Title: The Hindu Philosophy and its Views on Learning
As globalization continues in today’s society, and power shifts from the west to the east, we can no longer focus solely on Western ways of knowing and learning. The Hindu philosophy, and its emphasis on the connection between the mind, body, and spirit, provides educators with an alternate perspective on adult learning and development that will be beneficial in helping us understand the world from a more holistic perspective. This session will explore the history of Hinduism, its views on learning and development, as well as the benefits for Western teaching. Throughout life, Hindus strive to become learned in multiple ways. It is not simply about developing cognitive skills, but rather to discover oneself as this is the only means and path to liberation and wisdom. However, this self-discovery is not the end of the spiritual journey, but rather a stepping stone to gaining a more holistic understanding of the universe. Though Western belief teaches that an individual is empowered through himself or herself, Hinduism argues that true empowerment emerges through an understanding of the sources of knowledge, not just its components, thus leading to unity with the universe which at times, requires a renouncing of the self and worldly possessions. Thus, life for Hindus becomes not about the acquisition of knowledge, but about developing wisdom through gaining an understanding of oneself through a holistic manner.
Biosketch:
Swathi Nath Thaker (www.adulteducation411.com) has a B.S. in Scientific Writing from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a M.Ed in Adult Education from the University of Georgia. She completed her PhD in Adult Education at UGA under the direction of Sharan B. Merriam, where she received the Irene and Curtis Ulmer Scholarship for Outstanding Doctoral Student. Her research interests include adult learning theory, multicultural education, health education, and non-western perspectives on learning. She is currently completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she is developing and implementing curriculum to educate communities about diabetes.