This study explores how Christian educators in liberal arts universities understand the contribution of wonder-filled moments in their classrooms. As a transformative emotion, wonder and the related awe challenge education's prevailing objectification and instrumentalization, inviting students and educators to embrace an appreciative and open…

This narrative inquiry study explored the transformational learning experiences of students who attended Christian colleges and universities in the United States. The problem addressed in this study is the need for Christian colleges and universities to identify what constitutes and contributes to the transformative experiences conveyed by…

Guided by identity theory, this study investigated how a college biology professor's early career experiences contributed to the transformation of his identity as a college science teacher. This study showcases the four components of identity as described by Gee as a lens and it specifically focuses on the emergent role of institutional identity…

Critical, collaborative learning activities in teacher education programs prepare pre-service and in-service teachers to work collectively with a social justice stance in their work. However, at the university-level, this kind of collaboration is rare among teacher educators, as education professors are often siloed into their content areas,…

Scholars and practitioners alike often assume that discomfort is a necessary and productive aspect of the college experience. We used a range of theories grounded in the concept of dissonance to question these assumptions and critically analyze the role of discomfort in collegiate learning and development for today's diverse college student…

Connecting with others and experiences of dissonance are two factors identified as central to transformative learning in engaged teaching and research (Kiely, 2005). At the same time, these ways of knowing are unpredictable and come with the risk of actually disrupting rather than enhancing learning. This article reports the findings of a mixed…

This paper aims to draw attention to and provide insights into an area that is of educational significance for clinical teachers, namely the need to acknowledge and respond appropriately to the emotional context of both learning and health encounters in order to improve the outcomes of both. This need has been highlighted by recent calls for more…

Experiential education and service-learning are "buzz words" within many educational circles. The purpose of this study was to explore students' (N=18) and professor experiences with/in a student-directed experiential education elective course, with a particular focus on a service-learning initiative. Stephen Brookfield's critical…

A disorienting dilemma is a catalyst for change in perspective that may culminate in transformative learning. The authors analyze three activities in higher education that created disorienting dilemmas--a field trip, a service-learning experience, and study abroad. Results indicate that a disorienting dilemma can prompt students and faculty to…