Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Mezirow's Psychocritical Approach Jack Mezirow introduced his theory of psychocritical approach of transformative learning in 1978 and deals with how adults process and make sense of experiences. According to Mezirow, our frame of reference is composed of “a habit of mind” and “a point of view.” When our beliefs, assumptions, values, and/or perspectives are changed as a result of an experice, transformative learning has occurred. There are four main parts to Mezirow’s transformative learning process: experience, critical reflection, discourse, and action. In other words, once someone has a significant experience, the person must reflect upon and process it, weigh the pros and cons, and finally, take action. (Merriam, et al. 132-136) (Picture and Summary: Christopher Sharpe)
Robert Boyd’s Psychoanalytic Approach Robert Boyd gave a psychoanalytic approach to transformational learning with a foundation in depth psychology. He views the process of transformational learning as finding an understanding of our inner psyche and its unconscious influences on our daily lives. Boyd’s definition of transformation is, “a fundamental change in one’s personality involving conjointly the resolution of a personal dilemma and the expansion of consciousness resulting in greater personality integration.” (Meriam et al. 139) Boyd’s approach is a more holistic and intuitive view than that of Mezirow. This approach views the transformation as an inner journey, involving the resolution of inner conflict to achieve self-actualization. (Picture and Summary: Dianna Marino)
Daloz’s Psychodevelopmental Perspective to Transformational Learning Daloz’s psychodevelopmental perspective to transformational learning augments Mezirow’s seminal ideas. He takes a storied approach to development and transformative learning. Though he recognizes the importance of cognitive growth like Mezirow and Freire, he acknowledges the importance of the whole person in that growth. Through storytelling, Daloz journey toward a more holistic and transformed world-view. Daloz was a teacher and administrator, focuses on adults who are returning to higher education. Some of the critical concepts in his theory are personal development, mentor and dialogue/discourse. Firstly, in his view, the goal of transformational learning is lifelong personal development, with the teacher serving as a mentor in the process. Daloz recognizes that people need to make meaning of their experiences and that individuals are often in a developmental transition when they seek higher education to help them make sense of lives whose fabric of meaning has gone frayed. Secondly, the mentor serves as guide, cheerleader, challenger, and supporter during the learning process. Thirdly, he claims that dialogue/discourse is integral to the process of transformation. He concentrates on the importance of stories on the journey toward an expanded world-view. Next, the mentor can tell the student stories in an effort to promote development. It is through this mutual storying of lives that development can occur. Stories also assist mentors in doing three things to students; providing support, challenging students, and providing a vision. Daloz also offers three maps of adult development but he does not prescribe an end point to this transformational journey. The first map consists of phase theories of adult development (Daniel Levinson), which examine common tasks that people confront as they face the problems associated with aging. The second map is stage theories (Kegan), which examines cognitive growth and the ability to think outside of one’s cultural reference. The third map is Perry’s model of intellectual and ethical development. (Picture and Summary: Jihyeon Kim)
Transformational learning theory and Paulo Freire Transformational learning and Transformative learning are used interchangeably. Transformative Learning is a term that originates from Transformative Learning Theory, which was first developed by adult educationalist Jack Mezirow in 1978, with a subsequent series of publications (in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, and 2000). Transformational Learning is learning that takes learners’ knowledge and skills into a different or new domain, with a step jump in cognitive and affective processes. There are a few people who have developed the transformational theory; Paulo Freire is one of among few outstanding people who worked on transformational learning and puts his efforts on social change. Freire agrees with Mezirow that Critical reflection is an important part which brings transformative learning. He sees its purpose based on a rediscovery of power such that the more critically aware learners become the more they are able to transform society and subsequently their own reality (Taylor 1998). Mezirow describes three main frames for critical reflection (Mezirow, 1991a, 2000). . Content reflection: Which is reflection on what happens, how it happens or or on the data available about an area of concern. . Process reflection: which is reflection on whether the content available is sufficient, whether the interpretation of the data is adequate and whether the strategy for collecting and judging the data was adequate. .Premise reflection: which is reflection on underlying premises, beliefs and assumption, and includes why the area of concern is being focused on Transformation, as applied to social change, is a process through which who we are – individually or collectively – is changed so deeply that the following are altered: • identity (way of seeing/thinking/reflecting upon ourselves and environment), • emotions (range of feelings and reactivity,) • embodiment (relationship and connectedness to and within our bodies and how we show up,) • actions (behaviors, patterned responses,) • creativity (capacity for responsiveness and ability to access resources,) and • Paradigms (overall perspective and mode of operating.) For Freire, adult education aims at fostering critical consciousness among individuals and groups while also teaching them how to read (spring, 1994). Critical consciousness is a process in which learners develop the ability to analyze, pose questions and take action on the social, political, cultural and economic contexts that influence and shape their lives. Through dialogue and problem posing, learners develop a deeper understanding of how social structures shape and influence how they think about themselves and the world. Freire’s three concepts that contributed to adult education are: .He believes the students also have something to contribute to the learning environment. .The thought of praxis. .Horizontal student and teacher relationship. (Summary: Derege Haileselassie Mussa)
Links for Further Information:
http://transformationallearning.tumblr.com/ http://www.roosevelt.edu/MISJT/TransformationalLearning.aspx http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/journey.htm http://www.iup.edu/assets/0/347/349/4951/4977/10251/AF0EAB12-C2CE-4D2C-B1A0-59B795415437.pdf http://adulteducation.wikibook.us/index.php?title=Transformational_Learning_Theory http://transformativelearningtheory.com/

2 comments:

  1. I would love to follow up on Boyd's work in a ph.d program. Many thanks to anyone who could help me along that path. Thanks also for creating this page.

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  2. This was an incredible summary. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete