This thesis explores wisdom education, in theory and practice, at a Baháí-inspired
school. As background for this research, the thesis investigates the concept of
wisdom, taking into account representative voices from philosophy (Socrates),
psychology (Sternberg) and Biblical studies (Proverbs), and undertaking a detailed
analysis of wisdom as a central idea in Baháí thought and Baháí education.
The data for the research into Baháí education was collected at Nancy Campbell
Collegiate Institute (NCCI), a Baháí-inspired school committed to wisdom
education. NCCI, located in Stratford, Canada, provides a solid foundation for
education through the twin pillars of achieving academic excellence and a clear
moral framework. NCCI asserts that the centre of the educational experience is their
commitment to nurturing and inspiring qualities of the spirit, emphasizing that the
spiritual life of their students is an important element of their overall development.
The data collected was analysed through the strategies and techniques of interpretive
ethnography in educational research. The sources for generating the data were:
participant observation, interviews and document/curriculum analysis.
After critical analysis of the data, it became apparent that wisdom in this school is
understood to be more than knowledge and experience. Wisdom is an educational
process involving:
· An innate capacity within each individual to become wise.
· The stimulus of this innate wisdom capacity through exploring fields of both spiritual
and material knowledge.
· An acquired understanding of these spiritual and material worlds that increases the
potential for good in individual and collective lives.
· Making informed and beneficial moral and life decisions based on this acquired understanding, which becomes an integral part of the persons life experience.
· Reflection on decisions made and actions taken, which enables the individual to gain a
new level of understanding for seeking knowledge and making better decisions.
Also, it became apparent that the acquisition of wisdom is more than seeking
knowledge from the elders, God and the environment. There was a strong consensus
amongst the informants that education is a vital instrument to stimulate the
development of the innate wisdom in their students. This was evident by the way the
school emphasised the implementation of the 19 Moral Capabilities (Appendix
Three) and promoted spiritual awareness, employed the technique of consultation,
implemented the concept of mentorship, upheld the principle of Unity in Diversity,
and used performing arts through dance and theatre workshops to enhance social,
moral and spiritual understandings.
The model of wisdom education investigated in the research undertaken in this thesis
offers a valuable model for exploring wisdom education in a wide range of
contemporary schools in Australia.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/216426 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Pourshafie, Tahereh, Tahereh.Pourshafie@flinders.edu.au |
| Publisher | Flinders University. Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.flinders.edu.au/disclaimer/), Copyright Tahereh Pourshafie |
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