Thesis
The S.M.A.L.L. (Self-Mastery Action Life Learning) project : action researching adolescents' latent human potential to develop a pedagogical self-awareness activities book
Southern Cross University, School of Nursing and Health Care Practices
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
1999
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Abstract
The research aimed to develop new pedagogical techniques and curricular materials to allow adolescents to expand the possibilities of educational and health care practice. In the belief that human beings are far more capable of selfactualising their latent human potential than is commonly practiced, a group of young volunteers helped to devise and trial a series of practical self-mastery activities.
Using an action research method, fifteen high school students worked in the afterschool study for two years to explore a broad range of physical and psychological skills which include the extreme range of the perceptual apparatus, the appreciation of subtle physiological bioenergies and processes, deep states of health awareness, concentration skills, intra-psychic (intuitional) connectedness, and routine meta-cognitive techniques that might enhance the will power to achieve extremely difficult tasks. The group collaboratively challenged themselves to try a progression of self-testing activities that attempted to establish new educational domains, as well as to see how far their new skills could be
developed. The research results demonstrated that the acquisition of self-mastery itself is a worthwhile pedagogical objective of immense interest and enjoyment to adolescents.
The adolescents' performances on most of the 38 Self-Mastery Action Life Learning (SMALL) activities were objectively measurable in some way, although this study made no attempt to verify the results. These new activities were orchestrated into a new high school curricular concept of 'Subjectivity' which are appended as a stand-alone Self-Awareness Activities Book (SAAB) and audio CD which support some of the classroom sessions, with potential applications in scholastic and sports areas. The research has implications for healthy, convalescing, and at risk substance abusing adolescents and adults. The research findings support an innovative therapeutic approach based upon the recapitulation of foetal life force consciousness of health. An action research approach to teacher training will be advocated.
Details
- Title
- The S.M.A.L.L. (Self-Mastery Action Life Learning) project : action researching adolescents' latent human potential to develop a pedagogical self-awareness activities book
- Creators
- William Beacher Callan
- Contributors
- Bev Joan Taylor (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Theses
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University, School of Nursing and Health Care Practices
- Number of pages
- 575
- Identifiers
- 991013311828802368
- Copyright
- © William B Callan 1999
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health
- Resource Type
- Thesis