Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis

Mindfulness practices have been increasingly adopted in schools across Canada and beyond. While previous literature has explored a range of purposes for mindfulness little is yet known about the ways in which it is understood by broad communities. News media serves as a key source of public discour...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jennifer Albert, Jess Whitley, Amy Klan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Brock University 2023-01-01
Series:Brock Education: a Journal of Educational Research and Practice
Online Access:https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked/index.php/home/article/view/956
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author Jennifer Albert
Jess Whitley
Amy Klan
author_facet Jennifer Albert
Jess Whitley
Amy Klan
author_sort Jennifer Albert
collection DOAJ
description Mindfulness practices have been increasingly adopted in schools across Canada and beyond. While previous literature has explored a range of purposes for mindfulness little is yet known about the ways in which it is understood by broad communities. News media serves as a key source of public discourse on topics like mindfulness in education that can reflect and influence public understanding and actions. This study explores the depiction of mindfulness within schools as it existed in Canadian news media between 2014 and 2019. The Canadian Major Dailies Proquest database was searched using the terms ‘mindfulness’ and ‘education OR school’. After an initial scan of 719 articles, 69 were retained. Deductive content analyses were conducted; themes included emotional, cognitive, social, and physical effects of mindfulness practices in schools. Divergent narratives were noted, reflecting a need for greater coherence and a shared rationale supporting the use of mindfulness practices in schools. 
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spelling doaj.art-14a02a4bc2b546418e76fbf1048bc9cd2023-01-20T08:00:03ZengBrock UniversityBrock Education: a Journal of Educational Research and Practice1183-11892371-77502023-01-0132110.26522/brocked.v32i1.956Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content AnalysisJennifer Albert0Jess WhitleyAmy Klan1University of OttawaUniversity of Ottawa Mindfulness practices have been increasingly adopted in schools across Canada and beyond. While previous literature has explored a range of purposes for mindfulness little is yet known about the ways in which it is understood by broad communities. News media serves as a key source of public discourse on topics like mindfulness in education that can reflect and influence public understanding and actions. This study explores the depiction of mindfulness within schools as it existed in Canadian news media between 2014 and 2019. The Canadian Major Dailies Proquest database was searched using the terms ‘mindfulness’ and ‘education OR school’. After an initial scan of 719 articles, 69 were retained. Deductive content analyses were conducted; themes included emotional, cognitive, social, and physical effects of mindfulness practices in schools. Divergent narratives were noted, reflecting a need for greater coherence and a shared rationale supporting the use of mindfulness practices in schools.  https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked/index.php/home/article/view/956
spellingShingle Jennifer Albert
Jess Whitley
Amy Klan
Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis
Brock Education: a Journal of Educational Research and Practice
title Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis
title_full Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis
title_fullStr Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis
title_short Exploring Public Perception of Mindfulness in Canadian Schools: A News Media Content Analysis
title_sort exploring public perception of mindfulness in canadian schools a news media content analysis
url https://journals.library.brocku.ca/brocked/index.php/home/article/view/956
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