This article provides an overview of the literature on transformative learning over the previous 45 years, describes its current condition as a relatively mature collection of theories, and calls for greater clarity, new iterations of theory, and productive and substantive steps forward. It then provides an overview of the contributions in this…

This chapter describes transformative learning as a catch-all term to describe many disparate phenomena related to learning processes involved in human transformation. It argues for the distinction between individual theories used to understand these phenomena and the metatheoretical work of analyzing across theories. This article then reviews…

Being uncomfortable by choice as a means of personal growth has been touted for hundreds of years among scholars, philosophers, religious leaders, modern pop culture icons, and more. Yet, research pertaining to the benefits of being uncomfortable by choice is sparse. This qualitative, grounded theory study addressed the first step of…

Despite arguments that learning processes are drivers of sustainability transitions, the dynamics of how learning processes take place in everyday life and influence practices remain unclear. An analytical framework for exploring these dynamics is developed in this article. I argue to build the framework on basis of theoretical concepts that shed…

Service-immersion programs are prevalent at many universities, often housed in ministry, mission, or service-learning departments. These experiences vary from domestic to international exploration, often lasting five to twelve days. Unlike study abroad programs that usually last a semester, service immersion "trips" are shorter and often…

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…

Research suggests the current generation of learners (called Zoomers or Gen-Z) takes a values-driven approach to their careers. Increasingly, this generation seeks out workplaces that center issues of sustainability, social responsibility, diversity, equity and inclusion. The preferences of Gen-Z suggest that building business programs that focus…

Dimensional ontology is Viktor E. Frankl's theory that contends humans are composed of their biological, psychological, and noological (spiritual) dimensions. Frankl maintains that it is in the noological dimension where humans freely choose their responses to the environmental, psychological, and biological conditions that befall them. Frankl's…

This paper approaches climate change as a superordinate concern that should guide a holistic transformation of formal schooling towards integration and sustainability. The call for climate change education (CCE) has been amplified by international organizations and youth protestors alike, united by a shared concern for our planet. By combining CCE…

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'…

This literature review paper aims to explore the current state of transformative learning theory in a global context by examining how scholars from different world regions understand, utilize, and develop transformative learning theory in their own contexts. Transformative learning theory has been a significant framework for investigating…

Mezirow's theory of transformative learning presupposes agency. Agency is the means by which the limitations of an inadequate meaning perspective are transcended. It is the creative activity necessitated by an encounter with a disorienting dilemma. This implies that transformation cannot be achieved "from within" the existent meaning…

In an appeal to establish transformative learning's (TL) boundaries, Kegan (2000) implored researchers to identify "what from transforms?" As a social psychologist, I am particularly drawn to theorists who identify the self as the form that transforms; however, I argue that a model of the self that specifies how it is represented in…

John Heron's whole person theory can expand transformative learning theory by elaborating a more nuanced understanding of affect. In contrast to the vague conceptualization of affect's role and the interchangeable treatment of emotion and feeling in most adult learning scholarship, Heron's holistic theory grounds all experience in affective…