Transformational Learning
Learning Module
- Creator(s):
In the words of the developing founder of the theory, transformational learning is “learning that transforms problematic frames of reference to make them more inclusive, discriminating, reflective, open, and emotionally able to change.” (Mezirow, 2009) As humans, we are sometimes quite stubborn in our thought processes due to our upbringings. Our families, our surroundings, our education, our religious affiliations, and strong emotional situations all form how we think and what our opinions are in relation to all situations.
Today, now more than ever, we must examine our biases to see our way through fake news and other misinformation so that we can see clearly and make our own decisions instead of following the wills of others. We must be careful not to practice confirmation bias and instead open ourselves to the possibilities of being wrong in order to grow as people and as a society.
This learning module will explore transformational learning by looking at who, what, when, where, why, and how we as a people can open our minds to new ways of thinking and use transformational learning to help others to overcome systemic inequality.
Transformational learning does not have a set of standards, however it is common for studies in the field to talk about objectives related to the theory itself. The two underlying ideas are that learning occurs in adults in two ways: instrumental and communicative. Instrumental learning is basically task-oriented problem solving along with cause and effect relationship determination. Communicative learning is broken down into how individuals express their feelings, needs, and desires. In order to understand meaning and perspective, these types of learning should be examined through reflection. (Mezirow, 1991)
Through reflection, it is then possible to examine internal change as well as change in others. This can be discovered by examining the following objectives:
Objectives:
Empirical Reasoning:
As a long-time instructor and lifelong learner, I have often come across students who struggled with overcoming personal situations to find success. I came from a poor upbringing in a strongly racist part of the south and was exposed to extreme examples of class structure. Fortunately, I was able to attend a top high school where I learned how to overcome my psychological trappings to escape limited ways of thinking. Although this is the case, I still need examples and reminders to keep myself from falling into limited patterns of thinking, and I always hope that I am able to help others through transformational teaching.
Course Audience:
This course is designed for individuals across the adult learning spectrum: higher education, corporate learning, and informal/life-long learners. Administrators, instructors, and students will benefit from the topics explored and the related implementation issues.
Course Format:
This course will require the following:
Course Assessment:
This class will employ learning analytics to determine assessment. Between the rubric and the analytics, you will be provided with a formative assessment that will help you to improve your work throughout the class. Some key areas that we are analyzing includes:
The current social climate brings a new awareness of a need for systemic change in the way that teachers instruct and interact with their students. Longstanding inequality through systemic biases still pervade our learning institutions, neighborhoods, and places of work. The need for societal change and increasing technological advancement has brought forth examinations of fundamental pedagogies and how learning can serve a greater purpose than producing workers for an anachronistic industrial based system.
There can be a profound effect on those who change their learning perspective. This transformative process can change not only the way that we learn, but the way that we experience the world around us. The video below touches on ways in which individuals can not only become better learners but better people as well.
Discussion: Describe a time in your life when you have changed your perspective. Was it difficult? How did you feel about this transformational moment?
Update 1: Find an example of teaching format/lesson that encourages transformation. Describe how you might apply this to a lesson or a life learning situation for family or friends.
In this section, students should reflect on their own lives and learning to share a time where they have felt transformed. Please forgive the simplistic nature of the video below, however it has a good story of how a teacher went into their own classes with assumptions and had to find another way to teach to affect change.
Objective: Students will explore the ability to change one's mind and see situations and people from a different point of view.
As an instructor, think about a time when you have made changes to your curriculum because of assumptions, past education, or social bias. As part of a transformational curriculum, it can be good to break down the wall between student and teacher and share your own thoughts or examples on transformational moments. During your synchronous session, share your story.
Transformational learning theory began in 1978 when Jack Mezirow along with Victoria Marsick wrote an article titled Perspective Transformation. The basis of that first work included how women re-entering college needed to change their perspective to find success. (Kitchenham, 2008) As Mezirow's theory developed, he stated that in order for change to take place, there were ten phases of transformative learning:
The video below takes a look at the process and outcomes of the theory:
Mezirow continued to develop his ideas on transformation till his death in 2014 taking into account the many papers and critiques that were written about transformative education and learning. Some of the key figures for transformational learning include:
Discussion: In 1995, one of Mezirow's revisions came in the form of reflection. How is reflection necessary in transformation?
Update 2: Choose a a key figure, one of the names above or one from your own research, and share their contributions or critiques of the theory.
This week's class has students studying the key figures in transformational learning and education. This is a great section to talk about how to research and to prepare for the next section which is the large assignment for the class. Some research tools to introduce to your students.
Objective: Students will recognize that the overall concept of transformational learning is that a person has the ability to see themselves differently which can include changes in motivation and direction in life.
Here is an interesting TEDx about the state of transformational learning in education
This deep dive should be a minimum of 2000 words with 7 embedded media objects that you have curated to support your work along with a bibliography with no less than 8 sources. The media can be infographics, videos, audio files, or pictures that align with your topic. You will choose a topic regarding an area that interests you in transformational learning/education and choose a format below.
Case Study: Analyze a part of transformation learning or teaching. This can be a report of a practice that you have been participating in or have been observing. This could also be a study of a practice or lesson plan that you would like to put together, or a case study of a practice that has been in place from empirical data from outside sources.
Wiki: You will create a Wiki-like entry that analyzes and reports on the techniques, theories, psychological aspects, or people of transformative education.
Exegesis: This format is more in line with a standard research paper. Which could include headers like:
Following is the educational theory rubric, against which others will review your work, and against which you will do your self-review at the completion of your final draft.
Students can start their project as soon as they receive a notification via email or in the CGScholar notifications. Take the link provided in these notifications to a new, “untitled” work—this work is connected to other works for peer review. If you are not familiar with CGScholar, visit the help area: http://info.cgscholar.com/tutorials/tutorials
For class this week, it will be important to cover the necessary format for the first project. Below you will find some links to help with giving a tutorial on the creator workspace.
Students can start their project as soon as they receive a notification via email or in the CGScholar notifications. Take the link provided in these notifications to a new, “untitled” work—this work is connected to other works for peer review. If you are not familiar with CGScholar, visit the help area: http://info.cgscholar.com/tutorials/tutorials
Rubric will be placed within the Scholar Creator structure for each style of paper. Students will need to report which format which will be entered with the invitation to start work.
Objective: Studenst will recognize, analyze, and apply transformative learning theory.
Example Rubric:
Our physical and mental capabilities although vast in some ways are limited in others. Memory, strength, and cognitive processing can be limited for a variety of reasons. Software and hardware solutions are available that help to enhance our cognitive function, physical capability, as well as our psychological well-being. Transformative technology can be described in many ways because of the continuously growing application of new inventions that are definitely effecting our lives.
Discussion: In the videos above, Nicole Bradford discusses how technology is transforming our lives. She says that "I am unwilling to sit back and say that only humans can help humans." What is your take on digital transformation? Is there any comparison to the transformational learning theory?
Update 3: Do a little research into transformative technology. Choose a specific technology and explain possible benefits and detriments (if any) for transforming lives.
Possibilities: Echo or Siri, quantum computing, immersive computing, telecommunications, Lumosity, Babelfish, analytics, AI, VR, etc.
In this section, students are looking for connections of transformational learning to transformation technology. Is the technology side just surface change, or can deep lasting psychological change come from the uses of technology? Have students present their updates in class and get a conversation going on the benefits or detriments of technology for change. Will technological tools create more of a class divide?
Objective: Students will examine the possibilities of transformational learning through technology.
Here is an excellent interview to talk about mental health and transformative technology:
As an educator, this is the section where one of the big questions comes to mind... When do I apply transformational education in the classroom? For a starting point, it is good to look at what others have been using for their tenets of change. The University of Central Oklahoma has a collection of tenets called the Central 6 Core Values. The Central 6 consist of:
Dr. Bill Cope of the University of Illinois discusses the social aspects or transformational pedagogy below.
This video shows an exercise for Global and Cultural Awereness in an elementary classroom:
Media embedded October 12, 2018
Discussion: Which of area of the Central 6 above interests you the most and why?
Update: Find an example of transformational learning in action or a set of values like Central 6. Does it work? What would you do differently? As an alternative, create your own set of values to enhance change in your school or institution.
In one of the sessions at The Next 150 Conference at the University of Illinois, faculty, staff, and students discussed aspects of transformational learning goal development for the future of the University. An extensive list of ideas was developed to help guide current and future leaders.
During your synchronous session, ask the students how they would include more aspects of transitional learning and have them discuss their updates.
List of Transformative Learning Goals, University of Illinois 2017
Objective: Students will understand the goals of transformative learning for community and institutions.
Where is transformational education reform needed? Yes, this is a trick question! Urban, suburban, rural, charter, public, private schools, etc... This particular question can have its own biases, because so many people have opinions about different areas and different peoples. With high-stakes testing, it is no surprise that numbers of success rates were being faked to paint a picture of success. (Wexler, 2018) Check out this article from Forbes discussing other types of educational reform. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliewexler/2018/04/09/three-mistakes-we-need-to-fix-if-we-want-education-reform-to-succeed/
The video below is a interview with the writer of the book "Addicted to Reform." Listen to his description of some things that happened with reform over the last few decades.
Discussion: How has educational reform hurt or helped you as a parent, student, or teacher? Please explain.
Update 5: Pick a country, city, or county school or educational system and present a positive or negative aspect of reform. Explain how adding transformational learning reform might help or hurt that particular situation.
Pay close attention to the comments this week. When it comes to educational reform, student's emotions and preconceived notions may present themselves in a biased way. It will be good to discuss potential reforms and benefits of transformational learning versus the type of political reforms that have happened in the past.
It would be good for you to review the same article and video from the student side. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliewexler/2018/04/09/three-mistakes-we-need-to-fix-if-we-want-education-reform-to-succeed/
Objective: Students will examine reform issues and the benefits/detriments of reform as it is related to transformational learning.
***Please announce that next week's session is Mandatory. TA should send out an email notice about the upcoming group work and Mandatory session.
MANDATORY SESSION
Presentation: Students will design a presentation utilizing a format of their choice like Camtasia, Captivate, Storyboard, PowerPoint, etc., that will define and demonstrate a transfromational teaching lesson and the desired results. This class will be dedicated to breakout sessions using Zoom. During the first part of this week's synchronous session, students will be directed by the TA into their groups and given their Zoom links for the breakout session.
Example Transformative Teaching
Presentation: Students will design a presentation utilizing a format of their choice like Camtasia, Captivate, Storyboard, PowerPoint, etc., that will define and demonstrate a transfromational teaching lesson and the desired results. This class will be dedicated to breakout sessions using Zoom. During the first part of this week's synchronous session, students will be directed by the TA into their groups and given their Zoom links for the breakout session.
Objective: After this class, students will learn how an adult student might work with others, improve communication, learn leadership, improve presentation, and better understand their teaching skills.
Todd Finley, writing for Edutopia, states that transformational teaching breaks down into 4 parts:
Dr. Bill Cope and Dr. Mary Kalantzis of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Chapaign have excellent videos that break down transformative pedagogy.
Discussion: How is constructivist theory different? How much of constructivist theory is a part of transformational education.
Final Update: Find an example of transformational pedagogy and explain the structure and desired effect. You could also explain how you as a teacher use transformational pedagogy in your classroom.
This week, students will be discussing transformational pedagogy. Have students discuss their feelings/impressions of the class content. Did they find any change for their own thinking as they explored this topic? Share your own thoughts or an example of how students may have changed in your classes. Then inform students your survey release.
This will also be a class for presentations from the previous week. TA should organize students to make presentation run smoothly.
Objective: Students will explore the ability to change one's mind and see situations and people from a different point of view.
Mezirow, J. (2009). Transformative learning theory. In J. Mezirow, and E. W. Taylor (Eds), Transformative Learning in Practise: Insights from Community.
Neel, L. (2018). Development of Rubric for Measuring Transformative Learning in Learning Assistants.
Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San Francisco , CA: Jossey-Bass.
Kitchenham, A. (2008). The Evolution of John Mezirow’ s Transformative Learning Theory. Journal of Transformative Education, 6(2), 104–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344608322678
https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/technology/2016/11/10-transformative-technology-tools-for-work-life.html
Transformational Trends Noone is Talking About. Retrieved from https://www.cio.com/article/3155458/it-strategy/2017-transformational-technology-trends-no-one-is-talking-about.html
The Univeristy of Central Oklahoma: Transformative Learning. The Central Six. Retrieved from http://sites.uco.edu/central/tl/central6/index.asp
Robert D. Boyd & J. Gordon Myers (1988) Transformative education, International Journal of Lifelong Education, 7:4, 261-284, DOI: 10.1080/0260137880070403
Wexler, N. Three Mistakes We Need To Fix If We Want Education Reform To Succeed. (2018). Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliewexler/2018/04/09/three-mistakes-we-need-to-fix-if-we-want-education-reform-to-succeed/
Finley, T. (2014). 4 Things Transformational Teachers Do | Edutopia. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-things-transformational-teachers-do-todd-finley