The document summarizes research on the benefits of mindfulness meditation for college students. A study found that students who took an 8-week mindfulness seminar experienced decreased stress levels and increased self-esteem and self-compassion. While students found meditation difficult at first, they learned techniques to reduce anxiety and feel more calm and focused. The study provides evidence that brief mindfulness training can teach valuable stress-reduction skills to help students navigate the pressures of academic life.
Meditation Increases happiness. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin reported that people newly trained in meditation have shown an increase in electrical activity in the left frontal part of the brain, an area associated with positive emotion and happiness.
Mindfulness can serve as a powerful tool to create more optimal wellbeing. The very end of the presentation includes a mindfulness meditation that is great for beginners. But before that, we'll quickly cover a few common questions about mindfulness:
* What is mindfulness?
* What are the benefits of mindfulness & mindfulness based practices?
* Is mindfulness just a Buddhist or religious concept?
* How do I practice mindfulness?
There is nothing much to say about meditation. This is the oldest practise by virtue of which one can control ones mind and the mind becomes the strongest tool for tackling any challenges that life may throw at us. Meditation is the tool described in the vedic scriptures and today it is accepted world wide as a potent and effective therapy.
Create resilience and self-compassion with mindfulness meditation and positiv...Dr. Andrea Pennington
10 years ago Dr. Pennington introduced acupuncture, mindfulness meditation & positive psychology coaching to an intensive outpatient program for binge eating disorder. It quickly became a highly referred and publicized approach for process addictions. Her research and clinical practice produced the Attunement Meditation which fosters impulse control, resilience & stress reduction.
Free meditation downloads are available at
www.AndreaPennington.com/StressLess
Research shows that through prolonged mindfulness practice the insular region of the brain is enhanced leading to increased self-awareness, emotional regulation and wellbeing. Further, a reduction of anxiety by the amygdala through mindfulness-based practices is well established in the literature.
Dr. Pennington's Attunement Meditation empowers people to build 9 essential resilience traits for wellbeing and relapse prevention, including:
non-judgmental awareness, present moment attention,acceptance,
self-compassion, physiological stress reduction, letting go/surrender, emotional intelligence, self-generated positive emotion and gratitude, and adaptability.
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction for Business TeamsMatt Thieleman
A brief introduction to stress and its negative workplace and health impacts; information on the ways in which meditation and mindfulness can work to manage stress and improve our lives. Created for the Paradigm Group in Nashville
Ten million people in America practice mindful meditation. That’s quite a lot. Mindful meditation has become popular as more and more people enjoy living a better, less stressful, more productive life.
Why are these people turning to meditation to improve their daily lives? The easy answer is, meditation works. The more complex answer is that today, we are suffering from information overload and stress more than previous generations. Some meditators want to reduce stress and enjoy greater peace.
Others seek more awareness to create a more purposeful life. Still, others want to gain greater awareness and align their thoughts with their actions. Mindful meditation is useful for all of these purposes. What is true for everyone, however, is that the more you know about your thinking, the more you are in control of your life.
Mindfulness in Clinical Practice - Rick Hanson, PhDRick Hanson
On mindfulness as a concept, experience, and clinical tool for clinical and personal practice.
More resources are freely offered at http://www.rickhanson.net.
Learn how mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can help relax your body, calm your mind and spirit, and reduce overall stress. Our meditation techniques are ideal for women and men coping with chronic anxiety, illness, and pain.
Meditation Increases happiness. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin reported that people newly trained in meditation have shown an increase in electrical activity in the left frontal part of the brain, an area associated with positive emotion and happiness.
Mindfulness can serve as a powerful tool to create more optimal wellbeing. The very end of the presentation includes a mindfulness meditation that is great for beginners. But before that, we'll quickly cover a few common questions about mindfulness:
* What is mindfulness?
* What are the benefits of mindfulness & mindfulness based practices?
* Is mindfulness just a Buddhist or religious concept?
* How do I practice mindfulness?
There is nothing much to say about meditation. This is the oldest practise by virtue of which one can control ones mind and the mind becomes the strongest tool for tackling any challenges that life may throw at us. Meditation is the tool described in the vedic scriptures and today it is accepted world wide as a potent and effective therapy.
Create resilience and self-compassion with mindfulness meditation and positiv...Dr. Andrea Pennington
10 years ago Dr. Pennington introduced acupuncture, mindfulness meditation & positive psychology coaching to an intensive outpatient program for binge eating disorder. It quickly became a highly referred and publicized approach for process addictions. Her research and clinical practice produced the Attunement Meditation which fosters impulse control, resilience & stress reduction.
Free meditation downloads are available at
www.AndreaPennington.com/StressLess
Research shows that through prolonged mindfulness practice the insular region of the brain is enhanced leading to increased self-awareness, emotional regulation and wellbeing. Further, a reduction of anxiety by the amygdala through mindfulness-based practices is well established in the literature.
Dr. Pennington's Attunement Meditation empowers people to build 9 essential resilience traits for wellbeing and relapse prevention, including:
non-judgmental awareness, present moment attention,acceptance,
self-compassion, physiological stress reduction, letting go/surrender, emotional intelligence, self-generated positive emotion and gratitude, and adaptability.
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction for Business TeamsMatt Thieleman
A brief introduction to stress and its negative workplace and health impacts; information on the ways in which meditation and mindfulness can work to manage stress and improve our lives. Created for the Paradigm Group in Nashville
Ten million people in America practice mindful meditation. That’s quite a lot. Mindful meditation has become popular as more and more people enjoy living a better, less stressful, more productive life.
Why are these people turning to meditation to improve their daily lives? The easy answer is, meditation works. The more complex answer is that today, we are suffering from information overload and stress more than previous generations. Some meditators want to reduce stress and enjoy greater peace.
Others seek more awareness to create a more purposeful life. Still, others want to gain greater awareness and align their thoughts with their actions. Mindful meditation is useful for all of these purposes. What is true for everyone, however, is that the more you know about your thinking, the more you are in control of your life.
Mindfulness in Clinical Practice - Rick Hanson, PhDRick Hanson
On mindfulness as a concept, experience, and clinical tool for clinical and personal practice.
More resources are freely offered at http://www.rickhanson.net.
Learn how mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can help relax your body, calm your mind and spirit, and reduce overall stress. Our meditation techniques are ideal for women and men coping with chronic anxiety, illness, and pain.
How to overcome your stage fright and become an authentic public speaker? Learn more about the 4 B's Method of Mindful Presenting, developed by the School of Mindful Presenting.
Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Meditations for Peace & Stress ReductionNature Relaxing
Overall, "Practicing Mindfulness" offers readers a comprehensive guide to developing a regular mindfulness practice and cultivating greater awareness, emotional well-being, and interconnectedness in their lives. Through its guided meditations and practical advice, readers can learn to reduce stress, improve mental health, and find peace in the everyday.
For many years, religious and spiritual groups have praised the many benefits of meditation. Recently, scientists have studied and discovered that the act of meditation actually has many benefits, especially when consistent actions are taken in daily meditation.
This ppt contaings following agenda.
1) What is Meditation
2) Facts about Meditation
3) Types of Meditation
4)Objectives of Meditation
5) Benefits of Meditation
6) Statistics
7) References
Benefits of Meditation and Profound Meditation (Ubiquity University)Pam Dupuy, LMFT
This presentation explores the benefits to meditating and in particular the benefits to working with iAwake Technologies' Profound Meditation Program 3.0
Mindfulness Coaching Session 1 - Attention & The NowWellbeingChampion
Mindfulness teaches us to focus our attention on what is happening at the moment, the now. The exercises are a form of training your attention. During pregnancy, we want to help you to be the driver of your thoughts instead of your thoughts driving you.
During this session, you will learn a technique called, the body scan. It will assist you to remain focused and connected to the present moment and thereby be positively focused during the pregnancy.
Most approaches to mindfulness are geared toward the individual level and not the social or community level to which traditional mindfulness methods were targeted. It is not only about our own personal growth but the enlightenment of the community as a whole. We are never separate. And this insight is fundamental for any effective wellbeing effort (workplace or otherwise). This experiential webinar will feature a cursory overview of mindfulness (definition, measurement, practices) and participants will be invited to complete introspective surveys about their own mindfulness to help ground the social conversation for the webinar. We will then contemplate seven different ways in which wellness champions can show up in a mindful way within the social context (community or sangha) of their work setting. These are listed below. Participants will be invited to self-assess their capacity for each and given tools to continue developing each.
· The Values Clarifier (Your Cause, Calling, or Legacy)
· The Intentional Centerer (Breathe…Breathe…Breathe)
· The Heedful Relater (Loving Kindness)
· The Compassionate Nudger (Mindfully Encourage)
· The Knower of Impact (Integrity, Foresight, and Social Contagion)
· The Thriver (All Stress is Grist for the Mill)
· The Garnerer of Trust (We are One)
Learning Objectives
1) Define mindfulness and identify at least one measure and practice of mindfulness
2) Distinguish intra-personal mindfulness from inter-personal mindfulness
3) Identify seven different ways that wellness champion may embody mindfulness in their interactions with others
About The Presenters
Dr. Joel Bennett President
Organizational Wellness & Learning Systems
Website: www.organizationalwellness.com
Joel Bennett, PhD, is President of Organizational Wellness & Learning Systems (OWLS), a consulting firm that specializes in evidence-based wellness and e-learning technologies to promote organizational health and employee well-being. Dr. Bennett first delivered stress management programming in 1985 and OWLS programs have since reached over 30,000 workers across the United States.
Lindsay Simone, Manager of Wellness Programs
ACEC Life & Health Trust
Lindsay currently serves as Manager of Wellness Programs for the Designed Wellness program that is offered to all firms that are members of and have medical insurance coverage through ACEC Life & Health Trust. She graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received a Masters in Wellness Management and Business from Ball State University.
Objectives
Define mindfulness
Discuss how mindfulness can be beneficial
Differentiate it from meditation
Explore the concepts of mindfulness
Identify Mindfulness Activities
Similar to Mindfulness Meditation as a Tool for Managing Student Stress (20)
Sodexo is the world leader in services that improve quality of life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of Onsite Services, Benefits and Rewards Services, and Personal and Home Services.
At Sodexo, we believe that when companies place people’s quality of life at the center of their thinking, they create a more committed and engaged workforce. We have worked to make quality of life something that is concrete and operational, reconciling individual expectations with the goals of companies and viewing workplace trends through the lens of quality
of life. We have identified six dimensions of quality of life on which our services have a direct impact:
The Physical Environment: Ensuring that employees are safe and feel comfortable
Health & Well-Being: Providing opportunities to make employees healthier
Social Interaction: Strengthening bonds among individuals and facilitating access to culture and leisure
Recognition: Making employees feel valued
Ease & Efficiency: Simplifying the daily employee experience
and improving work-life balance
Personal Growth: Helping employees grow and develop
The studies we conduct each year include concept and product testing, test markets, consumer satisfaction, mystery shopping, diary panels, focus groups, purchase structure, pricing studies, and ethnographic research among others.
In the following pages we present a little of what we’ve learned across our research in the area of workplace food insights. The Sodexo insights strategy means our proposals and retail solutions deliver incremental sales and enhanced consumer satisfaction.
Perfecting the art of medical hypnosis as an alternative to traditional anesthesia, learnings from Sodexo's International Leaders' Survey, addressing the challenges and opportunities created by the multi-generational workforce in hospitals, improving transport services to increase efficiency, news around the world.
How treating psychological and social needs can improve the daily lives of the chronically ill, creating a new model for outpatient care, quality of life and aging, humanization of care, streamlining responsibilities of hospital staff and news around the world.
Meet the experts and find out how technology is changing the future of healthcare, quality of life trends and figures, how to help patients adapt to a change in rhythm, how to train a staff that CARES, holistic approaches to patient care, mealtime management and news around the world.
Meet the experts enhancing health through design, learn about quality of life trends and figures through studies and data and how small gestures can make big differences, discover a user guide to fighting hospital-acquired infections and read up on Sodexo News Around the World.
Population Health Management: a new business model for a healthier workforceInnovations2Solutions
The purpose of this piece is to discuss the high cost of poor employee health and well-being, define PHM in the workplace, and highlight PHM initiatives and outcomes
within the corporate environment. As PHM continues to mature as a model for keeping populations healthy, the programmatic elements of employer PHM efforts will also evolve.
2016 association for community health improvement conference: summary of proc...Innovations2Solutions
The Association for Community Health Improvement (ACHI) held its annual national conference from March 1-3, 2016. The ACHI
is the premier national association for community health, community bene t and healthy communities’ professionals. This year’s conference was held in Baltimore, Maryland, and centered on discussion around the “From Health Care to Healthy Communities” idea.
The event brought together hundreds of community thought leaders, population health experts and community organizations, in sessions of collaborative engagement and learning. Presentations and interactive meetings introduced and critically discussed the latest tools and approaches to population and community health. This summary provides an overview of some of the key themes and takeaways that emerged from the conference.
2016 16th population health colloquium: summary of proceedings Innovations2Solutions
This paper will discuss the four key ideas discussed at the Colloquium that will have important ramifications as healthcare organizations seek to implement population health strategies:
1. understanding and alleviating Patient fear is Key to Patient experience
2. the Case for a new Population Health Protection agenda as a means to drive down Healthcare Costs
3. using data and technology to improve Healthcare for older adults
4. engage Consumers in Wellness-based Population Health and thrive financially
In May and August 2014, academic researchers surveyed 270 Environmental Service (ES) and Food Service (FS) workers at two U.S. hospitals in Sodexo’s Healthcare Division. The goal of this study was to gather information about workers’ perceived job quality for use in designing a future study aimed at reducing turnover, absenteeism, and work-related injuries at both sites.
For Sodexo, this study provides an opportunity to improve the Quality of Life of these workers, as well as the Quality of Life of the patients they serve. In turn, hospitals can benefit from greater efficiency, reduced costs, improved safety and increased performance.
Empirical research estimates that medical errors cost an estimated 19.5 billion dollars in healthcare costs and nearly 400,000 patients die annually due to these errors. 1As a result, the federal government has adopted a new regulation that creates incentives for hospitals and their sta to improve the quality of patient care. 2This new regulation ties patient care to Medicare reimbursements. In other words, how well a hospital provides patient care determines whether that hospital incurs a penalty or a bonus in the form of a percent reduction or increase of Medicare reimbursement rates.
Evidence-based design: definition and application in the healthcare setting Innovations2Solutions
This paper will define evidence-based design and identify outcomes of evidence-based design in healthcare. Two examples will be provided of areas where evidence can – and should – be integrated into healthcare facility design, in order to optimally support healthcare workers and patients.
Creating adaptable communities summary from Empowering Adaptable Communities ...Innovations2Solutions
Sodexo was honored to be a featured presenter at the 2nd Annual Atlantic Center for Population Health Sciences Empowering Adaptable Communities Summit. The Summit was held on October 21 and 22, 2015, in Morristown, New Jersey, at the College of Saint Elizabeth. The event was devoted to providing new insights, information, inspiration, and personal connections in our united efforts to empower communities to be more adaptable.
This paper will discuss the definition, roles and evolution of
the family caregiver, before delving into the topic of caregiver fear – including the sources, consequences and mechanisms for alleviation.
The Reciprocal Relationship of Higher Education Institutions and Their Commun...Innovations2Solutions
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how action-oriented programs in community engagement are a means for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to advance the needs of their organizations. Advancement occurs through dynamic relationships and partnerships with a variety of community stakeholders. The result of this synergy is the enhancement of quality of life and an improved educational climate, which benefits students, staff, faculty and community members.
Continuing the Journey of Alleviating Patient Fear: Post-DischargeInnovations2Solutions
This piece will examine the critical role of post-discharge care and how it is shaped by the existence and alleviation of patient fear. Steps and best practices to alleviate this fear are also described in detail.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
Honest Reviews of Tim Han LMA Course Program.pptxtimhan337
Personal development courses are widely available today, with each one promising life-changing outcomes. Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has drawn a lot of interest. In addition to offering my frank assessment of Success Insider’s LMA Course, this piece examines the course’s effects via a variety of Tim Han LMA course reviews and Success Insider comments.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
2024.06.01 Introducing a competency framework for languag learning materials ...Sandy Millin
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/iateflwebinar2024
Published classroom materials form the basis of syllabuses, drive teacher professional development, and have a potentially huge influence on learners, teachers and education systems. All teachers also create their own materials, whether a few sentences on a blackboard, a highly-structured fully-realised online course, or anything in between. Despite this, the knowledge and skills needed to create effective language learning materials are rarely part of teacher training, and are mostly learnt by trial and error.
Knowledge and skills frameworks, generally called competency frameworks, for ELT teachers, trainers and managers have existed for a few years now. However, until I created one for my MA dissertation, there wasn’t one drawing together what we need to know and do to be able to effectively produce language learning materials.
This webinar will introduce you to my framework, highlighting the key competencies I identified from my research. It will also show how anybody involved in language teaching (any language, not just English!), teacher training, managing schools or developing language learning materials can benefit from using the framework.
2. Mindfulness is defined as being
focused in the moment. 1,2
One way to practice mindfulness
meditation consists of simply
sitting in a comfortable position
for ten to twelve minutes while
concentrating on the sensation
of air moving in and out of the
lungs. For these few minutes one
is instructed to notice—then let
go of—every distracting thought
that comes into the mind. The
goal of mindfulness meditation
is to be as attentive as possible
to the simple act of breathing in
order to live fully in the moment,
free from distracting thoughts
or emotions. The purpose
of mindfulness meditation is
thus to be fully conscious of
each moment of experience
with minimal interference from
competing mental states, such
as regret, worry, anticipation,
or other emotion-driven
distractions.
The recent popularity of
mindfulness meditation
in corporations and other
enterprises across America
attests to a growing and broad-
based interest in finding ways
to negotiate the demands of a
multitasking culture. Hundreds
of research articles suggest
that mindfulness exercises can
help people overcome anxiety,
concentrate better, and even
become more compassionate. 3,4,5
To build upon this past research,
an experiment was designed
to determine (1) if mindfulness
meditation techniques can be
taught effectively in a university
setting, and (2) if they provide
benefits for students.
METHODS
The experiment was conducted
with 28 college students
who attended a one-credit
mindfulness seminar that met
one hour a week for eight
weeks. Prior to the seminar’s first
meeting, participants filled out a
questionnaire with items from the
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Survey, 6
the Perceived Stress Survey,7
the
Self-Compassion Survey,8
and
the Altruistic Inventory.9
The students met once a week
for instruction and practice using
a set of thirty-minute videos that
cover the basics of mindfulness
practice. Along with these weekly
meetings, participants were
asked to practice mindfulness
meditation on their own for at
least ten minutes, four times per
week throughout the eight-week
seminar.
Students kept informal logs
to record the date and setting
of these required meditation
sessions. The final assignment
was to write a reflection paper
assessing their experience with
mindfulness meditation.
FINDINGS
After the experimental period of
eight weeks was over, the initial
questionnaire was administered
again (see Table 1). Participants’
self-reported scores increased
on three of the four initial
measures: stress, self-esteem,
and compassion. This increase
indicates that individual levels of
perceived stress decreased over
the eight-week instruction period,
while levels of self-esteem and
compassion towards themselves
increased during this period.
Ten minutes of calmly watching
one’s own breath sounds easy.
Yet the experiment’s participants
found this simple task to be
incredibly difficult at first. Their
minds often raced toward
other thoughts such as creating
checklists for accomplishing
tasks, worrying about the
outcome of some project or
test, and fretting over strained
personal relationships. Each
week, however, they improved
at shedding such distracting
thoughts and “returning to their
breath.” Within weeks they had
gained a new technique to add
INTRODUCTION
2
3. to their repertoire of life skills.
As many reported, mindfulness
meditation taught them to take
a break from scheming, fretting,
and striving. For ten minutes they
could “just live.”
ALMOST ALL OF THE
PARTICIPANTS PRAISED
MINDFULNESS PRACTICES
AS A TECHNIQUE THAT
HELPED THEM DEFUSE
ANXIETY BEFORE GIVING
A PRESENTATION,
TAKING A TEST, OR
INITIATING A POTENTIALLY
CONFRONTATIONAL
CONVERSATION.
One student sent an email
right after giving an important
oral presentation for his senior
engineering project. He wrote
that about fifteen minutes
before his speech he had been
so nervous that he was visibly
shaking. He found an empty
room nearby and decided he
had no other option than to try
out his newly acquired ability for
practicing mindfulness. A little
more than ten minutes later he
stood up and walked into his
presentation, calm and confident.
Another student wrote, “I found
myself using meditation to try
and reset my mind and rid myself
of anxiety.” Another participant
noted, “After meditating, I felt
like a weight had been lifted from
my shoulders and that everything
was going to be fine.” Many
students mentioned increased
self-esteem and increased self-
control as being a product of
their mindfulness practice. As one
put it, “I am more aware of what
I am feeling and can take control
of those emotions in whatever
situation I am involved in.”
The Self-Compassion scale used
in this experiment contains a
number of subscales which, when
analyzed individually, increased
in a pattern similar to the other
scales over the eight – week
period. These subscales indicated
that participants strengthened
such personality traits as self-
kindness, self-judgment, sharing
a common humanity with another
person, a general sense of
mindfulness, feelings of isolation
and reflection, as well as an
increased sense of identification
with the world around them (see
Table Two).
Increased “feelings of isolation”
may at first seem unexpected,
but these feelings make sense
in the context of repeated
experiences of sitting alone
and reflecting. This particular
subscale might be an example
of how mindfulness meditation
fosters a sense of centeredness,
creating an appropriate balance
between internal locus of control
and enhanced awareness of the
surrounding world.
The only item that did not
“improve” (i.e., change in the
predicted direction) was the
participants’ collective score on
the Altruistic Inventory scale. This
result is somewhat odd given
that participants did increase
in such measures as sharing a
common humanity with another
person and an increased sense
of identification with the world
around them. It is possible,
though, that a personality trait
such as altruism is too complex
to manipulate and measure
accurately during a time interval
as short as eight weeks. This
unexpected finding, however,
certainly does warrant further
investigation.
3
4. Condition Percent Change
Self-Esteem Increased by 1.5%
Perceived Stress Decreased by 7.4%
Self-Compassion Increased by 7.7%
Altruism Decreased by 1.5%
Condition Percent Change
Self-Kindness Increased by 3.9%
Self-Judgment Increased by 8.7%
Humanity Increased by 12%
Isolation Increased by 5.8%
Mindfulness Increased by 8.4%
Over-Identification Increased by 7.4%
TABLE 1: Changes in Personality Trait Scores after
Mindfulness Instruction
TABLE 2: Changes in Compassion Sub-Scale Scores
after Mindfulness Instruction
LIMITATIONS
OF THE STUDY
It was clear from the outset that the
environmental complexities of college
life would make it difficult to produce
dramatic changes in the relatively stable
personality traits being measured. After
all, most aspects of these students’
lives lay outside of the experiment’s
control over the course of this study.
Furthermore, students filled out the
initial questionnaire after several weeks
of vacation and before the academic
semester had fully begun. When students
completed the final questionnaire eight
weeks later, the pressures of academic
life had presumably increased.
Given the relatively small size of our
sample, we decided to supplement our
quantitative measures of change with
two additional items designed to give
us some qualitative data concerning
the possible effects of mindfulness
meditation. Participants turned in a log
noting the date, time, and location of
their meditation periods over the eight
weeks of the seminar. They
also wrote a four-page paper in
which they were asked to reflect
candidly on whether they saw
any value in these practices
going forward in their lives. No
participants wrote that they
were now confirmed meditators
or saw themselves wanting to
practice mindfulness on a daily
basis. The majority, however,
stated that they now possessed
a valuable tool to put in their
“personal toolbox” for dealing
with life’s stresses and strains.
4
5. A quiet location
Meditation is usually
practiced in a quiet place
with as few distractions
as possible. A specific,
comfortable posture
Meditationcanbe
donewhilesitting,lyingdown,
standing,walking,or
inotherpositions.
An open attitude
This means letting distractions
come and go naturally
without judging them.
A focus of attention
Themeditatormayfocusona
mantra(aspeciallychosenwordor
setofwords),anobject,orthe
sensationsofthe
breath.
IMPLICATIONS
FOR COLLEGES
UNIVERSITIES
As mentioned above, participants
doubted that they would ever
become daily meditators.
Virtually all reported that they
found meditating difficult
and many reported that they
often wondered if those extra
ten minutes would be better
spent napping. But almost
all mentioned that this brief
exposure to mindfulness
techniques gave them valuable
new tools for their “personal tool
box.” They found it reassuring to
know they have some additional
skills for becoming calm,
centered, and confident amidst
the frantic moments of everyday
life.
These helpful “life tools”
can easily be taught in a
university setting. Instructional
videos are widely available.
Organizing groups to learn
mindfulness doesn’t require
a trained professional—only
someone willing to become
a co-learner. Mindfulness can
be practiced anywhere—in a
dorm room or even at a desk
in the library. It only takes a few
minutes. Universities could even
encourage this step toward
wellness by buying a set of
instructional videos and making
them available to be watched
alone or in groups.
Just providing students with an
action plan for those moments
when they feel besieged by
fear or worry might itself be an
important step toward helping
them become calm, centered,
and confident in both their
personal and professional lives.
In addition, new research shows
that mindfulness training can
assist in other areas besides
stress and emotion regulation.
Some studies have found
that that these techniques are
beneficial for those dealing with
addiction and other substance
abuse issues. 10,11,12
Mindfulness
practices seem, for example,
to be an effective supplement
to other alcohol treatment
programs.
CONCLUSION
Overall, this experiment with
28 students and an eight-week
seminar offers some evidence
that mindfulness meditation can
provide college students with an
effective tool for managing stress.
Programs to teach these skills can
be implemented inexpensively
and without trained professionals,
though it might be easy to
identify skilled practitioners
among a university’s faculty and
professional staff.
Even if most students would not
practice mindfulness on a regular
basis, our study suggests that
such instruction would still help
give them tools for defusing the
tensions that arise in the hectic
environment of a college or
university.
ELEMENTS OF MINDFULNESS
MEDITATION13
Mindfulness meditation instructs the practitioner to
become mindful of thoughts, feelings, and
sensations and to observe them in a non
judgmental way. This practice is believed to result
in a state of greater calmness and physical relaxation,
and psychological balance. Practicing mindfulness
meditation can change how a person relates to the flow
of emotions and thoughts.
5
6. REFERENCES
1
Nhat Hanh, T. (1976). The Miracle of Mindfulness!: A Manual of Meditation. Boston: Beacon Press.
2
Kabat-Zin, J. (1991). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of the Body and Mind to Face
Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York: Dell.
3
Troyer, J., Tost, J., Yoshimura, M., LaFontaine, S., Mabie, A. (2012). Teaching Students How to
Meditate Can Improve Level of Consciousness and Problem Solving Ability. Procedia - Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 69, 153-161.
4
Desrosiers, A., Vine, V., Klemanski, D., Nolen-Hoeskema, S. (2013). Mindfulness and Emotion
Regulation in Depression and Anxiety: Common and Distinct Mechanisms of Action. Depression
and Anxiety, 30(7), 654-661.
5
Menezes, C., de Paula Couto, M., et al. (2013). The Improvement of Emotion and Attention
Regulation After a 6-week Training of Focused Meditation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1-11.
6
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press.
7
Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., Mermelstein, R. (1983). A Global Measure of Perceived Stress. Journal of
Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385-396.
8
Neff, K. (2003). Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Self-Compassion. Self and
Identity, 2, 223-250.
9
Rushton, J., Chrisjohn, R., Fekken, G. (1981). The Altruistic Personality and the Self-Report
Altruism Scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 2, 293-302.
10
Hau, S., Grow, J., Marlatt, G. (2008). Mindfulness and Addiction. In Galanter, M. (Ed.), Recent
Developments in Alcoholism (pp. 229-250). New York: Springer.
11
Witkiewitz, K., Marlatt, G., Walker, D. (2005). Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Alcohol
and Substance Abuse Disorders. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 19(3), 211-228.
12
Vallejo, Z., Horensia, A. (2009). Adaptation of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program for
Addiction Relapse Prevention. The Humanistic Psychologist, 37, 192-206.
13
NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2010). Meditation: An
Introduction. Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/sites/nccam.nih.gov/files/meditation.pdf
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7. MEET THE AUTHORS
Bob Fuller, PhD
Bob Fuller is Caterpillar Inc. Professor of Religious Studies
at Bradley University. Bob is the author of 13 books on
the psychology of religion and American religious history,
including his most recent book The Body of Faith: A
Biological History of Religion in America (University of
Chicago Press, 2013). Other research interests include
the role of emotions in religion and the history of
unconventional American religion.
Mark Lehtman, BS
Mark recently received his Bachelor of Science degree in
psychology and history from Bradley University in Peoria,
Illinois. While an undergraduate, he researched a variety
of topics in the areas of narcissism, approach/avoidance
motivation, and mindfulness meditation. Currently, Mark
lives in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, where he works as the
Assistant Director for Glencoe Youth Services and Glencoe
Junior High Project. These organizations work to provide
wholesome community service and social activities for the
youth of North Shore Chicago. He will soon pursue a PhD
in social/personality psychology.
Bradley University is a private, independent university
located in Peoria, Illinois. Bradley’s residential campus is
home to approximately 4,500 undergraduate students
and 500 graduate students studying liberal and fine arts,
the sciences, engineering, education, business, and the
health sciences. Bradley is known for its commitment
to excellence in classroom teaching and for launching
students into successful professional careers.
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