The Ways We are Different: Teachers and Students Exhibiting Problematical BehavioursAn exploration in human consciousness: an AQAL perspective

Human consciousness as it manifests in teachers and students has had very little if any research in order to investigate how the differences in levels of consciousness development may impact the relationship between them. Especially if it involves students who exhibit problematical behaviours such as truancy, fighting, disruption to classes, oppositional and defiant behaviours to name a few.

The present thesis provides an investigation into this relationship using Wilber's (2000b) "All Quadrant, All Level" (AQAL) model of consciousness development. The theory underlying this AQAL model is that consciousness develops from matter to body to mind to soul to Spirit. One method of describing this developmental pathway is by using Beck and Cowan's (1996) v Meme (value meme) stage model. This model provides an easily identifiable set of colour coded stages of increasing values development that aligns with Wilber's (2000b) AQAL model of consciousness development.

Phenomenological interviews consisting of dialogues with teachers and students were undertaken at two regional Education Queensland high schools. The resultant transcribed “texts" of those interviews were hermeneutically analysed using a Spiral Dynamics integral (SDi) v Meme analysis.

The results demonstrated that levels of consciousness awareness or development do impact teacher-student relations. This provides evidence for the further use of the AQAL model and its underlying theory of consciousness development in researching other educational issues.