Josebe Dominguez

EDU 220. Principles of Educational Psychology

Research Article Analysis

1. Please cite your article in A.P.A format:

Baker, John. (2012). Spiritual Education in the special school

setting for pupils with learning difficulties/disabilities.
International Journal of Childrens Spirituality, 17. Retrieve from
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.csn.edu/ehost/pdfvie
wer/pdfviewer?sid=3051dd83-cc1b-4433-9448-7701cc8fa3fa
%40sessionmgr4002&vid=2&hid=4109

2. Would you define this study as primarily qualitative or

quantitative? Why?

I would define this article as quantitative because it is conclusive

in its purpose as it tries to quantify the problem and understand

how prevalent it is by looking for projectable results to a larger

population.
3. What method or research was conducted?
This article is based on empirical research into headteachers and

principals' perception of the meaning of spiritual education and

the provision they make and the strategies they use in order to

meet the statutory requirement to promote the spiritual

 development of students through the curriculum in the special

school setting for pupils with learning difficulties/disabilities.

4. What was the data collection method used in this study?
5.
For this empirical research, the author decided to focus on 15

special schools for students with LDD, and decided to approach

the headteachers by telephone, and email. Then provided the

teachers with a detailed outline of the research purpose. There

were only three questions that the author made to the

headteachers:
What do headteachers of special schools for pupils with

LDD perceive to be the meaning of spiritual education?

What provision do headteachers of special schools for

pupils with LDD make in order to promote pupils' spiritual

development?
What strategies do headteachers of special schools for

pupils with LDD use to ensure that pupils' severe and

complex SEN are met in relation to their provision for

spiritual education?
After this, the meetings with the headteachers were type-

recorded, and the interviews were transcribed by the author.

5. What conclusions did the authors draw from this study?

The author concluded that spiritual education in school settings

for students with learning difficulties is partly about the

promotion of students well being or inner well being through the

education of their spirit or emotion.

6. Describe your own personal reaction to this study. Do you think

that it was valid? Using your critical eye share whether or not you

think this study is important for the real school setting.

I do think this is an important study. Spirituality must be an

important part of education. By spirituality, what I mean is the

age-old values that have always sustained and nourished our

society and life on this planet Earth. These values serve as the

very foundation of a harmonious existence between humans and

all of nature, including the plant and animal kingdom.

To me, the goal of education is not to create a generation only

capable of understanding the language of machines. Education

should help us attain spiritual culture.