This roundtable discussion will be presented by two faculty advisors and the two student participants who are seeking STLR leadership badge through this project.  Participants in this roundtable discussion will engage in conversation regarding the students' experiences conducting research with campus leaders and how professional identity may be a unique means to measure transformative learning.  Anticipated outcomes for participants include how to engage students in deep learning by providing transformative learning opportunities and new means of measuring transformation.

Although teachers are viewed as community leaders, pre-service teachers' idealism regarding the profession can cause the transition from student to teacher to be particularly challenging in a field that is under intense scrutiny (Hong, 2010: Palmer, 2007).  Palmer (2007) argued a strong sense of identity is central to good teaching practice.  Moreover, professional identity has also been associated with student achievement, as well as teachers' motivation, resilience and retention. (Dingham, Chalk, Beltman, Glass & Nguyen, 2016: Hong 2010).  As a practical way to help two students develop their professional identity, a project involving student leadership of a languishing student education organization was conceptualized in conjunction with the students.  

Dinham, J. Chalk, B. Beltman, S. Glass, C. & Nguyen, B. (2016). Pathways to resilience: How drawings reveal pre-service teachers’ core narratives underpinning their future teacher-selves. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 45(2), 126-144. doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2016.1204424

Hong, J. (2010). Pre-service and beginning teachers’ professional identity and its relation to dropping out of the profession. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 1530-1543.

Palmer, P. (2007). The courage to teach. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Measuring Transformative Learning