Understanding consciousness for optimal human wellbeing & growth holistically

Abstract

Consciousness is a natural and integral part of human beings that is at the core of our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual functions throughout our lives. However, we tend to be too occupied with or distracted by the details of our daily existence to be fully aware of our own consciousness. More often than not, we are engaged in the surface consciousness in the materialistic world or emotional realm, which interferes us to get connected with our deeper consciousness and capacity. This paper will unpack the layers of human consciousness (or lack of consciousness) from philosophical perspective to examine the relations between our understanding of consciousness and its impact on our holistic wellbeing and growth (Singh, 2016 Singh, L. P. (2016). Science, spirituality, and ontological mysticism: the philosophical enquiry and reflection. Delhi, India: Concept Publishing Co. [Google Scholar]; Suzuki, 1999 Suzuki, S. (1999). Zen Mind. New York: Weatherhill. [Google Scholar]; Thompson, 2015 Thompson, E. (2015). Waking, dreaming, being. New York: Columbia University Press. [Google Scholar]). What is consciousness? How do human beings choose our consciousness? What is the relation between micro and macro consciousness? How do we expand, develop, and apply our consciousness for the maximum wellbeing and growth through education? The paper intends to go beyond the compartmentalized analysis of consciousness (e.g. biological, psychological, neurological etc.) by engaging a holistic metaphysical viewpoint as well as relational and dialectic approaches (Ames & Hall, 2003 Ames, T. R. & Hall, L. D. (2003). Daodejing: making this life significant. New York: Ballantine. [Google Scholar]) Hegel, 1807, 1977 Hegel, G. W. F. (1807, 1977). The Phenomenology of spirit. (A. V. Miller Trans.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Google Scholar]; Laozi, 1999 Laozi. (1999). Daodejing (道德经). Shanxi, China: Shanxi Classics Press. [Google Scholar]). It aims to connect theory, learning, and living together with nature and universe beyond the limitation of time and space.     

素质教育的历史发展及其新的时代机遇

强调素质教育 ,并不是彻底否定传统教育。素质教育有一个历史的发展过程 ,是在同功利教育的长期斗争中逐渐发展和完善的教育观念。科学和民主的社会环境是全面实施素质教育的基础。知识经济新时代的到来 ,素质教育又一次受到社会重视 ,并提到前所未有的认识高度 ,从而使素质教育拥有更加广阔的发展空间。在强调综合素质的前提下 ,当前需要将个性培养、创新能力和人文精神的倡导作为突破口 ,全面实施素质教育。     

论杜威教育哲学的思维方式——兼论基础教育课程改革

杜威的教育哲学继承并发展了黑格尔学说、进化论和实用主义的有关思想,形成了整体思维、过程思维,实践思维和关系思维等认识世界的独特思维方式.杜威的这种思维方式有助于我们澄清基础教育课程改革中理论和实践在认识上的模糊和偏差.     

Homeschooling Is Not Just About Education: Focuses of Meaning

This article explores the meanings parents attribute to homeschooling. The literature reveals two main approaches to this subject: a view of homeschooling as a pedagogical practice and a holistic perspective. Employing qualitative methodologies, we administered in-depth interviews to 30 mothers who engaged in homeschooling in Israel, in order to gain a better understanding of what homeschooling meant to them. Analysis of the interviews indicated that the participants attributed diverse meanings to homeschooling. These represented many themes, which were gathered into four super-themes: control, lifestyle, family, and child. The first two themes were emphasized more often than the latter two.     

英语口试中综合式与分析式评分的异同——基于考生话语的分析

本文依据Upshur and Turner（1999）考试与评分的理论模型,将考生口语产出的话语语言特征作为参照,研究口语考试中综合式与分析式评分的异同。实验结果表明考生口语产出的话语特征中流利度衡量指标之每分钟有意义音节数对两种不同评分模式都产生显著影响;评分员在两种评分过程中都注重考生话语的流利性,忽视语言准确性和复杂性。文章进一步对此进行了分析并从考生话语角度揭示口试评分中误差控制的问题。     

初论巴赫金道德哲学的教育意义

前苏联著名学者巴赫金学术思想和理论的基础和主线是道德哲学,它是在反对伦理学基础上建立起来的。巴赫金的道德哲学研究文化世界和生活世界相统一的整体性世界,关注世界中的人,关心人能否过负责任的生活。巴赫金认为,“我”与“他人”是对立的,但这种对立并没有造成我与他人,我与世界的分裂,因为人在负责任的参与性行为中和世界统一起来了。巴赫金的道德哲学是真正的人学,为道德教育注入了新鲜的思想元素和思考教育的新方式。     

Process Thought: A Comparison of Wilfred Bion and Alfred North Whitehead

The idea of comparing Whitehead with Bion was born when I first met Whitehead's idea, "the fallacy of misplaced concreteness" (FMC), and felt immediately that I knew it from my knowledge of Bion's work. The paper begins by indicating some of the elements in Alfred North Whitehead's "process philosophy." There is a brief survey of object relations theory, particularly Kleinian psychodynamics, as introduction to the aspect of Wilfred Bion's work which explored the nature of thought. The unconscious processes he named "truth" and "lie" in thinking are identified. Comparison between these two thinkers begins from common ground, the notions of process, fallacious or truthful, in thought, and looks at the differences of perspective each brought to the problems of methodology in thinking. It is shown that each accepts that "true" thought is open to query and interrogation, and that it is not possible to know whether or not a particular thought is "true," as conscious thought cannot access primary undistorted perception of an objective world. A claim is made that a particular conscious discipline in mental awareness, akin to the use of countertransference in psychodynamic thought, will however increase the probability that a thought process is "thinking truly" rather than thinking in a fallacious way.     

整体护理在手术室的应用

系统化整体护理，是以病人为中心，以现代护理观为指导，以护理程序为框架，对病人实施生理、心理、社会、化等全方位的整体护理。手术室整体护理是通过术前访视病人、病人家庭、责任护士、管床医生，了解病人心、身等方面的需求，根据病人的具体情况，制定相应的护理计划。手术期间，根据计划进行护理；手术室内播放背景音乐；在病员家属休息室播放麻醉知识、手术进程、术中情况及术后健康指导；手术后2—3日内回访，评价护理效果。整体护理在手术室的实施，弥补了传统护理的不足，为需手术治疗的患在住院期间提供全过程、全方位的护理，填补以患为中心整体护理实施过程中，手术阶段缺乏系统化护理的空白，使护理工作更加周密、完善。     

A Proposed Framework for Facilitating Social and Environmental Responsibility in Life Orientation through Environmental Education in the South African Context

Abstract

Life Orientation (LO) is judged by the Department of Basic Education to be critical for the development of social and environmental responsible behaviour among South African schoolchildren. Despite this crucial role, the research revealed that the participants in the study reported on do not succeed as expected with the fostering of competencies regarding social and environmental responsible knowledge, values and skills, as required by the South African Curriculum and Policy Assessment Statement. The research findings as obtained through structured classroom observations and semi-structured interviews and reported here, inspired the researchers to develop a generic and holistic framework which can assist LO teachers with the facilitation of social and environmental responsible knowledge, values and skills in a more positive and learner-centred way through environmental education.