Lifting the veil: The role of hope in education

The outcomes of education depend on whether various educational goals are met. Hope theory states that those who are more hopeful are better able to formulate and pursue such goals; they are more able to identify workable routes to their goals and to motivate themselves to follow these pathways. This paper explores the research linking hope theory with education, and it adds to this knowledge base by presenting examples of educational initiatives that demonstrate the role played by increased hope. By examining education through the lens of hope theory, this paper shows that the benefits of hope go beyond the attainment of specific goals: successful goal pursuit in one area has a generalised effect on hopefulness in other areas. By reaching an educational goal, a learner's overall capacity to continue their educational journey is enhanced. As such, it is argued that hope is fundamental to the education process and deserves further research attention.

Key Phrase: Educational Philosophy and Theory