Aymara Childrens’ Practice of Transcendental Meditation in Perú: A Learning History Model of Parent and Teacher Perceptions

Practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique in schools and universities has been studied for 50 years and appears to support student development and learning, but its introduction in Latin America is recent and unstudied. This research in Puno, Perú used semi-structured interviews with parents and teachers to understand the consequences of the practice on Aymara school children's personal, academic, and social lives. Frequency and saliency analysis of the interviews revealed both confirmatory and unique outcomes, which are discussed alongside international empirical findings to create a learned history of the practice in Perú.

Study at a glance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique in schools and universities throughout the world has been well researched over a 50-year period suggesting it is a useful tool for student development and learning. However, introduction of the practice into school systems throughout Latin America is a relatively recent phenomenon and no research has been published on the likely or actual outcomes from this initiative. Moreover, research conducted on the practice in international settings has typically involved investigation of standard educational variables – such as academic performance, intelligence, and behavior – and has mostly used only quantitative methods and designs to do so. For this study, conducted on the practice in Puno, Perú, we have adopted a learning history approach using a third-person action research method of semi-structured interviews to hear and understand the distinct voices of parents and teachers about the consequences of practicing Transcendental Meditation on the personal, academic and social lives of Aymara school children. Results from frequency and saliency analysis indicate that a series of confirmatory as well as unique knowledge outcomes have emerged in this setting, and these are discussed in the context of international empirical results to create a learned history of the practice in Perú.