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).
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
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hello