Quantifying the Spiritual

How to Observe and Evaluate Spirituality in a Student

Abstract

For an education to be considered truly "holistic" it would seem evident that incorporating and normalizing the concept of Spirituality therein is fundamental, as Spirituality (in whatever form it may be expressed) is a core component of what it means to be human. The very notion, however, presents several complications - not in the least; if a significant aspect of education is evaluating a student's progress in a given arena, how do we possibly evaluate and quantify a student's aptitude in such an ineffable, rather personal, somewhat ethereal and wholly abstract realm like Spirituality? And yet, that was the very quandary proposed to the author by an esteemed colleague. This paper is an attempt to begin the process of deciphering such a riddle. As a bona fide Gen X-er, the author could not help but to include several Star Wars references to help navigate the terrain.

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