Transformative Learning

Transformative learning is the process bringing about change in a frame of reference. Adults bring with them a body of experience that includes associations, concepts, values, feelings, and conditioned responses. These are the frames of reference that define their life. According to Mezirow (1991), frames of reference are the structures of assumptions through which we understand our experiences.

“Transformative Learning Theory” states that the individual is freed from the “libidinal, epistemic, institutional, or environmental forces that limit our options and our rational control over our lives but have been taken for granted or seen as beyond human control” (Mezirow, 1991, p. 87). According to Cranton (1994), the most important aspect of transformative learning is the empowerment of the individual.
Mezirow believes that adults can be "transformed" through a process involving a "disorientating dilemma" followed by critical reflection and new interpretations of experience. According to King and Wang (2007), transformational learning is a complex learning experience that incorporates influences, considerations, and meaning for many areas of adult learners’ lives including their personal, professional, social, educational, and work contexts.

Transformational learning in multicultural education and related issues can be accomplished by creating lesson plans that tap into the experiences and culture of the students using collaborative projects that are authentic and involve critical thinking (problem-solving) skills. The lesson plans would have to be created together with the students with desired outcomes also being developed by the students. Reflection on the work being performed is essential for transformative learning to take place.

Transformative learning is the foundational theory of adult education. With this concept in mind, it is obvious that the goal of adult education is implied by the nature of adult learning and communication. The goal is to help the individual become a more autonomous thinker by learning to understand his or her own values, meanings, and purposes rather than to reject those of others. According to Mezirow (1991), this goal cannot be taken for granted; educational interventions are necessary to ensure that the learner acquires the understandings, skills, and dispositions essential for transformative learning. Critical reflection, awareness of frames of reference, and participation in discourse become significant elements in defining learning needs, setting educational objectives, designing materials and methods, and in evaluating learner growth using nontraditional methods such as portfolios.

References:
Cranton, P. (1994). Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning: A Guide for Educators of Adults. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. Retrieved October 11, 2009, from
http://search.ebscohost.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu

Imel, S., & ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, C. (1998). Transformative Learning in Adulthood. ERIC Digest No. 200. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu

King, K. P. & Wang, V. (Eds.). (2007). Comparative adult education around the globe. Hangzhou, PR China: Zhejiang University Press.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. Retrieved October 12,2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (74), 5-12. Retrieved October 12,2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com.avoserv.library.fordham.edu

Click on the link below to hear a podcast titled "Trasnformaive Learning Practicum".
http://multiculturalismeducation.mypodcast.com/