By Valley Business Journal
When it comes to change Winston Churchill may have said it best, “there is nothing wrong with change, as long as it’s in the right direction.” While it’s easy to agree with this quote it often takes the personal experience of going in a wrong direction to know what the right direction is. Those of us who have experienced going in right and wrong directions understand the value of learning from life changes which is also called transformative learning.
Transformative learning is the style of learning that adults who return to earn a college degree experience at the Azusa Pacific University Murrieta Regional Center. Technically, transformative learning is defined as a process by which previously uncritically assimilated assumptions, beliefs, values, and perspectives are questioned and thereby become more open, permeable and better justified (Mezirow, 1991; Mezirow, 2000). The goal of transformation is to generate beliefs and opinions from a revision of previous experience that will prove more true or justified, in order to guide action (Cranton, 2006). Adults understand that “life happens” and we are challenged to shift our frame of reference, change certain habits and even spend some valuable time critically reflecting on life’s changes. It’s great to know that certain dilemmas in life that may even be disorienting can actually help us to learn and grow.
One of the greatest benefits of transformative learning is that it utilizes some of life’s wrong changes to teach us about making right changes. In the academic community when transformative learning occurs, it requires that adult students and their professors gain an appreciation for connecting life experiences to academically based information. It is then that a learning environment is created that invites and enhances transformative learning.
Vickie Becker, EdD, is the Executive Director for the Azusa Pacific University Murrieta Regional Center. She may be reached at 951.304.3400 or murrieta@apu.edu