Dike Felix O^*
*Correspondence: Dike Felix O, Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Huazhong Agricultural, Wuhan, China, Email:

Received: 23-Nov-2021 Published: 14-Dec-2021

Description

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 present moment by moment the TLPs linked to outcomes identified among a group of teachers who participated in a values-based workshop. Participants were followed through interviews for over 72 weeks to trace the stability of their TL outcome. TL processes identified were compared to Mezirow’s 10 processes. The article discusses ontological transformations gained and offers fresh perspective to identifying TLPs that can be linked to outcomes.

The article “Capturing Transformative Moments in a Participatory Values Based Events” received commendations from a number of scholars and journal editors for its novelty in addressing one of the problematic issues on the Theory of Transformative Learning (TLT). The authors express their gratitude for this. It may be pertinent to note that the unique nature of the article had been made possible as a result of the long hours made available for undistracted extensive literature reviews and analysis which was occasioned by the Covid-19 sitat- home policy. So, while the pandemic brought some damaging consequences on the global economy and education generally, it also gave researchers ample opportunity for undistracted research activities that can be done from home.

The article focused primary on: developing a tool – the Dykes TLP based on the Mezirow’s theory of Transformative Learning (TL) and applying same tool to analyze for TL moments identified in an event proven to be producing TL outcomes.

Historically, capturing the transformative moments experienced by learners undergoing transformative learning process (es) has been elusive and difficult to capture among scholars. This gap had resulted in varying descriptions of Transformative Learning Outcomes (TLO)s which have continued to raise questions on what exactly constitutes and does not constitute TL, to what extent can the intensity of learning, reflections or imaginations be classified as having qualified as TL or not. This clarification becomes important as there is need to distinguish TL experiences from other peripheral learning experiences, less, all learning may be easily confused as transformative. This question of clarity on the meaning of TL was succinctly captured in the words of who called for further investigations on the nature of learning qualifying as TL. Despite these, the topic has continued to resurface as a ‘theme’ for debate among scholars as recently observed in the International Conference on TL scheduled for April 2022.

It is noteworthy that some efforts has been advanced in describing TLO such as Hoggan’s typology and Mezirow’s tenets of TL However, these efforts only describes the nature and features of learning outcomes qualifying as TL.