Professors Practicing Mindfulness: An Action Research Study on Transformed Teaching, Research, and Service

Abstract

In this 2-year action research study, 33 university professors attended a 4-day faculty seminar titled “Mindfulness Meditation in Teaching,” which included guided insight meditation, dialogic inquiry, and action planning. Participants generated and committed to 26 novel methods for integrating mindfulness practice with teaching, research, and service. These practices grouped into four areas including mindful grading and assessment, awareness of students in the classroom, practicing mindfulness in and out of the classroom, and cultivating self-awareness in teaching. A mixed-methods analysis of transformative learning illustrates three fundamental shifts in perspectives and behaviors: balancing expertise with a “beginner’s mind” approach for greater innovative capacity, deepening appreciation for subject matter and communion with students, supporting a genuine sense of community across academic silos, and advocating for a more mindful university culture through six new university-wide initiatives.