ways academics implement mindfulness practices that build the capacity to accept, tolerate and transform mind and body states without reacting so intensively to them by drawing on concepts such as compassion, kindness, gratitude, curiosity, self-awareness and non-judgmental stances. We explore how mindful ways of researching, writing, learning and teaching, leading and engaging with others leads us to be self-aware and engaged in the present. We introduce the notion of Dramaturgical Theory of Social Interaction as a framework for examining mindful practices in academia. This chapter presents a thematic analysis of the work of the authors presented in this volume, situating this in a broader discussion of mindfulness, and we raise questions for further consideration.