ADOLESCENT SPIRITUALITY IN PUBLIC, SECONDARY EDUCATION: A HERMENEUTIC, PHENOMENOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION

The study of spirituality as a phenomenon of lived experience and as a dimension to learning is seldom researched and given currency in government schools in Victoria. Yet despite this paucity, schools play a vital role in promoting the intellectual, physical, social, moral and spiritual development of young Australians and it is the responsibility of schools, parents, carers and educational providers to recognise students as holistic learners. This thesis explores the narratives encapsulated in the lives of secondary school students in a small scale study interpreting their lived experiences in the school, home and wider community.