Investigating Contemplative Practice in Creative Writing and Education Classes

This presentation reports findings of a research project at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (UMD) and Saint Martin\u27s University (SMU). Our primary purpose has been to examine the impact of contemplative practice on teaching and learning in an undergraduate creative writing class and a graduate education methods class on teaching writing. As part of our universities\u27 participation in the CASTL Cognitive Affective Leadership Program, our project investigates how contemplative practice via reflective writing informs affective development in student learning, particularly a sense of self as writers and as teachers of writing. Secondary purposes of the project are to study the effectiveness of collaborative practice in cognitive affective learning (CAL) and model the changing nature of faculty work in higher education