Abstract
This interdisciplinary, qualitative study is the first to map the role of
spirituality in contemporary art museum education from the educatorâ s perspective.
The thesis makes an original contribution to a spiritual approach to art museum
education by acknowledging an interplay between worldview, core values, educational
goals, learning theory, and educational practice. Based on a holistic worldview of the
profound interconnectedness of all life, spirituality is proposed as a nonreligious and
nonsectarian category concerned with an individualâ s experiential journey in search of
purpose, meaning, and connectedness with self, others, nature, and the transcendent.
The case study that underpins this project focused on three significant
groups of educators: art museum educators, high school visual art teachers, and
prospective visual art teachers studying at university. Data from qualitative
questionnaires and semistructured interviews was triangulated among the groups, to
map participantsâ views about spirituality in teaching high school groups visiting art
museums.
My analysis of the qualitative data revealed that all participants made a
distinction between spirituality and religion. However, in their teaching some used
spirituality as a transcendental concept, others as nontranscendental. Further, visual art
emerged as a secular field particularly well suited to engaging students with existential
and spiritual questions. For example, art museum educators described art museums as
places of slowing downâ referring to a state of heightened presence and
concentration, fruitful for immersive experiences, and for potentially opening to
spiritual questions.
Another key finding is that all participants were hesitant to embrace a
spiritual dimension to art education. One way to encourage more spiritual dialogue
would be to clarify the contemporary, secular interpretation of â spiritualâ across art
museum education, the visual arts syllabi, and teacher training. Greater clarity may
inspire educators to integrate spiritual explorations into art museum education.
The study concludes that art museums present a potentially powerful
learning environment for young people to engage with reflective and existential
questions of self and world. In this context, contemplative pedagogies, including the
integration of mindfulness and bodyâ mind practices, may provide novel and
meaningful strategies to invite young visitors to explore the spiritual.