The Importance of Experience, Reflection, and Development within the Transformative Learning Experience: A Case Study

Summary of Case Study

Jenny and the Ontario Literacy Coalition facilitated a week-long residential program for “Learner Leadership” to assist literacy learners who also experience trauma to take leadership roles within their programs. Ontario Literacy Coalition is a community-based organization that desires to create a more equitable organization and a more equitable society. Attendees ranged from 18–55 and experienced a range of traumas and come from varying backgrounds, including race, class, and gender. The weeklong Learners’ Leadership Institute had many sessions that were a success, including learner-led sessions running mock meetings, a successful session on exploring anger, and sessions that allowed attendees insight into the organization. Jenny and her colleagues also found that there were tensions among the students that were triggered by a multitude of reasons throughout the retreat, leaving the facilitators struggling to address the attendees’ needs. In addition, attendees felt little control over their experiences with the facilitators consistently stepping in. Finally, when the attendees of the Institute returned to their programs, they found that they were not welcome or supported.

Experience, Reflection, and Development

Using transformative learning theory as a lens to analyze the experience of Jenny and the Ontario Literacy Coalition’s Leadership Institute, key fundamental challenges are brought to the forefront. Merriam and Baumgartner (2020) explain that transformative learning is a “fundamental change in the way we see ourselves and the world in which we live” (p. 166). The week-long Learners’ Leadership Institute did not provide space for the foundational principles of this concept of transformational learning — experience, reflection, and development. Merriam and Baumgartner (2020, p. 182) explain that experience is an integral part of learning and includes values, beliefs, and expectations. “Experiences that foster critical self-reflection such as simulations, journaling, arts-based activities, and role-plays tend to lead to transformative learning” (Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 183). As noted previously, the most successful sessions were focused on exploration, such as the session on anger, and learner lead work, like the morning sessions that allowed for learners to conceptualize and run a mock meeting.

The second foundational principle of transformative learning is critical reflection. While the Institute’s agenda included helpful sessions about the Coalition’s mission and organizational structure, it failed to include space for premise reflection, which Merriam and Baumgartner (2020, p. 183) define as “examining long-held, socially constructed assumptions, beliefs, and values about the experience or problem”. Through this reflection, transformation can happen. This line of questioning and process is directly connected to “unearthing power dynamics, issues of control, and challenging hegemonic assumptions” and thus serves the Coalition’s goal of creating a more equitable organization and equitable society (Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 183).

Lastly, the lens of development brings forth the frustration that the attendees have after leaving the Institute. Merriam and Baumgartner (2020, p. 184) note that “individual development is both inherent in and an outcome of the process”. The first of the five dimensions of knowing within developmental terms includes a move toward constructing knowledge and reconstructing knowledge in response to new experiences and reflections (Taylor, 2000, p. 160 as cited in Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 185). This significant learning does not come without challenges. The frustration and anger that the attendees are experiencing is “an encounter with the world” (Yorks and Kasl, 2002, p. 182, as cited in Dirkx, 2008, p. 15). This experience is thus linking the foundational principles of experience, reflection, and development, as Dr. Brendel in his video Transformative Learning Theory (2016) notes, into the continuity principle, or having an experience, reflecting, acting, and revising. This learning through experience, as Dr. Brendel (Transformative Learning Theory, 2016) explains, is the foundation for Dewey’s genuine education.

Recommendations

The recommendations for Jenny and the Ontario Literacy Institute to address each issue of lack of space experience, reflection, and development and, in turn, encouraging continuity throughout and between these principles. As previously noted, the attendees enjoyed and found value in the sessions where they were able to experiment and lead. I would recommend incorporating more sessions with similar foundations. One example of sessions grounded in experience and collaboration is the Design Thinking process, which CEO Jonathon Courtney talks about in his video (What is Design Thinking?, 2020). Bringing problems for the attendees at the Institute to explore, experiment, and invent around could bring the foundational concept of experience to the forefront of their transformative learning experience.

Second, providing space for premise reflection will be critical. A recommendation to facilitate reflection for this group and to help them “regain control, connection, and meaning” over their education, leadership, and themselves would be the creation of a safe learning environment, as Kerka (2002, p. 4) explains. “When the collective act of self-care was given top priority, and the rest of the world was sent a clear message that this was our time and space, that was when we felt a sense of well-being. And that was when trust was built” (Morrish, 2002, p. 17 as cited in Kerka, 2002, p. 4). Examples of creating a safe space includes flexible meeting times, “creating a culture of collaboration by stressing full participation”, but also allowing people to opt-out, and encouraging learners to take ownership of the space (Kerka, 2002, p. 4).

The third recommendation I have is recognizing and encouraging continued development and transformation. Taylor (2000, p, 163 as cited in Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 185) notes that the five dimensions of development ends with the learner moving “toward connections with others where they learn in community but retain their individuality,” thus engaging in adult education’s mission to “assist adults in creating the order of consciousness the modern world demands” (Kegan, 1994, p. 287 as cited in Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 185). This means active work from the staff and facilitators to recognize and encourage this continued work through each attendee’s development. This may look like frequent check-ins.

Lastly, ensuring that the interaction of experience, reflection, and development are consistently in play throughout the attendees’ experience with the organization and the world is my last recommendation. Part of this may look like the understanding the role of emotion in learning as “a more integral, central, and holistic” (Dirkx, 2008, p. 8). This recognition provides a foundation for understanding emotions within learning contexts as experiences, allowing for further interplay within the concepts of transformative learning for the attendees. As one facilitator noted in the case study that they not a therapist, which is not what I’m recommending the facilitators become; however, I am recommending that the facilitators and staff become comfortable and recognize the role emotions play in learning, especially within their mission to create a more equitable organization and world.

Power Relations

The power relations in this learning setting includes multiple facets. There is an obvious power differentiation between Jenny and the staff, teachers, and facilitators of Learners’ Leadership Institute and the attendees. In addition, the power of those already on the boards and within the leadership to alienate the Institute’s attendees. Lastly, this is also an aspect of an arising power relations where the attendees of the Institute are recognizing that they want to take power back by stepping into more responsibility. This can be seen through the sentiments of wanting to take more control of their emotions and the Literacy program. Kerka (2002, p. 4) notes that “equalizing power differentials within the group” helps create a safe learning environment for the attendees. Merriam and Baumgartner recommend the notion of holistic teaching to foster transformative learning. “Holistic teaching, that is, teaching engaging students’ minds, feelings, bodies, and spirits, encourages transformative learning” (Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 191).

Next Steps

I recommend a professional development experience for Jenny and her colleagues that focuses on educator self-care. Kerka (2002, p. 5) notes that “professional development should be provided to help faculty, staff, and administrators understand and recognize the effects of trauma, develop appropriate responses, and locate community resources”. This means hiring a professional consultant who is an expert in working with the specific populations that the Coalition is serving and having on-going and consistent training opportunities concerning anti-racism, trauma, immigrant experiences, etc. In addition, using some of that retreat time to do individual self-care activities will be important and critical to the staff’s mental health. A school district in Ontario, Canada, has created its own hashtag encouraging educator self-care. Thames Valley District School teacher Mrs. Sauve baked cookies as her form of self-care (Sauve, 2020).

Lastly, I suggest time for the staff to engage in their own premise reflection of their organization while also experimenting with new ideas for the next Leadership Institute. This should involve experimentation with the recommendations above and engaging in probing questions about the program and the organization’s overall mission and motive. In addition, fostering an environment of authenticity to “allow individuals to have questioning discussions, share information openly and achieve greater mutual and consensual understanding” (Taylor, 2009, p. 13 as cited in Merriam and Baumgartner, 2020, p. 191). Ensuring that the facilitation of transformative learning is happening beyond the attendees allows for further support of the attendees from the staff and facilitators through their journey of change. [1,505]

References

Dirkx, J. M. (2008). The meaning and role of emotions in adult learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2008(120), 7–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.311

Kerka, S. (2002). Effects of Trauma on Learning. Trauma and Adult Learning. Eric Diges., 238, 1–8. https://doi.org/https://d2l.msu.edu/content/enforced/1065825-FS20-EAD-861-730-97R63S-EL-14-014/Module%20Four/Module%20Readings/kerka.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=tsE9y3Rm7L1RMIZOHXuK8bWGQ&ou=1065825

Merriam, S. B., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2020). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Sauve, K. [@sauve_kelly]. (2020, October 28). I took my own advice last night and made cookies and I felt so much better #TVDSBshareyourcalm [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/sauve_kelly/status/1321460264785633280

Transformative Learning Theory (Part 2). (2016). Youtube. https://youtu.be/wxS5wFrmJ8o.

What Is Design Thinking? An Overview (2020). (2020). Youtube. https://youtu.be/gHGN6hs2gZY.