Driving Transformative Learning within Australian Indigenous Studies

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (01) ◽  
pp. 12-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Bullen ◽  
Lynne Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Classroom Community ◽  
Indigenous Studies ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Transformative Experiences ◽  
Teacher Rapport

Australian undergraduate programmes implementing Indigenous studies courses suggest transformative educational outcomes for students; however, the mechanism behind this is largely unknown. To begin to address this, we obtained baseline data upon entry to tertiary education (Time 1) and follow-up data upon completion of an Indigenous studies health unit (Time 2) on student learning approaches, student-teacher rapport, classroom community, critical reflection (CR) and transformative experiences within the unit. Three-hundred-thirty-six health science first-year students (273 females, 63 males) completed anonymous in-class paper questionnaires at both time points. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that (a) CR was the strongest predictor of transformative learning experiences, (b) the relationship between deep learning approach upon entry to tertiary education and transformative learning experiences was mediated by CR and (c) rapport and classroom community accounted for significant variance in CR. These results suggest that students benefit from tutors’ ability to develop rapport and classroom community, leading to greater capacity for student CR. This in turn promotes transformative learning possibilities within the Indigenous studies learning environment. These findings provide a further rationale for institutions to embed Indigenous knowledge into courses and highlight the importance of evaluating their effect and quality.

scholarly journals Transformative Learning: A Precursor to Preparing Health Science Students to Work in Indigenous Health Settings?

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Bullen ◽  
Lynne Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Indigenous Studies ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Transformative Experiences

Australian undergraduate programmes are implementing curriculum aimed at better preparing graduates to work in Indigenous health settings, but the efficacy of these programmes is largely unknown. To begin to address this, we obtained baseline data upon entry to tertiary education (Time 1) and follow-up data upon completion of an Indigenous studies health unit (Time 2) on student attitudes, preparedness to work in Indigenous health contexts and transformative experiences within the unit. The research involved 336 health science first-year students (273 females, 63 males) who completed anonymous in-class paper questionnaires at both time points. Paired sample t-tests indicated significant change in student attitudes towards Indigenous Australians, perceptions of Indigenous health as a social priority, perceptions of the adequacy of health services for Indigenous Australians and preparedness to work in Indigenous health settings. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that after controlling for Time 1 measures, the number of precursor steps to transformative learning experienced by students accounted for significant variance in measures of attitudes and preparedness to work in Indigenous health contexts at Time 2. The knowledge gained further informs our understanding of both the transformative impact of such curriculum, and the nature of this transformation in the Indigenous studies health context.

scholarly journals Field-Based Art Programming As a Facilitator for Transformative Learning Experiences in Tertiary Education: Participants Reflections on Land Arts of the American West

2022 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 255-273
Author(s):  
David Gabriel Naranjo
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
American West ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Transformative Experience ◽  
Art Making ◽  
Pedagogical Model ◽  
Transformative Experiences ◽  
Disorienting Dilemmas ◽  
Education And Development

Field-based art programming proposes a different pedagogical model to respond to contemporary challenges that artists face, ranging from ecological crises to the education and development of artists. This article analyzed interviews with field-based art programming participants across two decades, focusing on artists’ experiences through their own voices. Out of the interviews with participants from Land Arts of the American West, in which participants travel, camp, and create at different sites throughout the Southwest, the participants narrate important elements of field-based art programming. Using Mezirow’s theory of Transformative Learning, this article uses participants’ descriptions to analyze the pedagogical aspects of field-based art learning that denotes a transformative experience, distinct from what is available to them in conventional tertiary art classes. Central reoccurring themes identified include immersive nature, art-making, community, and place. Participants’ responses reveal Disorienting Dilemmas and having transformative experiences.   

Assessing the engagement rates and satisfaction levels of various clinical health science student sub-groups using supplementary eLearning resources in an introductory anatomy and physiology unit

2019 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cherylea J. Browne
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Analysis ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Core Knowledge ◽  
Learning Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Anatomy And Physiology ◽  
Podiatry Students ◽  
Support Students

Purpose Introductory anatomy and physiology provide a core knowledge base to students within clinical health science courses. Increased student numbers, as well as reduced access to laboratory-based cadaveric resources, have created a need for enhanced learning approaches to support learning. The streamlining of courses has also resulted in the need to effectively engage course sub-groups within large units. The purpose of this paper is to utilize the eLearning activities to investigate engagement and satisfaction levels within students undertaking an anatomy and physiology unit. Design/methodology/approach A total of 19 formative quizzes were made available to students. Online practical anatomy laboratories covered anatomical content, and physiology quizzes covered physiological content. Student engagement was compared using frequency analysis across students studying varying courses. Satisfaction was determined by analyzing student’s feedback using frequency analysis. Findings Students accessed the learning activities 29,898 times over semester, with the peak access (37 percent) prior to the closed book exams. The resources were utilized primarily as an exam preparation tool rather than consistently throughout semester. Out of the various courses, the Paramedicine, Physiotherapy and Podiatry students were the most engaged, with the highest percent of “engaged/highly engaged” students. Students from various courses shared very similar views of the perceived benefit of the eLearning activities. Practical implications These results indicated a difference in engagement levels between the students of various course sub-groups, and therefore suggests that the development of course-specific eLearning activities is necessary in large, streamlined units to achieve a more focused approach to support students’ learning, engagement and success, so that positive and beneficial learning experiences are ensured for all students. Originality/value These results suggest that in the future, development of eLearning activities is necessary to achieve a more focused approach to support students’ learning, engagement and success, so that positive and beneficial learning experiences are ensured for all.

Social Transformative Learning in Human Rights Delegations: Critical Research on the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network

2021 ◽  
pp. 154134462110503
Author(s):  
Lisa Rankin ◽  
Leona M. English
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Change ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Human Rights Education ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Critical Research

This article examines the experience of six participants in the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) delegation program. Human rights education is central to this program that operates between Canada and Guatemala. Key findings from this research include participants’ rethinking of their own power and privilege upon returning to Canada and making connections with the struggle of Indigenous peoples in both countries. Another finding concerns how specific communal aspects of the BTS delegation (communitas) lead to social transformation and the development of solidarity relationships that are transformative to all. The research affirms the need for experiential learning experiences which use transformative learning approaches to support human rights and social change.

scholarly journals Transformative Learning Experiences of International Graduate Students from Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-125
Author(s):  
Alex Kumi-Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Transformative Experiences ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Program Of Study ◽  
Field Notes

This article examines factors that influence transformative learning experiences of international graduate students from Africa. In general, 84.8% of the participants experienced transformative learning while 15.2% reported no transformative experiences. For those who experienced transformative learning, 26.1% of the transformative experiences were associated with education, 28.3% by non-education, and 30.4% were by both education and non-education. Follow-up interviews were conducted from 12 participants who were randomly selected to ensure representations across gender, age group, country of origin, and program of study. They identified classroom activities, faculty support, and learning a new language as the educational transformative learning, and factors related to new life experiences, as non-educational. Field notes and reflection journals were utilized to triangulate data to support these methods. Data analysis and results of the study indicate that participants experienced transformative learning through both educational and non-educational related activities.

Profiles of engagement: An investigation of transformative learning experiences

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Pugh ◽  
Cassendra M. R. Bergstrom ◽  
Bryden Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences

Transformative Learning in Mastery-Oriented CS0 Course

2021 ◽  
pp. 234763112110072
Author(s):  
Srinivasan Lakshminarayanan ◽  
N. J. Rao ◽  
G. K. Meghana
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Guided Discovery ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Transformative Experiences ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Cognitive Levels ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Core Course

The introductory programming course, commonly known as CS1 and offered as a core course in the first year in all engineering programs in India, is unique because it can address higher cognitive levels, metacognition and some aspects of the affective domain. It can provide much needed transformative experiences to students coming from a system of school education that is dominantly performance-driven. Unfortunately, the CS1 course, as practiced in almost all engineering programs, is also performance-driven because of a variety of compulsions. This paper suggests that the inclusion of a course CS0 can bring about transformative learning that can potentially make a significant difference in the quality of learning in all subsequent engineering courses. The suggested instruction design of this course takes the advantage of the unique features of a course in programming. The proposed CS0 course uses “extreme apprenticeship” and “guided discovery” methods of instruction. The effectiveness of these instruction methods was established through the use of the thematic analysis, a well-known qualitative research method, and the associated coding of transformative learning experiences and instruction components.

scholarly journals Learning in Struggle: Argentina’s New Worker Cooperatives as Transformative Learning Organizations

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 186-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Vieta
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Learning Organizations ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Worker Cooperatives

SummaryThis article considers Argentina’sempresas recuperadas por sus trabajadores(worker-recuperated enterprises, or ERTs) astransformative learning organizations. ERTs are illustrative of how workers’ conversions of capitalist firms into worker cooperatives—especially conversions emerging from troubled firms and in moments of deep socio-economic crises—transform workers (from managed employees to self-managed workers), work organizations (from capitalist businesses to labour-managed firms), and communities (from depleted to revitalized and self-provisioning localities).Theoretically, the study is grounded in class-struggle, workplace learning, and social action learning approaches. These theoretical perspectives help the study work through how workplace conversions by workers, when converting troubled investor-owned or proprietary firms into worker coops, act as catalysts for contesting workplace exploitation and capitalist crises, while also beginning to move beyond them by forging new social relations of production and exchange. In the case of Argentina’s ERTs, crises in the political economy and micro-economic crises at the point of production during the collapse of the neoliberal model at the turn of the millennium heightened workers’ self-awareness of their situations of exploitation and motivated collective action. As a result, new worker cooperatives were created that also stimulated the social, cultural, and economic renewal of surrounding communities.The study’s research method relies on extended case studies of four diverse ERTs, which included ethnographic observation and in-depth interviews. Observations of daily workflows were conducted, as well as interviews and informal conversations with founding and newer ERT workers. In a more structured portion of the interview protocol, key-informants were asked to reflect on how they had personally changed after being involved in the ERT, and how production practices and involvement with the community had transformed in the process of conversion.The article concludes by outlining how worker, organizational, and community transformations emerge from workers’ processes ofinformal learningandlearning in struggleas they collectively strive to overcome macro- and micro-economic crises and learn to become cooperators. This learning, the study shows, occurs in two ways:intra-cooperativelyvia informal workplace learning, andinter-cooperativelybetween workers from different ERTs and with surrounding communities. The self-management forged by ERTs thus embodies new, cooperative, and community-centered values and practices for these workers that, in turn, sketch out different possibilities for economic and productive life in Argentina.

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