Leveraging Students’
Spirituality for Meaningful
Learning
Dave S. Knowlton, Associate Professor
Department of Educational Leadership
dknowlt@siue.edu
650-3948
What is Spirituality?
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“Direct verbal description [of spirituality]
in a sober, cool, analytic, ‘scientific’ way
succeeds only with those who already
know what you mean, i.e., people who
[can] feel or intuit what you are trying
to point to even when your words are
quite inadequate in themselves.”
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Abraham Maslow, 1976, Religion, Values, and Peak-Experiences, p. 84
What is Spirituality?
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Maslow’s “peak-experiences” and aiming
for “self-actualization”
Csikszentmihaly’s “flow”
Cameron’s “artistic recovering”
Dyer’s “intention”
Knowlton & Hagopian’s “Ego Engagement”
What is Spirituality?
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Lived experience, rather than empirical
Generative, rather than receptive
Artisanship, rather than technique alone
Synthesizing, rather than separating
Creates engagement, rather than a
grade
Applications
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Assignments that allow students to
pursue spirit
Assessments that allow for insight into
spiritual connections
Assignment Design &
Implementation
Some Heuristical Questions for Consideration
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
The nature of spiritual
activity

“In our studies, we found that every
flow activity . . . provided a sense of
discovery, a creative feeling of
transporting the person into a new
reality. It pushed the person to higher
levels of performance, and led to
previously undreamed of states of
consciousness. In short, it transformed
the self by making it more complex.”
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008), Flow, p. 74
Complexity of Self

“When we develop [and teach] the skill of
learning how we know what we know, . . .
we help students sample the rigors and
delights of the examined life. When we ask
students to learn to think for themselves
and to understand themselves as thinkers—
rather than telling them what to think and
have them recite it back—we help foster
habits of introspection, analysis, and open,
joyous communication.”
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Takacs (2003, p. 28)
Assessment Approaches
Thoughts on Criteria & Grades
A Quick Argument
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If spirit is unique within each student and . . .
if students’ spirit is engaged while interacting
with content and ideas, then . . .
that content and those ideas are no longer
common to all students in all situations; and
thus, . . .
objective assessments are irrelevant, while
“professional judgment” is a more useful
construct.
Subjective Applications of
Criteria
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Brave
Risky
Uncomfortable
Provocative
Thought-provoking
Evocative
Novel
Innovative
Evidence of
“grappling”
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Virtuosity
Artistic
Nuance
Intrigue
Presence
Unique to you
Vulnerability
Equilibrium
Intellectual Clarity &
Continuity
Subjective Applications of
Grading
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Symbolic Markings
–+
–√
–
–

Qualitative Language
– Not indicative of
college-level work
– Poor
– Fair
– Good
– Excellent
– Superior
The Ball is in Your Court
Questions?
Comments?
Reactions?
Dave S. Knowlton
* dknowlt@siue.edu * extension 3948 * cell: 618.977.8260 *
References
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Cameron, J. (1992). The artist’s way: A spiritual path to higher creativity.
New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience.
New York: Harper Perennial.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery
and invention. New York: Harper Perennial. Dyer, W. (2006). Inspiration:
Your Ultimate Calling. Carlsbad: Hayhouse, Inc.
Dyer, W. (2004). The power of intention: Learning to cocreate your world
your way. Carlsbad: Hayhouse.
Knowlton, D. S. (2010a). Zen and the art of ghost busting within a radical
classroom milieu. Teaching & Learning: The Journal of Natural Inquiry and
Reflective Practice, 25(1), 15-31.
Knowlton, D. S. (2010b). Take out the tests, and hide the grades; add the
spiritual with all voices raised! Professor explications and students’ opinions of
an unconventional classroom milieu. Critical Questions in Education, 1(2), 7093.
Sperber, M. (2000). Beer and Circus: How Big Time College Sports is
Crippling Undergraduate Education. New York: Henry Holt
Takacs, D. (2003). How does your positionality bias your epistemology?
Thought & Action, 29(1), 27-38.