Transformative learning, tribal membership and cultural restoration: A case study of an embedded Native American service-learning project at a research university

Cancer is a pressing public health and economic concern in Native American Tribal Nations. The Institute of Medicine has identified policy and environmental interventions (e.g., calorie labeling, smoking bans) as critical to reducing and controlling cancer risk factors, particularly obesity and tobacco use. Because of their sovereign status, Tribal Nations are uniquely positioned to implement such interventions, yet few have been reported upon in the scientific literature, hindering the scale-up and dissemination of effective interventions and even worsening disparities. This presentation will identify the current status and impact of policy and environmental interventions to address and control obesity and smoking in Native American Nations, identify and discuss barriers, what is gaining momentum, and what can be done to move toward action. Citation Format: Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan. Policy and Environmental Strategies to Reduce Cancer Risk Factors in Tribal Nations: Challenges and Opportunities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA32.

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.

Mezirow (1991) defines transformative learning as a theory about constructing meaning, not just about knowledge acquisition, and the construction of meaning is about learning through critical reflection, rather than mindlessly or unquestioningly acquiring frames of reference through life experiences. Mezirow (1997) emphasizes that transformative learning is rooted in the way human beings communicate, and does not link it exclusively with the significant life events of the learner. Thus, the individual can make shifts in his/her world view and this can result in a more inclusive world-view. This qualitative article based upon transformative learning theory presents the common changes and transformations of three adults, following their movement to a new city and university as academicians.

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.

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.

Building on his recent research into fiction and comix produced by Native American (US) and First Nations (CA) artists, James Donahue's chapter explores some of the various ways narrative artists have represented Indigenous understandings of time. Compared to the modern, Western understanding of linear time, "Indigenous Time" has been characterized by a variety of non-linear terms, including but not limited to asynchronous, spiralic, and cyclical. Many Native artists have consciously avoided linear representations of time as a means to challenge one of the many aspects of settler colonial epistemology that has worked to oppress, erase, and rewrite Indigenous peoples, histories, and literatures. As such, the various representations of time – drawn from works across genres, produced by artists from different tribal nations – constitute a political act of survivance, as Gerald Vizenor (Anishinaabe) has used the term. Grounded in the work of such theorists as Vizenor, Paula Gunn Allen (Laguna Pueblo), and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (NIshnaabeg), the chapter explores various means by which Native narrative artists have represented non-linear time, and the political implications of such representations in these works.

This research highlights the pedagogical significance of dialogic spaces in supporting critical reflection and transformative learning among prospective teachers in the United States. It finds that, with elucidation of the multiple voices and texts from prospective teachers’ field experience, teacher educators can stimulate deep reflection to springboard transformative learning. It also finds that ePortfolios have strong potential to support a dialogic approach to reflection. However, it is also clear that, absent systematic observation and careful follow-up dialogue, the potential to move from reflection to transformative learning is limited. The findings will help teacher educators rethink the design and practice of supervision with ePortfolios, reinforcing that critical dialogue between the supervisor and the prospective teachers is key to supporting prospective teachers’ critical reflection and transformative learning, and to improving their teaching practice.

In recent years, there has been a rapid rise in the number of universities offering students opportunities to study abroad. Traditional semester-long programs have been shortened with many new programs ranging anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks in length. The increased number of short-term programs has enabled professional degree programs, such as nursing, to increase student participation in these programs. These changes are supported by growing evidence of the impact of these programs on student learning, personal and professional development, and understanding of self as a global citizen. Utilizing Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to conceptualize critical reflection, this quantitative study examined the impact of six short-term study abroad programs on critical reflection as a core element of transformative learning. A modified version of the Reflection Questionnaire developed by Kember et al. was completed by 20 participants at 6 weeks following the completion of the study abroad experience. Participants were largely female (90%) and minority students (75%). The results showed that mean critical reflection scores across programs were moderately high (3.84/5.00). Nursing students who went to Haiti scored highest on critical reflection (4.70/5.00) compared to students in the other five programs. Reflective journaling and participation in service learning activities were linked to the highest critical reflection scores. Short-term study abroad programs support transformative learning for students representing a minority population and those in professional and traditional degree programs.

Connecting Culture and Community: Washington State University Builds Partnerships With Northwest Tribes

Objectives. To assess a healthy retail intervention in Tribal convenience stores in Oklahoma.Methods. We adapted healthy retail strategies to the context of 8 Tribally owned stores. We assessed individual- and store-level outcomes in a cluster-controlled intervention trial (April 2016-June 2017). We measured fruit and vegetable intake, store environment perceptions, and purchases before and after the intervention among a cohort of 1637 Native American shoppers. We used mixed-effects linear regression to estimate pre- to postintervention changes in and between groups.Results. We followed 74% of participants (n = 1204) 9 to 12 months. Intervention and control participants perceived healthier stores after intervention. Higher shopping frequency was related to purchases of fruits, vegetables, and healthy items.Conclusions. Intervention exposure was associated with healthy purchasing but not fruit and vegetable intake. Research is needed to further assess impacts of environmental interventions on intake.Public Health Implications. As the first healthy retail intervention in Tribally owned stores, our results contribute evidence for environmental and policy interventions to address obesity in Tribal Nations. Multicomponent interventions, led by Tribal leaders from diverse sectors, are needed to create healthy environments and sustainable improvements in Native American health.

How can experiential education facilitate higher levels of student learning? Can one assume that the experience itself of participating in a service learning project or study abroad or a field school will lead a student to a transformative experience? My research explores the idea of better designing courses that engage students in the process of transformative learning. The process illustrates the need for learning assessment tools integrated into the design of a project or course.

Abstract
 This study investigated transformative learning and the influence of learning experiences and demographic characteristics of the learners on transformative learning of trainee health workers in Nsukka, Enugu state Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a fixed-choice and open-ended questionnaire. Frequencies and ANOVA were computed. Thematic content analyses for open-ended questions were done. Participants indicated a high degree of transformative learning. Programme type, gender, age and level of study had no significant influence on the transformative learning potentials of the students. The most frequently selected learning components were field trips and presentations. Students’ responses to the open-ended questions covered themes such as; better understanding of health, illness and health care. The study demonstrated the importance of discussion and debate as a method of teaching, inclusive of critical reflection and consciousness-raising of cultural, social, economic, and political influences on individual health outcome.
 
 Keywords: Transformative learning, critical reflection, change, Health Workers, Health, Illness and Health care.

College can serve as a transition point that encourages exploration and development of one's ethnic identity (Syed & Azmitia, 2009). This may be especially critical for Native American (NA) college students given the turbulent history between the U.S. government, institutions of higher education, and Tribal Nations. Thus, it is important to examine how NA ethnic identity interacts with the climate of universities. This study examines changes in NA students' ethnic identity over the course of their college careers. Results reveal three distinct, stable ethnic identity trajectories with low, moderate, and high intercepts. Those with high ethnic identity trajectories demonstrate higher levels of campus comfort and better experiences with faculty than those low in ethnic identity. However, those with high ethnic identity levels also reported poorer race-based interactions on campus and reported higher levels of discrimination and stress.

This paper emanates from a study that analysed the critical reflection of teacher researchers as they talked about their investigations of the home cultures and literacies of a small group of children from socioculturally diverse family contexts. The collaborative research enterprise was undertaken by university and teacher researchers. The important role that collaborative teacher research and social interaction played in the critical reflection and co-construction of professional understandings in the project is the focus of this paper. The teacher researchers’ theorising about the complexity of their work as a result of the collaborative enterprise is discussed. Through the voiced research and critical reflection of the teachers, it has become obvious that their life’s experiences and resources are powerful in their pedagogical theorising. Teachers comment on the way in which they are positioned by ‘the system’ as technicians and how they experience tension between their own professional and primary discourses and that of the system. It is suggested that teachers be given opportunity within their work sites to enter the conversations about curriculum, pedagogy and change in knowledgeable and meaningful ways that are grounded in collaborative reflection and research. This paper explores the critical reflection and the social construction of new understandings about the complexity of teachers’ work that occurred in a collaborative research project carried out by a university-based researcher and four school-based early years teacher researchers. It will show how the collaborative research process facilitated critical reflection on previously unquestioned or unconsidered issues about the teachers’ work. The paper has been written by the university researcher under the watchful eye of the teacher researchers who want to remain anonymous. Their pseudonyms have been used. When the terms of this project were negotiated among the group, it was agreed that the voices of the teachers would always be reported authentically and anonymously. It was also agreed that any theorising, integrated language analysis (Freeman, 1996) or reporting that might be carried out, would be done by the university researcher That is not to say that the teacher researchers have not spoken about their involvement in the project to colleagues in professional development forums and conferences. Nor is to say that the teachers were not privy to the analysis process. It is to say that written reports for publication are to be done by the university researcher.

Service learning or social innovation projects in higher education institutions (HEIs) have become more mainstream and are no longer optional endeavors done by students only when they have time to do so. Such initiatives have become a critical part of learning and character development for young people keen to lead change and find meaning in what they do. As HEIs strive to offer more relevant and authentic learning opportunities for their students, service learning or social innovation projects have become common in HEI curricula. Other than the opportunity to work with others on projects that aim to address social issues and challenges, students get to carry out self-retrospection and introspection on what they experienced and learned. This paper presents excerpts from written reflection entries authored by fifteen students who participated in a social innovation project module at an applied learning university in Singapore. Their written reflective practice provided rich insights into their personal development, team interactions and dynamics, challenges faced, perceptions of the social impact of their work, and areas for improvement based on what the students experienced. The paper concludes with suggestions for implementing similar modules or initiatives related to social innovation or social impact in HEI curricula.