Researching Transformational Learning through ESD,Internationalisation and Citizenship

Dr Stephen SterlingCentre for Sustainable Futures, University of Plymouth, UK

UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIREPRSI/IRIS Conference 10th June 2009

Transformative learning – sketching the conceptual ground

‘The volume of education has increased and continues to increase, yet so do pollution, exhaustion of resources, and the dangers of ecological catastrophe.

If still more education is to save us, it would have to be education of a different kind: an education that takes us into the depth of things.’

E F Schumacher (written 1974, published 1997)

Seeing differently

Re-learning

‘This century may well be one of relearning on a grand scale…

This learning…needs to be a core part of learning across society, necessitating a metamorphosis of many of our current education and learning constructs.’

-See Change:Learning and education for sustainability,

NZ Parliamentary Commission for the Environment, 2004

 

We’ve bred a generation unable to think’‘‘The most striking thing about some undergraduates is their dependence, their lack of initiative and their reluctance to think for themselves.

This is reflected in their often-shocking inability to engage in intellectual conversation and to organise their thoughts in writing. New undergraduates seem to expect to be told what to do at every stage. It is almost as though the spoon-feeding-and-teaching-to-the-test culture at school has drained them of independent thought.’- Prof Tim Birkhead Times Educational Supplement 6 Feb 09

Outline

Definitions

Theory

Practice

Significance and issues

Questions

Definitions

Transformative learning (Mezirow)

‘Transformative learning refers to transforming a problematic frame of reference to make it more dependable ... by generating opinions and interactions that are more justified. We become critically reflective of those beliefs that become problematic.’

‘... we transform frames of reference -- our own and those of others -- by becoming critically reflective them of their assumptions and aware of their context.’

- Mezirow, Jack et al. (2000) Learning as Transformation 

Transformative learning (O’Sullivan)

…a deep structural shift in the basic premises of thought, feelings and actions. It is a shift of consciousness that dramatically and permanently alters our way of being in the world.

Such a shift involves our understanding of ourselves and our self-location: our relationships with other humans and with the natural world.

- (Morrell and O’Connor 2002, xvii)

Center for Transformative Learning, University of Toronto

Transformative learning (Cranton)

‘TL can occur when students encounter alternative points of view and perspectives. Exposure to alternatives encourages students to critically question their assumptions, beliefs, and values, and when this leads to a shift in the way they see themselves or things in the world, they have engaged in transformative learning.’

‘TL can be promoted by using any strategy, activity, or resource that presents students with an alternative point of view.’

Prof Patricia Cranton interview Jan 19 2009 http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/instructional-design/transformative-learning-qa-with-patricia-cranton/

Theory

Key theorists include....

• Gregory Bateson• Edmund O’Sullivan• Chris Argyris and Donald Schön• John Mezirow• Richard Bawden

Levels of knowing

Actions

Ideas/theories

Norms/assumptions

Beliefs/values

Paradigm/worldview

Metaphysics/cosmology

Learning levels as nested systems

Learning

Meta-learning

Epistemic learning

Learning levels

First order

Cognition Conformative learning

Second order

Meta-cognition Reformative learning

Third order Epistemic learning Transformative learning

Learning levels and orders of change

First order change Effectiveness/ efficiency

‘Doing things better’

Second order change

Examining assumptions

‘Doing better things’

Third order change

Paradigm change ‘Seeing things differently’

Learning, thinking, knowing levels

Learning I learning learning thinking knowing

Learning II meta-learning learning thinking knowing

about about about

learning thinking knowing

Learning III epistemic learning thinking knowing

learning about about about

learning thinking knowing

about about about

learning thinking knowing

Sterling (2003)

Common labels (first and second orders)

First order

• Basic learning

• Single loop learning

• Conformative

• Cognition

Second order

• Learning about learning

• Double-loop

• Reformative

• Meta-cognition

Common labels (third order learning)

• (Higher order learning)

• (Deep learning)

• Triple-loop learning

• Epistemic learning

• Paradigm change

Restructuring of mental models

‘...each learner goes through a period of chaos, confusion and being overwhelmed by complexity before new conceptual information brings about a spontaneous restructuring of mental models at a higher level of complexity thereby allowing a learner to understand concepts that were formally opaque.

Ison and Stowell (2000, 3)

Journeying through orders of learning involves experience of...

• greater challenge/threat to existing beliefs/ideas - and so more resistance

• greater ‘perturbation’ required to stimulate learning and the emergence of new order

• greater reconstruction of meaning • greater engagement and breadth of response in the learner• achievement of greater flexibility and less rigidity of thought• higher order of consciousness or mindfulness• more emergence as a result of learning• the difference between ‘unwitting self-reference’ and knowing

self-reference and therefore the possibility of transcendence - Sterling (2003)

Dimensions of transformation – towards...

• Seeing (perception): An expanded ethical sensibility or consciousness

• Knowing (conception): A critical understanding of pattern, consequence and connectivity

• Doing (action): The ability to design and act relationally, integratively and wisely

Practice

"Once you experience such an educational course, you

are changed forever.“

- Participant                                                   

      

Schumacher College

reflective learning for individuals and the institution

cooperation and shared purpose

the enjoyment of learning service and creating

opportunity for service challenge and intense

stimulation treading lightly and living

simply the intrinsic value of work of

all kinds celebrating diversity recognising limitations a good experience for

everyone

Transformative learning environments

Reflections on the Schumacher College experience

‘There is some extraordinary alchemy which seems to happen on all the courses, even short one-week ones.’ (FR)

‘A course of this kind can be very useful in breaking set patterns of thought. ‘(PR)

 ‘One of the most intensive periods in my life, because a huge bounded

energy was released in me, which involved a deep transformation.’ (PR)  ‘It became very clear to me that trying to change the world has to begin

with personal positive change. I have seen the other side of reductionism – that is, to see things as wholes…the course has tremendously increased my perception of….interactions (and) the whole.’ (PR)- Sterling, S. and Baines, J. (2002)

 

Significance and issues

‘The shape of the global future rests with the reflexivity of human consciousness – the capacity to think critically about why we think what we do –

and then to think and act differently.’

Paul Raskin (2006)

World Lines, - Pathways, Pivots and the Global Future, Tellus Institute

‘To understand and deliver a pedagogy which enables and provokes students to move across levels of epistemic competence is in itself challenging. To do so requires an awareness on the part of the curriculum designer and personal tutor so that they can facilitate these changes…it is not always clear that academics and tutors have these competencies themselves.’

SPMC (2002), Systems Practice for Managing Complexity – Project Philosophy and theoretical basis, http://www.mattnorman.co.uk/spmc/project.ctm

Levels of learning and engagement

• Education about sustainability: content and/or skills emphasis. Fairly easily accommodated into existing system. Learning about change. Accommodative response - maintenance

• Education for sustainability: additional values emphasis. Greening of institutions. Deeper questioning and reform of purpose, policy and practice. Learning for change. Reformative response- adaptive

• Sustainable education: Capacity building and action emphasis. ‘Living’ and experiential curriculum. Sustainable institutions as permeable learning communities. Learning as change. Transformative response- enactment

Questions

Some research issues

• How do we distinguish between different depths or qualities of TL?

• What learning situations are conducive to TL?• Are different learning situations conducive to some

individuals re TL, but not others?• How permanent is TL?• How do we know, reliably, when TL has taken

place?• How far is TL essential to realising a sustainability

culture?• How far can HE facilitate TL?

Summary• TL is a (profound) shift and expansion of perspective (fourth

dimension of SD)• Operates at individual, organisational and societal levels• Is difficult (or it wouldn’t be TL)• Is not guaranteed - even in a conducive learning

environment• Is more likely through ‘learning by design’• Is dependent on the prior disposition of the learner• Is poorly researched• Is necessary given current socio-ecological-economic

conditions• Is marginal to most HE teaching and learning policy and

practice (as it’s challenging and unpredictable)And....the learning level framework is not it!

A last word…

‘It is better to do the right thing wrongly, than the wrong thing better and better…’

- Russell Ackoff

References

• Ison, R. and Stowell, F. (2000) Systems Practice for Managing Complexity, Systems Practice for Managing Complexity Network, www.spmc.org.uk/

 

 • Morrell, A., and O’Connor, M. (2002) ‘Introduction’ in O’Sullivan, E., Morrell, A., and O Connor, M. (2002),

Expanding the Boundaries of Transformative Learning', Palgrave Macmillan, New York

• Schumacher, E. F., (1997) ‘This I believe’ and other essays, Green Books, Dartington, (essay first published in 1974).

• Sterling, S. and Baines, J. (2002) A Review of Learning at Schumacher College, Bureau for Environmental Education and Training, Dorchester. (unpublished report)

• Sterling, S. 2003. Whole Systems Thinking as a Basis for Paradigm Change in Education: Explorations in the Context of Sustainability, (PhD thesis), Centre for Research in Education and the Environment, University of Bath, www.bath.ac.uk/cree/sterling.htm.

• Williams, M (2004) ‘Preface’, in Potter, N. et al, See Change – Learning and education for sustainability, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Wellington, New Zealand.