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The Umbrella of Isolation

I would have never imagined that social isolation would result in a barrier to engage in emotionally and intellectually meaningful ways. Writing a dissertation is an extremely difficult challenge. I was told early in my academic career that having a support system would be critical for success. As someone who works autonomously, I did not take this advice to heart. Instead, I set forth on my journey, remembering that I have the mental resiliency to achieve my goals. So much has changed since I started my doctoral program over 6 years ago. I changed institutions and was promoted to a new position and I ceased participating in social activities such as attending events and connecting with colleagues and friends outside of the work environment. The most impactful change was the loss of my family members. Over the course of the past few years, I have lost 2 aunts, 1 uncle, my only sister, and most recently, my god mother. Being physically distant from my family has placed additional stress on the situation. The solitude and isolation are beginning to show. Slowly but surely, there has been a steady decline in my ability to pay attention, retain information, focus on tasks. I find myself wanting to sleep longer, escape through television, and use the volume of emails as an excuse not to engage in meaningful work. I am grateful to have an advisor who continues to check-in with me and encourage me to continue but each day is definitely getting harder. I never realized that lacking human interaction would change my patterns of behavior so significantly. I don’t know who to stop myself from drifting further away from the writing that, at one point, brought me joy and excitement. I feel like I’m rolling down a hill and I can’t stop or find the strength to hang on to something that will allow me to start climbing back up. The isolation has started to take a toll on me. 

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And then came COVID-19...

I’m at the stage where I have completed all of my coursework and qualifying exams and literally the only thing standing between me and this doctorate is my ability to buckle down and write. 

The process of writing for my dissertation has been extremely challenging. I am still at the stage of drafting my proposal and, as of today, have only completed Chapter 1. My advisor is such a supportive person and I have really appreciated her continuing to check-in and encourage me throughout this time period. 

I was off to a strong start right after the new year. I was able to narrow down my topic, complete my one-pager, and draft Chapter 1. Then, unexpectedly, COVID-19 occurred and everything got off track. I was suddenly facing major changes at work as we quickly moved to operating remotely. All of my focus and energy was committed to supporting my students during this challenging time. I am still trying to mentally catch-up with how quickly things changed. 

As I began to settle into this new way of life under COVID-19, I would face another life altering tragedy as my sister lost her battle with cancer and passed away on May 12, 2020. I was hundreds of miles away from my family and could only connect with them through phone and FaceTime. This was, and continues to be, one of the most challenging moments in my life. 

When I decided to revisit my dissertation proposal and start trying to tie together the pieces of what was suppose to become Chapter 2, I felt completely uninspired. I felt that it was a waste of time to try focusing on my writing. I felt guilty that I would even attempt to write in the middle of a crisis. The crisis of the COVID-19 world around me and the personal crisis of losing my sister. 

I then began to reflect on time and how drastically things can change in only a matter of moments. We never know what the next day will bring and that is both exciting and terrifying. Because of this ambiguity about the future, I became more determined to push forward. I want to get this done, not just for myself, but for all of the people who have witnessed my journey. I want them to be able to join me in finishing this process. So much can change along the way and I want to enjoy the moments that I still can. 

I have revisited this blog to reflect on my earlier examination of knowledge about the field and my ability to synthesize scholarship. I was able to demonstrate this to the faculty which allowed me to progress in my program. Now, I must shift the focus to overcoming my own personal barriers that are getting in the way.

I’m shifting this blog toward being a space of personal accountability. It doesn’t matter if it’s 100 words or 1,000 words but I need to make the commitment of writing something each and everyday. Instead of waiting until after “work” is done, I must take a pause to write. I must dedicate the time to myself. 

I don’t know what my new timeline is going to be and, believe it or not, I’m actually okay with that. I am more interested in the process and my ability to remain disciplined with my writing. I’m not saying that tomorrow everything will click and I will be on a writing streak or that I won’t face another challenge that will ultimately pull me away from this work but I know I must not allow my writing to be lost. 

#dissertation #writingprocess

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Cognitive Developmental Theory

Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences 

Scholar Howard Gardner of Harvard University questioned the dominance of intelligence as a single, in born capacity assessed by IQ tests. Instead, he raised the question of how the brain/mind evolved over the course of time to allow the species to survive. 

Gardner completed cross-cultural studies of those who are gifted, autistic, and savants, which resulted in his identification of 9 forms of intelligence: 

Linguistic (writing; language)

Logical-Mathematical (science; math)

Musical (composer; performer)

Spatial (sailor; architect)

Bodily-kinesthetic (athlete; dancer; surgeon)

Interpersonal (therapist; salesperson)

Intrapersonal (keen introspective skills)

Naturalist (recognize & classify patterns of the natural world)

Existential (spiritual world)

These types of intelligences are present in every culture and every individual is talented in some of these intelligences and may have little capacity in others. 

An application of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences would be for educators to allow learner the opportunities to engage in material using one of the multiple intelligences. For example, in teaching math, learners can using their body to form different numbers (kinesthetic), write a song or poem to solve a problem (musical), or use play dough to create geometric angles (spatial). 

Using Multiple Intelligences learning choices make adult learners more confident about taking greater control of their own learning. 

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Piaget laid the foundation for much of what we know about cognitive development. Piaget proposed four age related stages of cognitive development:

Infant (sensory-motor) 

2-7 years old (pre-operational stage)

7-11 years old (concrete operational stage)

12+ years old (formal operational stage)

He first thought the fourth stage was obtained between 11-13, but revised this saying the development of formal operational thought may occur up to the age of 20. 

If these four stages are thought of as playing with a pack of cards:

Infants would take hold of some cards and likely put them into their mouths

4 year olds would sort the cards into patterns such as kings, queens, jacks, etc.

10 year olds would play a simple card game 

Young adults could play a sophisticated card game like poker or bridge 

Piaget has been critiqued for the invariance of his model as well as lack of consideration for context, however, his theory did provide the foundation for work around cognitive development. 

A model which has been heavily influenced by Piaget is Perry’s stages of moral and ethical development which is most often associated with young adults. 

Perry’s Model of Intellectual Development

Source: https://www2.palomar.edu/pages/tjohnston2/files/2019/03/11-Perrys-Stages-of-Cognitive-Development.pdf

The model was developed in the 1960's by William Perry, an educational psychologist at Harvard, who observed that students varied considerably in their attitudes toward courses and instructors and their own roles in the learning process. 

The Perry model is a hierarchy of nine levels grouped into four categories: 

Dualism (Levels 1 and 2). Knowledge is black and white, every problem has one and only one correct solution, the authority (in school, the teacher) has all the solutions, and the job of the student is to memorize and repeat them. Dualists want facts and formulas and don't like theories or abstract models, open-ended questions, or active or cooperative learning ("I'm paying tuition for him to teach me, not to teach myself.") At Level 2, students begin to see that some questions may seem to have multiple answers but they still believe that one of them must be right.

Multiplicity (Levels 3 and 4). Some questions may not have answers now but the answers will eventually be known (Level 3) or responses to some (or most) questions may always remain matters of opinion (Level 4). Open-ended questions and cooperative learning are tolerated, but not if they have too much of an effect on grades. Students start using supporting evidence to resolve issues rather than relying completely on what authorities say, but they count preconceptions and prejudices as acceptable.

Relativism (Levels 5 and 6). Students in relativism see that knowledge and values depend on context and individual perspective rather than being externally and objectively based, as Level 1-4 students believe them to be. Using real evidence to reach and support conclusions becomes habitual and not just something professors want them to do. At Level 6, they begin to see the need for commitment to a course of action even in the absence of certainty, basing the commitment on critical evaluation rather than on external authority. 

Commitment within relativism (Levels 7-9). At the highest category of the Perry model, individuals start to make actual commitments in personal direction and values (Level 7), evaluate the consequences and implications of their commitments and attempt to resolve conflicts (Level 8), and finally acknowledge that the conflicts may never be fully resolved and come to terms with the continuing struggle (Level 9). These levels are rarely reached by college students. 

The key to helping students move up this developmental scale is to provide an appropriate balance of challenge and support, occasionally posing problems one or two levels above the students' current position.

Kegan’s Constructive Developmental Theory

Source: https://medium.com/@NataliMorad/how-to-be-an-adult-kegans-theory-of-adult-development-d63f4311b553

Kegan, a former Harvard psychologist, shows that adults go through 5 distinct developmental stages.

Stage 1 — Impulsive mind (early childhood)

Stage 2 — Imperial mind (adolescence, 6% of the adult population)

Stage 2 individuals view people as a means to get their own needs met, as opposed to a shared internal experience (how we feel about each other). They care about how others perceive them, but only because those perceptions may have concrete consequences for them. For example, when Stage 2 friends do not lie to each other, it is because of a fear of the consequences or retaliation, not because they value honesty and transparency in a relationship. Moreover, individuals follow along with rules, philosophies, movements or ideologies because of external rewards or punishments, not because they truly believe in them. For example, a person in Stage 2 won’t cheat because they’re scared of the consequences, not because it goes against their personal values.

Stage 3 — Socialized mind (58% of the adult population)

In Stage 3, external sources shape our sense of self and understanding of the world. In Stage 3, the most important things are the ideas, norms and beliefs of the people and systems around us (i.e. family, society, ideology, culture, etc. ). For the first time we begin to experience ourselves as a function of how others experience us. For example, we take an external view of our ourselves (“They’ll think I look stupid”) and make it part of our internal experience (“I am stupid”). 

Stage 4 — Self-Authoring mind (35% of the adult population)

In Stage 4, we can define who we are, and not be defined by other people, our relationships or the environment. We understand that we are a person, with thoughts, feelings and beliefs that are independent from the standards and expectations of our environment. We can now distinguish the opinions of others from our own opinions to formulate our own “seat of judgment”. We become consumed with who we are — this is the kind of person I am, this is what I stand for. We develop an internal sense of direction and the capacity to create and follow our own course. 

Stage 5 — Self-Transforming mind (1% of the adult population)

In Stage 5 one’s sense of self is not tied to particular identities or roles, but is constantly created through the exploration of one’s identities and roles and further honed through interactions with others. We see the complexities of life, can expand who we are and be open to other possibilities — we are reinventing our identity. We understand the intersectionality of multiple identities. 

Most adults (65%) never make it past stage 3 to become high functioning adults. 

Drago-Severson’s Four Ways of Knowing

Source: https://learnertoolbox.com/2015/04/23/professional-development-and-ways-of-knowing/

Drago-Severson (2009) cites Kegan’s work on developmental stages of adult development, suggesting that adults have stages of development directly influence how they learn and engage. Unlike Kegan, Drago-Severson views development as cyclicar and not simply linear. 

Instrumental learning - Concrete tasks that are personally relevant require adults to work at instrumental levels. Learning a new subject guide, for instance, is a necessary concrete task. Instrumental learners appreciate guidance in knowing how to apply the principles in a subject guide to their own classroom.

Socializing learners - Collaborative planning and reflection is a social task. Perhaps collaborative planning, for instance on interdisciplinary units and subject overviews help social learners to feel psychologically safe that all in the group are tuned in to the same task with similar goals.

Self-authoring learners - Self-authoring individuals appreciate clear vision underlining tasks. They appreciate opportunities to evaluate for themselves (self-reflection) what they might learn from collaborative situations. They might seek to augment and enhance their own learning through self-chosen PLNs and focus groups.

Self-transformational learners - Transformational learners have the ability to tolerate ambiguity during times systems are incomplete or in progress. They see connections between systems in place to abstractions, paradoxes, and changing continuums. 

In this model, feedback plays a critical role. Additionally, learners need a holding environment to move through the various stages. 

Women’s Ways of Knowing

Source: https://www2.palomar.edu/pages/tjohnston2/files/2019/03/11-Perrys-Stages-of-Cognitive-Development.pdf

The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind “All women grow up having to deal with historically and culturally engrained definitions of femininity and womanhood…” (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, and Tarule, 1986). A woman does not think or reason like a man nor does she look at those in authority the same way due to her experiences and interactions with parents, culture, and her economic situation. The parental aspect is complex, leading into religious and moral issues along with physical, sexual, and mental abuse. Belenky et al. (1986) conducted a project in the late 1970’s based on the study and analysis of topics and aspects unique to women revealing a model of intellectual development. Overview of Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, and Tarule Model:

Silence: A woman of silence is totally dependent on those in authority, not questioning or voicing an opinion (Belenky et al., 1986). Expressing her personal thoughts is very difficult as she lives in the present and normally speaks of specific concrete behaviors. A woman of silence usually has experienced physical, mental, or sexual abuse and feels that she is to be seen and not heard. If she should voice her opinion or ask a question, punishment is the most likely result. A woman of silence views decisions as either right or wrong with no room for reasoning. 

Received Knowledge: Belenky et al. (1986) places a woman at the receiving knowledge level if she is listening but does not have the confidence to voice her opinion. As the receiver she will listen and pass knowledge on to others, shaping her thoughts to match those in authority. When asked about herself, the receiver of knowledge will reply with what other individuals have stated, unable to voice her feelings. Abuse is still prevalent in the life of a woman receiving knowledge. 

Subjective Knowledge: About half of those participating in the project were at the subjective knowledge level (Belenky et al., 1986). Something usually happens in a woman’s life to encourage her to go from a receiver of knowledge to progress to the level of subjectivity. The woman begins to accept that she has a voice, “an inner source of strength” lying within herself, and an opinion that is due to past experiences. She recognizes that she does not have to agree with the authority but is still cautious about voicing opinions. Truth is experienced within oneself but not acted upon for fear of jeopardizing the associations one has with others at the same level. 

Procedural Knowledge: Belenky et al. (1986) describes procedural knowledge as divided into two areas, separate and connected knowing. A woman in either area realizes that she has voice, is still cautious of others and their actions, however now she is not threatened and is more willing to listen to what is being said. A separatist will not project her feelings into a situation and is able to speak taking on the requested view. A connected knower empathizes with others and feels it is her responsibility to help them understand their situation so they might make the best decision. 

Constructed Knowledge: A constructivist realizes that one must speak, listen, share ideas, explore, and question, analyzing who, why, and how (Belenky et al., 1986). Speaking and listening does not remain within oneself but includes speaking and listening to others at the same time. She wants a better quality of life for herself and for others.

#brain #cognitivedevelopment #adultlearning

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Take the Teaching Perspectives Inventory to prepare for a teaching evaluation, create a portfolio, reflect on your teaching, research teaching perspectives, or have a general curiosity about approaches to teaching.

#educators #teachers

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The Transformative Learning Survey is a 92-item survey that assesses the outcomes and processes of engaging in transformative learning in any context. There are four scales that describe the outcomes of transformative learning and 14 scales that describe the various ways in which transformative learning can occur. At the end of the survey, you will receive bar graphs that indicate which outcomes and processes most clearly describe your experience.

#transformativelearning

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Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle

#experientiallearning

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Experiential Learning

Life is cyclical in that learning will lead to new experiences and those experiences often lead to more learning. This relationship between experience and learning is prevalent in adulthood as we engage in a continual flow of activities. 

Relationship Between Experience & Learning

Scholar John Dewey had the most influence on understanding the role of experience in learning. Dewey saw learning as a lifelong process involving applying and adapting previous experience to new situations. Dewey explained the principle of continuity is when one’s learning in the present is connected to past learning and influences future applications. 

While learning from experience can result in positive future learning, mis-educative experience can result in not desiring to engage in the future learning. For example, there are times when a student’s experience in the classroom leads to them not enjoying a certain topic or area of study and as a result, they are not open to learning about this in the future. 

Lindeman wrote “the whole of life is learning.” Whether we are earning informally, indirectly or accidentally, we are always learning. 

There are also times when learning requires us to “unlearn.” The process of unlearning is referenced in Lewin’s theory of organizational change. The first stage in unfreezing behavior to learning new information, the second stage is change in behavior using the new information, and the third stage is refreezing having adapted to the new information.

Both Self-Directed Learning and Transformative Learning are related to experience. For Self-Directed Learning, deciding what you want to learn and how you want to learn it, is based on life experience. Transformative learning itself begins with an experience called a “disorienting dilemma.”  Dewey noted that learning in this sense, is stimulated when previous experience fails to explain a present situation. 

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle (CEROACAE)

Kolb’s learning model consists of four stages that learners go through in this learning process: 

Concrete Experience (CE) “Feeling” They must be able to involve themselves fully, openly, and without bias in new experiences - Turning off our mind and playing attention to the physical (body, sight, sound, smell); Classroom: Learners physically move

Reflective Observation (RO) “Watching” They must be able to reflect on and observe their experiences from many perspectives - Sitting with our thoughts and not acting on them; Classroom: Learners quietly write or think

Abstract Conceptualization (AC) “Thinking” They must be able to create concepts that integrate their observations into logically sound theories - Asking questions and thinking of  a spectrum instead of dichotomous; Classroom: Learners dialogue about theory into practice

Active Experimentation (AE) “Doing” They must be able to use these theories to make decisions and solve problems - Respond to people and events in ways you wouldn’t normally do; Classroom: Learners problem-solve a case scenario

There are also four (4) learning style adjacent to each of the two learning abilities:

CE & RO - Diverging: These people are able to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete situations from several different viewpoints

RO & AC - Assimilating: The Assimilating learning preference involves a concise, logical approach. Ideas and concepts are more important than people.

AC & AE - Converging: People with a converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technical tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects.

AE & CE - Accommodating: The Accommodating learning style is 'hands-on,' and relies on intuition rather than logic. These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a practical, experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges and experiences, and to carrying out plans.

Critiques of Kolb’s model have argued that the model exists outside of context with consideration of power dynamics; For example, how can reflection and experimentation occur within a totalitarian regime. Others have stated that learners may not move throughout the model as Kolb has indicated. Learners can make contact with each area but not in a particular order. Finally, facilitators may teach to their own preferred learning style and not the styles of the audience. In an ideal learning space, all learning styles will be engaged. 

Other Models

Building upon Kolb, Jarvis created a much more complex model for experiential learning. Tennant and Pogson proposed four (4) “levels” or ways experience can be thought of in terms of insporating experience into instruction: prior experience, current experience, new experience, learning from experience. 

Fenwick proposes a more philosophical lens for viewing experiential learning using five (5) different paradigms:

Constructivist - learning is the construction of meaning through engaging and reflection on experience (a person would reflect on their experience with addiction and learn what lifestyle options is best)

Situative - Knowing or learning occurs in practice (A person would know when they are relapsing and take the initiative to seek help during that moment)

Psychoanalytic - getting in touch with one’s unconscious desires or fears (a person may deny they have an addiction because it conflicts with their own self-image)

Critical cultural perspective - dominant norms of experience are critically questions and resisted (a recovering addict may challenge society’s views about drug addiction)

Ecological - the relations binding humans and nonhumans together in multiple fluctuations in complex systems (The recovering addict can form a support group which becomes its own “system”)

Reflective Practice 

Schön’s basic premise is that the real world of practice is messy and our technical preparation for this world is merely a starting point. It is in practice itself that really useful learning occurs. 

Reflection-on-action (we have an experience and consciously think about it after it has happened) and reflection-in-action (The reflection takes place as you are engaging in the experience) are the two key concepts in reflective practice. 

Reflection practice can als0 be analyzing one’s espoused theories (scholars) versus the theories in use (practitioners).

Brookfield proposes three (3) phrases of critical reflection: 

Identifying underlying assumptions

Scrutinizing the validity of assumptions and how they connect, or are discrepant with, our experience of reality 

Reconstituting assumptions to make them more inclusive and integrative 

Situated Cognition

This is also referred to as contextual learning and acknowledges where learning occurs. The context itself shapes the learning (Constructivism).

Communities of practice are made up of learning who have different levels of knowledge. In this model, newcomers, through engaging with others in the community, learn what they need to know to move from the periphery to the center of practice.

Theory to Practice 

Take a quiz to figure out your learning style: http://med.fau.edu/students/md_m1_orientation/M1%20Kolb%20Learning%20Style%20Inventory.pdf

#learningfromexperience #experientiallearning

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Mezirow’s Transformative Learning 

#transformativelearning

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Transformative Learning

When I think of a significant transformation, I am reminded of Kafka’s description of Gregor Samsa transforming into a giant insect in the novella The Metamorphosis. Upon reflection of this story, my adult interpretation is that it’s a commentary on the human condition and the mundanity of work. This is just one idea that comes to mind when I first think of transformative learning. However, transformative learning as a theory is about a different kind of change within people. A change that can result in altering perspectives, identity, and even society. Transformative learning theory has been the most popular theory since Knowles popularized andragogy in the 1970s. This theory has to do with how learning shapes people into something different than they were before. Because of this, transformative learning has in many ways replaced andragogy as something unique to adults. 

What is Transformative Learning?

Mezirow who first articulated transformative learning as cognitive, rational process, studied the experiences of women who return to school to prepare for jobs.  He found that their experience of returning to school made them question assumptions about who they were and how they were products of sociocultural expectations of women at the time.  

Mezirow’s early description of transformative learning included a 10-step process beginning with heat he called a “disorienting dilemma.” This is a significant personal life event such as the death of a loved one, losing a job, sustaining a critical injury, etc. Although a disorienting dilemma is often categorized as an “event” it can also be a series of experiences over a span of time that culumate into transformation. 

For example: 

After being subject to discrimination for a period of time, a woman may begin to question assumptions about equity in society. 

Self-examination with feelings of guilt or shame (upset this happened to me)

Questioning is the third step in the process critically assessing the assumptions you have been living with prior to the disorienting dilemma (that all people, regardless of their gender identity, are treated equally). 

Recognizing that this discontent is shared (i.e. there are other women who have experienced discrimination because of their gender; 

Exploring options for new roles, relationships and actions (i.e. learning about my identity as a woman and building relationships with other women); 

Planning a course of action (addressing sexism and gender discrimination in everyday life)

Acquiring knowledge and skills for implementing roles (learning about microaggressions and how to respond to them)

Trying out new roles (calling out a situation when witnessing  someone making a sexist remark); 

Building confidence in new roles (taking a stand in changing workplace culture)

Reintegrating new perspectives into one’s life (constantly noticing problematic sexist behaviors). 

In later writings, Mezirow discuss the role of reflection explaining:

Content reflection is what we perceive, think, feel

Process reflection is how we perceive, think, feel

Premise reflection is why we perceive, think, feel

He also notes that social action is not the goal of transformative learning; rather personal transformation results in connecting with others who have a shared mind which might result in social action.

In contrast to Mezirow’s cognitive and rational process, Drikx considers transformative learning as emotional soul work. In his view, epiphanies are the ego making conscious connection with the psychic content that was previously unconscious. These experiences are connected to emotions such as surprise of excitement. Attending to these emotions or “messengers of the soul”  rather than ignoring them is what makes our learning more powerful. For example, the person who experienced discrimination might have a visceral reaction of shame or anger which would need to be attended to, brought into consciousness, and examined as to why they felt this way. Dirkx explains that soul work is not intended to replace the more cognitive understanding of transformative learning but rather make it more holistic.

Transformative Learning can also be viewed from a social change or socio-emancipatory perspective. The primary goal here is to challenge and transform system of oppression. According to Paulo Freire,  a person must first become aware of power and oppression in their own lives and them work to change these structures. In Freire’s view the personal is inextricably linked to the political and in order to transform self, one must also transform society. In Freires’s model, conscientization where through dialogue and critical reflection, participants move from fatalistic, passive acceptance or their situation to realizing they can have some influence, to critical consciousness. 

Sites of Transformative Learning 

Transformative learning has been studied in a myriad of contexts including individual to classrooms. 

Individual learning is the heart of the process. No matter if it’s cognitive, emotional “soul work” or social change, transformative learning always begins with the individual. 

Higher education is a natural site for transformative learning because it offers an invitation to think, be, and act in new ways. These settings challenge learners to go beyond their learning. Activities to engage learners in transformative learning in the classroom might include dialogue, mentoring, experiential learning, and using art.

When teaching online, Dirkx suggests incorporating the six instructional design elements: (1) use of messy, practice-based problems (2) interactive and collaborative learning (3) group writing (4) individual and group debrief (5) reflective activities and (6) journaling.

Adults spend most of their time in work-related activities. While transformative learning isn’t always central in the workplace, it can usually emerge when getting workers to reflect on their role in perpetuating inequitable practices in the workplace. Brookfield explains that critical reflection in the workplace can be a very difficult process as workers are often, by virtue of their roles, colluding in their own oppression. Critical reflection in these moments can be in opposition to the interests of the company or organization.On the basic level, it’s important for workers to challenge the “this is the way things are” model by at least asking the question “why.” Some strategies that might lead to transformative learning in the workplace include modeling and peer learning, storytelling and dialogue ,coaching, and action learning.  

A community itself can be a site for transformative learning. Community activists and social activists seeks a transformation at the community or societal level (Me Too Movement, Black Lives Matter, Climate Change, etc.). The goal of these individuals participating in movements is to create broader social change which, given what has been shared about transformative learning and the individual, links back to the people behind the movement having experienced some type of transformation. A movement can also be a trigger for an individual’s transformation as well. 

Promoting & Evaluating Transformative Learning

There are several underlying components of instruction necessary to facilitate transformative learning including critical reflection, storytelling, artistic expression, dialogue, the facilitator intentionally creating space for transformative learning. 

While there are many pedagogical strategies to engage transformative learning, there are very few ways to evaluate this type of learning. Some scholars have argued that transformative learning doesn’t exist because it can’t be evaluated. However, there are ways in which to assess or evaluate this process. One method is to use interviews with learners and ask them to tell their stories. Keep in mind that Mezirow himself first development this theory after interviewing a group of women. 

In many ways, the emancipatory nature of transformative learning is deeply personal and varies according to each individual. As a result, an instructor can not necessarily state that transformative learning will be an “learning outcome.” Educators can create an environment to foster transformative learning but can not make it happen. In these settings, the instructor can usually determine if transformative learning has occurred based on the learners shift in perspective. 

Critiques of Transformative Learning

Newman, the critic who questioned if transformative learning exists because it can’t be evaluated, wrote an article which essentially stated that people are applying the label of transformative learning to all types of learning. Additional, Newman raises questions about transformative learning failing to differentiate between the transformation of identity or consciousness, if learning is finite or flowing, if there are ideal conditions for discourse to exist, if mobilization is necessary, and the inclusion of spirituality in the discourse of transformative learning. Many respondents to Newman state that he relied heavily on Mezirow’s early work. 

Nevertheless, some of the critiques are valid. For example, is transformative learning really a linear 10-step process as defined by Mezirow or can individuals move back and forth through various stages. Once a transformation has occurred, can it be reversed. For example, a politically moderate person has an experience which leads them to become more radical and then, at some point, they revert back to a moderate. 

Another assumption is that transformative learning results in a more open  and inclusive perspective. But what happens when the disorienting dilemma, such as an assault, results in a transformative where a person as a fear of a particular group of people. This could potentially result in the development of bias instead of a more “open” perspective. 

There is also the important ethical questions of facilitators as change agents. What if, for example a person works with victims of domestic violence and transform them to become empowered. However, the result might be that they require to their abuser. What are the ethical considerations for this type of transformation? An important part of being ethical is remaining transparent about your role as an educator in these spaces and set the stage for open dialogue to discuss these important issues.

Theory to Practice

Tell a story about a time you have experienced transformative learning. Did your experience follow the series of steps outlined by Mezirow? 

For fun, read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. The last time I read this was in grade school so re-reading as a working adult has an entirely different meaning and interpretation: https://www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks/the-metamorphosis.pdf

#transformative learning

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Grow’s Staged Self-Directed Learning Model

Garrison’s Dimensions of Self Directed Learning

#selfdirectedlearning

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Self-Directed Learning

Think of the last time that you decided to learn something new. Whether it was cooking, making a home repair, or training a pet. The chances are that you were self-directed in your learning. For example, take my 72-year-old mother who recently decided to learn how to paint. She planned her learning which included taking classes. She took responsibility for attending these classes and making time to work in the studio to learn different techniques. She is still learning, so it is probably too soon to evaluate the outcome (although I personally think it’s great!), but her passion for continuing to improve her painting places her into the category of life-long learning.

The hallmark of adult learning is that we (adults) self-direct our learning. In other words, we are the captains of our own ships. Now, this is not to say that youth can’t be self-directed but the reality is that adults aren’t required to be in K-12 school and therefore are more free to consider all of the ways in which they want to engage in various learning projects. 

Self-directed learning isn’t simply about a person learning something new alone in a room, trying to figure it out. Self-directed learning is about taking control and responsibility for your own learning process. To understand more, I will review the nature of self-directed learning, including definitions, the goals of self-directed learning, myths of SDL, and approaches to SDL as a process and attribute. 

Defining SDL

SDL, which has been researched, theorized, and practiced for over 50 years, has been described as both a personal attribute (a person can be very self-directed and autonomous in their learning) and a process (the way in which instruction is organized for self-directed learning). 

SDL as a personal attribute describes the person’s disposition and comfort with autonomy in the learning process.

SDL as a process is an approach to learning that is controlled by the learner. 

Knowles outlined a 6 step process to create a self-directed learning contract between learners and instructors:

Climate setting by creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and support

Diagnosing learning needs

Formulating learning goals

Identifying human and material resources for learning

Choosing and implementing strategies

Evaluating learning outcomes

Tough studied SDL from the perspective of learning projects that would take a minimum of 7 hours. Tough also outline a series of steps similar to Knowles. 

Clardy identified four (4) types of self-directed learning projects:

Induced occurs when learning is mandated by an authority; You have little to no knowledge about the topic. For example, if my doctor asks me to lower my high blood pressure, this will require me to figure out how to better manage my health. 

Synergistic is optional and inspired by the opportunity to take advantage of a learning situation made available by another person. For example, imagine that you meet another person who also has high blood pressure and they offer you a library of resources to learn more about how to manage health. 

Voluntary is learning that is not mandated or validated by an external authority. For example, if you have made progress in lowering your blood pressure and who now decide to continue the journey by learning how to cook meals. 

Scanning is the ongoing process of searching for new learning. For example, when you have your blood pressure under control, you might seek out new studies or research on the topic. 

Goals of SDL 

Cafferella suggested there are four (4) goals to motivate learners to engage in SDL:

Aspiration to gain knowledge or develop a skill. For example, I want to learn Spanish.

Become more self-directed in learning. For example, I took some Spanish classes and now I am watching movies and listening to music to improve my Spanish.

Inspire transformative learning. For example, when I traveled to Mexico in college for a Service Learning project, I visited the factories or maquiladoras where workers were creating clothing to be sold at Walmart. Learning about the lack of financial compensation they received made me view large corporations like Walmart in an entirely different light.

Emancipatory is supporting social justice and political action. For example, when I returned from Mexico I engaged with community organizations to protest against large corporations violating human rights.  

Myths of SDL

While andragogy identified assumptions about adult learners, self-directed learning is more about the process involved when adults engage in their own learning. As the research in the field began to grow, there was some confusion about SDL which lead to misunderstanding about this area of learning. Brockett identified myths about SDL:

SDL is an all or nothing concept is the mistaken belief that you are either a self-directed learning or not. In reality, all adults have the capacity to be self-directed, it’s simply a continuum along a spectrum of more or less self-directed. 

Self-direction implies learning in isolation. Though individuals can choose to learn alone, their learning is actually enhanced when its shared with others. 

SDL is the best approach for adults. The unique needs of each learner must be considered as SDL is not a one size fits all.

SDL is limited to middle class white adults. This is one of the main critiques of SDL. Brockett does identify examples of diverse groups engaging in SDL. 

SDL is not worth the time it takes to make it work. It’s true that SDL can be more time consuming. However, the value is on the depth of learning that occurs more with SDL versus the teacher-directed approach to learning. 

Activities are limited to reading and writing. There are many things that can’t be learned through a book and SDL can be engaged in a variety of ways. 

Facilitating self-directed learning is an easy way out for teachers. Facilitating SDL is actually more demanding because each learner approaches the topic with different needs. Facilitators must individualize for each learner. 

Limited to those settings where democracy and freedom prevail. This assumes there is an ideal environment in which SDL can occur. An example of busting this myth are girls who continue to study and attend school in hiding within societies where girls are not encouraged to do so. 

SDL is a fad. This theory and practice has existed for over 50 years.

SDL will erode the quality of institutional programs. The only risk is if SDL is poorly administered. 

Process of Self-Directed Learning

Knowles and Tough provided the foundation for SDL. Building up their work, Spears conducted a study which found that SDL is not necessarily a linear process and that pre-planning does not always occur. Instead, Spears believed that SDL spiraled between several sets of activities. 

Brockett’s original model of Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) was criticized because it  used the words “personal responsibility” which was a term co-opted by the political right. The original model was also said to be too humanistic and didn’t take into consideration socio-cultural context or meta-cognitive aspects of the learner. As a result, Brockett updated this model to PPC: Person (personal characteristics such as creativity, critical reflection, life experience, motivation, etc.) Process (the teaching-learning transaction including facilitation, instructional design, learning styles, etc.) and Context (the environment, socio-political climate,  power, social identities, organizational policies, etc.)

Building on Knowles’ model, Garrison suggested that SDL was impacted by:

Self-Management - the learner taking control of the environment to meet their goals

Self-Monitoring - learner’s ability to gauge their cognitive process, in many ways like a double loop (reflecting on assumptions) and triple loop (reflecting on learning itself); Closely associated with reflective practice and critical thinking. 

Motivation is what drives the learner to engage in SDL.

Grow’s proposed a model based on Situational Leadership which describes how educators can help learners be more self-directed in their learning through four (4) stages (see above image).

Critiques of Self-Directed Learning

The assumption that all adults desire SDL is developmentally, economically, technically, and culturally problematic. Readiness to engage in SDL varies amongst adults. 

Brookfield raises concerns about our ability to facilitate SDL without questioning the validity of it compared to other options. Not all adult learners have the means to engage in SDL and some cultures might be adverse to these techniques. Brookfield suggest that SDL is how the dominant culture learns and may ignore important aspects of culture and context. For example, a study found that Chinese instructors prefer a teacher-centered, information-based, test-driven instructional format. Educators’ sensitivity to learners from non-Western cultures is very important if we hope to effectively support and facilitate learning for diverse populations. 

Theory to Practice

If my mother can do, you can too! Try creating your own self-directed learning plan using one of the templates on  Dr. Bernard Bull’s blog: https://etale.org/main/2014/06/03/5-templates-to-use-for-self-directed-learning-projects/

#selfdirectedlearning

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Knowle’s Assumptions of Andragogy

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

#erikson’s stages of psychosocial development #knowlesandragogy

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Andragogy

Reflection

One of the worst learning experiences I recall was a conference in which I was being trained on higher education law. During the three day conference, I was placed in a randomly assigned seat set-up in a classroom style rows. There was a thick handbook distributed to follow along but the instructors were literally reading from the text so there was no need to follow the PowerPoint. Discussion was not permitted until the end of each section by which time I forgot many of my initial questions or thoughts. There were no interactive activities or multimedia used to highlight the material. The instructors lectured for 3 hour blocks and then dismissed us for periodic breaks. I didn’t get an opportunity to connect with attendees during the conference as their weren’t any icebreaker activities. During breaks each individual went out on their own. After completing the conference, I realized I could have read the handbook independently, saved time, and ultimately learned more. 

One of the best learning experiences I had was during an intergroup dialogue facilitator training. Participants were able to read brief articles about a subject and then break into small groups to apply knowledge using real-life scenarios. Following each activity, there was time for individual reflection (written, thinking, drawing, etc.) and a group debrief. The small group facilitators were skilled at listening to various comments and acknowledging each participants’ contributions to the conversation. I recall feeling that I left the training with knowledge but also the fundamental skills needed to facilitate a dialogue. Additionally, I was able to connect with colleagues and peers as we worked together over the course of 4 days. 

There were many things that could have been changed in the first learning experience that would have resulted in an outcome similar to the second experience. As an educator, it’s imperative to understand how to approach these educational environment to better engage adult learners. Creating good learning experiences for adults is what andragogy is all about. 

Before Andragogy 

When we think about the earliest of times, all of the great teachers were those working with adults. Plato, Aristotle, and Confucius (to name a few) where scholars who used dialogues, parables and problem-based learning activities to engage their adult audience. 

Monstarties in the 17th centuries created what we now know to be K-12 schools which established pedagogy, or the teaching of youth; At the time, there was no comprehensive theory about what made adult learning different from youth learning. According to Knowles, it would be much later that andragogy, or the education of adults, would form. 

Assumptions about Adult Learners

In introducing andragogy, Knowles proposed the following six (6) assumptions:

As a person matures, they go from dependent personality to self-directed.

An adult accumulates experiences which are rich resources for learning

Adults’ readiness to learn is related to the tasks of their social role 

As an adult matures, there is a focus on immediate application of knowledge versus future application of knowledge; Adults are more problem-centered than subject-centered in their learning 

Adults are internally motivated versus externally

Adults need to know the reason for learning something 

The following are more detailed discussions of each assumption.

Learner’s Self-Concept

When we engage children, we often ask them questions such as how old they are or what grade they are in because it’s assumed that their role in life is that of a full-time student. When we speak with adults, we are interested in learning about their work, family, community, interests, etc. This is because there is a belief that adults are independent and self-directed in their choices. As a result, adults see themselves as independent and, when placed into a classroom situation, expect their voices to be heard. 

This presents a challenge for adult educators because whenever adults go back into an educational training or classroom, they revert back to their conditioning and expect to be taught. This pedagogical approach is in direct conflict with their everyday lives in which they are independent and self-directing. However, this assumption does not mean that adults are self-directed in all situations or that children can’t be self-directed. 

So what are the implications for this assumptions? (1) educators must create a physical climate that is conducive to self-directed learning and (2) there should be a psychological climate that fosters mutual respect and collaboration. 

Experience

As adults age, they have a variety of life experiences which can be drawn on in a  learning situation but can also stimulate the need for learning. Developmental psychologists also see development in the process of life experiences. Erikson’s 8 stage theory of psycho-social development is a good example of this process. At each stage in life, from infancy to old age, one deals with issues that are specifically related to their stage in development. 

Whether it’s learning to care for a child or getting ready to retire, each of these life stages presents a “teachable” moment in which an adult is prepared to learn.

While children and young adults come to understanding themselves based on their socialization by family, school, church, etc. Adults base their identity on the cumulation of their life experiences. As such, any setting where an adult is not able to draw on their own experience signifies as rejection of them as a person. 

There is also a downside to the life experience which is when adults become close-minded and have a fixed mindset that does not allow them to learn. Usually, this is because prior knowledge has worked for them in the past, they do not see a need for change. Additionally, a traumatic life event could hinder their willingness to engage in the learning process. There is also the point that some children or youth have powerful life experience at an early age.

Readiness to Learn

This assumption has an emphasis that the social roles of adulthood create a need for learning. A child’s social role is centered on being a student while an adult’s role is much more complex including a worker, spouse, community member, parent, etc. The demands of each role will change with age. 

The role of “worker” is the predominate reason why adults participate in formal learning activities. However, even more prominent than learning in formal settings, is learning through everyday life experiences. 

It’s important for adult educators to create the readiness for learning through experiential based instructional techniques. For example, a social work student should have the opportunity to intern at an agency in order to learn about case management, policy, community organization, etc. A student will be more equipped to understand the material when they have been prompted with a real-life experience that prepares them to learn. 

Problem-Centered Orientation 

Let’s say that a person has recently been informed they are obese and will need to change their lifestyle habits to get into a healthier condition. This person might consult with medical staff, family, friends, physical trainers, dietitians, and do research on the internet in order to better understand how they might address losing weight and exercising. They aren’t simply learning about health and wellness because they are interested. They have a problem which they need to solve. As such, adults are problem-centered and not subject-centered and desire immediate, not future oriented, application of knowledge. 

It is a fact that some adults learn because they genuinely enjoy learning about new topics. Additionally, not all early adulthood learning is subject-orientated. Take, for example, service learning which is often problem-centered. Nevertheless, adult learning is more often than not, problem-centered. 

Internal Motivation

Andragogy is firmly rooted in humanistic psychology, particularly the work of Maslow and Rogers, which discussed the desire for adults to “self-actualize” or reach their full potential. As such, adults are intrinsically motivated to learn. Rogers also felt that learning needed to be self-initiated where the individual is at the center of their own learning and the teacher, or educator, is the facilitator of this learning. 

Of course, not all adults are internally motivated. There are times when our employer may require us to complete a specific training program or earn a degree/certificate to advance in our career. Even in these cases, the efforts by the facilitators to link participants interest to the requirements will allow them to enhance their own internal motivation. 

The Need to Know 

Adults want to know why they need to know something and how it’s going to apply to their immediate situation. For example, a person does not need to know how to raise a child until they become a parent. A person does not need to know how to write a resume until they are searching for a job. 

It is often helpful in situations where internal motivation is low, for facilitators to explain why it’s important for adults to know this information. 

Summary

Overall, adult learners are characterized by an independent self-concept, life experience, social roles, desire for immediate application, internal motivation, and the need to know. 

While andragogy is explained as  a set of assumptions rather than a theory, there have been mixed reviews on how this applies to learners. In each assumption, there is an exception. For example, there are some adults who would benefit from a more pedagogical approach while their are youth who are much more self-directed in their own learning. 

In this regard, it’s important to think of andragogy as a spectrum of learning with pedagogical on the early life side and andragogy on the later life side. 

Each assumption is also situation-dependent. For example, there are some adults who lack internal motivation to learn while there are others who learn simply for the joy of learning. 

While writing to prepare for an exam, I am also reflecting on the conflicting nature of assessing graduate students within an adult learning program. It’s been stated that tests and exams are anathema to andragogy which assumes that adults are capable of self-evaluating their own learning. 

Furthermore, there is the critique that the development of the assumptions do not take into account the sociocultural based elements of a learner. Race, gender, sexuality, class all influence in the ways in which people learn and these factors are not accounted for within the listed assumptions.

Linking Theory to Practice

Take an inventory of your own orientation to learning using Conti’s Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS): http://www.conti-creations.com/Online_Page.htm. This 44-item instrument assess the extent to which your teaching style is more learner-centered than teacher-centered. 

Resources

www.lindenwood.edu/

www.andragogy.net

#andragogy