Spirituality and effective factors in education: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Spirituality in education, as a necessity in improving the quality of teaching and learning, is affected by various personal, social, religious, and cultural factors. Since the identification of these factors can empower the faculties and facilitate the transfer of spiritual concepts through teaching, the aim of this study is explanation of the factors affecting the spirituality transfer in education process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative content analysis approach study included 22 faculty members of medical universities, 25 faculty members of seminary, and 19 medical students interested in participating in the study. They were studied according to purposive sampling method. Data collection was done by interviewing a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis method. RESULTS: The factors influencing the spiritual transfer in teaching process were classified into two main forms of teacher-related factors and peripheral-related factors. Teacher-related factors include the teacher's insight and worldview, adherence to religious principles, belief in ethical virtues, the positive and constructive interaction of the teacher with the student, and the mastery of teaching skills. The peripheral-related factors include the highly skilled classrooms and the talented learners. CONCLUSION: The intensification of the insight, religious worldview and the basic of beliefs, consolidating ethics and empowering faculty members in teaching skills along with building a positive and constructive relationship with the students, as well as institutionalizing spirituality as the inseparable teaching element can facilitate the transfer of spirituality concepts. More studies are needed in this regard.