Transformation theory states that people learn through frames of reference that may be transformed by critical reflection. If literacy involves meaning making, literacy learning is a transformative process and communicative competence is the goal of literacy education. (SK)

In response to Cunningham's review of his book "Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning" in the Spring 1992 issue of "Adult Education Quarterly," Mezirow clarifies his transformation theory of how adults learn and points out how his meaning has been misrepresented. (SK)

This book presents a theory of how adults learn by making meaning of their experiences. Chapter 1 gives an overview of an emerging transformation theory of adult learning, compares it with other theories of adult learning, and describes the dynamics of the process through which one makes meaning of one's experience. Chapter 2 examines the way…