Critical Reflection in Transformative
Learning
In both
readings, it is agreed that critical reflection triggers transformational
learning. “What we perceive and fail to
perceive and think re powerfully influenced by habits of expectation.” (Mezirow,
1997) Mezirow speaks more of
transformational learning in general, not just in the on-line community, as do
Palloff and Pratt in Building Online
Learning Communities: Effective Strategies for the Virtual Classroom.
Reflection
of our learning is key to transformative learning, Mezirow speaks of the
different stages of reflective development relying on meaning schemes, meaning
perspectives and the different stages of moral development: some are learned from our value and belief systems,
whether intentional or unintentional. Both
Mezirow and Palloff and Pratt suggest in addition to using prior life
experiences, one digs deeper to learn by reflection. Reflection is used to see how far we have
come to meeting our learning goals.
Through reflection, we understand the meaning of our learning
experiences and goals. We are able to
measure how far we have or have not come in obtaining them. Linking assignments to real-life situations,
using critical reflection transform our old ways of thinking and learning and
aid in the analysis of in new ways of transformative learning being it on-line
or any other new way of learning. This
could be also used with the Professional Learning Community structure and ways
of learning to make it work and incorporate it into practice within our
educational systems: transforming a new
way of thinking, doing and assessing in order to improve our present day educational
system.
References:
Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007).
Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual
classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.
Mezirow, J.
(1997) Fostering Critical Reflection in Adulthood, A Guide to Transformative and Emancipatory Learning. Retrieved from http://www.graham-russell-pead.co.uk/articles-pdf/critical-reflection.pdf.
