Transformational Learning

    The understanding that adults go through significant changes throughout their life has been around for a very long time.  We have all experienced changes in our life that have caused us to be critically reflective of our situation and make the decisions necessary to change. All adults go through these life changes and are impacted by the result of these changes, "change is fundamental to adult life" (Merriam, 2005, p. 3).  Only recently, in the past few decades, has this assumption of adult change been incorporated into adult learning.

            As the development of adult educations theories grow, one cannot ignore the transitions that adults go through as a process of their education.  Mezirow as a pioneer of the transformative learning theory and has documented significant research on the topic since the 1990's.  "Mezirow's work in this area that transformational learning has achieved the status of a major theory of adult learning" (Merriam, (in press), p. 206).

            Personally, I have found that I have been transformed through my education career.  This transformation has allowed me to become a more mature learner.   Without the transformations I have had, I feel that I would not have been able to develop my skills and abilities in my chosen career field.  These transformations have also helped me identify my career goals in life.

Transformational Learning Theory Origins

            Transformational learning theory is an adult theory that has been around for more than two decades.  Transformational learning theory "continues to be the most researched and discussed theory in the field of adult education" (Taylor, 2007, p. 173).   This theory, has strong influences in adult education future theory development and is a critical theory for educators of adults to understand and research.

            To begin understanding the origins of transformation al learning, one must first evaluate adult transformations and how impact adult life.   An adult has two types of periods in their life that impact events and their outcomes.  Stable periods in the adult life are when "life structures are solidified"(Merriam, 2005, p. 3).  Transitional periods in an adult life is when we question and challenge our current situation and make changes in our life structures (Merriam, 2005).  These transitions can be planned or unplanned responses to the situations we are in.

            When adults make transitions, they often do so in full awareness of the situation and with support from friends and family.  For example, when my husband and I decided to have children, we did so with an understanding that we would experience a transition from our current environment to a new and different environment that involves kids.  These transitions come with the expectation of change.

            Often, however, changes happen during unexpected times throughout the adult life and are not associated with an event or planned transition.  These "non event" transitions come in several forms. Merriam (2005) identifies these nonevents into the following categories:

Personal nonevents are the aspirations a person has about his or her life that do not materialize.  Ripple nonevents are unfulfilled expectations of someone close to us.  Resultant nonevents are the result of another event. The delayed event is an event that still may happen, like getting pregnant after giving up trying (p. 5).

Merriam continues stating that there are two responses a person can have to any of these events.  When an adult identifies a transition, they can choose to "move toward this new understanding"(Merriam, 2005, p. 6), or the person experiencing the transition can revert back to the original environment. 

As mentioned earlier, Mezirow was a founding researcher in the transformational learning theory.  Mezirow associates change and transformation in adult learning based on the adults meaning structures.  These "meaning structures are two-dimensional"(Mezirow, 1994, p. 223) and involve meaning perspectives and an adults meaning scheme.  Meaning perspectives are "broad sets of predispositions resulting from psychocultural assumptions which determine the horizons of our expectations"(Mezirow, p. 223).  Mezirow defines meaning schemes as our beliefs, judgments, values, and feelings that shape our personal interpretation.  For example, as a women who has worked in several men oriented environments, I have a strong belief in the value of a nurturing environment in a workplace.  These meanings, based on the perspectives and values of adult learners, draw the learner toward similar and supportive teachings.  Teaching or learning that it is conflict with the adult learners perspectives and values have the potential of turning the learner away or challenging those meanings.  

      When we challenge our meaning structures, we have the ability to react in a manner that is critically reflective and allows us to transform from our original structure to a new structure based on the new information.  "We reflect on the unexamined assumptions of our beliefs when the beliefs are not working well for us, or where old ways of thinking are no longer functional" (Mezirow, 1994, p. 223).  Mezirow defines that personal crisis leads an individual to reevaluate their situation.  This reevaluation causes the adult to discover that past assumptions based on our meaning structures may not be accurate and a need for transformation is initiated. (Merriam, (in press))

Transformational Learning Theory and Adult Education

Merriam confirms that development happens during adult education and transformation events.  This type of development that is linked to a life event is "linked to the timing of the event"(Merriam, 2005, p. 5).  When transitions happen unexpectedly, the potential for learning is greater than from the expected transitions.  "These events are likely to be especially stressful; at the same time, their potential for stimulating learning and subsequent development may be greater than the more normative, anticipated life events"(Merriam, p. 5).  An educator may be able to take advantage of this type of transitional development through the introduction of new materials in a course.

     In a learning environment, the use of transformational learning helps students critically reflect on their existing assumptions, challenge them and identify new ways of thinking.  "The goal of transformational learning is independent thinking"(Merriam, 2004, p. 61).  Merriam believes that these challenges help the adult learner become more independent and therefore critically reflect on the learning and meaning.  "For learning to occur, an experience needs to be discomforting, disquieting, or puzzling enough for us not to reject or ignore it, but to attend to it and reflect on it" (Merriam, 2005, p. 8).  This reflective action allows the learner to evaluate the meanings in the context of the learners existing knowledge and identify how to cope with this new understanding. 

      Educators need to understand this method of transformation and take the appropriate steps to ensure the learning environment is in support of the transition.  "To facilitate transformational learning, educators must help learners become aware and critical of their own and others' assumptions"(Mezirow, 1997,  p. 10).  Adult learners look to educators to help facilitate the process of becoming critical aware of their assumptions and providing a safe environment to do this.  One method that educators can use to facilitate this critical reflection is to not directly challenge the perceptions of the students.  Instead, the educator can help communicate "validity, or justification for the belief"(Mezirow, 1994, p. 225).  Educators have an advantage, according to Mezirow, as they can be seen as an authority figure and an expert on a topic.  This relationship must not be overused or abused in an adult education environment.  "Educators can also facilitate reflective action by helping learners overcome situational, knowledge or emotional constraints"(Mezirow, p. 225).

      The expected outcome of transformational learning is the change in the learners perspective that supports development.  "Both the process and the outcome of transformational learning are developmental.  That is, the ability to reflect critically"(Merriam, (in press), p. 207).  this critical reflection tool is primarily a function of the adult learner and can be related to other learning theories.

Transformational Learning Theory in Relation to other Adult Education Theories

      The transformational learning theory has strong ties to other learning theories.  For example, self-directed learning begins with the learner "self-diagnosing learning needs" (Merriam, (in press), p. 205).  This critical reflection of needs could lead to a transformation and development.  With self-directed learning, the student determines their needs for growth and development and pursues this knowledge independently.  This desire for new learning could also be due to a recent transformation where the learners perspectives were challenged and initiated the need for new learning.

     The adult learning theory of andragogy also has similarities to transformational learning theory.  Andragogy is based on a set of five assumptions about an adult learner.  These five assumptions includes the adult learner "having an independent self-concept who can direct their own learning"(Merriam, (in press), p. 203).  This assumption is similar to self-directed learning as well.  Adult learners possess the ability to challenge their current perspectives and have the ability to develop, independently, the need or desire to further inquire about the challenged perspective.  Another similarity to transformational learning theory from one of the five assumptions is the learners motivation to learn through internal factors  (Merriam).  Internal motivations assume that the adult learner has an internal desire to change or inquire further on a perception.

Challenges to Transformational Learning Theory

     There are several challenges to the transformation learning theory, especially in the area that Mezirow focuses on event life changes.  For example, Merriam challenges Mezirow from the point that transformational learning requires "a rather high level of cognitive functioning is a prerequisite for transformational learning" (Merriam, 2004, p. 61). 

      There have also been questions raised about the type of life events that impact transitional learning.  This concern centers around normal life events should not be categorized into the transformation theory or thought.  "Expected life course changes should not be confused with perspective transformation as proposed by Mezirow"(Tennant, 1993).  These events, according to Tennant and Pogson "are more accurately portrayed as changes in an individual's location within an overarching taken-for-granted world view"(Tennant & Pogson, 1995, p. 114)

Another challenge to Mezirow theory focuses on the need for rationality (Imel, 1998).  Mezirow suggests that meaning schemes are based on experiences that can be deconstructed and acted upon in a rational way.  However, Taylor comments that "critical reflection is granted too much importance in perspective transformation, a process too rationally driven" (Taylor, 1998, p. 33-34).

I feel that respect plays a crucial role in adult education.  Treating the adult learners as if they have relevant knowledge that is helpful to the course helps my students understand the respect I have for their knowledge and experience.  Many of my assignments are designed in a way that asks the learner to present their own knowledge of a topic.  

      All adults experience change events in their life.  Some of these events are expected and normal; some are more unexpected and can have profound impacts on a person's foundational beliefs and core values.
Mezirow was influential in the study of how transformations help or support the adult learner in overall development.  He identified that adult learners use critical reflection to evaluate and challenge their perceptions and beliefs.  Once they realize that there are differences, or challenges to their original perceptions, they can choose to accept the new perceptions or revert back to the old ones.  Either way, the transformations can be stressful and life changing for many adults.     Understanding transformation in adult learners is critical to educators.  It is critical that educators support the transformational process and understand the effects on development. "Transformative learning may not always be a goal of adult education, but its importance should not be overlooked and all adult educators should strive to understand it, even if they do not choose to foster it"(Imel, 1998).             

References

Bloomer, M., & Hodkinson, P. (2000). Learning career:  conceptualizing transformations in young people and their learning (presented at the American Education Research Association annual conference, 2000). Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/16/2b/58.pdf

Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..

Imel, S. (1998). Transformative learning in adulthood. ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult Career and Vocational Education, 1-7. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/15/cc/23.pdf

Merriam, S. (2001). Something old, something new:  adult learning theory for the twenty-first century. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 89, 93-96. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=15&hid=120&sid=8bbcb57b-b4e0-49db-a82f-878b0bc8df61%40sessionmgr107

Merriam, S. (2005). How adult life transitions foster learning and development. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 108, 3-13. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=15&hid=120&sid=8bbcb57b-b4e0-49db-a82f-878b0bc8df61%40sessionmgr107

Merriam, S. B. ((in press)). The changing landscape of adult learning. National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 199-220. Retrieved from http://www.ncsall.net

Merriam, S. B. (2004). Development in Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. Adult Education Quarterly, 55(1), 60-70. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=33&hid=120&sid=8bbcb57b-b4e0-49db-a82f-878b0bc8df61%40sessionmgr107

Merriam, S. B. (2004). The role of cognitive development in Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. Adult Education Quarterly, 55(1), 60-68. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=108&sid=6832d80d-1837-43b9-b2aa-396c65a41308%40sessionmgr102

Mezirow, J. (1994). Understanding transformation theory. Adult Education Quarterly, 44, 222-232. Retrieved from http://aeq.sagepub.com.library.capella.edu/cgi/reprint/44/4/222

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning in action. New Directions for Adult Continuing Education, 74, 5-12. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=6&hid=105&sid=5175260e-e4b4-4fcd-8600-6d7b3dd82a04%40sessionmgr104

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning to think like an adult:  Core concepts of transformation theory. (J. Mezirow, Ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Taylor, E. (1998). The theory and practice of transformative learning:  A critical review.  Information series No. 374 (Office of Educational Research and Improvement). Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED423422)

Taylor, E. (2007). An update of transformative learning theory:  a critical review of the empirical research (1999-2005). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26(2), 173-191. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=103&sid=0a014519-2331-4565-8a30-0f0de981103c%40sessionmgr109

Tennant, M. (1993). Perspective transformation and adult development. Adult Education Quarterly, 44(1), 33-42. Retrieved from http://aeq.sagepub.com.library.capella.edu/cgi/reprint/44/1/34

Tennant, M., & Pogson, P. (1995). Learning and change in the adult years.  A developmental perspective. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..

Academic Rigor vs. Academic Rigid

     A few years ago a fellow instructor commented to me that I was "not rigorous enough in my classroom".  When I asked him to explain this comment further, he responded that my flexibility in the classroom was making the other faculty on campus look ‘bad’.  It is true that I allow late work and am willing to work with students on deadlines. And I agree that this flexibility may cause other “less flexible” instructors to look less appealing (when the student had a choice between professors), but how does that apply to rigor in education?  Does flexibility impact the level of academic rigor experienced by students? Have we used the term rigor less in the role of academic excellence and more in the traditional definition of "rigidness"?

     I understand greatly the need for deadlines and schedules.  I teach business courses and have several years of business management experience, so boy do I know deadlines.  I just don't understand how the concept of academic rigor applies to these hard lines of full credit verses no credit for work being done based on a predefined schedule set by relentless educators.  Lets take a look at the formal definition of academic rigor, which is different that the dictionary version (the definition my colleague was using earlier), but more along the lines of academic excellence.
   Strong, Silver and Perini (2001) defined rigor as "the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging".  I love the "develop the capacity" portion of that definition - it truly defines what our role should be as educators.   Other definitions of academic rigor are more focused: meeting course objectives, excellence in instruction, ability to apply knowledge gained...  These definitions are all appropriate for that excellence, that quality in the classroom educators should be seeking.  None of these academic definitions use the words deadline, inflexible, hard, harsh, etc.
     I realize that rigor has become the new buzz word in academics – Obama has been quoted saying that we need to expect more from our students and provide “complete and competitive” education (Obama, 2009).  The no child left behind also pushed the need for more competent students and academic programs.  I can align, however, with Nilson on her feelings of instructional inadequacies when she first became a faculty member, as described in her book “To Improve the Academy” (Nilson, 2010).  When I first became an adjunct faculty member I had delusions of all my students learning every topic I taught and images of them hanging on every word as I spoke.  I learned quickly the truth in education - I had to challenge students and engage them to develop application techniques.  I had to step out of my box and be willing to relate to students and their needs.  It was not enough to follow traditional lecture models, but if I wanted them to learn, I had to stretch my own abilities as an instructor and look beyond the traditional – all in the search of this academic ‘rigor’.

     As I grew in my instructional abilities, I found that students had been abused.  Maybe abused is a strong word, but they have had some pretty bad images set upon them.  In some cases these images are warranted, but not in most. They were treated less like academic adult learners, and because of a few bad examples over the years, had all been categorized into youngsters that did not want to learn and were only looking for a grade.  There became this separation between student and faculty or student and researcher.  We had lost our abilities as educators to motivate and encourage participation in learning. A friend of mine stated it very well to me once: "I get one year older each new academic year, and they stay the same age".  This distance in age, and ability to relate, continues to divide our interests and ability to trust.  As one educator recently stated in a group of her peers "why do I need to adjust my teaching to meet my student's expectations?  they need to adjust their learning style to the way I teach".  What if we took that approach to everything we do?  We no longer consider each other's needs, but rather expect others to succumb to our ways of doing things, because 'we' are always right?
     In my experience, I have found that a little trust and reaching out to relate goes a long way with students. For example, I allow student's to challenge me on graded test answers.  As we are reviewing assessment results, if they can effectively state a case as to why their incorrect answer is correct, I give them points back.  But I do it in a way that is open and trusting.  I then send around a sheet of paper asking anyone who missed that question to write their name down and I will return the points to them.  This exercise helps improve academic rigor on several levels:  1) it helps build trust in the classroom, 2) it provides me with an opportunity to review the objectives of the assessed unit one more time, and 3) what best way for students to learn than to 'teach' me?  When they challenge an answer they have to be ready to 'teach' me why their answer is correct.  In many cases, I have students writing notes in the margins of the exams, pre-explaining why they selected one answer over another - just in case they get it wrong.   Some of you are wondering how many students 'lie' on the sheet of paper that I send around, and get additional points when they are not warranted.  Personally, I do not care if one or two students earn an extra point or two this way - as it is not worth the time to me to have all the students return their exams back to me so I can go through each one to ensure that only the students who had the question wrong get the points back -- I call this chasing nickles with dollars.  The reward here is not an additional point or two, but the ability for students to challenge me and learn.  That what this education thing is all about.
     But, out of curiosity, I did recently test my theory that students would be more honest than not with this method.  After the last exam, I predetermined that I was going to give points back for a particular question, which had been worded strangely so several students had misunderstood the correct answer.  I wrote down all the students names who did not get a question correct prior to going into the classroom.  We went through the review as normal and they did challenge me on the question I had predetermined as a point back question.  I agreed with their case and asked everyone who had that question wrong to write their name on the paper going around.  The students had also successfully challenged me on one other question on the exam, so some students were earning 2 points back.  After class, I reviewed the list I had against the student's list and had only one student who had asked for an additional point that he should not have received back.  In a class of 55, 37 of the students were to earn the point back because they answered incorrectly, 38 students had written their name down on the paper to get the point back.   Interestingly enough, the student who added the extra point, stopped by my office later that week (after I had updated their grades online) and said that he made a mistake and he should not have been given the extra point.
      I was satisfied that the trust we were building was improving their ability to be open and collaborate in the classroom.  This increased collaboration was building their ability to learn effectively,  I was reaching out to them, letting them learn on their level.  I am also very open to allowing late work when they notify me they they will be out. As a business manager and leader I found that if you give employees flexibility in the workplace (hours, work from home, etc) they become more loyal and motivated to perform.  The same is true in education.  There are several articles available that refer to this as the "changing education paradigm". Online learning, active learning, collaborative learning, all have had entrances into the education arena recently.  These new approaches allow us to employ flexibility - to help the students by meeting their needs - while still ensuring academic rigor.  I relate this to the Hawthorne studies done around 1895.  These studies done by Mayo concluded that involvement by employees increased motivation and performance.  Leadership in organizations have used this model to transition from the scientific and bureaucratic leadership techniques to one that is more participatory - Human Relations focused.  We still use these methods in organizations today to motivate and lead employees.  The active/involved learning models have been able to demonstrate increased retention of materials and improved thinking skills ( Chickering & Gamson, McKeachie, Prince).  Although in most cases measuring such things is challenging and the results reported are small, in every case there was improved student attitudes about the class and objectives.
    I have employed these techniques in my classrooms and have identified increased participation and attendance.  Both of these factors helped improve performance overall.  Rather than focusing on the hard lines of schedules and due dates -- my students will get enough of that when they get into the 'real world' -- I focus on education as an area of open collaboration, learning groups, accountability to knowledge, excellence, flexibility and yes - academic rigor.

 

What can education do for them?

     As I returned to finish my education after children, being involved in a challenging career, and as a wife; I often considered the question “what can education do for me”?  The thought that “common sense outweighs school learning for getting along in the world”(Resnick, 1987) was an important focus for me as a young organizational leader.  I had done a great deal in my life by the time I returned to complete my education, and by most accounts had become successful.  I had a desire to educate, to change the world one student at a time so a degree was necessary.  Now, as an educator I reflect on that same question but in a different way “what can education do for them"?

     Knowles, a pioneer in the adult learning theory, states that for adults to learn that they have to be curious (Knowles, 1972).  As a curious adult learner I seek to understand how to better educate students.  I remember a small portion of my formal education and must admit that a majority of what I know today comes from experience.  How then, as an educator, can I accept the same techniques used to educate me?  I recently had a conversation with a fellow educator on this topic.  He is known as an excellent teacher and I have often heard students tell me that they have worked harder in his class than any other classes.  The students appreciated his enthusiasm and how he applied current events to his course topics.

     Enthusiasm, I agree is important - maybe even key - in education, however in my experience, application makes the difference. The best Learnings (my own word here) that have “helped me get along in the world” have been based on my ability to try to apply and then have the freedom to make mistakes.  Let me switch that thought – what a better place to try something and make mistakes than in a learning environment. 

    When I teach Quality Assurance in my business courses, we talk about quality as a “race without a finish line”, that famous book title by Schmidt.  The basis for continuous improvement is a foundational strategy for most organizations to remain competitive.  Why then has education not followed this same philosophy?  Businesses understand that change and growth require constant process, product, and service innovation.  When was the last time we really focused on process, product and service innovation in our education methods?   

     What would happen if educators actually listened to their students?  Rather than reusing the same model of education – that regurgitation of knowledge – what if we listened to what our young adult learners are asking? Every student survey I had completed in prior years included the same comments - "more activities", "less lecture", "more videos".    I decided it was time to listen. I teach my students in total quality management that teamwork and participation are required for successful quality initiatives.  Who best knows how to do their job that the ones doing it?  Well, who best knows how they learn that those attempting to learn.
 
     I reformatted a course into a collaborative learning environment, a subset of the active learning techniques.  I will admit it happened more by accident, maybe even by fate, but I listened and changed.  The results were amazing.   My student survey comments were a little different than the ones I received in past years  --Understanding, application, collaboration, learning, interaction, active, current, impact, team building, realistic, open, trust, friendly, interesting, reinforces, attention grabbing, knowledge, variation ... these are the words my students now use to describe their learning experience.






Find out more about this successful learning environment in an upcoming post - A justification for collaborative learning environments.  I will discuss the format of the course as well as provide results from grades and attendance.