Researching Transformational Learning through ESD, Internationalisation and Citizenship

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Researching Transformational Learning through
ESD,Internationalisation and Citizenship
Transformative learning sketching the
conceptual ground

• Dr Stephen Sterling
• Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of
  Plymouth, UK

UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIREPRSI/IRIS
Conference 10th June 2009
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• 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)

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Seeing differently
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Re-learning

• This century may well be one of relearning on a
  grand scale
• This learningneeds to be a core part of learning
  across society, necessitating a metamorphosis of
  many of our current education and learning
  constructs.
• See ChangeLearning and education for
  sustainability,
• NZ Parliamentary Commission for the Environment,
  2004
•  

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Weve 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

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Outline

• Definitions
• Theory
• Practice
• Significance and issues
• Questions

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• Definitions

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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
•  

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Transformative learning (OSullivan)
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 OConnor 2002, xvii) Center
for Transformative Learning, University of
Toronto
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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/instructiona
  l-design/transformative-learning-qa-with-patricia-
  cranton/

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• Theory

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Key theorists include....

• Gregory Bateson
• Edmund OSullivan
• Chris Argyris and Donald Schön
• John Mezirow
• Richard Bawden

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Levels of knowing
Actions Ideas/theories Norms/assumptions Belie
fs/values Paradigm/worldview Metaphysics/cosmolo
gy
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Learning levels as nested systems
Learning
Meta-learning
Epistemic learning
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Learning levels
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Learning levels and orders of change
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Learning, thinking, knowing levels
Sterling (2003)
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Common labels (first and second orders)

• First order

• Second order

• Learning about learning
• Double-loop
• Reformative
• Meta-cognition

• Basic learning
• Single loop learning
• Conformative
• Cognition

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Common labels (third order learning)

• (Higher order learning)
• (Deep learning)
• Triple-loop learning
• Epistemic learning
• Paradigm change

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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)
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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)

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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

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• Practice

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• 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
Schumacher College
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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
  wholesthe course has tremendously increased my
  perception of.interactions (and) the whole.
  (PR)
• - Sterling, S. and Baines, J. (2002)
•  

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• Significance and issues

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• 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

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• 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
  changesit 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.ct
  m

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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

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• Questions

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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?

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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 wouldnt 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-econom
  ic conditions
• Is marginal to most HE teaching and learning
  policy and practice (as its challenging and
  unpredictable)
• And....the learning level framework is not it!

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A last word

• It is better to do the right thing wrongly,
  than the wrong thing better and better
• - Russell Ackoff

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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 OConnor, M. (2002)
  Introduction in OSullivan, 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.