A central concern that TL theory approaches but does not fully address is the process whereby an individual generates a more adequate meaning perspective after shedding an outmoded one. This article complements TL theory's account with a phenomenological description of the dangers and opportunities encountered on that quest. It employs the concept…

The theory of transformative learning (TL) has been criticized secondhand for its lack of clarity in capturing and explaining in detail the processes undergone by learners who are going through TL experiences and their link to learning outcomes. Using a case study design, and carefully synthesized TL processes (TLPs) from Mezirow's TL theory, we…

The need of being able to foster transformative learning (TL) has increased due to the demands for continuous development in today's work life. Previous research has proposed six core elements to foster TL; however, in these a process perspective is missing. By using an adaptive approach and inspired by action research, drawing on teachers'…

How does critical reflection happen? And what circumstances influence the forms critical reflection takes and the issues it comes to address? Recent contributions suggest that we should pay greater attention to the ways social conditions and other factors affect what people reflect upon and how. Examining John Dewey's perspective on the…

Despite growing global attention to the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals, we have made limited progress towards achieving them. This article describes an emerging Transformative Learning Journey for Sustainability Leadership being developed for professionals at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The purpose is to help participants…

In this collaborative autoethnography, we, two early career academics used arts-based methods to explore and transform our understanding of scholarly impact. We began by narrating the disorienting dilemma we experienced while preparing our review, tenure, and promotion portfolios. After a brief review of Mezirow's transformative learning theory,…

We are interested in the transformative potentials of intersubjectivity as it is enacted through second-person contemplative approaches. Our work here focuses on contemplative practice as a pedagogy that reveals and enacts intersubjectivity within postsecondary education. How might contemplative higher education practice as a pedagogy enable…

Transformative learning in teacher education qualitatively changes future teachers' meaning systems of learning, teaching, and education. In this study, I explored transformative learning in Finnish class teacher education. Data were collected by observing student teachers over two academic years. Data also contains writings that student teachers…

In a world in need of profound change, the importance of "transformative education" is increasingly recognized. However, barriers abound in our Higher Education Institutions, including that educators often have little notion of "how" to make their teaching more transformative "in practice." This paper builds on our…

Transformative learning theory has provided a sound theoretical base for adult education's Western and Eastern academic field. This article aims to introduce the mandala model of transformative learning by transferring Mezirow's theory of perspective transformation onto a mandala map. In the mandala model, the learning agent exercises two…

This article reports on the findings from an interview-based, qualitative study of adult learners in Scotland participating in the MITx u.lab massive open online course in 2015 and 2016. It focuses on interviewees' accounts of the impact of participating in u.lab on their work and lives. Using grounded theory as an analytical guide, we explore…

This article employs transformative learning and decolonial theories to investigate the efficacy of simulation pedagogy for undergraduate student learning about refugees and the internally displaced. The simulation of refugee experience was adapted from the Doctors Without Borders' "Forced From Home" exhibit and facilitated by an…

Collaboration across multiple perspectives enhances the potential for innovative solutions to the complex issues of our time. An interdisciplinary education (IDE) community of practice (CoP) proved to be a catalyst for bringing together interested faculty from across a large public college to create an IDE learning event focused on homelessness.…

This case study investigates the transformative learning process and outcomes of a female master's student in a semester-long counseling skills training course based on experiential learning. The data included the student's longitudinal accounts (11 questionnaires on the emotions experienced in every session and three blog posts) and retrospective…

Reflection is a key component of the transformative learning process. In this study, we take steps to define components of reflection and link them to a computer-based, quantitative method of content analysis called Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). This method can be used to evaluate common forms of reflective writing such as journals,…