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BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
Becoming a Transformative Educator
Jonathan West
EDUS 660, Research Methods in Education
Dr. H. Whitehurst, Fall 2010
Due: December 7, 2010
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
Introduction
Making meaning of our daily life is probably one of the distinguishing characteristics of
being human. From the early records of cave paintings onwards, there is a plethora of examples
of the continued efforts of humankind striving to better understand and adapt to the changing
world around us. One of the driving forces of adults seeking to understand their world more fully
involves “how to navigate and act on our own purposes, values, feelings, and meanings rather
than those we have uncritically assimilated from others (Mezirow, J., & Associates, 2000, p. 8).
Developing beliefs that are more reliable, examining and confirming their dependability, and
making informed decisions are a basic part of the adult learning process. It is transformative
learning theory that explains this learning process of constructing new and modified
understandings of the meaning of an experience in the world (Taylor, E., 2008).
Review of literature
Transformative learning theory has come to prominence in the last 30 years primarily due
to the work of Jack Mezirow (2000, 1997). Mezirow’s study of perspective transformation of
women re-entering college in 1978 provided the foundations for his later publishing works on
transformative learning theory in 1991 and 2000 (Taylor, E., 1998 & 2008). The theory of
transformative learning is regarded as constructivist in nature and distinctively adult. It is based
in human communication, where “learning is understood as a process of using prior
interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one’s experience in
order to guide future action” (Mezirow, 1996, p. 162).
Transformative learning is the process of bringing about change in a frame of reference
(Mezirow, 1997). Examples of frames of reference are concepts, values, associations, feelings,
and conditioned responses acquired by an adult that define their world. They are the structures of
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
assumptions and expectations that set our direction of action. When opportunities allow,
transformative learners move toward “a frame of reference that is more inclusive, discriminating,
self-reflective, and integrative of experience” (Mezirow, 1997, p.5).
Frames of reference transform through “critical reflection on the assumptions on which
our interpretations, beliefs, and habits of mind or points of view are based” (Mezirow, 1997, p.
7). Critical reflection can occur when we hear an alternative point of view or self-assess our own
beliefs or ideas. It is through this reflection we question the reliability or truthfulness of
assumptions and beliefs based on prior experience. Mezirow suggests reflection is the process of
integrating present observations and past experience by which we change our minds. The
transformation process can start from a traumatic event or it can be an incremental process, an
accrual of slight modifications in our frames of reference. Mezirow considers that anything that
moves the individual towards a more integrated meaning perspective that is inclusive and open to
other viewpoints contribute to an adult’s development. He also suggests that the practice of
transformative learning is essential to adult development and includes the most significant
learning in adulthood (Taylor, E., 1998).
Mezirow’s psychocritical perspective is the dominant view of transformative learning.
There have been numerous studies that support Mezirow’s view and confirm the basic principles
and steps Mezirow contends are a part of the transformative learning process. However, there are
a significant number of studies that promote alternate views of transformative learning. Two
alternative views are the psychoanalytical view that views learning as a process of individuation
reflecting on psychic structures and the psychodevelpomental view that considers transformation
across the lifespan in incremental and progressive growth. Taylor (2008) lists four other views of
transformative learning that have recently emerged (neurobiological, race-centric, cultural-
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
spiritual, and planetary). These views include intuition, insight, relationships, personality,
spirituality, and emotion.
There are several studies examining Mezirow’s model of perspective transformation
(Taylor, E., 1997, 2008). Cranton (2002) explores the implications of teaching using
transformative learning theory and identifies seven facets as a guide to help prepare a learning
environment to encourage transformation: an activating event, critical self-reflection, being open
to alternative viewpoints, engaging in discourse, revising assumptions and perspectives, and
acting on revisions. Edward Taylor (2006) suggests four areas of challenge needing further
discussion and research relative to teaching for transformation: the transformative educator, the
transformative classroom environment, the transformative text, and the transformative learner.
Cranton (2002) suggests that particular teaching strategies cannot assure transformative learning.
An argument put forth in an article, a story told by a class member, or a challenging statement in
a lecture can just as likely kindle critical self-reflection as a carefully fashioned exercise. The
environment of challenge is a key factor that underpins teaching for transformation. In addition,
while it is important to combine challenge with support, safety, and empowerment of the learner
at the core, it is a challenge of assumptions, perspectives, and belief that leads us to question
ourselves. Kathleen Taylor (2006) discusses the findings of research on brain function and the
role of emotion in the learning process and considers the implications for educators seeking to
create a transformative learning environment. Neurobiological research indicates the need for
safe and empathic relationships in order to accomplish the neural reorganization needed in the
higher level thinking involved in the transformative process.
Several studies have included the role of the educator in transformative learning. In his
critical review of the empirical research on transformative learning, Taylor (2007)notes that the
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
most significant changed he found since a similar review he published in 1998 was the greater
attention given to the practice of fostering transformative learning in a workshop setting or
higher education classroom.
King (2004) examined transformative learning and the professional development of
educators that explored both sides of the teaching-learning experience. While investigating
learners’ experiences, it also explored educators’ teaching experiences and viewpoints. In
particular, King investigated educators’ views regarding transformative learning influences,
learners’ experiences, barriers, and instructor and organizational responsibilities. King found
that the support and challenge offered by the professor, discussions, personal reflections,
readings, journals, and class activities to be key elements of the transformative process. She
suggested that building learning activities to incorporate critical evaluation, reflective practice,
and contemplation could be a “seedbed of perspective transformation” (p.165). In his research
with prison educators, Woods (2010) asked educators what they perceived to be their role in
inmate students transformative experiences and the strategies they used to facilitate
transformation. He found that the sense of service, love, and humor to be emergent strategies and
modeling, mentoring, and counseling to be key roles in the transformative process. In her three-
year study conducted with twenty-two higher education faculty members Cranton (2006) found
authenticity to be an important quality or attribute for educators to support transformation.
The purpose of this research was to examine further the role of the educator in the
transformative learning process. Key questions asked in the research were, what is the
educator’s role in the transformative learning process, what can an educator do to create
opportunities for transformation, and how can an educator contribute to an environment that
encourages transformation.
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
Methodology
This is a qualitative study of the attitudes, qualities, and methods of effective
transformative educators. Grounded theory methods were used for collecting, coding, and
analyzing the data. The focus of the problem questioned what happened over time that
contributed to the participants becoming effective transformative educators. In grounded theory
data are derived through an inductive process by studying the phenomenon it represented. It is
then confirmed through organized data collection and analysis of the data. This involves a
constant switching back and forth between data collection and analysis (McMillan, 2010). The
aim is to discover the emergent theory implicit in the data.
Specifically, data were collected through in-depth interviews with participants. Initial
interviews were conducted in person and follow up interviews conducted via telephone.
Following the first two interviews, a detailed data analysis was conducted to examine the
relevance of the initial questions and corresponding data and the approach of the interviewer.
The interviewer then received coaching from an experienced researcher in qualitative studies.
Adjustments were made and sub-questions added. All interviews were recorded and then
analyzed. In addition, following each interview the researcher recorded detailed field notes on an
assessment of the interview that included all impressions and feelings. Following the initial
interviews, data were analyzed for defining categories and as a basis for additional data
collection.
Triangulation, member checking, and peer debriefing were used as the criteria to provide
credibility in the study. Digital audio recording of the interviews allowed member checking of
the data. Further reliability was established by peer debriefing, depth of detail of field notes, and
continuous cross-checking of the data.
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
It was hoped that the interview with transformative educators and subsequent data
analysis would provide insight for future practice of transformative learning such as key
planning or actions an educator could incorporate. An additional area of interest sought were
focus areas for development such as skills, attitudes, or behaviors.
The advantages to conducting in depth interviews were the opportunity for the
participants to reflect on their own experience in becoming a transformative educator. Each
educator would likely know best the essential factors that contributed towards his or her own
development into an educator with transformative intentions. Observer bias was reduced by
abundant use of details. Details of conversations were used to highlight and illustrate key
patterns and interpretations. Verbatim language was used as much as possible.
One of the key disadvantages of the study was that observations of the educators in
practice were not included or perspectives of learners who had experienced transformation. It is
possible that factors that contribute to effective transformative learning were present in practice
without the educators being cognizant.
Population
The population studied was transformative educators in the field of adult learning and
education. The author used snowball sampling to select the participants purposive sampling to
select a single educator who practices transformative learning. The first participant was a
professor of higher education and an instructor in the author’s MEd. program. The first
participant then gave referrals to three other transformative educators personally known to her,
who then further provided referrals to a total of twenty-two educators that espoused
transformative intentions. Eighteen of the educators were from higher education, thirteen of these
from institutions in the U.S., two from Canada, two from Australia, and one from the Nepal. Of
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
the eighteen participants from higher education, five of these were from community colleges and
the rest from four-year institutions. Four of the educators were in the field of human resource
development, two of these from the U.S., one from Australia, and one from the U.K. Sixty
percent of the participants in the study were female and forty percent male. There was some
degree of cultural diversity as indicated above. The racial composition included fifteen
Caucasian, three African-Amerian, one African, two Asian-American, and one East Asian.
It is possible that due to the participants being composed of educators aspiring to
transformative learning practices the interviews were biased. This is a regular dilemma of
qualitative studies. To control for this threat the sample included as a diverse group of educators
from a wide range of higher educational settings. The interviewer also sought to distinguish
experience from opinion and asked clarifying questions during the interviews or follow up
interviews to do the same. Further control was conducted during the data analysis to ensure
credibility and reliability.
Data Analysis
The researchers used extensive, searching, and open-ended individual interviews with
transformative educators to collect data. The interviews were in-depth and unstructured and
sought the educator’s views on their role in the process of transformative learning. The list of
interview questions was distributed three days prior to the interview, by either mail or email.
Initial interviews were conducted in person and then immediately analyzed seeking emerging
categories and subcategories. During the interview, the researcher asked the participants to share
their experiences of transformative learning. The participants were engaged in dialog and
encourage to go into more depth using comments such as “could you tell me more about…” The
following questions were determined from a review of literature involving previous studies:
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
What is the educator’s role in the transformative learning process?
What can an educator do to create opportunities for transformation?
How can an educator contribute to an environment that encourages transformation?
Were there any contextual elements or environmental factors that contributed to or
served as a catalyst to the transformative learning?
Were there any precursors or signs of readiness for a transformative experience?
Is there anything else you would like to share regarding your experience as an
educator in the transformative learning process? (Reed, 2010)
Following each interview, the interviewer took a half an hour to record detailed field
notes of their impression of the interview which included the comfort and attitude of the
interviewee. Subsequent interviews (some conducted via telephone) compared new information
to emerging themes in order to form propositions and hypotheses of the role of the educator in
the process of transformative learning. A total of twenty-two educators were interviewed for the
study. The categories were coded describing central views with causal and contextual conditions,
resultant actions, and conclusions. The free open source qualitative analysis software was used to
assist in the data analysis. An analysis of the categories and themes was conducted comparing
the relationship between similar codes and how resolution was determined (see Appendix A). A
table (see Appendix B) was created with the key themes that emerged and included detailed
quotes relating to respective themes. Selective coding was then used to write a story integrating
the codes that were established. The propositions and theory about the role of the educator in
transformative learning were developed using constant comparison. Theoretical sampling was
used to test aspects of the theory (McMillan, 2010).
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
Reliability of the interview was insured by digital recording of each interview, literal
transcriptions, abundant use of details, detailed field notes of the inductive data analysis process,
member crosschecking, and verbatim use of educator’s words as much as possible. Internal
validity was obtained through detailed field notes, verbatim language, peer crosschecking of
categories, subcategories and subsequent coding to determine if the data were plausible. While
researcher bias is a significant threat in the interview and data analysis process, the open-ended
interview process, verbatim language, and crosschecking helped to minimize the effect. The
translatability of the resulting theory is limited due to the inherently weak generalizability of
qualitative research designs. However, the resulting propositions and theory may prove useful in
helping aspiring transformative educators better understand their role in the process of
transformative learning.
Delimitations
The strengths of the research design in this study are that the sample of participants is
practicing transformative educators. Considering the integral part of transformative theory that
critical reflection and critical self-reflection play, the selected educators were aware of many of
the steps and factors in their own process of becoming a transformative educator. As a result
exceptionally detailed and rich narratives were the rule rather than the exception in the study.
Other strengths of the study are the recording of interviews, crosschecking of data by fellow
researchers, and peer debriefing. The peer debriefing allowed for an independent review of the
data analysis.
There are several threats to internal validity in the study. Researcher bias in the interview
process could have influenced participants with the researcher’s interests or beliefs, thus leading
to implausible results and skewed data. A second threat is the inaccurate transcription and
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
categorization and coding of data also resulting in implausible themes and propositions and
therefore an invalid theory. Researcher bias was controlled through abundant use of detail,
crosschecking and peer debriefing. Inaccurate data was controlled through the recording and
verbatim transcription of each interview as well as crosschecking, detailed field notes, and
verbatim language.
There are several barriers that threaten the study. One significant barrier could be subject
effects in that the educators’ selected held extremely divergent views of transformative learning
theory and practice. While Mezirow’s psychocritical theory is considered the dominant view,
Taylor (2008) suggests that there are up to eight different views of transformative learning
proposed in the literature. It is possible that this study included educators with sufficiently
divergent views on the nature of transformative learning and the educator’s role therein that
resulted in invalid data collection, inaccurate data analysis, and therefore implausible
conclusions. Data analysis and crosschecking indicated several key areas of theory that could be
applied to transformative educators in general and additional sub-categories relating to the
differing views. While there is sufficient evidence in the data collected to support the
propositions of the general theory of the role of the transformative educator, there may be
inadequate data to support the proposed sub-theories. Further studies would be needed to confirm
the general theory and explore the propositions of the sub-theories.
Another barrier to the study is the fact that there is no previous research found in the
literature that attempts to create a theory about the role of the educator in transformative
learning. As a result, there is no similar data analysis or resulting elements of theory to build
upon. This may result in an immature and inconclusive outcomes.
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
The study of the role of the educator in the transformative learning process could be
improved in several ways. One way to improve the study would be to include the observation of
transformative educators in action over time in the setting of a classroom or learning event.
Including 2-3 observations using detailed field notes of each educator would provide an addition
data to check internal validity. Another way to improve the study would be to include interviews
with students and learners in classes and learning events of the transformative educators to
determine their views on the role of the educator in their own process of transformation. These
additional sources of data would expand the source of rich data and provide an opportunity for
triangulation, where the results from the different data collection methods could be compared to
see if a similar conclusion is reached.
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
References
Cranton, P. (2002). Teaching for transformation. New Directions for Adult and Continuing
Education, 93, 63-71.
Cranton, P. (2006). Fostering authentic relationships in the transformative classroom. New
Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 109, 5-13.
King, K. (2004). Both Sides Now: Examining Transformative Learning and Professional
Development of Educators. Innovative Higher Education, 29(2), 155-174.
Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and
Continuing Education, 74, 5-12.
Mezirow, J., and Associates (Eds.). (2000). Learning as Transformation. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.
Taylor, E. (1998). The theory and practice of transformative learning: A critical review. Center
on Education and Training for Employment, Columbus, OH. (ERIC Document
Reproduction Service No. ED 423 427).
Taylor, E. (2006). The challenge of teaching for change. New Directions for Adult and
Continuing Education, 109, 91-95.
Taylor, E. (2007). An update of transformative learning theory: A critical review of the empirical
research (199-2005). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26:2, 173-191. DOI:
10.1080/02601370701219475
Taylor, E. (2008). Transformative learning theory. New Directions for Adult and Continuing
Education, 119, 5-15.
Taylor, K. (2006). Brain Function and Adult Learning: Implications for Practice. New Directions
for Adult and Continuing Education, 110, p.71-85. DOI: 10.1002/ace.221
BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATOR
Woods, R.. Synchronicity and transformation in the experience of prison educators. Ph.D.
dissertation, Walden University, United States -- Minnesota. AAT 3422688.