Advisor

Yakaboski, Tamara

Committee Member

Rodriguez, Katrina L.

Committee Member

Guido, Florence M.

Department

Leadership, Policy and Development

Institution

University of Northern Colorado

Type of Resources

Text

Place of Publication

Greeley (Colo.)

Publisher

University of Northern Colorado

Date Created

12-1-2014

Genre

Thesis

Extent

209 pages

Digital Origin

Born digital

Description

The purpose of this qualitative, constructivist study utilizing portraiture methodology was to explore the experience of transformative learning from three perspectives: the learner, the educator who helped to create or support the experience, and a significant individual in the learner’s life. For this project, transformative learning was defined as learning that creates a shift or change in a person’s way of knowing, thinking, and being in the world, as well as how that person views one’s self and others within that world. A total of 12 individuals participated in the study: four learners, four educators, and four significant others. Data were collected through a total of 16 interviews: two individual interviews with each learner, one individual interview with each significant other, and a paired interview between learner and educator. The themes that emerged centered around characteristics of the learner, characteristics of the educator and learning environment, and the relationship between learner and educator. Additional themes included the learners finding a sense of voice and place, their desire to pay their transformative learning experiences forward to others, and the ways in which their relationships and perceptions of self changed. Implications for educators, including both faculty and student affairs professionals, as well as students, and directions for future research are discussed. Through this study, support is given for more widespread use of transformative teaching and learning practices in higher education.

Degree type

PhD

Degree Name

Doctoral

Language

English

Local Identifiers

Braun_unco_0161D_10370

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by author.

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