Addressing Spirituality in Experiential Learning

AbstractExperiential learning has had a firm place in Education since the time of John Dewey. Nevertheless in the Czech Republic, due to its isolation during the Communist era, its development has been unique in some respects. This study aims to examine whether experiential learning is capable of addressing spirituality as a significant aspect of human life. The findings of a research survey conducted among participants of two experiential courses show that a kind of spiritual experience did occur, although it was not intended in the original design of the course. An insight into the question of addressing spirituality through experiential learning is thus provided

Spiritualita ve vzdělávání – zpět k širšímu pojetí učení se

Spiritualita ve vzdělávání – jako možnost otevření se širšímu pojetí učení se – představuje ve střední Evropě poměrně nové a zároveň i kontroverzní téma. Jako takové si zaslouží pozornost: kontextuálně a historicky zdůvodnit, a představit jeho základní ideové zaměření, včetně příkladu praktické aplikace. S ohledem na to předkládá příspěvek nejvýznamnější koncepty, zaměřuje se přitom spíše na implicitní podobu spirituality ve vzdělávání, a v kondenzované podobě shrnuje dosavadní poznání anglosaských autorů. V českém edukologickém prostředí tak přispívá k diskuzi o možnostech holističtějšího přístupu ve vzdělávání

Winter course experience: Towards a wider understanding of a dramaturgy approach

Background: Dramaturgy is a specific method of course design and conduct used in experiential education in the Czech Republic. However, little is known about how the application of dramaturgy affects participants in experiential education. This paper explores dramaturgy in a winter expeditionary course organized by Vacation School Lipnice and participants' experience. Objective: Firstly, to explicate how the dramaturgy was used to design and conduct a winter expeditionary course by Vacation School Lipnice. Secondly, to explore the participants' experience. Methods: Content analysis was employed, using data from twelve unstructured interviews made with the course participants. Results: Four main themes representing participants' experience emerged from the interviews: a) inner self-experience, reflecting on life; b) relationships with others; c) nature; and d) embodiment and physical demands. These four underlying aspects have turned out to be relevant to the course dramaturgy in a number of ways. Considering the dramaturgy of the course, the main theme of the course was a pilgrimage not only to certain goal, but also to oneself. This theme was transformed into a practical programme of a long winter journey on snowshoes. Conclusions: The dramaturgy approach was found useful in the design of the experiential education course, positively contributing to the participants' experience