Transformational Learning Program Reviews

Vince commented on groups 1 & 2

Transformational Learning Program Reviews

Troy Rector

&

Vincent L. Stults

Ball State University

October 5, 2014

EDAC 634

Roles: Each of Us Reviewed a Program
(Troy - Learning-Service, New York City Community College & Vince - The Mycelium School)
Both examined and edited overall work as needed. 

Introduction

 
“In a world of change, the learners shall inherit the earth, while the learned shall find themselves perfectly suited for a world that no longer exists.” - Philosopher Eric Hoffer

This program review is focused on the simple task of evaluating programs that demonstrate the application of Transformational Learning Theory, with the purpose of understanding how transformational learning theory is applied in practice. The goal of this evaluation is to learn about and discover practices that can be applied to the development of our own groups program design.

Before examining the programs, a brief review of transformational learning theory is appropriate regarding to two fundamental elements: 1) What is transformational learning? and 2) What is the basic processes of transformational learning?

First, is a basic understanding of what transformational learning is. Simply put, the focus of transformative learning is about change. Or as Kagan (2000, p. 48) states, "dramatic, fundamental change in the way we see ourselves and the world in which we live" (cited in Merriam et al 2007, p. 130). This learning is differentiated from the common form of learning information, by in fact fundamentally changing what we know (Merriam et al 2007). So in our programs we are looking for this focus, that these programs lead learners into fundamentally changing what they know, and that the focus is not simply informational learning. More practically, we are looking at how they are doing this work. 

Second, is looking at what the process of transformorative learning is (or how we see it taking place). Mezirow identified 10 phases of transformative learning, these phases are often distilled into four critical stages: “Experience, critical reflection, rational discourse, and action” (Merriam et al 2007, p. 134).  Understanding the dynamics of each stage requires more than a surface meaning of the words, for they are embedded in a deeper theoretical understanding. Yet these simple words are useful to examine our programs for insight into their application of transformational learning theory. In looking at how they are accomplishing this focus of transformational learning, we are doing so looking for methods or practices that are facilitating this process for their learners. The hope is to identify those that can be used in our own design. 

With this simple review, we will examine our selected programs, The Mycelium School of Learning and a learning-service program for credit through New York City Community College. Then we will look at their potential application in our own transformational program development.

First is a quick note about why these programs were selected. The goal we have set for the development of our own learning program is the facilitation of transformational learning for developing effective leaders who through their transformative experience are able themselves to be change agents in their contexts. We are still refining the scope and focus of our program, but we can see potential application for leaders in businesses, entrepreneurship, religious organizations, non-profits, in civic, and in social programs including social entrepreneurship.

Program Description: The Mycelium School

While the Mycelium School's home is  in Asheville, North Carolina, the program itself is not confined to any one physical location. There are online learning components, apprenticeship opportunities, places for retreat, study, and practice that can be virtually anywhere in the world. Through their online connections, and extensive network of coaches, instructors, learning facilitators, and peer cohorts, the combination of learning environments is ever growing and changing.

Who are the Learners

To understand who the learners are that participate in the Mycelium school, one must understand the target audience of Mycelium.  There primary focus is for the many thousands of people they feel are dissatisfied with the status quo of today's worlds systems. They are targeting those who want to be change makers and "architects" of a new way of living for the future. In the initial days of their planning and start up, they believed their target group would be 18-30 year olds, but they have come to realize the need to extend the program to all adults who want this same sense of meaning and purpose in their life (Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors, 2013). On their web site, they say that candidates fall into two categories. First, those "at a crossroads in your life, deciding which direction to go for the next stage of your journey" and second, those who are " launching a purpose-driven venture, initiative or project" (“Mycelium – Are You A Journeyer?,” n.d.). Their focus is clearly on those with an entrepreneurial spirit. The litmus for learners is a series of questions that include:

• Do you have a project you’re developing or a powerful question that is guiding you?
• Are you dedicated to learning the knowledge, skills and self-awareness that will help you do your work in the world?
• Are you eager to work and learn collaboratively?
• Are you looking for a learning experience that will support you in living the fullest you can even if it's really hard work?

(“Mycelium – Are You A Journeyer?,” n.d.).

 

Purposes and Objectives of the Program

Cofounder Mathew Abrahms in his TED Talk, sites Paulo Freire, and expresses the radical transformational focus of their work—their  desire to be an alternative school for the future (TEDxNewHaven - Matthew Abrams - 21st Century Education, 2012). The key principal to understanding the founders intent and focus of this learning school is in their name. It is a metaphor and a model to guide them. Mycelium is the vegetative element of the mushroom, "the underground root structure that links into trees and plants and is actually intelligent, so it transfers information and nutrients across the forest floor ... The power is not in the mushroom, but in the network and the connectivity from the network" (Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors, 2013). Their question from this idea was, " how do we apply the same metaphor to education" Their mission is: "Mycelium connects people driven to ignite positive impact and creates the conditions for relevant learning and meaningful action " (“Mycelium – About Us,” n.d.). There vision is: "To cultivate learning communities of tenacious innovators creating systemic solutions that increase the health, connectivity and resilience of our world" (“Mycelium – About Us,” n.d.).

Programs Design: The Mycelium School

What if Mycelium Were to Design Education Systems?

This was the original question founders asked in designing their program. Initially they attempted to launch a nine month program in 2013, but found that to be un-feasable as a start up training program (Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors, 2013) . Instead they implemented 12 week learning journey's and have developed several of the core program components of their future modular intensives and course add-ons. The basic design of their program is rooted in the learning journey.

Supporting The Journey

Supporting the journeys is the core of the program design. It is the network of relationships, the practices, and the activity of the journey. Like the Mycelium that tap into several root systems to support, sustain, and bring heath to all its connections, these are the nutrients ( learning experiences, connections with organizations, key people, and others in the cohort) (Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors, 2013). This extensive network is developed through a program designed around multiple forms of learning:

·         Learning Curation Consulting (not linear learning)

·         Intensives (modules, etc)

·         Personal Coaches

·         Online and In-Person Courses

·         Online and In-Person Practice Groups

·         Peer to Peer Learning

·         Online Retreats

·         Apprenticeships ( A core component is getting out and doing)

·         Rites of Passage

(Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors, 2013)

Overview of Entire Learning Journey

Their first focus is: Your Life Experience (learning to value what has already been learned);  Next is the need for a Guiding Question (the problem the learner wants to solve, project or life question that needs to be attended to);  followed by A Quest (focused on learning and doing in pursuing the question, and in learning how to engage in it). Culminating in the Venture Out (Taking all this back into the world) (Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors, 2013).

Learning Facilitators are provided with the purpose to "guide you through your Journey, providing inquiries, activities and invitations that will support you in the design of your own Learning Journey" (“Mycelium – How Does It Work?,” n.d.) . Since the core focus is learning, the learner is also asked questions "to inspire self-discovery, illuminate possibilities, invite reflection" (“Mycelium – How Does It Work?,” n.d.). The goal of the activities is to help the learner "assess where you are, where you want to go, and how to activate your learning goals" (“Mycelium – How Does It Work?,” n.d.).  Learners are given opportunity to develop a "personalized learning plan, identify ways to measure... progress" and build their own Advisory Team. Throughout the journey, the learner is connected to leaders with the capacities to positively affect the world and experiences to foster personal learning and transformation (“Mycelium – How Does It Work?,” n.d.). This notion of community support is rooted in the idea of, "the wisdom of the people." The core program components of the learning journey are:

·         Six Sessions with a Dedicated Learning Coach

·         Three Hosted Retreats

·         Five Facilitated Practice Groups

·         Curated Experiences & Connections to People in the Mycelium Network

·         Personal Advisory Team

·         Menu of Workshops (Learning Catalyst)

 (“Mycelium – How Does It Work?,” n.d.).

Main Features: The Mycelium School

From the four stages of transformational learning  shared in the introduction, every one of these were touched upon by the Mycelium School. The overall steps of the learning journey that was designed sequentially  (as well as cyclically) proceed through each of the stages of  transformational learning: 1) experience=Your Life Experience; 2) critical reflection= Guiding Question; 3) rational discourse= A Quest; and 4) action=Venture Out.

There is also a dynamic of self directed learning, juxtaposed with coaching and facilitation to nurture and support this transformational process. A key component of this program is a diversity of opportunities to accomplish the same purpose, and to provide multiple styles and types of coaching, facilitation, and guides through several mediums of activity and connection. There is an implicit underlying idea of interconnectivity, with an underlying spiritual sense of nurture, healing, and growth from these connections. The metaphor and design seems to not only be constructed for individual transformation but has an overarching goal of social transformation through fostering the continued development of this connectivity beginning with the learning journey, but intended to continue over the course of the learners/co-learners lifetime.

While there are many points of intersection with transformational learning theory, there are a few differences. Some of the modules (Learning Catalysts) appear to provide traditional informational learning (even though intended to foster transformation) in both formal and informal learning opportunities. These in design are a departure from transformational learning theory but do support the overall process as designed. Many of the ideas and concepts are buzzwords, designed to invoke emotional connections and passions on the part of the participants, but do not appear to be rooted in adult educational research and without a clear connection to transformational learning theory. Although it should be noted that there is some interesting research literature using the mycelium metaphor as a part of examining transformational change, especially connected with the planetary school of thought and ecopedagogy rooted in Paulo Freire (Madjidi, 2014 & (Bussey et al., 2012). A phone call was made to the program directors of Mycelium School to ascertain if there are any intentional design connections to this research and work, but no connection was made before completing this paper.

Applications: The Mycelium School

In the program being designed for our next group project, there are several overlapping components we can see from the Mycelium School that we would like to use for our project. The first is from their learning journey with the components of self directed learning and community support.  While there is nothing new to learning journeys and self directed learning, it is the form of community support that is most appealing. Which leads us to the second practical application, The Wisdom of the People through multiple types of learning facilitators working together to guide coach, support and facilitate the transformational process: Cohort Model, Coaches, Instructors and Learning Facilitators. We see that this could be a highly beneficial component of transformational learning when coupled with other design aspects that utilize this extend network of support. We realize the complexity of scheduling, networking and inherent difficulties of their application, but believe it could be a highly beneficial component of learning.

The additional two features of the Mycelium School have useful application, but on a limited basis. The program design we are looking at would not include a full entre of instructional modules, nor are we interested in creating a sustained  lifelong connection of learning maintained through our project (though we would hope to instill the value of lifelong learning and relational connection).In Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, college students participate in a service learning project to earn college credits at a New York City community college.  During this international service learning opportunity the activities of students included research and surveys, as well as engagement in several educational mediums including theatrical performances designed to attend to the well-being of those living in impoverished areas of the community (Kiely 2005). During the course of their work they were required to engage in leaning activates such as journaling, reflecting together as cohorts upon the days activates , putting together a report of their findings and a final paper that outlines future direction and activities (Kiely 2005).

Description: Learning-Service, New York City Community College

 According to Kiely (2005), the transformative learning aspect involves the student’s ability to learn and understand of the levels of poverty, economic disparities, and health issues within the region as well as the different factors that contribute to it .  Social and cultural factors, structural issues, and baseline contextual factors all influence the situation that the region experiences.  The program is designed that students experience this condition for the first time and are “transformed” in the way that they view and articulate poverty.  With the region in such despair, students experience austere conditions that they’ve never experienced and they learn and are “transformed” in their views of poverty, poverty levels, and basic cultural understandings of different regions around the world.  This immersion into the cultural and poverty stricken lives “transforms” students by changing their outlook and pre-set ideas on poverty levels, factors that contribute to poverty, and how culturally, one region can be so much different than another (Kiely  2005). 

Main Features: Learning-Service, New York City Community College

Here is the programs Web Site

Learning features of this program are unique in some aspects and similar in others.  There are other service learning projects which produce the same levels of learning as well as learning concepts.  This program also has some features in which students learn due to the unique way the program is ran and operated.

The students are fully immersed into the culture of Nicaragua.  As Kiely notes in his study (2005), this immersion causes five categories of learning/ transformation to occur.  Each area has both unique concepts of learning as well as some overlap into other categories. 

Contextual border crossing is the first category that describes how transformational learning occurs in the program.  It involves the “personal, structural, historical, and program elements” of the service project.  These elements then set the stage for change within the students. (Kiely, 2002).

 

Dissonance is the second category.  It occurs due to the change in environment that the students endure.  The students have pre-set ideas and concepts of environment, culture, physical, social, political, and economic conditions.  They experience a drastic difference than what they’ve experienced before (Kiely  2005). 

 

Personalization is the third category for identifying how the students learned during the project.  From Kiely's study (2005), it is seen that as internal conflict arose within the students,  it soon became apparent in the results that this "dissonance" was internalized,  representing the nature of personalization of transformation through service-learning. Even in a short time frame, they were able to develop deep bonds with their poorer Nicaraguan friends. It is personalized—felt intrinsically. For them poverty is no longer a distant issue, but exists in friends "with names, faces and hearts" (p. 12). 

 

Processing makes up the fourth way that students learn through a transformative process.  These include, as Kiely (2005 ) lays out, logic, retrospection, interaction, and learning activities that bring insight to the participants and help them to be "self-aware of their assumptions or engaged with others to understand the origins of and solutions to social problems" (p. 13). The participant use diverse means to comprehend and process their encounters and service within Nicaragua.

 

Connecting is the fifth category which describes how transformational learning occurs during the service learning project.  Kiley (2005) describes this transformational process is the deeper emotional component which represents the glue linking them with Nicaraguans forming out of a deep understanding and empathy that creates the students commitment with the poor.  Through their action in service, students learn firsthand about Nicaraguans by "listening to Nicaraguans’ stories," and familiar exchanges. Most salient, according to Kiely (2005) is that “students in the program often attribute connections with community members to reframing their moral allegiance into greater solidarity with Nicaraguans and the global poor” (p. 14). 

Application: Learning-Service, New York City Community College

In any transformational learning programs, pre-set ideas and concepts are always present.  In order for the learning to occur, participants of the program must undergo transformation due to experiencing something different and unique to those pre-set ideas and concepts.  Other transformational learning programs should incorporate the significant and drastic changes that the students experienced with their service in Nicaragua.  A program doesn’t have to be overseas, in a different culture, or as drastic as the program reviewed but there must be a significant difference in the “before” and “after” for the student. 

 

Other aspects of the program reviewed that can be used in other transformational learning programs is the personalization attribute.  If learners/ students personalize and experience conditions and situations on an intimate, emotionally connected level, then the transformation for them is by far greater than without a significant emotional connection.  Whatever situation or event in which the learners are involved, there must be something that they can emotionally and personally bond to.  The transformational learning occurs on a greater level when the program participants “feel” something inside and “feel” themselves changing.

One additional aspect of logistic of the review program which could be used in other programs is the idea of journaling or documenting.  When the learner journals or documents, they, as well as the instructor/ teacher, can see the transformation process happen.  Both little and drastic transformations are caught in the way that learners express themselves.  Journaling, even if done through videotape, can capture emotional transformation in which everyone can witness and observe.

The service learning project in Nicaragua takes learners into an environment which is drastically different than they’ve experienced before.  They experience numerous different factors that are unique.  The learners then experience different categories that accurately describes how transformational learning occurs.  One of these is personalization and can be used by other transformational learning programs effectively.  In order to effectively use personalization in other programs, both facilitators and learns alike must create the opportunity to be personally and emotionally attached to the work or project that is enabling the learning 

Conclusion

Although each of the projects reviewed have different contexts, design elements and purposes, it is clear that each contain components foundational to the transformational learning process. 

In the Mycelium School, we have already examined the core components of the learning journey in the main features section, and seen that it was designed to directly correspond with the four critical stages of transformational learning identified my Mezirow, in a direct one to one relationship. The other components of the design (in the Mycelium Metaphor, Multiple Forms of Learning, The Wisdom of the People) echoed many core practices that have been discussed by Taylor (1998, 2008) and could provide additional resource to examine.

The learning service project on the other hand, has the clear focus on the purpose of transformational learning,  facilitating "a dramatic, fundamental change in the way we see ourselves and the world in which we live," (Merriam et la 2007) as described in our introduction, but a less direct connection to the four stage of the transformational process, though all four components are clearly represented in the five distinct transformational processes designed into the program: 1) Contextual border crossing; Dissonance; Personalization, Processing; and 5) Connecting. These too, echo many of the practices Taylor discusses (1998, 2008).

Overall each program has proven to be a trove of transformational learning treasure in its application potential for our program. In addition to the direct components of application already discussed, there are several other practices that could be examined for further insight and have demonstrated the utility and practical application needed for our next project. 

References

Bussey, M., Bjurström, Å. E., Sannum, M., Avadhuta, S., Nadhomi-Mukisa, B., Ceruto, L., … Pervyi, G. (2012). Weaving pedagogies of possibility. Learning for Sustainability in Times of Accelerating Change.

Kiely (2002). Toward an expanded conceptualization of transformational learning: A case study of international service-learning in Nicaragua. Cornell University Dissertation Abstracts International, 63 (09A), 3083.

Kiely, R. (2004). A chameleon with a complex: Searching for transformation in international service learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 10(2), 5-20.

Kiely, R. (2005). Transformative international service learning. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 9(1), 275-281.

Madjidi, K. S. (2014, July 25). The Ecology of Transformation: A Relational Study of the Ecology of Leadership Program at the Regenerative Design Institute (Thesis).

Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (20007). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. John Wiley & Sons.

Mycelium – About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2014, from http://mycelium.is/about-us/

Mycelium – Are You A Journeyer? (n.d.-a). Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://mycelium.is/are-you-a-journeyer/

Mycelium Focus Group - Instructors and Advisors. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eEOr5nJaj8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Mycelium – How Does It Work? (n.d.-a). Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://mycelium.is/ljdetails/

Mycelium School. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2014.  from http://mycelium.is/

Mycelium – The School. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2014, from http://mycelium.is/school/

Taylor, E. W. (1998). The Theory and Practice of Transformative Learning: A Critical Review. Information Series No. 374.

Taylor, E. W. (2008). Transformative learning theory. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2008(119), 5–15. doi:10.1002/ace.301

TEDxNewHaven - Matthew Abrams - 21st Century Education. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHfCdlb9T9Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

September Review 634 - Group 3

Vince commented on groups 1,2 &4

Up until a couple of weeks ago, Group 3 was made up of only one of us. Over the past couple of weeks we have had to map out and begin the process for our first assignment. We took some time to get to know one another and our sense of what was important for the projects that we would be working on together. We mapped out some assignments to begin investigating and laid out some tasks to ensure that we could meet the impending deadline for project one. Given Troy's need to travel in his job, we felt email would be the best medium to communicate. We divided up the assignments into each of us reviewing a project to study and do a write up of as our first priority. The initial assignment looked like this:

• 9/23/2014 - Submit Program Options/via email
• 9/24/2014 - Chose Programs - Troy # 1 Vince # 2
• 9/25/2014 - Write Program Review for Selected
• 9/28/2014 - Submit Work to One Another
• 9/29/2014 - Edit/Review each others Work
• 10/1/2014 - Finalize Revisions/Review & Add Elements We Want to Apply in Our Program Design
• 10/2/2014 - Include main features of Selected Program in Table
• 10/3/2014 - Troy Write Title Page and Intro - Vince Write Application Section/Conclusion and References
• 10/4/2014 - Each Revise and Edit (Troy 1st then Vince) - Finalize
• 10/5/2014 - Submit to BlackBoard (Troy) and Blog (Vince)

Challenges

Sticking to the time frame of the assignments and task has proven to be a challenge, while balancing our jobs, family, and multiple classes. These missteps lead us to bottom line a few of these tasks by boiling all these details down into what was absolutely essential for the first assignment. We adjusted to having initial program reviews due by the end of Wedensday10/1 at the latest. We continued to use email to send our ideas back and forth to one another to help us keep abreast of what we were working on.

What We Have Learned

Since we were both new to Adult Education and not currently working directly in Adult Ed programs, we found it difficult to set goals in advance while still needing to understand what it was that we were supposed to put together. Not having a clear context in which we would apply a program also made knowing what kind of program we wanted difficult. This has proven to be the biggest challenge but continues to help us be flexible in making  a more informed focus for our project design. In the process of the first assignment, we began to gain some perspective about the overall purpose of our programs design, in order to ensure that what we selected for the program review would contribute to our overall work, we agreed to focus on leadership development through transformational learning, seeing that it could provide the best umbrella for designing a project that would be useful across a wide spectrum of potential applications and settings. 

Although each of us has a long history of work in Adult Educational, we are both new to the academic study and understanding of the discipline. We are both committed to work that is transformational and focused on equipping and engaging adults in opportunities that improve their lot in life. Both of us find many of the ideas inherent in transformational learning  to be a deep resource for the kinds of work that we would like to be involved in the future and that help make sense of many of the most rewarding learning experiences we have encountered in the past. We honestly each feel a little overwhelmed with all we are learning and experiencing but are looking forward with thinking through and learning how to apply these concepts and ideas.

What's Next

After finishing our first project together, we are getting a feel of the best way to work together and are beginning to have a feel for what our joint focus will be. Over the next week and a half (by October 8th) we will finalize the program focus and goals and map out assignments for the remaining work. We will also add in conference  call style check points other than using only email to add better communication to better meet developmental deadlines.

Vincent Stults' Individual Summary/Review

As we were selecting our topics for this class, I wrote: "Since I am new to the academic study of adult education, and educational theory in general, the impact of transformational theory seems to be a deep well and full of useful insight." As we begin our group blogs, and start the first steps for starting our projects, I am finding that the water in this well is most certainly deep. I have found it challenging to know where to begin even finding a program to evaluate, let alone designing one based on this theoretical framework. Even though there are a lot of commonalities among those who claim, or who are put in the category of transformational learning, there is also a great diversity found in methodology, focus, and in approach as to what the nature of critical reflection is all about. So not only is there a challenge in mapping out the timeline, tasks, and responsibilities necessary for the projects, it seems like I am one among many in that dark room with the elephant, trying to describe what it is we are examining, but finding I am only able to describe it with the parts that I can feel right in front of me. With a little more light and some dialog, I know we continue to press forward, and it seems that we are beginning to make headway. So the next step, after submitting our paper which reviews a couple of transformational learning programs, is to narrow our focus, and solidify what type of program we would like to design.

Troy Rector's Individual Summary/ Review

Week 1 exposed me to my fellow students.  Definitely inspired and glad to see that there is a wide range of backgrounds in which we all come from.  That allows greater discussions and different perspectives on topics.  This class has such a diverse background that it would be impossible for us to not learn from each others previous experiences.  

Weeks 2 and 3 were pivotal for me to understand concepts and ideas on how learning is different for adults and how society plays such a huge role to adult learners.  These weeks exposed me to concepts of the adult learner that I really didn't anticipate before the course started.

Weeks 4 and 5 were the beginning of learning theories and concepts.  Definitely learned a lot in these weeks with the academic labels for different types of learning.  Although I have probably learned and experienced nearly all of them, I didn't necessarily know the technical terminology and the grounded concepts of each.  Also learned the educators and experts who developed or coined these terms for the learning theories.  

Week 6 was dedicated completely to transformational learning theory.  This helps me (and Vince) because we've dedicated our project to this type of learning.  This week gave us the groundwork and foundation on this particular learning and allows us to move forward and research more away from the textbook.  

Overall, I knew I would be exposed to academic concepts of learning and I would myself learn and grow.  Although some of the info can be dry and not exciting, the way the discussion posts are organized and the interaction with fellow students keeps it interesting and allows us to learn outside of the textbook.

 

Transformational Learning: Wild Eyed Idealism with a Singular Focus

I (Vince) commented on both Darcey Mitschelen Group 1 and Carol Freeman Group 1 as well as Carolyn Group 4

Transformational Learning: Wild Eyed Idealism with a Singular Focus 

Vincent L. Stults

Ball State University 

Abstract

This literature review examines the key themes of transformational learning theory to understand the implications of this theoretical framework for application in the development of a learning program. It focuses on the significance, foundations,  and general themes found in transformational theory. It reviews the general themes of the singular focus, diverse vision, and proven teaching strategies of transformational theory.  Demonstrating how they reveal three prevailing ideas: experience is integral to learning,  "critical reflection" is essential to learning, individual development is both inherent in and an outcome of the process of learning, and the context of an individual's experience is integral to learning and can sometimes be a part of the transformational outcome itself. Followed by their implications for practice.

Introduction

For over 35 years the theoretical framework of Transformative Learning has been growing and evolving to expand our understanding of adult education. Even the meaning and essence of being an adult has been impacted by this perspective.  This brief literature review will barely scuff the surface of the significance, foundations, focus, divergent conceptions, and proven teaching strategies from this perspective in adult education.

Significance

The weight of this theoretical perspective cannot be underestimated.  The most popular theoretical construct associated with Adult Education has been the framework of Andragogy (Merriam,2012).  While this paper is not about adragogy, nor do I want reference to it to deter us from our course, I do believe it is essential to mention it by way of contrast,  providing an example that clearly demonstrates the significance seen by the rise of Transformational Theory within the discipline of adult education.

Taylor (2007 p.189) advises adult educators not to "rest on their laurels." Why? Because

"with the growing interest in the practice of fostering transformative learning, it seems to have replaced andragogy as the iconic educational philosophy of the field, offering adult educators proven teaching strategies based on substantive research framed within sound theoretical assumptions. In addition to the increasing number of empirical studies, there is also an emerging presence of divergent conceptions of transformative learning theory being engaged in the field." Taylor follows this quote by citing not just a few voices to support his claim.

Other voices seem to be raised from an even more emotive standpoint, or what one might call a Wild Eyed Idealism: "There is no underestimating the enormous contribution Mezirow's transformational theory has made in moving us out of the apolitical doldrums of the andragogical consensus and inspiring us to think deeply about how we understand adult learning and education" (Wilson and Kiely 2002. p. 3).

Foundations

"Mezirow (1978a) first applied the label transformation in his study of U.S. women returning to postsecondary study or the workplace after an extended time" (Kitchenham, 2008 p. 105). Although Mezirow (1978) is noted as the innovator of this theoretical framework, like other perspectives it didn't just appear. It is rooted in a few key philosophical concepts. Chief among them are Kuhn's paradigms (1962), Habermas's (1971, 1984) domains of learning, and Freire's (1970) “consciousness raising.” (Mezirow, 1978a, 1991a, 2000). As Wilson and Kiely (2002 p. 2) assert,"Mezirow's thinking provided a significant challenge to academic orthodoxy by making the central task of adult education the critique of assumptions through critically reflective learning."

It was in Mezirow’s (1978) study on women's reentry programs and from these philosophical themes that he formulated his ten phases (happening most often in sequential order) of perspective transformation in adult learning: 1) A disorienting dilemma, 2) Self-examination with feelings of guilt or shame, 3) Recognition that one’s discontent and the process of transformation are shared and that others have negotiated a similar change, 4) Exploration of options for new roles, relationships, and actions, 5) A critical assessment of assumptions, 6) Provisional trying of new roles, 7) Planning of a course of action, 8) Acquisition of knowledge and skills for implementing one’s plans, 9) Building of competence and self-confidence in new roles and relationships, and 10) A reintegration into one’s life on the basis of conditions dictated by one’s new perspective .

These origins are more than nice anecdotal jaunts into history, they help to provide an understand the foundational principals of this theory: "Transformative learning offers an explanation for change in meaning structures that evolves in two domains of learning based on the epistemology of Habermas' communicative theory." (Taylor and ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult 1998 p.12)

1) instrumental learning, which focuses on learning through task-oriented problem solving and determination of cause and effect relationships-learning to do, based on empirical-analytic discovery.

2) communicative learning, which is learning involved in understanding the meaning of what others "communicate concerning values, ideals, feelings, moral decisions, and such concepts as freedom, justice, love, labor, autonomy, commitment and democracy" (Mezirow 1991a, p. 8).

There are those (Collard and Law, 1989) who have criticized Mezirow for being selective in his use of Habermas's domains of learning,  since he "excluded" emancipatory learning in his earlier works regarding perspective change, but Mezirow (1989) stated that he saw it as working together with both communicative and instrumental learning.  As the theory has evolved through such critiques and through  empirical study, this point no longer seems to matter.

General Themes

A Singular Focus

Depending on the schools of thought within this tradition, the goals of this theoretical framework for learning vary from being "liberation or praxis," to that of uncovering the images of the psyche and guiding the learner to make peace or reconcile them within their self. More simply explained, transformative learning is about changing what we know, through critical examination of our experience. It is not merely learning new information, but instead experiencing radical change (Merriam, 2013). Though expressed as a singular focus, these two ideas of experience and critical reflection as being integral to learning, thread there way throughout the literature.

As Mezirow (1997) phrases it: "A defining condition of being human is that we have to understand the meaning of our experience. For some, any uncritically assimilated explanation by an authority figure will suffice. But in contemporary societies we must learn to make our own interpretations rather than act on the purposes, beliefs, judgments, and feelings of others. Facilitating such understanding is the cardinal goal of adult education. Transformative learning develops autonomous thinking" [italics mine] (Mezirow 1997, p. 5). 

This developmental component is key in understanding this as theory that is distinctively rooted in "adult" education.  From the introduction of this review, it was stated that this theory even touches upon the very meaning of being an adult: "Transformative learning offers a theory of learning that is uniquely adult, abstract and idealized, grounded in the nature of human communication. It is a theory that is partly developmental, but even more it is about where 'learning is understood as the process of using a prior interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one's experience in order to guide future action' (Mezirow 1996: 162)" (Taylor 2007, p. 173).

A Diverse Vision

There is too little space to highlight the accumulation of details scattered throughout the literature on this topic, rather I will paint in broad strokes and leave the details in the many pages of content referenced.

Arising out of theoretical critique and empirical study of the time, Taylor (1998 p. 27) established "seven means of contention:" Individual Change vs. Social Action; Decontextualized View of Learning; Universal Model of Adult Learning; Adult Development: Shift or Progression; An Emphasis on Rationality; Other Ways of Knowing; and Perspective Transformation: "The Model."

It is intriguing to see in the literature that what some chose to call a genuine critique of transformational theory, leading to an all out departure from the theoretical framework itself, others have chosen to simply classify as different approaches. Wilson and Kiely (2002) conclude that not all differences were able to be reconciled with the greater framework of Transformational Learning, "there are others who by both moving beyond transformational theory and invoking other critical traditions have addressed some of these "unresolved issues" in the promising movement to create a critical theory [italics mine] of adult learning and education" (Wilson and Kiely 2002, p. 3). However, the authors do not seem to have a unifying rubric, nor a clearly delineated stream of departure that can be clearly definable. In light of the greater relationship and distinctions between transformational theory and Critical theory, feminist theory, and postmodern perspectives, their strongest example of a departure rests in the work of  Welton and his "prolonged project to understand and promote "the centrality of emancipatory adult learning theory to social transformation and human freedom" (1995, pp. 1-2)" (Wilson and Kiely 2002, p. 4) Although we can cite Freire as already rooting this idea in transformational theory.

Suffice it to say, that almost every example from Wilson and Kiely (at least in kind) are also examined by Dirkx (1998) but are still left squarely in the transformational frame. Dirkx building upon Clark (1993),  saw at least four different "strands" of thought within the research and theory on transformative learning" that gave rise to many of the critiques from within the greater framework. (Dirkx 1998 p. 2): 1) Transformation as Consciousness-raising; 2)Transformation as Critical Reflection; 3)Transformation as Development; and 4)Transformation as Individuation.

Yet Dirkx still saw in each a core consistency, "All four of these strands underscore the importance of meaning in the process of learning and the role of adults in constructing and making that meaning within the learning experience." (Dirkx 1998, p. 9)

It seems that factors of time, perspective, and on-going empirical research have been able to contribute more to the scope, development, and advance of this theory, than to deliver any serious blow to undermine its basic assumptions, principals, and central focus. Though I should add that such a conclusion would lead Wilson and Kiely (2002 p. 4) to say this conclusion is "superficial" and the reason they wrote their review in the first place.

 Regarding the practice of transformational learning, "how these elements are engaged in the classroom is significantly shaped by the theoretical orientation of the educator (Taylor, 2008). (Mezirow and Taylor 2009, p. 3). Both Meziro and Taylor (2008) and Merriam (2012) have ordered these perspective very similarly. Yet Merriams may be more succinct. In transformative learning there are two main approaches: 1) Sociocultural Perspectives (social emancipatory, cultural-spiritual, race-centric, planetary); and 2) Individual Concerns (psychocritical, psychodevelopmental, psychoanalytic perspectives).  The first approach is represented by the work of Paulo Freire, Elizabeth Tisdell, Juanita Johnson-Bailey, and Mary Alfred,to name a few,  and the second is represented by Jack Mezirow, Laurent Daloz, John Dirkx, Robert Kegan, and Patricia Granton, among others. (Mezirow and Taylor 2009. p. 3)

Proven Teaching Strategies

Before looking at the practice of transformational learning through its core elements, it is good to consider where this diversity has taken transformational learning theory. As Mezirow and Taylor (2009) continue to focus on extending the practice of transformational learning, they seem to take all this in stride, continuing to shape and extend the application for transformative learning rather than to be mired down by these differences.  For Taylor (2007), this insight began unfolding with the first real conclusions coming from empirical studies mentioned in his 1998 review  (Taylor 2007, p. 174). 

The ability to embrace the ebb and flow of theory and practice is confirmed in Mezirow and Taylor 's introductory chapter (2009, p. 3): "It is important to note that this discussion of core elements is an evolving process, and the elements identified are a continual work of progress, particularly as more research comes forth. The identification of these elements emerge from a series of literature reviews of empirical studies on transformative learning completed over the past decade. Each of the elements is discussed in relationship to empirical literature about fostering transformative learning."

Core Practices (Elements)

All of this Leads to an understanding of the core practices of transformational learning theory, or as Taylor (2007) classifies them, core elements. These core practices originally included only three elements: individual experience, critical reflection, and dialogue (Taylor, 1998). While I could draw from several different sources throughout the past few decades to look at these core elements, I believe the most definitive  summary of present practice can be found in  Mezirow and Taylors (2008) book. These core elements are:

• Individual Experience - the starting point for exchange
• Promoting Critical Reflection - questioning the integrity of deeply held assumptions and beliefs based on prior experience
•  Dialogue - in contrast to everyday discussions, it is used "when we have reason to question the comprehensibility, truth, appropriateness (in relation to norms), or authenticity (in relation to feelings) of what is being asserted or to question the credibility of the person making the statement"
• Holistic Orientation - engaging in the affective and relational ways of knowing (beyond reason) Awareness of Context - understanding of the personal and sociocultural factors that play an influencing role... include the surroundings of the immediate learning event, the personal and professional situation of the learners at the time (their prior experience), and the background context that is shaping society... [as well as the] temporal constraints.
• Authentic Relationships  - establishing meaningful, genuine relationships with students)
• Learner-Centered Teaching - teacher is seen as facilitator who strives to balance power with learners through shared decision making, evaluation, and other learning (Mezirow and Taylor 2009, pp. 5-14)

Conclusion

Transformational learning holds within its history and development a wild eyed idealism about the capacity of adults to learn and grow through discovering within themselves, and from their  histories and context the raw materials for a fundamental change in who they are. This is no simple task and is fraught with challenges for the educator who must approach teaching in ways outside the norm, in a learner-centered approach. This challenge must be understood by those who would chose to employee the theoretical framework of transformational learning.   Additionally, the diversity of positions within this framework also present challenges. Challenges that force the practitioner(s) to examine their own lives in as much rigor as they hope for their students, so they too can discover how to navigate the nuances of this diverse field of practice.

A Singular Focus

These challenges, however, give way to a greater proposition, transformational learning is rooted squarely in the application of its principals. Unified in its diversity around praxis over orthodoxy, it has been able to maintain a singular focus to help adult learners understand the meaning of their experience, to make their "own interpretations rather than act on the purposes, beliefs, judgments, and feelings of others. Facilitating such understanding is the cardinal goal of adult education. Transformative learning develops autonomous thinking" (Mezirow 1997, p. 5)  

This singular focus can be simply expressed in two ideas: 1) Experience Is Integral To Learning; and 2) "Critical Reflection" Is Essential To Learning.

A Diverse Vision

The conclusion that can be derived from the diverse vision of theoretical conceptions from transformational learning theory means that as a theory, there is an ability to address the unique challenges of multiple settings, contexts, and individual circumstances and differences, with an appropriate approach, born out of its breadth of application as expressed in the "four strands" of Clark (as cited by Dirkx, 1998 p.2, 1993) and the two approaches put forward by (Merriam 2012) and Mezirow and Taylor 2009).

A Diverse Vision of transformational learning will be rooted in either or both of the following ideas: 1) Individual Development Is Both Inherent In and an Outcome of The Process of Learning; and 2) The Context of an Individuals Experience is Integral to Learning and can Sometimes Be a Part of the Transformational Outcome

Proven Teaching Strategies

The empirical research validates many core assumptions of this theory, providing a sound theoretical perspective from which to build programs rooted in substantive principals. And provide the foundation for a number of proven teaching strategies to be implemented in building a transformational learning opportunity. 

Its core elements have been shaped and developed by 35 years of critique, practice and empirical study.  From the ten phases of transformational learning established by Mezirow in the late 1970's to the core elements listed by he and Taylor in the early days of the 21st century (2008), there is great consistency. 

Proven Teaching Strategies are employed in the practice of Transformational Learning from seven Core Elements: Individual Experience, Promoting Critical Reflection, Dialogue, Holistic Orientation, Awareness of Context, Authentic Relationships, and Learner-Centered Teaching. These proven teaching strategies provide the primary means to engage in the idea that Critical Reflection Is Essential to Learning. 

Implications

The implications of these three themes is fairly straight forward. Though it may be sated in various ways, this singular focus means that any Adult Learning Program  employing Transformational Learning Theory should have a singular focus: to help adult learners understand the meaning of their experience, to make their "own interpretations rather than act on the purposes, beliefs, judgments, and feelings of others. Facilitating such understanding [italics mine] is the cardinal goal of adult education. Transformative learning develops autonomous thinking" (Mezirow 1997, p. 5) 

 Out of the diversity of transformational theoretical strands or approaches there is great degree of flexibly to address how to best from the transformative work using these diverse models . A program based in Transformational Learning Theory would need to employee practices representing the core elements of proven teaching strategies. A more definitive overview of the implications are locate in the final table.

Implications

	The main  themes/ideas in the literature (Check General Themes)	Application of the main ideas in practice (check Implications)
Idea 1	Theme: Singular Focus: Ideas: 1) Experience is Integral To Learning 2) "Critical Reflection" is Essential to Learning.	The kind of learning that must happen for transformation must go beyond mere informational learning. Therefore praxis is essential, and the central task of adult education becomes the facilitation of the learner in the act of critiquing their own assumptions through critically reflective learning. Without this core work it is not transformational learning
Idea 2	Theme: Diverse Vision (rooted in either one or both) Ideas: 1) Individual Development is Both Inherent in and an Outcome of the Process of Learning 2) The Context of an Individuals Experience is Integral to Learning and can Sometimes be a Part of the Transformational Outcome Itself	Find practitioners and theorists who can help you address the unique challenges, contexts, individual circumstances, and differences, with an appropriate approach. Work from one position or recombine them for your own application.
Idea 3	Proven Teaching Strategies Provide the Primary Means to Engage in the Idea That Critical Reflection is Essential to Learning.	A program based in Transformational Learning Theory should employee practices representing the core elements of: Individual Experience, Promoting Critical Reflection, Dialogue, Holistic Orientation, Awareness of Context, Authentic Relationships, and Learner-Centered Teaching, There is much room for innovation and integration of many different methodologies.

References

Brooks, A. (2001). Narrative Dimensions of Transformative Learning. Retrieved from http://proxy.bsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED476042&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Clark, M. C. (1993). Transformational Learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (57), 47–56.

Collard, S., & Law, M. (1989). The limits of perspective transformation: A critique of Mezirow’s theory.

Dirkx, J. M. (1998). Transformative learning theory in the practice of adult education: An overview. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 7, 1–14.

Imel, S., & ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, C., and Vocational Education, Columbus, OH. (1998). Transformative Learning in Adulthood. ERIC Digest No. 200. Retrieved from http://proxy.bsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED423426&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Kitchenham, A. (2008). The Evolution of John Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory. Journal of Transformative Education, 6(2), 104–123. doi:10.1177/1541344608322678

Merriam, S. B., Caffarella, R. S., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2012). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide. John Wiley & Sons.

Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective transformation. Adult Education Quarterly, 28(2), 100–110.

Mezirow, J. (1989). Transformation theory and social action: A response to Collard and Law. Adult Education Quarterly, 39(3), 169–175.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. Retrieved from http://proxy.bsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED353469&site=ehost-live&scope=site