"...he (Taylor) indicates that elements such as "trust, friendship, and support" are necessary for effective reflective or rational discourse to occur. Receiving support, connecting with family, and developing trust were all ways in which relationships were evident in the transformative learning process." (153) Since transformative learning changes your perspective on important issues it is necessary that a person feels comfortable in the learning environment. Changing your belief system is a life altering experience. For there to be any reflection or learning through discussion, Taylor feels that it should be done with people you trust and can communicate with. I recently had a learning experience where I did not feel that I had this trust and support and it made me not want to change my viewpoint. I held on to old hostilities and refused to accept this person's point of view. When I am with someone I trust it makes me more willing to take this leap of faith and learning is able to take place. I mainly agree with Taylor that learning takes place within a loving and trusting support system. I did, however, have a transformative learning experience that took place in a hostile, confrontational environment. This was a Black studies class where the teacher created a race-centric class atmosphere. At the end of the semester the whole class had a greater understanding of the discomfort and alienation felt by African-American students living in a society that was hostile to them.
Antonia, what you are saying is that you have experienced transformational learning in different kinds of environments. This suggests that transformational learning is not dependent on only one certain kind of environments. What does it depend on then? Barbara
"...he (Taylor) indicates that elements such as "trust, friendship, and support" are necessary for effective reflective or rational discourse to occur. Receiving support, connecting with family, and developing trust were all ways in which relationships were evident in the transformative learning process." (153)
ReplyDeleteSince transformative learning changes your perspective on important issues it is necessary that a person feels comfortable in the learning environment. Changing your belief system is a life altering experience. For there to be any reflection or learning through discussion, Taylor feels that it should be done with people you trust and can communicate with. I recently had a learning experience where I did not feel that I had this trust and support and it made me not want to change my viewpoint. I held on to old hostilities and refused to accept this person's point of view. When I am with someone I trust it makes me more willing to take this leap of faith and learning is able to take place.
I mainly agree with Taylor that learning takes place within a loving and trusting support system. I did, however, have a transformative learning experience that took place in a hostile, confrontational environment. This was a Black studies class where the teacher created a race-centric class atmosphere. At the end of the semester the whole class had a greater understanding of the discomfort and alienation felt by African-American students living in a society that was hostile to them.
Antonia, what you are saying is that you have experienced transformational learning in different kinds of environments. This suggests that transformational learning is not dependent on only one certain kind of environments. What does it depend on then?
ReplyDeleteBarbara