An assessment framework for contemplative practice in higher education

Contemplative practice in higher education has evolved in recent years from a strategy associated with individual faculty or select courses to a unified, multidisciplinary initiative to support student learning and wellbeing. The assessment of contemplative practice within this collaborative context, however, remains largely undocumented. While the diversity of activities and disciplines supports the universality of contemplative practice, it also presents methodological challenges and poses philosophical quandaries for integrated approaches to assessment. This chapter details the complexity inherent in creating a comprehensive assessment framework and shares a process for working toward this collective goal within a single university. Strategies for identifying common activities, outcomes, and measures are reviewed and implications for assessment at both a course-level and a program-level are discussed.