Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Incorporating Mindfulness Practices in Biology Courses
    



Advances in Biology Laboratory Education, 2022, Volume 42

Pamela L. Connerly

https://doi.org/10.37590/able.v42.extabs25

Abstract

Interest in mindfulness practices, such as reflective writing, yoga, self-compassion, meditation and others, has grown in recent years, and many people have found these approaches helpful during the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. While we may think of mindfulness practices as individual activities for self-care and personal growth, they are also well-suited to group endeavors. For the past several semesters I have been incorporating short mindfulness practices, such as moments of silence, guided meditations, and reflection exercises, into both lecture and lab classes. These techniques are easily adaptable to both face-to-face and online modalities. For many students (and faculty), a moment of silence at the start of a class may be their first chance to pause and take a deep breath all day. In this mini-workshop participants will directly experience several of the mindfulness practices I have used in my classes, with opportunities for feedback and discussion about each one. The hope is that the session itself will provide participants with a moment of rest within the broader conference, as well as providing information, context, and discussion about utilizing mindfulness practices in biology courses.

Keywords:  self-care, mindfulness, meditation, silence, contemplative pedagogy

ViABLE (2021)