Jack Mezirow Transformative Learning Theory

Wife named Edee Son who is a captain of a charter sport-fishing boat in Seward, Alaska Family

Received Bachelor’s (1945) and Master’s(1946) degrees fro U Received Bachelor’s (1945) and Master’s(1946) degrees fro U. of Minnesota in social sciences and education Ed.D from U. of California in adult education Education

Life Work Earlier professional life as an adult educator Focused on fostering social action through community development Taught in adult literacy programs in US and abroad Served as a consultant in many Third World countries Trained professionals in community development

Life Work Devoted to developing Transformative Learning Theory Self-proclaimed Social Action Educator Life Work

What is Transformative Learning Theory? Transformative learning develops autonomous thinking, and is the process of effecting change in a frame of reference Works to transform individual lives by challenging previously held perspectives and limitations What is Transformative Learning Theory?

Transformative education/learning developed in early 1970’s Discovered Paulo Freire’s writings Says, “the critical dimension missing from my work was my lack of awareness of centrality of conscientization” What is conscientization? Development

Paulo Friere defines it as: “the process by which adults achieve a deepening awareness of both the socio-cultural reality which shapes their lives and their capacity to transform that reality through action upon it”

Development His wife, Edee, went back to college He noticed his wife’s transformative experience Development

Socio-Cultural Context: Early 1970’s Economic liberty of women Socio-Cultural Context: Early 1970’s

Worked to transform lives by challenging previously held perspectives and limitations Outlined what transformative learning was Paulo Freire Booker T. Washington Key Contributions

Course Material Learner’s need to know Readiness to Learn Prior Experience: Adults have acquired a coherent body of experience associations, concepts, values, feelings, conditional responses- frames of reference that define their life world. Frames of reference are the structures of assumptions through which we understand our experiences. They set our “line of action” Course Material

Although Dr. Jack Mezirow was not a believer, this theory is EXTREMELY applicable to Christianity Jesus?