Teaching as a Transformational Experience

Spirituality is an important part of human experience. So is culture. Most discussions of spirituality focus on the individual dimension of spirituality. But we believe that there is a cultural dimension to spirituality and a spiritual dimension to culture. By drawing on the connection between the two, adult educators can create educational experiences that are both culturally relevant and transformative. Culture is the common beliefs, values, language, images, symbols, and behaviors shared by a particular social group (Guy, 1999). Nearly all human knowledge and experience, including spiritual experience, will be shared and given expression through culture--in language, in music, in art, or in symbol making. Indeed, people construct knowledge and make meaning in powerful and ways through symbol, music, art, metaphor, and ritual--what faith development theorist James Fowler (1981) refers to as and unconscious structuring (p. 103). These aspects of knowledge production and ways of knowing are at the of the way spiritual knowing is often expressed. But such manifestations of knowing through symbolic and processes are also deeply cultural. Thus, they connect us back to our cultural selves, which is why spirituality can have an important role to play in culturally relevant education that draw on learners' cultural and group-based identities in the learning environment. We are making certain assumptions as we try to teach for social transformation and cultural relevance. First, it is important to define what we mean by spirituality. As we've discussed elsewhere (Tisdell, 2003; Tolliver & Tisdell, 2001), spirituality is related to: (a) a connection to what many refer to as the Life-force, God, a higher power or purpose, Great Mystery, or Buddha Nature; (b) a sense of wholeness, healing, and the interconnectedness of all things; (c) meaning-making; (d) the ongoing development of one's identity (including one's cultural identity) moving toward greater authenticity; (e) how people construct knowledge through largely and symbolic processes manifested through image, symbol, and music, which are often cultural. In addition, spirituality is different from, but for some people, related to religion. Finally, spiritual experiences often happen by surprise. Understanding how these dimensions of spirituality play out in our own lives and those of adult learners with whom we work offers new direction to culturally relevant adult education. Second, based on our experience as educators, we are assuming people are more likely to have transformational experiences if they are engaged on three levels of their individual being: the cognitive, the affective, and the symbolic or spiritual. Clearly, people do not have transformative learning experiences about issues of race, gender, or culture and power disparities therein, only through rational discourse or critical reflection. While we agree, as Mezirow (1995) suggests, that critical reflection is necessary, we believe that it is EQUALLY necessary to engage people on the affective or heart level. Further, transformative learning is perhaps better anchored if we engage on the spiritual level as well, and draw on how people construct knowledge through processes. Thus, in our classes, participants often create and share a poem, an art piece, a story, a symbol that gives further meaning to their learning journey at the end of the course. This sometimes connects the cultural, the spiritual, the affective, and the cognitive dimensions of who they are. It's important for educators to both set the stage for connecting spirituality and culture and to provide some role modeling. We often begin our classes with a greeting or ritual that encourages learners to make contact with every other person in the group. As a woman of African descent, Derise (Tolliver) also incorporates African proverbs as a way to reflect upon the content of a course, the process of the work, or the energy of the group. …

Part 1: Introduction 1. Reflecting on reflection and journeys Part 2: Critical perspectives within reflective practice 2. Using reflective practice in the development of exercise-related interventions 3. Where's the evidence? A review of empirical reflective practice research within sport 4. Reflecting forward: Exploring reflective methodologies with/for children 5. Keeping the cat alive: 'getting' reflection as part of professional practice Part 3: Pedagogical approaches to reflective practice 6. Sink or Swim: Case Study Reflections from an undergraduate Football Scientist 7. Enhancing the skills of students through the use of reflective practice in a physical activity and health curriculum 8. Reflections on Reflection: Some Personal Experiences of Delivering Higher Education Coach Education 9. Facilitating reflective practice in graduate trainees and early career practitioners 10. Reflective Practice and the realms of Physiotherapy Part 4: Applied practice: Reflective practice in action 11. They never bought me flowers: Storytelling as a means of critical reflection on applied sport psychology practice 12. Critical reflections from sports physiology and nutrition: Tales from pitch side to ringside 13. Using critical incident reflection in qualitative research: Transferable skills for sport psychologists 14. Mindful Supervision in Sport and Performance Psychology: Building the Quality of the Supervisor-Supervisee Relationship 15. The utility of reflective practice during the provision of sport psychology support 16. Reflective practice in talent development: A narrative inquiry of a coaching psychology intervention Part 5: Reflecting forwards 17. Reflecting back and forwards 18. References

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the experiences of students undertaking higher education in a further education setting in the UK. Since the 1960s, there has been a policy commitment in the UK to widen participation in education to social groups previously under-represented (Thompson, 2000; Burke, 2012). The consequence is a discourse in which it is argued that higher education has been “dumbed down” to include non-traditional students frequently ill-prepared for academic challenges (Haggis, 2006). This research explored an alternative discourse, proposing that education should be a catalyst for significant social, emotional and intellectual growth, culminating in a transformative experience (Mezirow, 1978a, 1991; Cranton, 2006).Design/methodology/approachIn total, 12 non-traditional graduates from a full-time BA programme at a Scottish College of Further and Higher Education were interviewed to determine if graduates experienced significant social, emotional and intellectual growth as a result of participation; what teaching and learning settings make this possible; can it be proposed that graduates can be transformed by the experience of higher education in further education?FindingsThe findings of the research indicate that the participants all experienced some significant shift in attributes such as confidence, independence and willingness to try new things. How they experience, conceptualise and participate in their social worlds has become more discriminating. The authors conclude by proposing that higher education in further education (HE in FE) can have the potential to provide transformative experiences for non-traditional students.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of this study lie as much in the nature of the transformative learning experience as in the structures in which education is provided. Additionally, it is proposed that transformative teaching and learning theory may be as significant now as it ever was in understanding the changes which learners experience in higher education study. Limitations of the study include the small number of interviewees who were interviewed more than once in some depth, and the particular setting of one further education college. As in all such research generalisation might be difficult.Practical implicationsPractically, the research suggests that the authors can learn from how students like the ones featured in the transformation stories experience learning in HE in FE. Despite being seen as “non-traditional” students who return to education with weak learning histories and fragile learner identities, the research has shown that if a nurturing, student-centred approach is adopted by teaching staff, a significant shift in how students see themselves and their place in the world can be achieved. This has significant implications for teaching practice. The findings could be an inspiration and guiding principle for other HE in FE tutors and help them find commonalities in their own work.Social implicationsThe authors argue that education should not be regarded only as an economic-driven activity insofar as most HE in FE programmes are vocational and are geared towards preparation for the workplace. The authors’ key proposition is that education can be a life changing experience that might be considered a transformation. The social implication is that participating in HE in FE could be a catalyst for the development of confident and engaged citizens, ready to make a real contribution to the social world beyond and out-with only the workplace. Within a Freirean framework, this might be transformative education’s most significant contribution to society.Originality/valueTransformative learning theory research has mostly been undertaken in informal learning contexts and higher education institutions. There has also been research undertaken on diverse contexts not immediately related to education. In terms of empirical research, however, transformation learning theory in HE in FE is yet unexplored. Yet, it is an ideal learning site to promote transformation because of the relatively small, intimate milieu, typical of colleges. The originality lies in the paucity of other research focused on transformation in an FE context. The value lies in its showing that particular teaching approaches can transform students in this context.

The multiple crises of unsustainability are provoking increasing stress and unpleasant emotions among students. If higher education is to fulfill its mission to support transformation processes toward sustainable development, it must adapt its pedagogical approaches to help students deepen their critical thinking and empower them to engage in these transformation processes. For this reason, emotions – which can also prevent critical thinking – should be carefully addressed within transformative learning journeys. However, these journeys are themselves challenging for learners and educators. They push them to abandon stable meaning perspectives, causing feelings of incoherence and tension. Learners need safe enough spaces to navigate these situations of uncertainty. The central questions of this manuscript are: What is meant by safe enough spaces? How can learners, educators, and higher education institutions create and hold such spaces? These questions are explored on three different levels: (1) the intrapersonal level, (2) the interpersonal level, and (3) the organizational and systemic level of discourses in higher education. For the intrapersonal level, perspectives inspired by neurobiology are used to discuss reaction patterns of our autonomous nervous system and present insights into stress development. Learners should feel bodily safe when engaging in transformative learning processes. This is supported by balancing the challenges learners face with the resources they have. For the interpersonal level, the manuscript argues that focusing solely on rational discourse is insufficient to support safe enough spaces for transformative learning. We call for a culture of edifying conversations supported by respectful relationships among learners, as they are more adequate for regaining self-direction. For the organizational and intertwined systemic level, the ambition is followed to make higher education institutions offer learning environments that feel safe enough for all involved. However, as these institutions are strongly influenced by dynamics of economization and competition, they do not necessarily empower learners to challenge and disrupt unsustainable and neoliberal discourses. The manuscript explores how learners and educators can cultivate engaged critique by acknowledging their own embeddedness in neoliberal dynamics and opening up so-called transformative spaces for institutional change. Finally, recommendations for educational practices in higher education for sustainable development are offered.

A Review of:
 Kwon, Nahyun. “A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Relationship between Critical Thinking and Library Anxiety among Undergraduate Students in their Information Search Process.” College & Research Libraries 69.2 (2008): 117-31.
 
 Objective – To investigate the nature of the association between a student’s critical thinking disposition and the extent to which they suffer from library anxiety.
 
 Design – Standardized quantitative survey instruments and a qualitative content analysis of student essays.
 
 Setting – A state (publically funded) research university located in the southeast United States.
 
 Subjects – 137 undergraduate students enrolled in the Library and Research Skills course.
 
 Methods – Undergraduate students enrolled in the three-credit course Library and Research Skills during the spring 2006 semester were invited to participate in the study. Of 180 students registered in the course, 137 volunteered to take part. Data collection took place in the first two weeks of the semester. 
 
 Participants were asked to complete two standardized survey instruments: the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) and the Library Anxiety Scale (LAS). The purpose of the CCTDI is to “measure a person’s disposition to use critical thinking” (119). The instrument consists of seven scales: “truth-seeking”; “open-mindedness”; “analyticity”; “systematicity”; “critical thinking self-confidence”; “inquisitiveness”; and “maturity” (119). “Truth-seeking” is a commitment to seeking answers even if the process proves difficult or reveals information outside of one’s belief system, “systematicity” is defined as an organized approach to problem solving, and “maturity” is the ability to make “reflective decisions when facing ill-structured problem situations” (119). “Analyticity” refers to a subject’s ability to anticipate possible outcomes, “open-mindedness” to being open to different points of view, “critical thinking self- confidence” to a belief in one’s own critical thinking skills, and “inquisitiveness” to “intellectual curiosity” (119). Participants scored 75 items using a six-point Likert-type scale. 
 
 The LAS measures levels of library anxiety by asking students to respond to 43 statements using a five-point point Likert-type scale. The LAS is designed to identify perceived roadblocks to their students’ use of the library, including “barriers with staff” or staff who are not helpful, “affective barriers” or a lack of confidence in one’s research skills, “comfort with the library,” “knowledge of the library,” and “mechanical barriers” such as equipment that is difficult to use (119).
 
 In addition, participants were asked to write a 500-1,000 word essay about their “most recent or most memorable experience of using the library and its resources to write a research a paper” (120). Quantitative data collected from the CCTDI and LAS was analyzed using statistical software and the content of the qualitative data generated by the student essays was analyzed to identify common critical thinking and library anxiety themes.
 
 Main Results – Only a small percentage (6%) of participants in the study were freshman (i.e., in their first year of study). The largest group was comprised of third year students or juniors (41.8%), followed by sophomores (27.6%) and seniors (21.6%). The participants ranged in age from 18 to 60, with an average age of 22.9 years. Over 68% percent were female.
 
 Overall, a higher percentage of study participants scored lower on the CCTDI across all seven scales than a normative sample of undergraduate students. A score below 40 on a particular scale is considered by the instrument developers to be an indication of weakness in that particular dimension of critical thinking. The participants’ mean score for each of the seven scales fell below this threshold. Areas of particular weakness were truth-seeking (82% of students scored below 40), systematicity (63% scored below 40), and maturity (55% below 40).
 
 The researcher ranked the students by their total CCTDI scores, and then divided the subjects into three equal groups. The 37 students with the highest overall CCTDI scores were labelled the strong critical thinking dispositions (CTD) group. The 37 students with the lowest overall CCTDI scores formed the weak CTD group. The mean LAS scores of participants in each group were then compared. A higher LAS score is indicative of a higher level of library anxiety. Students with strong CTD demonstrated significantly less library anxiety than those with weak critical thinking dispositions (an overall mean score of 93.03 versus 111.13). When it came to the five dimensions of library anxiety, the difference in the mean scores between the two groups was greatest for staff barriers (30.88 for participants with strong CTD versus 38.20 for those weak CTD) and affective barriers (27.24 versus 32.94). The difference in scores for anxiety arising from mechanical barriers was lower (0.83), but still statistically significant (p

Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory highlights critical reflection and rational discourse as essential for adult learning. This study examines the culturally shaped reflective practices of 15 Chinese tutoring industry leaders as they navigated the dual crises of COVID-19 and the national ban on after-school subject tutoring. Using a multiple-case study approach, the research identified two culturally grounded strategies that supported leaders’ reflective processes: (1) the use of metaphors and analogies and (2) the integration of historical and philosophical wisdom. Leaders employed metaphors to reinterpret challenges creatively and drew on Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist teachings, and ancient war strategies to make sense of uncertainty. Through these culturally informed reflections, they modified or expanded their frames of reference, fostering resilience in times of crisis. The findings emphasize the importance of cultural influences in transformative learning and advocate for incorporating cultural products to support meaningful reflection in non-Western contexts.

The training of teachers has traditionally been connected with the transmission of the subject matter and the lesson techniques, and in most instances, it was believed to regard the delivery of the subject as opposed to the general growth of the teacher as a reflective and adaptable worker. However, due to dynamism of education now that is characterized by technology and different classes and transformation of expectations of the society, there is the need to revisit the traditional models of teacher education. The paper shall also focus on the way the traditional approaches to teacher preparation have shifted to a more transformative approach that is aimed at critical thinking, reflective learning and student-centered pedagogy. The current paper aims at discussing how the contemporary teacher education system can be altered to embrace the experiential learning, collaboration learning and reflective practice in an attempt to equip future teachers to be better equipped in addressing the complex classroom realities. It underlines the importance of the teacher building that implies not only the knowledge of subject matter but also the possibility to establish inclusive learning environment, address the needs of diverse learners, and stimulate critical thinking among students. It is a paper founded on the existing theoretical perspectives on the field of teacher education, teacher development, and transformative learning as a means of analyzing the new trends in teacher education. In addition, the research article discusses the responsiveness and responsiveness of educators through creative pedagogical practices such as project-based learning, mentorship models, technology-enhanced teaching practices, among others. The importance of ongoing professional learning as well as ethical responsibility and development of reflective teaching identities is also highlighted. Teacher education institutions have the opportunity to design courses that promote creativity, questioning, and professional responsibility in future teachers by exceeding the conventional delivery of lectures. The results indicate that teacher preparation transformation must be systematic in terms of curriculum design, assessment procedures and institutional support mechanisms. Globalization of learning between schools and universities, adding hands-on experiences of learning, and promoting critical thinking are also key towards equipping teachers with the knowledge of how to manage modern learning challenges. Finally, the transformation of teacher preparation through transformative practice can be used to help generate more effective teaching, student learning outcomes, and long-term educational development.

This study explores the nature of learning that transforms established frames of reference for those who engage in it. It also explores the nature of pedagogy that is likely to foster this transformative learning. It is based on the explorations of the teacher-researcher as she reflects on the learning experiences of some of her students and on her own teaching practice. The teacher-researcher's reflections emanate from her experiences teaching high school English to Years 10 and 11 students within a co-educational school in Sydney. Through engaging in hermeneutic phenomenological research, the teacher-researcher explores the types of learning contexts and pedagogical approaches that may be effective in fostering transformative learning. The literature review highlights the fact that explorations of the nature of transformative learning and transformative pedagogy have occurred almost exclusively within the domain of adult education and many researchers have expressed the view that this is a uniquely adult phenomenon. In exploring the transformative learning experiences of students between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, this study calls into question the view that only adults may experience transformative learning. It also raises awareness about the significance of transformative pedagogy in a high school context. The study highlights a number of pedagogical practices that are potentially transformative and concludes that transformative learning is most effectively fostered through relational forms of knowing emerging in dialogical learning contexts. Critical reflection is seen as being central to transformative learning and the importance of both affective and cognitive dimensions in the process of critical reflection is emphasised. Within a high school English context, the value of introducing students to a range of texts that may expose them to alternative ways of seeing is highlighted. The study demonstrates that integral to transformative pedagogy is the importance of providing students with both challenging learning experiences and with scaffolds designed to equip them to meet these challenges. The personally transformative nature of engaging in teacher-research is also highlighted and this is seen to have implications for models of staff professional development within schools. Reference is made to the limitations of the study, including those associated with being a teacher-researcher. As with other phenomenological studies, the findings do not purport to have direct and specific relevance to other contexts, although they may prove interesting to others interested in fostering transformative learning through transformative pedagogy.

The world of management and education practice is awash with debates on the importance of reflection, reflecting, and reflective practice. A common theme in such debates is the need for approaches ...

Distance learning is getting one of the most popular and inevitable methods of learning and teaching nowadays, which insistently changes the vector in instructions. The education policy, nevertheless, is aimed to achiving the highest level in quality of learning and teaching, as the technologies are changing and requiring relevant level of professional competency, particularly, highly developed 21st-century skills from the graduate students. The teachers, practitioners, and university educators should look for efficient technologies in online learning, saving the students' motivation, and developing the important skills necessary for future professional development. The issue of finding the efficient ways in online learning is becoming one of the leading priorities in organization of the teaching and learning process. This study is sought to analyze the modern research sources about the effective methods teaching online not only develop critical thinking competency as an essential skill of professional portrait, but also enhance students' motivation to study. It also investigates the theoretical background related to reflective practice in university training, after that, it investigates the possible ways of applying reflective practice strategies as a tool for critical thinking skills development. The analysis of recent studies revealed the most sought-after ways of reflective practice strategies which can be widely used online. The result of the analysis provided support in favour of wide-spread methods, which proved their application in various experiments and practical implications, for example, e-portfolios, reflective journals, blogging, MOOCs, which significantly increase students' critical thinking. The implication of this study may be seen in practical development of online courses and assignments for students in todays' university educational process. Keywords: critical thinking; distance learning; reflective practice; university students; critical thinking skills development.

Transformative learning theory is widely considered one of the pre-eminent theories of adult education, and has been adopted as a means of developing and understanding adult learning across a range of disciplines. While the representation and conceptualisation of transformative learning experiences has grown within Australian Indigenous studies curriculum contexts, significant differences are apparent in the means of engagement with Mezirow’s theoretical framework. This article adopts Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology to establish what is known about non-Indigenous student transformative learning within the Australian Indigenous studies literature, and provide recommendations for future research that can inform the use of Mezirow’s theory within Indigenous Australian studies curricular contexts. Four databases were systematically searched for papers focusing on transformative learning experiences of non-Indigenous students within Australian tertiary Indigenous Studies contexts, with 17 papers published between 1978 and 2019 included in the final analysis. While findings suggest the fundamental building blocks of Mezirow’s theory are quite well understood, they also highlight gaps in the literature. First, questions remain around the enduring effects of transformative learning outcomes. Second, associations between transformative learning theory and cultural capability development appear to lack clarity. Third, associations between transformative learning and Indigenous health outcomes are unclear. Finally, there is a need for more diverse paradigms, methods and methodologies within transformative learning research.

In health professional education, reflective practice is seen as a potential means for self-improvement from everyday clinical encounters. This study aims to examine the level of student honesty in critical reflection, and barriers and facilitators for students engaging in honest reflection. Third year physiotherapy students, completing summative reflective essays on clinical encounters using the modified Gibbs cycle, were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey. Student knowledge and beliefs about reflective practice, and disclosure of the truthfulness of their reflections, were assessed using a mixed method approach. A total of 34 students, from a maximum possible of 48 (71 %), participated in the study activities. A total of 68 % stated that they were at least 80 % truthful about their experiences. There was general student consensus that reflective practice was important for their growth as a clinician. Students questioned the belief that the reflection needed to be based on a factual experience. Reflective practice can be a valuable addition to the clinical education of health care professionals, although this value can be diminished through dishonest reflections if it is not carefully implemented. Student influences on honest reflection include; (1) the design of any assessment criteria, and (2) student knowledge and competency in applying critical reflection.

The community health non‐governmental organisation (NGO), CODÍGO Bolivia aims to foster two forms of critical reflective practice in its staff and trainees – critical practical reflectivity (perspective transformation) and critical political reflectivity (conscientisation). Reflective practice is seen as an integral aspect of the organisation’s aim to counter a narrow biomedical view of health with what is termed ‘integrated health’. This paper will analyse CODÍGO’s ability to achieve its aims through using Yip’s four levels of reflective practice (0 = absence of reflectivity, 1 = basic practical reflectivity, 2 = reflectivity in action, and 3 = critical practical reflectivity – perception transformation) and four categories of interlocking factors: philosophical/ideological, politico‐economic, sociocultural and practical/pragmatic. A tool based on the four categories of factors is also discussed as a means of making explicit and mitigating against some of the potential difficulties surrounding CODÍGO’s approach.

This book is one of four key titles in a new series of study skills texts for social work students. The material contained in the book focuses on the foundations of critical thinking, reflective practice, and critical reading and writing. A link is made to the British Association of Social Workers’ [BASW] Professional Capabilities Framework, highlighting this as a key professional document in relation to critical thinking, in social work education and practice. The book is aimed at all students and social workers in training, including international students. The book is intended to guide students towards an understanding of the meaning of ‘critical thinking’ and how to apply this to practice. Reflective practice is viewed as central to this process, with the aim of supporting students to find, what the authors refer to as, their ‘own voice’.

This study aims to go into co-constructive approaches to teaching and learning in a junior high classroom in Taiwan. It studies co-construction of curriculum from the perspectives of a mathematics teacher and the students, as the teacher and the students attempted to co-construct aspects of the Classroom Level curriculum with each other. This 3-year study focuses on exploring the practices and understandings of the co-construction process between the teacher and the students when they conduct curriculum decision-making at the Classroom Level. In addition, in current curriculum reform contexts in Taiwan as well as in an active globalizing world, this study also tries to understand how the teacher and the students conduct reflective practices and what they have achieved when co-constructing curriculum at the Classroom Level. This kind of interpretive study is rarely seen in Taiwan’s junior high school classrooms. Multiple methods are used to collect research data, including participant observation, interviews and document analysis. Results of this study are as follows: I. The co-construction of curriculum at the Classroom Level initiatively focused on the selection and organization of curricular experiences, including course content, learning activities, and subject matter: accuracy, precision, clarity, consistency, relevance, and good reasoning. Nevertheless, around the final year of the study, the mathematics teacher and the students gradually infused a critical thinking perspective into the co-construction of curriculum. That is, they started trying to examine those structures or elements of thought implicit in all the reasoning: purpose, question-at-issue, assumptions, concepts, reasoning leading to conclusions, empirical grounding, objectiveness from alternative viewpoints, and implications and consequences. II. The co-construction of curriculum initiatives at the Classroom Level was achieved through continuous negotiation between the mathematics teacher and the students. In order to deal with the simultaneous but incompatible opposition of opinions between the two parties, the teacher and students gradually stayed in a module as below: (1) learn a few negotiation strategies; (2) try to find out key tactics for success; (3) create a contract; (4) perform and reflect. III. The co-construction of curriculum initiatives at Classroom Level inspired the mathematics teacher and the students to adopt a range of approaches to upgrade their reflective practice level and the tools were a starting point. The theme of the students’ reflective practice often focused on mathematics problem-solving strategies and the best effective way in calculation. On the other hand, the mathematics teacher’s reflective practice often focused on personal philosophy clarification. IV. The co-construction of curriculum initiatives at Classroom Level facilitated the empowerment of the mathematics teacher and the students as well the quality-improvement of curriculum deliberation. Based on the long collaborative process, the teacher and the students not only used the present resources inside the classroom, but also tried to seek outside resources from School Level, Municipal Level and National Level through techniques and application of network relationship management. Keywords: Co-construction, Critical Literacy, Reflective Practice, Network Relationship Management.