Description

The course will introduce empathy and explore mindfulness and meditation as tools to develop empathy for Higher Education practitioners (e.g., administrators, staff, student affairs professionals, and faculty). Learners will explore the relevance and importance of empathy for professionals working in higher education, explore barriers and obstacles to empathy, practice perspective-taking, identify one’s positionality, and be introduced to mindfulness and meditation as a tool to foster and develop empathy. Over six modules, learners will develop a personal mindfulness practice, read and reflect on empathy and perspective-taking with a community of learners, and make connections between empathy and working in education through discussion boards and small-group conversations.

Syllabus, Objectives, and Outcomes

Objectives:

By the conclusion of the course, students will be able to:

• define empathy and mindfulness;
• understand the relationship between empathy and mindfulness;
• identify barriers and obstacles to empathy;
• develop strategies to overcome barriers to empathy; and,
• develop or foster a meditation and mindfulness practice.

Text:

Radical Compassion by Tara Brach

Online registration URL closes @ 5:00 p.m. on September 16, 2024.  You will receive an electronic email when you have successfully registered.