http://sites.uco.edu/academic-affairs/cettl/cettl-tl/uco-transformative-learning-guide.asp

 

Panel

Communicating Transformative Learning

Is transformative learning just for students? Or can organizations learn to change in ways that fundamentally alter their capacities for the better? Can a university learn to be a better university, not just incrementally, but in ways that enable whole new kinds of engagement with students? In this session, we will consider the governing values that make up an organizational paradigm, and how to change them.

Is transformative learning just for students? Or can organizations learn to change in ways that fundamentally alter their capacities for the better? Can a university learn to be a better university, not just incrementally, but in ways that enable whole new kinds of engagement with students? In this session, we will consider the governing values that make up an organizational paradigm, and how to change them.

Tagg, John. (2003). The Learning Paradigm College. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Plenary

Launching Transformative Learning

Preparing graduates for employment is quickly becoming an expected outcome of higher educational programs, regardless of discipline or degree level. At the same time, the 21^st century workplace is increasingly complex, interdependent, and dynamic, and workforce participants must be able to continually learn, reflect, adapt, change, and grow. Traditional forms of education and training – the transmission of knowledge, skills, and processes – are no longer sufficient as global and local conditions continually change, technology automates, and people work differently. Transformative learning approaches that focus on beyond-disciplinary skills and developing people’s capacities to see and think differently are more critical than ever.

Instead of focusing on graduates’ employment (with metrics such as job placement rates, starting salaries, and graduate satisfaction), we suggest focusing on developing learners’ employability, “the ability to find, create and sustain work and learning across lengthening working lives and multiple work settings” (http://developingemployability.edu.au/about/). The Quality Assurance Commons has partnered with 14 institutions to design a new way to evaluate educational quality focused on developing learners’ Essential Employability Qualities (EEQs). In this interactive session, we will collectively explore how transformative learning approaches support developing learners’ EEQs, and how we might consider our understanding of educational quality accordingly.

Preparing learners for employment is quickly becoming an expected outcome of all higher and postsecondary educational programs, regardless of discipline or degree level. But instead of focusing on employment, we suggest focusing on developing learners’ employability. Employability is “the ability to find, create and sustain work and learning across lengthening working lives and multiple work settings” (http://developingemployability.edu.au/about/) and thus involves developing learners’ people skills, problem-solving abilities, and professional strengths that graduates will need to thrive in and contribute to the changing world of work across their lifespans.

As Vaill (1996) suggested more than two decades ago, modern life is like “permanent white water,” full of novel situations and messy problems that require people to be able to make changes in themselves to address not only the know-what and know-how, but also the know-why of a given subject. The metaphor of permanent white water holds particularly true for 21st century work. Employees must be able to think critically, identify and solve problems creatively, engage with others collaboratively, communicate effectively, approach new situations differently, and learn continuously. These are Essential Employability Qualities (EEQs), and they are not specific to any discipline, field, or industry, but are applicable to most work-based, professional environments. They represent the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences that help ensure that graduates are not only ready for their first job, but also to support learners’ foundation for a lifetime of engaging employment and participation in the rapidly changing workplace of the 21st century.

Traditional forms of education and training – the transmission of knowledge, skills, and processes – are no longer sufficient as global and local conditions continually change, technology automates, and people must work differently. Transformative learning approaches that focus on beyond-disciplinary skills and developing people’s capacities to see and think differently are more critical than ever. Furthermore, as higher education faces extreme pressures to prepare students for this world of work, we must find a way to assure that the educational approaches appropriately prepare students with Essential Employability Qualities, and we need to find ways to evaluate and communicate the quality of programs in new ways that move beyond the easy to measure metrics of job placement.

In this interactive panel session, facilitators will highlight a new approach to quality assurance that is being co-designed with 27 higher educational programs from 14 institutions. This approach focuses on certifying programs that develop learners’ employability qualities. Participants in this session will draw upon their own experiences as educators, employees, and employers in considering the changing world of work in the 21^st century. Using a problem-based approach, the facilitator will introduce participants to the rationale for and goals of the EEQ Certification co-design project. Participants will also have the opportunity to consider the perspectives and educational practices of two of the project’s partners – University of Central Oklahoma and Guttman Community College. Participants will also engage in a facilitated discussion exploring the various ways that transformative learning practices can be aligned with and lend support to the development of learners’ Essential Employability Qualities.

The EEQs represent current and future employer expectations as reflected in numerous studies, such as those completed by Burning Glass, LinkedIn, ACT, the Foresight Alliance, Jobs for the Future, Career Tech, the Business Roundtable, O*NET, third way, National Network of Business and Industry Associations, and the Institute for the Future, to name a few.

Many of the EEQs also build upon existing learning frameworks and outcomes embedded in many academic programs. The qualities can be appropriately adapted to degree and certificate programs of different levels, timeframes, and modalities. Many of these qualities are included in existing aspects of some programs, but by necessity, they have an applied work-based character that may warrant separate or supplemental articulation and application in order to prepare graduates for a lifetime of successful employability.  There are existing frameworks that generally reflect aspects of the EEQs, including:

• Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP)
• AAC&U’s Essential Learning Outcomes
• NACE’s Career Readiness Competencies
• Connecting Credentials Framework

Stephens, Rachel. “Automate This: Building the Perfect 21st-Century Worker.” ThirdWay. April 7, 2017. http://www.thirdway.org/report/automate-this-building-the-perfect-21st-century-worker

Stokes, Peter. (2015). Higher Education and Employability: New Models for Integrating Learning and Work. MA: Harvard Education Press.

Vaill, Peter. (1996). Learning as a Way of Being: Strategies for Survival in a World of Permanent White Water. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

50-Minute Interactive Session

Measuring Transformative Learning
Communicating Transformative Learning

Innovation is a hot topic in education, but how do we make it happen on a practical level? Moreover, how do we ensure that learning innovations promote engaged, meaningful, transformative learning experiences with measurable and sustainable outcomes? This hands-on, interactive session introduces approaches to identifying personal and organizational drivers of innovation in learning environments and visual mapping techniques for planning and developing successful and sustainable results. Understanding an individual’s or organization’s capacity for innovation is essential to identifying drivers of innovation, promoting abundant ideation, and managing promising concepts and moving them through the innovation cycle from ideas to action.

This session will empower participants to:

• determine personal, team, and organization capacities for learning innovation
• identify drivers of and barriers to innovation in learning environments
• use Learning Environment Modeling to map, plan, and develop innovation initiatives
• assess learning innovation operations and outcomes

Innovation is a hot topic in education, but many who aspire to reimagine, renew, even revolutionize learning, projects, and processes at the personal, team, or organizational level find it challenging to make innovation happen on a practical level. This is due not only to the many components in the innovation landscape that need to be understood, but also to the need for an effective, strategic approach for communicating one’s vision and for decision-making in mapping, planning, and implementing new ideas. It is also essential to ensure that learning innovations promote engaged, meaningful, transformative learning experiences with measurable and sustainable outcomes rather than simply encourage change for the sake of change. This interactive session will guide participants through the process of profiling learning environment innovation landscapes in order to identify drivers of meaningful innovation, promote abundant ideation, and manage promising concepts and move them through the innovation cycle from ideas to action.

Participants will complete a Learning Environment Innovation Inventory (LEii) and explore how its findings influence the innovation cycle of generating and identifying promising ideas and moving them through experimental and development phases that culminate in successful and sustainable operations. They will also learn to leverage their personal innovation landscape profile to maximize capacity for and bridge potential barriers to innovation by using the award-winning design technique Learning Environment Modeling (LEM) to plan effective implementation strategies for new ideas.

LEM is a revolutionary, visual, tangible, interactive technique for reimagining and innovating learning environment design. This approach serves as a powerful tool to innovate and energize learning in any environment—online, traditional, or blended; academic or corporate. LEM offers an engaging, enjoyable, and easy-to-learn visualization method for communicating key components in learning environments, just as architectural blueprints communicate building plans. It allows designers to create an idea canvas and invite others to engage in the design experience by rearranging and adding to designs and capture ideas as they evolve, all the while inspiring creativity and innovation. As such, it serves as a catalyst for effective communication, decision making, and collaboration, eliminates barriers to and fosters innovation, and inspires creativity.

LEM disrupts the flow of inefficient miscommunication and allows effective idea sharing by way of a simplified language—Learning Environment Modeling Language (LEML)--that consists of four primary features: Building Blocks, Contexts, Actions, and Notations. These components can be assembled in limitless configurations to represent any learning environment imaginable. Intentional, strategic, coordinated implementation of LEM helps educators advance the overarching design goal of creating engaging learning experiences and improving learner success, thereby advancing innovation in learning.

Participants will:

• complete a Learning Environment Innovation Inventory
• consider examples of proven models for innovation
• learn and use LEM and LEML to develop an idea for innovation
• obtain feedback LEMs from workshop participants and facilitators

 This session will empower participants to:

• determine personal, team, and organization capacities for learning innovation
• identify drivers of and barriers to innovation in learning environments
• use Learning Environment Modeling to map, plan, and develop innovation initiatives
• assess learning innovation operations and outcomes

Christensen, C. (2016). The innovators dilemma: When new technologies cause great firms to fail.

Couros, G. (2015). The innovator's mindset: Empower learning, unleash talent, and lead a culture of creativity.

Johnson, S. (2010). Where good ideas come from.

Llopis, G. & Eber, J. (2017). The innovation mentality: Six strategies to disrupt the status quo and reinvent the way we work.

Quinn, C. (2014). Revolutionize learning & development: Performance and innovation strategy for the information age.

Spence, J. (2009). Awesomely simple: Essential strategies for turning ideas into action.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Launching Transformative Learning

This presentation will provide basic information about sketchnoting and introduce you to the research behind visual note taking and why it benefits both students and teachers. In addition to the theoretical portion of the presentation, there will also be several practical/hands-on opportunities during the session. 

By the end of the presentation, you will be able to: state the benefits of using sketchnoting in personal, professional, and educational settings, list multiple tools (analog and digital) to use when sketchnoting, and experience sketchnoting first hand to gain an understanding of the process so you can develop ways to begin sketchnoting with students.

We are incredible at remembering pictures. Hear a piece of information and three days later you'll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you'll remember 65%.

Listeners, thinkers, and collaborators have always found simple drawings help them express themselves and help others understand what they are communicating. If you are a doodler, you are in good company, because many famous writers and historical figures are known for their idle sketches. Jack Kennedy drew in meetings, John Keats drew when writing, and of course, Michelangelo is known for his illustrated notes.

Back in 2006, Michael Rohde had the idea to harness this energy and use it to create more memorable notes by incorporating meaningful images in his notes. Rohde found this rewarding. He found that notes with illustrations stayed in his memory much better. (Rohde, 2013). From this initial experimentation came the practice called  "sketchnoting." Increasingly the practice of visual note taking has found its way into the world of education as well as business.

Visual literacy and visual learning should be in our educational vocabulary.  How often do we directly or indirectly teach visual literacy? If we do not directly teach visual literacy we should. Sketchnoting is one way to build students' knowledge and ability in visual literacy. Some of us might even find it easier to teach visual literacy using sketchnoting.

'The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE, 2012) shares the importance of visuals and learning in Media Literacy in the K‐12 Classroom (www.iste.org). Chapter 3, "Visual Literacy", is dedicated to helping students understand how to read and understand visual information. In sketchnoting, students are the interpreters and creators of visual information through text and drawn images.

Janet Zadina, a neuroscientist and an educator, writes "the learner must make a connection from his or her existing neural network (background knowledge) to the new material" (p.18). Sketchnoting is a way to make that connection. It is one way in which educators are able to guide students to use metacognition in the learning process.

Finally, Paivio's (1971), Dual Coding Theory states that both verbal and visual processing is essential to learning. When we activate both channels at once, so that they're working together, we're better able to understand and remember ideas.

This presentation will provide basic information about sketchnoting and introduce participants to the research behind visual note taking and why it benefits both students and teachers. In addition to the theoretical portion of the presentation, there will also be several practical/hands-on opportunities during the session. 

By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: state the benefits of using sketchnoting in personal, professional, and educational settings, list multiple tools (analog and digital) to use when sketchnoting, and experience sketchnoting first hand to gain an understanding of the process so the participant can develop ways to begin sketchnoting with students.

International Society for Technology in Education. (2012). Media literacy in the K-12 classroom.

Paivio, A. (1971). Imagery and learning. Imagery: Current cognitive approaches, Academic Press, New York.

Rohde, M. (2013). The sketchnote handbook New York: Peachpit Press.

Zadina, J. (2014). Multiple pathways to the student brain: Energizing and enhancing instruction. John Wiley & Sons.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Launching Transformative Learning

The areas of sustainability and transformative learning share many commonalities, particularly in terms of how they affect individual students' educational journey. TL at UCO, with its emphasis on creating ethical and engaged citizens, and sustainability, which emphasizes the interplay between environmental, economic, and social issues, both require critical reflection in the individual learner. This inward thought can then be used to inspire in students a desire for change and action.

This student panel allows participants to hear the ways in which UCO students' work in sustainability has transformed their personal and/or professional lives. 

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

1.) Learn how co-curricular sustainability projects, as well as coursework that utilizes sustainability pedagogy, can be transformative in nature and can have a profound effect on students day-to-day habits, as well as their chosen career paths, hobbies, and deeply held beliefs.

2.) Hear several examples of how critical reflection of one's self and society from a sustainability framework can propel students towards a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that affect individual and societal change.

3.) Be introduced to ways in which they might be able to bring together the disciplines of transformative learning and sustainability on their campuses. 

Sustainability at UCO (which encompasses The Office of Sustainability and Sustainability Studies minor) utilizes Sustainability pedagogy (Burns, 2009), among other theories, as the foundation for its programs and coursework. The Burn's Model for Sustainability Pedagogy emphasizes place-based learning (Sobel and Orr), experiential education (as posited by Kolb), Critical Theory (Friere, hooks), and, most prominently, transformative learning theory (particularly Mezirow and Baumgartner, but also Dirkx). Much of the curricular and co-curricular sustainability work at UCO begins with an analysis of the current paradigms in place, and how these paradigms help or hinder sustainability. Because of this, critical reflection is paramount to the student's understanding of these paradigms, and, perhaps more importantly, their place within them. It is not enough to simply identify and describe an existing problem. One must always consider the nature of the problem, the history and evolution of that problem in society, and the ways in which one has individually exacerbated or helped alleviate the symptoms of that problem. This requires a deep look at how one interacts with the mechanisms of modern society and the natural world. The ultimate goal, according to Burns, is to teach in a way that “empowers and inspires learners to be able to solve complex problems and make changes that regenerate and sustain places and communities” (2009). This closely aligns with transformative learning theory’s emphasis on inquiry, reflection, analysis of current paradigms, and the focus on experiential education as a means to teach students. Sustainability at UCO strives to make the entire campus, and, indeed, the communities in which our students live and work, living laboratories. Students are asked to focus on problems they experience each and every day, from what to eat for dinner, to how they travel to school or work, to how to be more inclusive in their thoughts and actions. In this way, students are encouraged to rethink modern society using their own experiences, and their own communities as a case study.

This student panel will expound on the ways in which students learn and are transformed from the projects they do within the realm of sustainability while at UCO. These projects, which focus on energy, food, transportation, peer education, gardening, and other issues, showcase the model of transformative education through a sustainability lens. Students will share their experiences, and time will be allotted for participants to ask questions and brainstorm ways in which they can build sustainability-minded programs that utilize codified theory from the area of transformative learning. Participants could be faculty, staff, or students from many different disciplines and backgrounds who are interested in hearing a student perspective of how transformative learning and sustainability can be utilized in tandem to create meaningful learning experiences for students.

Bergeå, Ola, Karlsson, Reine, Hedlund-Åström, Reine, Jacobsson, Per, Luttropp, Conrad. (2006) Education for sustainability as a transformative learning process: A pedagogical experiment in EcoDesign doctoral education. Journal for Cleaner Production, 15(15-16), 1431-1442.

Burns, H. (2011). Teaching for transformation: (Re)Designing sustainability courses based on ecological principles. Journal of Sustainability Education, 2.

Dirkx, J. (1998). Transformative learning theory in the practice of adult education: An overview. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 7, 1-14.

Mezirow, Jack, Taylor, Edward W., and Associates. (2011). Transformative learning in practice: Insights from community, workplace, and higher education. Jossey-Bass. San Francisco. 1^st ed.

Moore, J. (2005). Is higher education ready for transformative learning? A question explored in the study of sustainability. Journal of Transformative Education, 77-91.

Singleton, J. (2015). Head, heart and hands model for transformative learning: Place as context for changing sustainability values. Journal for Sustainability Education, 9.

Singleton, J. (2015). Head, heart and hands model for transformative learning: Place as context for changing sustainability values. Journal for Sustainability Education, 9.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

This interactive session focuses on critically reflecting on transformative learning. The idea of lifelong learning as a continuous experience is rarely addressed as part of the learning process. The Learning Cycle has been explored at length by several authors. However, the Lifelong Learning Experience goes beyond the learning cycle and is a neglected process when we address learning. We hear about lifelong learning but what is it, really? What part does our role in the classroom play in lifelong learning?

This session will focus on the Transformative Learning concept of reflection, both on the part of the student and the teacher, leading to better understanding of how evaluating our influences impacts learning. Interactive activities in this section will lead to several outcomes for the participants, including: Evaluate the role of the instructor on lifelong learning; and analyze the role of feelings that influence learning in the classroom. The session itself will be an example of transformative learning as it will utilize discovery learning and group activities.

This interactive session focuses on critically reflecting in transformative learning. The idea of lifelong learning as a continuous experience is rarely addressed as part of the learning process. The Learning Cycle has been explored in length by several authors, including Kolb (1984) and Pfeiffer and Jones (1985). However, the Lifelong Learning Experience (Gordon, 2017) goes beyond the learning cycle and is a neglected process when we address learning. We hear about lifelong learning but what is it, really? What part does our role in the classroom play in lifelong learning?

This session will focus on the Transformative Learning concept of reflection, both on the part of the student and the teacher, leading to better understanding of how evaluating our influences impacts learning (Instructional Design.org, 2015). Interactive activities in this section include a reflection on positive and negative feelings in the classroom; a sharing time on student engagement; an activity on the dimensions of lifelong learning; a feedback activity and a class planning activity. The session itself will be an example of transformative learning as it will utilize discovery learning and group activities (Slavich & Zimardo, 2012).

Sample of Activities:

• Positive and Negative Feelings Tree Activity
• Discussion on student engagement
• Sticker Dot activity on dimensions of lifelong learning
• Feedback box activity

 Session Objectives:

1. Identify the differences between the Learning Cycle and the Lifelong Learning Experience.
2. Evaluate the role of the instructor on lifelong learning.
3. Discuss the Transformative Learning concept of reflection.
4. Analyze the role of feelings that influence learning in the classroom.
5. Assess the importance of feedback in lifelong learning.

Gordon, C. (2017). The lifelong learning experience.

Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning experience as a source of learning and
development. New Jersey, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Culatta, R. (2015). Transformative learning. Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/transformative-learning.html

Pfeiffer, J.W., & Jones, J.E. (1983). Experiential learning model. Adapted from Reference Guide to Handouts and Annuals. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Slavich, G. M., & Zimbardo, P. G. (2012). Transformational teaching: Theoretical underpinnings, basic principles, and core methods. Educational  Psychology Review, 24(4), 569–608. 

50-Minute Interactive Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Summary: Transformative Learning (TL) is generally a reference to an adult learning theory proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 1970's in the United States. This session will give an introduction to TL theory through the lens of Mezirow, and also delve into contemporary explanations of this "living" theory. Participants will critically reflect on their understanding of learner transformation through discussion and concept mapping activities.

Transformative Learning (TL) is generally a reference to an adult learning theory proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 1970's in the United States. Prior work by von Humboldt, Friere, Habermas, and others both informed TL theory and spun-off parallel theories. In fact, even Mezirowian TL theory is a living theory, with continued publications and explorations into its validity and process. This session will give an introduction to TL theory through the lens of Mezirow, and also delve into contemporary explanations. Participants will critically reflect on their understanding of learner transformation through discussion and concept mapping activities.

Dirkx, J.M., Mezirow, J., Cranton, P. (2006). Musings and Reflections on the Meaning, Context, and Process of Transformative Learning: A Dialogue Between John M. Dirkx and Jack Mezirow. Journal of Transformative Education, 4(2): 123–139.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed (30th anniversary ed.). New York: Continuum.

Glisczinski, D.J. (2015). Transforming our perspectives: Tattoos, the hippocampus, and premise reflection. Journal of Transformative Learning, 3(1).

Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective Transformation. Adult Education, 100–110.

von Humboldt, W. (2000). Theory of Bildung in Teaching As A Reflective Practice: The German Didaktik Tradition. Ian Westbury, Stefan Hopmann, Kurt Riquarts, eds. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Transformative Learning “is a process of examining, questioning, validating, and revising our perspectives” (Cranton, 2016).  It is about inviduals making introspective decisions leading to positive changes of behavior. This approach is particularly relevant and important to foreign language teachers striving to help students to attain, not only linguistic, but socio-cultural competencies. Developing higher order cognitive and critical thinking skills prepares  learners to function in an increasingly globalized and rapidly changing world.

The presenters will share experiences in designing and implementing an advanced-level foreign language curriculum using tranformative learning principles.  Authentic target language country materials (covering environmental, cultural, social, medical and diplomatic issues) are selected to improve students’ ability to analzye, evaluate, synthesize and infer meaning between-the-lines and beyond-the-text to gain a deeper understanding of issues from multiple perspectives and applied gained knowledge to solve real world problems. The 3-Phase Model in each lesson takes learners through a cycle of tranformative experience: (1) Opinion Forming; (2) Opinion Validating/Challenging/Expanding; and (3) New Opinion Forming.  The presenters will discuss the approaches/strategies in implementing a curriculum employing rational discourse/dialog through peer teaching and teachers as facilitators. Attendees will be provided with a 3-Phase Model Lesson Template and a list of activites promoting transformative learning.

Transformative Learning “is a process of examining, questioning, validating, and revising our perspectives” (Cranton, 2016).  It is about inviduals making introspective decisions leading to positive changes of behavior. This approach is particularly relevant and important to foreign language teachers striving to help students to attain, not only linguistic, but socio-cultural competencies. Developing higher order cognitive and critical thinking skills prepares  learners to function in an increasingly globalized and rapidly changing world.

The presenters will share experiences in designing and implementing an advanced-level foreign language curriculum using tranformative learning principles.  Authentic target language country materials (covering environmental, cultural, social, medical and diplomatic issues) are selected to improve students’ ability to analzye, evaluate, synthesize and infer meaning between-the-lines and beyond-the-text to gain a deeper understanding of issues from multiple perspectives and applied gained knowledge to solve real world problems. The 3-Phase Model in each lesson takes learners through a cycle of tranformative experience: (1) Opinion Forming; (2) Opinion Validating/Challenging/Expanding; and (3) New Opinion Forming.  The presenters will discuss the approaches/strategies in implementing a curriculum employing rational discourse/dialog through peer teaching and teachers as facilitators. They will also share students’ comments about their experiences in different stages of transformatgive learning.

The presenters will ask attendees the following questions:
1. Most important components for incorporating the transformative learning principles when designing an advanced-level foreign language course curriculum.
2. Teacher's and student's role in transformative learning. Teacher's preparation for this role.
3. The role of technology in effective teaching through innovation and empowerment.
4. Deep learning through autonomy and meaningful student's engagement. 

Attendees will be provided with a 3-Phase Model Lesson Template and a list of activites promoting transformative learning.

Cranton, P. (2006). Understanding and promoting transformative learning: A guide for educators of adults (2nd ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mezirow, J, Taylor, E.W. & Associates (2009). Transformative learning in practice: Insights from community, workplace and higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Students often arrive on University campuses unprepared for the amounts and kinds of reading and writing which will be required for them to be successful in completing degrees and in obtaining and maintaining employment in the future. Entering first-year, and in some cases, advanced students do not understand that they will be writing in a number of contexts throughout their lives.  This presentation will focus on ways in which students can actively engage with reading/writing and gain a greater understanding of the importance of revision. Outcomes of the research related to this project are as follows:1. students are more engaged with writing when prompts and projects are parts of a larger project/portfolio, are grounded in problem solving/real-world scenarios/case studies, or are tied to a professional or publication opportunity when completed; 2. student revision improves when specific, individualized feedback--beyond traditional rubric and paper-based comments--is given.  The presentation will include assignment, case study, and rubric/assessment samples as well as data collected about revision and writing related to this study.   Participants will be encouraged to share assignments and ideas about ways in which to promote the idea of students as life-long writers. 

College students, as faculty know, demonstrate varying levels of writing competence. While most have been taught writing and revision processes in high school, they frequently do not possess the efficacy, motivation, or skills required to be successful with writing at the college level and in their future careers. New students, and sometimes continuing ones, consider writing to be something that only happens in their English classes. Reluctant readers/writers, students who come from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, and students who have traditionally been considered at-risk frequently find themselves overwhelmed by writing and revision.    

Simultaneously, encouraging and giving guidance about deep revision often proves difficult for faculty members who struggle to articulate how a submission can be improved.  Further, in the face of decreased higher education funding across the United States, faculty and administrators are compelled to engage and retain students to off-set funding decreases with self-generated monies. Unfortunately, writing sometimes becomes the assignment which leads to student failure.  A review of literature from various disciplines--Writing and Composition, Nursing, Education, and Educational Psychology, and Student Success, supports a number of high- and low-tech approaches and modalities aimed at providing the tools that students need to be successful in both success in degree completion and developing skills needed to write in their future careers. 

Building upon the data from the aforementioned review of the literature, this mixed methods study utilizes data derived from first-year writing courses, sophomore literature courses, advanced English courses, and upper-level educational psychology courses. Data have also been gathered via focus groups, surveys, and personal interviews. Initial findings from the pilot study indicate that students will better engage with writing when prompts and projects are parts of a larger project/portfolio, are grounded in problem-solving/real-world scenarios/case studies, or are provided with a professional or publishing opportunity when completed, and secondarily, student revision improves when specific, individualized feedback beyond traditional rubric and paper-based comments is given. These two elements combined with a revision policy that allows students to resubmit assignments until they are content with their level of mastery/grade, appear to have a positive effect on student achievement.  Findings indicate that those students receiving interactive, individualized instructor responses received higher scores on assignments and engage in deep revision.  Data from this ongoing study point toward new methods of enhancing student success across the curriculum.    

This presentation will engage participants in discussion of prompts/case studies/assessments/writing opportunities for students which will lead students to engage in writing and revision beyond error correction and to help them to better understand the role of writing in their future lives.  Participants will be encouraged to share ideas and assignments which have helped them to strengthen their classroom practice.  

Beech, J.,  William H. Thelin, a., & Joseph Harris, a. (2004). A Comment on Joseph Harris's "Revision as a Critical Practice". College English, (5), 554. doi:10.2307/4140735

Bok, Derek. (2006) Our Underachieving Colleges: A Candid Look at How Much Students Learn and Why They Should Be Learning More, by Derek Bok. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

West, T. & Harris, J. (1996). "Changing Habits of Thinking": An Interview with Joseph Harris. Writing On The Edge, (2), 5.

Harris, J. (2012). Teaching Subject, A : Composition Since 1966, New Edition. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press.

Harris, J. (2006). Déjà Vu All Over Again. College Composition & Communication, 57(3), 535.

Kennison, M. (2012). Developing Reflective Writing as Effective Pedagogy. Nursing Education Perspectives (National League For Nursing), 33(5), 306-311.

Nora, A., Oseguera, L., Mortenson, T., Mina, L., Morrison, L., Silverman, L., & ... Crisp, G. (2012). College Student Retention : Formula for Student Success. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Spann, N. & Vincent, T. (1990). Student Retention: An Interview with Vincent Tinto. Journal Of Developmental Education, (1), 18.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

This presentation will display a simple method of using points of reference as learning prompts in order to give meaning and value to the mission.  While implementation of this method allows leaders to get all constituents on the same page, so to speak, it is also in line with methods that can be implemented in the classroom to more fully engage students in the why of learning.  Audience members will participate in the development of learning prompts associated with varied reference points (predominantly hand and face points) that will be assigned meaning and value.  These learning prompts will be associated with the mission of a university, academic department, or classroom.  The following leadership take-a-ways will be included:

• Incorporation of learning prompts in teaching to more fully engage students
• Incorporation of learning prompts in leadership to more fully engage constituents
• Ideas for improving mission planning
• Development of a stump speech for why the mission is the mission.

Ambiguity is a common problem in American education today.  It seems that we are not sure who we really are, what business we are truly in, and we are certainly not always in unison on where we want to go, why we need to go there, nor what our plans are to get there. Leaders of educational organizations (universities, colleges, departments, and faculty) often know the answers to these questions (the mission); however, leaders often fail to convey the mission with continuity and understanding to all of their constituents.  Additionally, teachers often find it difficult to convey why students need to value education (whether it is about core processes or about one particular lesson).  This breakdown in communication leads to ambiguity, and ambiguity is a reason that organizations and learning fail.  Having a true north -- a unified understanding of our mission -- is imperative for success.  Assigning meaning and value to learning prompts can help leaders bring clarity of mission (desired outcome) back into focus.

This presentation will display a simple method of using points of reference as learning prompts in order to give meaning and value to the mission.  While implementation of this method allows leaders to get all constituents on the same page, so to speak, it is also in line with methods that can be implemented in the classroom to more fully engage students in the why of learning.  Audience members will participate in the development of learning prompts associated with varied reference points (predominantly hand and face points) that will be assigned meaning and value.  These learning prompts will be associated with the mission of a university, academic department, or classroom.  The following leadership take-a-ways will be included:

• Incorporation of learning prompts in teaching to more fully engage students
• Incorporation of learning prompts in leadership to more fully engage constituents
• Development of a stump speech for why the mission is the mission. Will now include a quick example and handout of ideas for developing a 30-second elevator speech for a student-focused mission which incorporates transformative learning.

The presentation is rooted in organizational leadership ideas presented in Bolman & Deal’s Reframing Organizations, in which research has shown highly successfully organizations to be in alignment with their missions.

Berger, W. (2014). A more beautiful question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. New York, NY: Bloomsbury USA.

Bolman, L., Deal, T. (2013). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (5^th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Burka, P. (2012, Oct.). Storming the ivory tower. Texas Monthly.

Gardner, J. W. (2007). The nature of leadership. The Jossey-Bass Reader on educational leadership (2nd ed., pp. 17-26). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/John Wiley & Sons.

Scott, S. (2002). Fierce conversations: Achieving success at work & in life, one conversation at a time. New York, NY: The Berkley Publishing Group.

Sinek, S. (2011). Starting with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Based on perspectives of education theorist’s such as Paulo Freire, Maxine Greene, and Jean Piaget, this session will focus on launching transformative learning, by triggering cognitive dissonance, disruption, and/or disequilibrium through the use of critical curricula. Participants will be provided foundational aspects to creating this type of learning experience based on theory, practical examples, and research, prior to being guided through discussions and brainstorming.

Based on education theorist’s perspectives such as Paulo Freire, Maxine Greene, and Jean Piaget, this session will focus on launching transformative learning, by triggering cognitive dissonance, disruption, and/or disequilibrium through the use of critical curricula. Participants will be provided foundational aspects to creating this type of learning experience prior to being guided through discussions and brainstorming. Three foundational aspects to be presented are One, a snapshot of critical theorists’ perspectives (previously listed). Two, examples of “disruptive” assignments within critical curricula in teacher education courses. Three, highlights of case study research conducted by the presenter on implemented critical curricula. Moreover, the created learning environment and tone will be discussed as context to teaching from a critical perspective (Palmer, 2007). Participants will be guided through a discussion and brainstorming session to determine opportunities for creating cognitive dissonance, disequilibrium, or constructing disruption for their respective learners, and should leave the session with ideas to implement in their teaching. Additionally, the presenter will share a handout of examples focusing on cross-curricular experiences to help support these specified aspects of launching transformative learning.

Freire, P. (1970). pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum International.

Freire, P. (1974). Education for critical consciousness. New York, NY: Continuum.

Freire, P. (1998). Pedagogy of freedom, ethics, democracy and civic courage. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Greenleaf, C., & Weiller, K. (2005). Perceptions of youth obesity among physical educators. Social Psychology of Education, 8(4), 407-423.

Greene, M. (1988). The dialectic of freedom. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Hoffman, J., Chaykin, D., HBO Documentary Films., Institute of Medicine (U.S.), Center for Disease Control., National Institutes of Health (U.S.), & Kaiser Permanente. (2012). The weight of the nation. New York: HBO Home Box Office

Houser, N. (2008). Cultural plunge: a critical approach for multicultural development in teacher education, Race Ethnicity and Education, 11:4, 465-482. doi:10.1080/13613320802479034

McIntosh, P. (1992). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Multiculturalism, 30-36.

Nieto, J. (2006). Cultural Immersion as a Means of Promoting Self-Awareness and Cultural Sensitivity among Student Teachers. Teacher Education Quarterly.

Piaget, J. (1972). The principles of genetic epistemology. New York: Basic Books

Sage, G. H. (1990). Power and ideology in American sport: A critical perspective. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Sage, G. H. (1997). Sociocultural aspects of human movement: The heritage of modernism, the need for a postmodernism. In J. M. Fernandez-Balboa, Critical postmodernism in human movement, physical education and sport (pp. 11-26). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Publications.

Shirts, R. G. (1969). Starpower. Western Behavioral Sciences Institute.

Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Chicago Press.

Sparkes, A. C., (1992). Research in physical educiaotn and sport: Exploring alternative visions. Brisol, PA: The Falmer Press.

Tinning, R. (1997). Performance and participation discourses in human performance: Toward a socially critical physical education. In J.-M. Fernandez-Balboa, Critical postmodernism in human movement, physical education and sport (pp. 99-120). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Launching Transformative Learning

From the moment that Stella and Charles Guttman Community College (GCC) of the City University of New York opened its doors in August of 2012, work-focused experiential learning has been deeply embedded in the student experience. Guttman’s mission promises to support graduates in successfully completing their degrees and helping them prepare for jobs that offer them a family sustaining wage. As the college celebrates its 5th anniversary, we have taken the opportunity to step back and review our experiential learning pathway and assess the extent to which it is supporting this goal. In this session participants will: 1) Analyze the GCC experiential learning pathway, including the strong foundations set in the first year with the Ethnographies of Work (Hoffman 2016) two-part course, using the EEQ pilot framework; 2) Explore ways to elevate and assess work-based experiential learning in the Experiential Learning Pathway.

From the moment that Stella and Charles Guttman Community College (GCC) of the City University of New York opened its doors in August of 2012, work-focused experiential learning has been deeply embedded in the student experience (Concept Paper 2008). Guttman’s mission promises to support graduates in successfully completing their degrees and helping them prepare for jobs that will offer them a family sustaining wage. As the college celebrates its 5^th anniversary, we have taken the opportunity to step back and review our experiential learning pathway and assess the extent to which it is supporting this goal.

The assessment of our experiential learning pathway was bolstered by our participation in the Essential Employability Qualities (EEQ) pilot (EEQ Pilot Overview 2017). The EEQ pilot is a project of the Quality Assurance Commons for Higher and Postsecondary Education funded through the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) under a grant from the Lumina Foundation. Though the pilot was focused on one program, the EEQ process encouraged GCC faculty, staff, and administrators to take a careful look at how EEQ learning was happening in experiential, work-related ways throughout a student’s experience.

Our examination of the experiential learning pathway through the EEQ pilot process pointed us toward three key next steps:

1. Define and scaffold work-focused experiential learning opportunities and related student learning outcomes along the pathway.
2. Elevate work-based experiences along the pathway.
3. Develop an assessment plan that will help our institution continue to strive toward our goal of helping students build the skills and competencies necessary to thrive in today’s dynamic workforce.

In this interactive session, we will work in small groups to 1) Analyze the GCC experiential learning pathway, including the strong foundations set in the first year with the Ethnographies of Work (Hoffman 2016) two-part course, using the EEQ pilot framework; 2) Explore ways to elevate and assess work-based experiential learning in the Experiential Learning Pathway. 

The City University of New York, Office of Academic Affairs. (2008). A new community college concept paper. Retrieved from http://guttman.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ANewCommunityCollegeConceptPaperFinalAug152008withoutdraft.pdf

The Quality Assurance Commons for Higher and Post Secondary Education. EEQ pilot overview. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3tSjBEgUrybQ1FZV04zVDVLSkFRSFZUU2hSUzVFTC1Vd29r/view

Hoffman, N. (2016). Guttman Community College puts “work” at the center of Llarning: An approach to student economic mobility, change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 48(4), 14-23. doi:10.1080/00091383.2016.1198167

50-Minute Interactive Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

Transformative learning research (Mezirow, 2000) inspired the development of the Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Program (GSTEP) at the University of North Texas. This program provides a context for many novice educators to learn teaching skills and pedagogy, examine personal assumptions, and critically reflect about teaching experiences. The program also establishes a community of diverse learners who are genuinely interested in teaching and supporting their peers. Increasing skills competency and self-efficacy are the two program goals.

In this presentation, we will share the learning processes of individuals engaged in the GSTEP.  We have collected critical reflection essays and Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQ’s) from GSTEP participants and will describe the results of our analysis of these reflections using themes based upon the work of Mezirow (2000) and Kember (1999). 

We will also facilitate an interactive session with session participants to examine teaching assumptions and reflect on the impact of these assumptions on teaching practices. Using a process similar to that we introduce to our GSTEP participants, we will engage in exploration of the question, “What makes someone a ‘good’ teacher? We will work in small groups to find common themes and critically examine the assumptions that have led us to our conclusions.

In this presentation, we will share the learning processes of individuals engaged in the Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Program (GSTEP) at the University of North Texas.  We have collected critical reflection essays and Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQ’s) from GSTEP participants that have demonstrated levels of transformative learning. We will include our analysis of these reflections using themes based upon the work of Mezirow (2000) and Kember (1999). 

In this session, we will also facilitate an interactive session with session participants to examine teaching assumptions and reflect on the impact of these assumptions on teaching practices. Using a process similar to that we introduce to our GSTEP participants, we will engage in exploration of the question, “What makes someone a ‘good’ teacher?" We will work in small groups to find common themes and critically examine the assumptions that have led us to our conclusions.  

Transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000) inspired the development of GSTEP. This program provides a context for many novice educators to learn new teaching skills and pedagogical theory, examine personal assumptions about teaching, and critically reflect about teaching experiences. The program also establishes a community of diverse learners who are genuinely interested in teaching and supporting their peers.  In this community, participants use the Wenger-Trayner social learning model (2015).  A central component of GSTEP is critical reflection, influenced by the work of scholars such as Mezirow (2000) and Brookfield (2015).  Critical reflection is embedded in many of the activities participants experience throughout the GSTEP. 

GSTEP has two major goals: (1) developing competency with teaching skills and (2) increasing self-efficacy related to teaching.  Participants engage in peer seminars, explore pedagogical literature, prepare and implement a micro-teaching lesson reviewed by their peers, and teach in a class in their discipline.  They explore their assumptions about teaching through critical reflection.  The overall experience assists them to engage learners, design active learning lessons based on achievable outcomes, facilitate student interaction, and link new learning to knowledge and experiences relevant to students’ lives. Self-efficacy development in GSTEP is based upon the work of Bandura (1977). Participants work with mentors and faculty to gain competency, engage in modeling experiences, receive encouragement and coaching, and gain support with their emotional responses to teaching.  

Opportunities to experience disorienting dilemmas (Mezirow, 2000) are part of the GSTEP program and critical reflection process. From the beginning, program mentors guide participants to discover and recognize the influence of their teaching assumptions. In classrooms they experience student learning experiences very different from their own and explore the effectiveness of multiple teaching strategies. They learn about students with varying needs and past experiences. Throughout the program, individuals complete critical incident questionnaires (CIQ) and critical reflection essays that document the transformative learning process. They leave the program with comments such as: “Teaching is harder than I thought it would be."

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.  Psychological Review. 84(2), 191-215.

Brookfield, S. D. (2015). The skillful teacher. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kember, D. (1999). Determining the level of reflective thinking from students’ written journals using a coding scheme based on the work of Mezirow. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 18(1), 18-30.

Mezirow, J. & Associates. (2000). Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Wenger-Trayner, E & B. (2015). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Retrieved from http://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice

50-Minute Interactive Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Students bring high hopes to their pursuit of an education, but too often, they also experience internal and external obstacles that can interfere with their success.  By identifying and planning for these obstacles faculty can support students in transforming their understanding of self as learner.  In this research-informed workshop participants will use case examples to identify typical obstacles and develop proactive strategies for faculty to help students.  We can improve students’ academic resilience and self-regulation and create an atmosphere that promotes help-seeking and autonomy.  Being compassionate does not require that we lower our standards.  Rather, we can help students understand what it takes to learn effectively, develop the self-discipline to do what it takes, and believe that their efforts will be successful to achieve learning outcomes. Thus, the first learning outcome for participants is to identify obstacles that interfere with their students' chances of success.  The second learning outcome for participants is to develop solutions and interventions that will help students achieve success, transforming their understanding of self as learner.  Key themes of the discussion will be (1) faculty-student interactions, (2) fit (self-efficacy) and belonging (shared values), (3) faculty and student mindsets, and (4) students' understanding of learning, or metacognition.

Students do not lack motivation, but they are not always engaged in ways that faculty desire.  Furthermore, students often lack the skills and resources to cope with obstacles to their success.  Some of these obstacles are of their own making, such as lack of time management or study skills, and some result from financial or family stressors, or even traumatic events such as illness or victimization.  These concerns are relevant to the theme of transformative learning because changing students' understanding of self as learner is key to helping students overcome obstacles that may derail them from their educational path.  Students may be surprised by unexpected events or demands that interfere with their academic success, but the fact of these events comes as no surprise to faculty. 

The workshop is informed by research that supports specific intervention and preventive efforts that promote retention and academic success. Accommodating to the needs of a diverse population of students does not require that we lower our standards, but it does require that we proactively create a structure of course policies that allow flexibility in how students meet our high standards. Thus, the objectives of this session will be achieved in an interactive examinination of case examples that prompt creative problem-solving regarding course structure, policies, and assignments.  With the goal of transforming students into learners, this workshop equips faculty with ways to build self-awareness in students and allow them to take ownership of their learning.  

Students may come to us with a desire for deep learning or superficial learning, but we can design learning experiences that require them to engage in deep, transformative learning whether they intended to do so or not.  Students may be poorly prepared, lack self-regulation or study skills, have work or family obligations that interfere with academic obligations, or encounter circumstances that they couldn’t have predicted or prevented, but still must address.  We can explicitly teach metacognitive awareness and effective study strategies (Cox, 2009; Dunlosky et al., 2013; Gabriel, 2008).  We can show students how to ask for help and manage their time (Nilson, 2013) and reach out to students who are struggling (Halawah, 2006; Chambliss & Takacs, 2014).  

Students who may otherwise feel marginalized need for us to do more than just address their deficits (Stephens et al., 2015).  They need to feel that they fit in the college environment, that they are in a place and with people with whom they belong (Harackiewicz et al., 2014).  They also need to feel empowered to be successful in this environment (Stephens et al., 2014).  It is important for faculty to communicate to students a growth mindset (Dweck, 2015; Aronson et al., 2002; Yeager et al., 2011, 2014) and to be aware of the ways in which they may inadvertently give discouraging feedback, even when their intention is to be kind (Rattan, Good, & Dweck, 2012).  Doing so results in students showing greater resilience in the face of setbacks.  Cognitive, social, and emotional transformation in the instructor precedes transformation in the students.

American Association of Community Colleges, The College Completion Challenge Fact Sheet, http://www.aacc.nche.edu/About/completionchallenge/Documents/Completion-Fact_Sheet.pdf

Aronson, J., Fried, C. B., & Good, C.  (2002).  Reducing the effects of stereotype threat on African American college students by shaping theories of intelligence.  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 113-125. 

Chambliss, D.F., & Takacs, C. G.  (2014).  How college works.  Cambridge, MA:  Harvard University Press.

Chew, S.  (2015).  Using cognitive principles to improve teacher effectiveness and student learning.  Psychology Teaching Network, 25(3), 7-9. 

Cox, R. D.  (2009).  The college fear factor:  How students and professors misunderstand one another.  Cambridge, MA:  Harvard University Press.

Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T.  (2013).  Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques:  Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology.  Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58.

Dweck, C. S.  (2000).  Self-theories:  Their role in motivation, personality, and development.  Philadelphia, PA:  Taylor & Francis.

Dweck, C.  (September 22, 2015).  Carol Dweck revisits the “Growth Mindset.”  Education Week, http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/23/carol-dweck-revisits-the-growth-mindset.html

Gabriel, K. F.  (2008).  Teaching unprepared students:  Strategies for promoting success and retention in higher education.  Sterling, VA:  Stylus Publishing.

Halawah, I.  (2006).  The impact of student-faculty informal interpersonal relationships on intellectual and personal development.  College Student Journal, 40(3), 670-678. 

Harackiewicz, J. M., Canning, E. A., Tibbetts, Y., Giffen, C. J., Blair, S. S., Rouse, D. I., & Hyde, J. S.  (2014).  Closing the social-class achievement gap for first-generation students in undergraduate biology.  Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(2), 375-389. 

Illeris, K. (2017). Transformative Learning as change and development of identity. In: Laros, A., Fuhr, T., & Taylor, E.W. (eds.), Transformative Learning Meets Bildung. International Issues in Adult Education. SensePublishers, Rotterdam.

Illeris, K.  (2014).  Transformative Learning and identity.  Journal of Transformative Education, 12(2), 148-163.

Isbell, L. M., & Cote, N. G.  (2009).  Connecting with struggling students to improve performance in large classes.  Teaching of Psychology, 36, 185-188. 

Legg, A. M., & Wilson, J. H.  (2009).  E-mail from professor enhances student motivation and attitudes.  Teaching of Psychology, 36, 205-211.

Nilson, L.  (2013).  Creating self-regulated learners:  Strategies to strengthen students’ self-awareness and learning skills. Sterling, VA:  Stylus Publishing.

Rattan, A., Good, C., & Dweck, C. S.  (2012).  “It’s ok—Not everyone can be good at math”:  Instructors with an entity theory comfort (and demotivate) students.  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 731-737. 

Stephens, N. M., Brannon, T. N., Markus, H. R., & Nelson, J. E.  (2015).  Feeling at home in college: Fortifying school‐relevant selves to reduce social class disparities in higher education.  Social Issues and Policy Review, 9(1), 1-24. 

Stephens, N. M., Hamedani, M. G., & Destin, M.  (2014).  Closing the social-class achievement gap:  A difference-education intervention improves first-generation students’ academic performance and all students’ college transition.  Psychological Science, 25(4), 943-953. 

Yeager, D. S., Henderson, M. D., Paunesku, D., Walton, G. M., D’Mello, S., Spitzer, B. J., & Duckworth, A. L.  (2014).  Boring but important:  A self-transcendent purpose for learning fosters academic self-regulation.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 107(4), 559-580.

Yeager, D. S., & Walton, G. M.  (2011).  Social-psychological interventions in education:  They’re not magic.  Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 267-301. 

50-Minute Interactive Session

Launching Transformative Learning

During this workshop, you will get hands-on practice while you learn how to use evidence-based techniques that enhance transformative learning experiences in the courses you teach. 

Through participating in this session, you will gain new skills for planning, creating, and testing your ideas for courses. You will discover how to enhance your understanding of transformative learning experiences, make smart design decisions, and lead innovation using Learning Environment Modeling™ (LEM).

In this workshop, you will experience:

-Proven ideas for designing transformative learning experiences

-Simple ways to clarify your vision and plan learning activities

-Inspiring examples of successful courses you can learn from

During this workshop, you will get hands-on practice while you learn how to use evidence-based techniques that enhance transformative learning experiences in the courses you teach. 

Through participating in this session, you will gain new skills for planning, creating, and testing your ideas for courses. You will discover how to enhance your understanding of transformative learning experiences, make smart design decisions, and lead innovation using Learning Environment Modeling™ (LEM).

In this workshop, you will experience:

-Proven ideas for designing transformative learning experiences

-Simple ways to clarify your vision and plan learning activities

-Inspiring examples of successful courses you can learn from

Dodd, B., & Gillmore, J. (n.d.). Learning environment modeling: Refining learning environment design. Oklahoma: University of Central Oklahoma.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Launching Transformative Learning

This presentation focuses on the traits of transformative leadership and examines how each instructor can apply traits of this leadership style to promote student engagement and deeper learning. Principles of transformative leadership can be honed and used in the classroom to support students in developing growth mindsets and employing impactful habits of mind. By providing context and sharing experiences, the presenters will discuss how understanding transformative leadership and applying these principles in the classroom directly influences students’ achievement.   Participants will engage in group discussion and explore factors already in place that contribute to their individual teaching effectiveness.  Discussion prompts will be distributed among small groups for discussion and exploration, allowing more intimate conversations to emerge surrounding best practices.  A final large group discussion will then center the conversation back to an overall understanding of factors which can be used to facilitate transformative learning in the classroom. Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to identify personal transformative leadership characteristics and recognize how individual leadership style can be used to influence student engagement in the classroom.

College teachers have a responsibility to acknowledge the impact of their influence on student learning. When teachers identify, reflect and implement positive leadership styles in the classroom, they teach with purpose. This teaching purpose begins with understanding the relationship between teachers’ commitment to transformative leadership as an influence on transformative learning in the classroom.

Instructors are in the unique position to influence students through intellectual activities; in this way, teachers are practicing “leadership of thought” (Bass, 2008).  When transformational leadership is practice, the effectiveness of this influence to bring about transformational learning is heightened.  Transformational leadership style emphasizes empowerment through the actions and words of the leader.  Individual faculty can identify and build on personal transformational leadership traits, which can then be utilized in the classroom to increase the effectiveness of instruction.

Research shows direct connection between leadership style, student motivation, and learning outcomes (Harrison, 2011; Noland & Richards, 2014). Serving as examples, teachers’ analysis of their personal leadership styles encourages students to challenge their leadership and learning (Christie, Carey, Robertson, & Grainger, 2015). This influence is transformative; it creates new thinking and new perspectives. Ultimately, it is through teachers’ analysis and application of transformative leadership in the classroom that students transform their learning. Through the use of a brief leadership survey and the think-pair-share approach, participants in this presentation will be able to identify personal transformative leadership characteristics and recognize how individual leadership style can be used to influence student learning in the classroom.

Bass, B. M. (2008). The Bass handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial applications. 4th ed. New York: Free Press.

Christie, M., Carey, M., Robertson, A., & Grainger, P. (2015). Putting transformative learning theory into practice. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 55(1), 9-30.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2006). Powerful teacher education: Lessons from exemplary programs.

San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.

Harrison, J. (2011). Instructor transformational leadership and student outcomes. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 4(1), 82-136.

Morgan, R., Whorton, J., & Gunsalus, C. (2000). A comparison of short term and long term

retention: Lecture combined with discussion versus cooperative learning. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 27(1), 53-58.

Noland, A. & Richards, K. (2014). The relationship among transformational teaching and student motivation and learning. Journal of Effective Teaching, 14(3), 5-20.

50-Minute Interactive Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

We learn from our mistakes, right? Well, sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes hard tasks lead us to give up, sometimes to try harder. Do we learn more or better from some kinds of mistakes than from others? Do some kinds of mistakes create cognitive dissonance that leads to deeper learning? Do some create disorienting dilemmas that lead to transformative learning? We will explore the extent to which our students learn from their mistakes, and the extent to which we do. We will seek to discover how we can assess our errors, not to avoid them, but to make them productive.

We learn from our mistakes, right? Well, sometimes we do, and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes hard tasks lead us to give up, sometimes to try harder. Do we learn more or better from some kinds of mistakes than from others? Do some kinds of mistakes create cognitive dissonance that leads to deeper learning? Do some create disorienting dilemmas that lead to transformative learning? We will explore the extent to which our students learn from their mistakes, and the extent to which we do. We will seek to discover how we can assess our errors, not to avoid them, but to make them productive.

Tagg, John. (2003). The Learning Paradigm College. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Workshop

Communicating Transformative Learning

A Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is required of all member institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges. WCU developed a STLR-based program for its QEP named DegreePlus. DegreePlus is a holistic approach to education that sets out to strengthen student competency in the areas of leadership, cultural responsiveness, teamwork, and professionalism. The focus on these four transferrable skill areas represents an intentional enhancement to the curricular and co-curricular experience at WCU. DegreePlus is a voluntary three-level program. Students advance through one to three levels with incentives for completion at each level. As students “level up,” their activities are logged in an experiential transcript and organized according to student learning outcomes.

Learning outcomes for this session: Attendees will understand how DegreePlus was developed, how it is operationalized, and how it meets accreditation requirements.

A Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is required of all member institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges. WCU developed a STLR-based program for its QEP named DegreePlus. DegreePlus is a holistic approach to education that sets out to strengthen student competency in the areas of leadership, cultural responsiveness, teamwork, and professionalism. The focus on these four transferrable skill areas represents an intentional enhancement to the curricular and co-curricular experience at WCU. DegreePlus is a voluntary three-level program. Students advance through one to three levels with incentives for completion at each level. As students “level up,” their activities are logged in an experiential transcript and organized according to student learning outcomes.

Learning outcomes for this session: Attendees will understand how DegreePlus was developed, how it is operationalized, and how it meets accreditation requirements.

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. (2016, March). Growing student records beyond the traditional transcript. Retrieved from http://www.aacrao.org/resources/resources-detail-view/growing-studentrecords-beyond-the-traditional-transcript.

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators. (n.d.). Comprehensive student records fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.aacrao.org/docs/default-source/Lumina/csrfact-sheet-4 2016.pdf?sfvrsn=0.

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators. (2015, June). A framework for extending the transcript. Retrieved from http://www.aacrao.org/docs/default-source/PDFFiles/extending-the-transcript-framework-final-draft-.pdf?sfvrsn=2.

Ashton, D. (2011). Media work and the creative industries: Identity work, professionalism and employability. Education + Training, 53 (6), 546–560.

Association of American Colleges and Universities / National Leadership Council for Liberal Education & America’s Promise. (2008). College learning for the new global century (Executive summary). Retrieved from https://secure.aacu.org/AACU/PDF/GlobalCenturyExecSum 3.pdf.

Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297–308.

Baker, G., & Henson, D. (2010). Promoting employability skills development in a research-intensive university. Education + Training, 52(1), 62–75.

Benson, V., Morgan, S., & Filippaios, F. (2014). Social career management: Social media and employability skills gap. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 519–525.

Black, A. M., & Earnest, G. W. (2009). Measuring the outcomes of leadership development programs. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 16(2), 184–196.

Calonge, D. S., & Shah, M. A. (2016). MOOCs, graduate skills gaps, and employability: A qualitative systematic review of the literature. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 17(5).

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Clark, T. S., Amer, T. S., & Ng, P. T. (2014). Developing professionalism in business school undergraduates. Journal of Education for Business, 89(1), 35–41.

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Ellis, A. P., Bell, B. S., Ployhart, R. E., Hollenbeck, J. R., & Ilgen, D. R. (2005). An evaluation of generic teamwork skills training with action teams: Effects on cognitive and skill-based outcomes. Personnel psychology, 58(3), 641–672.

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Gibson, D., Ostashewski, N., Flintoff, K., Grant, S., & Knight, E. (2015). Digital badges in education. Education and Information Technologies, 20(2), 403–410.

Glover, I. (2016). Student perceptions of digital badges as recognition of achievement and engagement in co-curricular activities. In D. Ifenthaler, N. Bellin-Mularski, & D.-K. Mah (Eds.), Foundation of digital badges and micro-credentials (pp. 443–455). Springer International Publishing.

Guthrie, K. L. (2017). Creating meaningful environments for leadership education. Journal of Leadership Education, 9(2).

Hammer, D. P. (2000). Professional attitudes and behaviors: the “A’s and B’s” of professionalism. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 64(4), 455.

Hughes, R. L., & Jones, S. K. (2011). Developing and assessing college student teamwork skills. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2011(149), 53–64.

Ito, M., Guti´errez, K., Livingstone, S., Penuel, B., Rhodes, J., Salen, K., & Watkins, S. C. (2013). Connected learning: An agenda for research and design. Irvine, CA: Digital Media and Learning Research Hub.

Kahu, E. R. (2013). Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5), 758–773.

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Kratzke, C., & Bertolo, M. (2013). Enhancing students’ cultural competence using cross-cultural experiential learning. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 20(3), 107–111.

Mangan, K. (2015). Making transcripts more than 'a record of everything the student has forgotten’. The Chronical of Higher Education. Retrieved from
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McClellan, C. (2016). Teamwork, collaboration, and cooperation as a student learning outcome for undergraduates. Assessment Update, 28(1), 5–15.

McTighe, J., & Seif, E. (2010). An implementation framework to support 21st century skills. In J. A. Bellanca & R. Brandt (Eds.), 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn (pp. 149–174). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Messum, D., Wilkes, L. M., Jackson, D., Peters, K., et al. (2016). Employability skills in health services management: Perceptions of recent graduates. Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management, 11(1), 25–32. 

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Neves, J. S., & Nakhai, B. (2016, December). A model for developing and assessing students’ teamwork competencies. Research in Higher Education Journal, 31, 1–21.

Oakley, B., Felder, R. M., Brent, R., & Elhajj, I. (2004). Turning student groups into effective teams. Journal of Student Centered Learning, 2(1), 9–34.

Peck, A., Hall, D., Cramp, C., Lawhead, J., Fehring, K., & Simpson, T. (2016, February). The co-curricular connection: The impact of experiences beyond the classroom on soft skills. NACE Journal. Retrieved from https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/web/universityhousing/Assessment/DivisionSLO/The%20Cocurricular%20Connection%20%282016%29.pdf.

Pillay, S., & James, R. (2015). Examining intercultural competency through social exchange theory. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 27(3), 320–329.

Posner, B. Z. (2009). A longitudinal study examining changes in students’ leadership behavior. Journal of College Student Development, 50(5), 551–563.

Quaye, S. J., & Harper, S. R. (2014). Student engagement in higher education: Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches for diverse populations. Routledge.

Ramaley, J. A. (2014). The changing role of higher education: Learning to deal with wicked problems. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 18(3), 7–22.

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Thompson, L. J., Clark, G., Walker, M., & Whyatt, J. D. (2013). ‘It’s just like an extra string to your bow’: Exploring higher education students’ perceptions and experiences of extracurricular activity and employability. Active Learning in Higher Education, 14(2), 135–147.

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30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Design learning for sustained change is the main focus on this paper. The objective of this paper is to disseminate my research outcomes. I used mixed methods and combined data from observation, semi-structured interviews, and research field notes. Longitudinal data over a 3-year period including observation and interviews reveal that the participatory design was the effective approach and strategy for sustained change in the graphic design students who engaged in the research procedures. Sample participant comments are presented to illustrate the student engagement and deep learning outcomes.

Design learning for sustained change is the main focus on this paper. The objective of this paper is to disseminate my research outcomes. The paper draws from my research, which I have conducted with my students since 2015. The research was guided by the research questions as follows: which is the most effective approach and strategy for teaching and learning in the graphic design field and how design instructors could implement successfully in the classroom setting. The research methodology was a Mixed Methods Research, which combines both qualitative and quantitative methods. For data analysis, I used mixed methods and combined data from observation, semi-structured interviews, and research field notes. Longitudinal data over a 3-year period including observation and interviews reveal that the participatory design was the effective approach and strategy for sustained change in the graphic design students who engaged in the research procedures. Sample participant comments are presented to illustrate the student engagement and deep learning outcomes.

Creswell, J. W. (2013) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 4^th edition. California. SAGE Publications.

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning to think like an adult: Core concepts of transformation theory. In J. Mezirow & Associates (Eds.), Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress (pp. 3-33). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education. Volume 1997, Issue 74. Summer 1997. (pp 5-12).

Transformative learning. (n.d.). Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching and Learning, University of Central Oklahoma. http://www.uco.edu/central/tl/

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

While faculty focus on Millennials, few faculty realize that they have been teaching this next generation of students, Generation Z, (IGen) for at least the last four years now. This session asks: How can faculty attempt to transform their students if they do not know who they are?

Data, based on several surveys find that Generation Z students are different from Millennials in significant ways. These include having less focus, being better at multitasking, show more grade bargaining, and are entrepreneurial, global, diverse, and digital. As a result, these students are unlike Millennials in the classroom.

While this little talked about generation has largely dominated classrooms as early as 2013, we are still studying them. They are even 25% of today’s overall population.

Faculty will learn about these characteristics and explore current transformative pedagogical strategies focusing on this new cohort. Audience members will be engaged through discussing their pedagogical techniques that have worked and learn more by bouncing ideas off the two Generation Z students on the panel. Faculty will leave the panel looking at their students in news ways and will be better prepared to engage them in new ways.

While faculty focus on Millennials, few faculty realize that they have been actually teaching this next generation of students, Generation Z, (IGen) for at least the last four years now. This session asks: How can faculty attempt to transform their students if they do not know who they are?

Data, based on several surveys (i.e., 2013 Ameritrade, Pew Research Center survey, Northeastern University, Barnes & Noble, and Adobe Education Creativity Study, etc.), find that Generation Z students are different from Millennials in significant ways. These include having less focus, being better at multitasking, show more grade bargaining, as well as more independent, entrepreneurial, global, diverse, and digital. As a result, these students are unlike Millennials in the classroom.

For example, Generation Z students nearly 30% more likely than Millennials to report that technology in class facilitates their learning more quickly than traditional teaching methods. In addition, this generation is much more likely to find that technology, such as learning apps in the classroom makes learning more fun, according to a Quizlet survey.

While this little talked about generation has largely dominated classrooms as early as 2013, we are still studying them. They are even 25% of today’s overall population.

Faculty will learn about these characteristics and explore current transformative pedagogical strategies focusing on this new cohort. Audience members will be engaged through discussing their pedagogical techniques that have worked and learn more by bouncing ideas off the two Generation Z students on the panel. Faculty will leave the panel looking at their students in news ways and will be better prepared to engage them in new ways.

Ameritrade. (2013). Generation Z and money survey 2013: Understanding tomorrow's investors (Research report). Retrieved from https://s1.q4cdn.com/959385532/files/doc_downloads/research/Gen_Z_and_Money_2013_Research_Report_Sept_2013_FINAL.pdf

Dorsey, J. (2016). iGen tech disruption: 2016 national study on technology and the generation after millennials (White paper). Retrieved from the Center for Generational Kinetics website: http://3pur2814p18t46fuop22hvvu.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/iGen-Gen-Z-Tech-Disruption-Research-White-Paper-c-2016-Center-for-Generational-Kinetics.pdf

Trifecta Research. (2015). Generation Z media consumption habits (Research report). Retrieved from http://trifectaresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Generation-Z-Sample-Trifecta-Research-Deliverable.pdf

Adobe Education Creativity Study. (2016). GEN Z in the classroom: Creating the future. Retrieved from Adobe website: http://www.adobeeducate.com/genz/

The Center for Generational Kinetics & Dorsey, J. (2016). iGen's political & civic outlook: 2016 national study on the unexpected viewpoints on the generation after the millennials (White paper). Retrieved from http://3pur2814p18t46fuop22hvvu.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/iGen-Gen-Z-Political-Civic-Outlook-Research-White-Paper-c-2016-The-Center-for-Generational-Kinetics.pdf

Kingston, A. (2014). Get ready for generation Z: They're smarter than boomers and way more ambitious than millennials. Retrieved from Maclean's website: http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/get-ready-for-generation-z/

The Hartman Group. (2016). New kids on the block: A first look at Gen Z. Retrieved from Forbes website: https://www.forbes.com/sites/thehartmangroup/2016/03/31/new-kids-on-the-block-a-first-look-at-gen-z/#59d093381bab

Seemiller, C. & Grace, M. (2016). Generation Z goes to college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Stillman, D. & Stillman, J. (2017). Gen Z at work: How the next generation is transforming the workplace. Harper Collins.

Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today's super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy--and completely unprepared for adulthood--and what that means for the rest of us. Atria Books.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

In 1999 the Honduran Ministry of Education launched the Proyecto Hondureño de Educación Comunitaria (PROHECO) with the aim of providing teachers to 3000 villages previously unable to support institutionalized educational programs. The educational background of these teachers however varies widely, and they are provided minimal professional development--an opportunity that has been shown to have significant positive impacts on student achievement (Yoon et al., 2007). In 2016 the non-profit project Train for Change (TfC) was started to address this need, providing research-based professional development opportunities to networks of these dispersed, under-resourced schools. From this work, two primary research questions emerged: how to reliably collect evidence on teacher professional growth in disperse under-resourced schools; and how does the process and review of this data with teachers over time shape their beliefs regarding professional development? Eleven preliminary observations were conducted employing an iterative design process (Barab & Squire, 2004) to modify Hargis and Soto’s (2017) three-part observation protocol. Semi-structured interviews probing teacher reflection on this process were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded identifying initial themes related to teacher beliefs and style of reflection. This session will conclude with a discussion of measures of transformative learning best suited for rural educational contexts.

In 1997, a study conducted by the Honduran Ministry of Education found that 14 percent of school-age children were not enrolled in school, 85 percent of which lived in rural areas (Pavon, 2008)--equating to 3000 villages that historically had not been able to provide institutional education programs to their people. To address this need, Proyecto Hondureño de Educación Comunitaria (PROHECO) was formed in March 1999, deconcentrating teacher recruitment and management to these rural communities (Rondinelli, Nellis, & Cheema, 1983). The educational background of these teachers however varies widely, and they are provided minimal professional development--an opportunity that has been shown to have significant positive impacts on student achievement (Yoon et. al, 2007).

The project Train for Change (TfC) launched in April 2016 under the non-profit (501C3) Students Helping Honduras in El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras with the aim of providing research-based professional development opportunities to networks of these dispersed, under-resourced schools. The TfC approach consists of a two-year cohort model over which teachers are empowered to bring two hundred hours of professional development back to their school's sites. Learning outcomes for these sessions are determined through local context surveys administered during focus groups held at each school. Two primary research questions emerged: how to reliably collect evidence on teacher professional growth in disperse under-resourced schools; and how does the process and review of this data with teachers over time shape their beliefs regarding professional development?

The primary author implemented a first iteration of an observation protocol in July, 2016. These initial observations informed the implementation of a more rigorous observation protocol.   In January, 2017, the author utilized a three-part instrument employed by Dr. Jace Hargis to observe faculty at institutions of higher education (Hargis & Soto, 2017). The Quantitative Effective Teaching Checklist (Chism, 1999), Qualitative Field Narrative, and Faculty Flow Diagram (Hargis, 2014) were modified to fit the local primary school context. Eleven preliminary one-hour observations of TfC teachers were conducted over the course of six months in addition to semi-structured interviews with teachers to reflect upon the process of the observation protocol. The interviews were transcribed and coded in MAXQDA using a descriptive coding shema.

This paper builds upon the literature supporting iterative design-based instruction (Barab & Squire, 2004), integrating teacher voice in rural, international settings to the professional development research base. The following themes emerged: references to observation evidence, teacher dialogue regarding improvement and control, and teacher beliefs surrounding student learning, their role as a teacher, and the observation process. Through this session participants will engage with the process of instrument design through the TfC findings, hypothesizing the ways in which this iterative method involving stakeholder input could be applied to further the field of measurement in transformative learning environments. In addition, there will be a dialogue on the role of measurement instruments in shaping teacher beliefs regarding their professional development, soliciting recommendations as to additional measures of transformative teacher professional learning that may be able to be collected in rural educational contexts.

Barab, S., & Squire, K. (2004). Design-based research: Putting a stake in the ground. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 13(1), 1-14.

Chism, N. (1999). Peer review of teaching. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Hargis, J. (2014). A ten-year study of faculty classroom observations. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal, 7(2), 1-21.

Hargis, J., & Soto, M. (April 2017). A proposal to use classroom observations as assessment data to measure and evaluate effective teaching. The Online Journal of New Horizons in Education, 7(2), 6-17.

Pavon, F.Y. (2008). Improving educational quality in Honduras: Building a demand driven market. Journal of Public and International Affairs, (19), 193-213. Retrieved from: http://www.princeton.edu/jpia/past-issues-1/2008/11.pdf.

Rondinelli, D.A., Cheema, G.S., & Nellis, J. (1983). Decentralization in developing countries: A review of recent experience (Staff working paper no. 581). Washington DC: World Bank.

Yoon, K. S., Duncan, T., Lee, S. W.-Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. (2007). Reviewing the evidence on how teacher professional development affects student achievement (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2007-No. 033). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southwest/pdf/REL_2007033.pdf

30-Minute Research Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

This hands-on, minds-on roundtable we will empower attendees to develop real-world, problem-based discussion topics for online courses. The first 5 minutes of the session will include an explanation of how three professors from SWOSU, UCO and NSU were able to collaborate on designing a learning module that met their shared goals of increasing students’ understanding of ethics and the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In their online discussion, the professors shared a disaster scenario where a fictional community had several recent earthquakes and is developing a task force to discuss opportunities for future CSR.  The results were exceptional and included students sharing ideas from their perspectives as future restaurant owners, real estate agents, hospital administrators.  Engagement, excitement, and commitment for the problem-based discussion was remarkably different than the traditional course discussion posts.

In the last 25 minutes of this session, attendees will be invited to brainstorm, practice and develop online discussion assignments designed to provide students’ the opportunity to engage in transformational learning. In this session, we will discuss the importance of putting course content into a context that students can apply to their future careers. We will also encourage participants to critically think about methods of measuring the impact in student learning.

Presenters will share their experience of implementing an action-focused learning module designed to empower students to flex their ability to apply course concepts in a real-world scenario.  The presenters are part of a state-wide educational program called Reach Higher and represent three institutions: Northeastern State University, University of Central Oklahoma, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The Reach Higher program is Oklahoma’s degree completion program and brings together professors and administrators from 8 participating Oklahoma public universities. Students completing the program earn degrees in Organizational Leadership.

All of the presenters of this session work together to develop and implement a course called Markets and Stakeholders.

The class is very similar to a traditional business Principles of Marketing course.  The textbook used in the course includes a chapter about business ethics and specifically focuses on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The need for transformational education related to business ethics and corporate social responsibility is becoming increasingly important (May, D., et al., 2014).  Businesses globally have experienced extreme cases of leader and employees making poor ethical decisions with negative societal impacts (Torres, 2015). According to Colley, Morehead & Perkins (2016), ethics education is key in producing students who understand the broad social impact business has on society. Researchers suggest that ethics education often includes topics in social issues in management, corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship and sustainability (Franks and Spalding, 2013).

In this roundtable, the presenters want to share their experiences in developing an online module designed to have a transformational impact on students’ understanding of corporate social responsibility. The presenters will also host a discussion of teaching methods which can be implemented in an online classroom environment to engage students in transformational learning.  Educational methods discussed will include constructivist learning techniques such as problem-based, collaborative assignments.  The problem-based learning method builds problem-solving skills and encourages students to seek out new knowledge and skills. This teaching/learning method foster student-centered learning and focus on comprehension and application of course concepts.  The end result being a higher level of learning which reinforces interpersonal skills and teamwork and promotes an environment of self-learning and self-motivation.

The primary focus of the roundtable will be to empower faculty to consider ways of adding problem-based learning experiences to their online courses to maximize student engagement and opportunities for transformational learning.

Colley, M. C., Morehead, W. A., & Perkins, R. L. (2015). An education grounded in ethics. Business Education Innovation Journal, 7(2), 135-138.

Franks, R.A., & Spalding, A.D. (2013). Business ethics as an accreditation requirement: Knowledge Mapping Approach. Business Education & Accreditation, 5(1), 17-29.

May, D. R., Luth, M. T., & Schwoerer, C. E. (2014). The influence of business ethics education on moral efficacy, moral meaningfulness, and moral courage: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Business Ethics, 124(1), 67-80. doi:10.1007/s10551-013-1860-6

Torres, D. L. (2015). Sticky ethics, innovation, and corporate responsibility. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 80(3), 12-22.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

This research introduces a service learning project called Code Okie: One Line at a Time and discusses its impact on a team of undergraduate student teachers, primarily in the areas of self-directed learning and communication skills. Some student teachers will share their experiences. Participants attending this session will have two takeaways. First, regardless of class standing, students will perform a self-directed learning when proper guidance and constructive and detailed feedback are regularly provided by peers and supervising faculty. Second, teaming students cross-class standings greatly helps students at low class standing to enhance their discipline knowledge.

Service learning (SL) in the computer science (CS) discipline is often incorporated into upper-level courses [1][2][3][4][5]. Unlike other courses in the curriculum, the learning outcomes of typical SL projects include not only enhancement of technical knowledge, and but also exposure to social knowledge, and reflection of personal activities [5]. This research introduces an on-going SL project called Code Okie: One Line at a Time!, and discusses its impact on a team of undergraduate student teachers, primarily in the areas of self-directed learning and communication skills. These target skills are essential for the prospective employees in the computing industry that rapidly changes due to technological advances and innovations [6].

The Code Okie was incubated in order to increase access to CS in the high schools of Oklahoma through computer programming workshops. Particularly, it aims to bridge the gender, geographical, and ethnic gap in CS [7]. Participating high school students learn basic programming constructs, the interactions between hardware and software, and different applications of CS. In order to develop and deliver the contents of the workshops, an undergraduate team called CS Ambassadors was formed in the spring of 2017 through the support of a Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR) grant from UCO. The ambassadors ranged from freshmen to seniors at hiring time.

The project by nature required the ambassadors to conduct self-directed learning. They had either little or no prior experience in the required activities. A sophomore reflected, “Before this project, I had little to no contact with Python. I had to learn it... As such, I was required to learn the nuances of it...” Another sophomore wrote, “The first draft of my first lesson was essentially a list of blocks used in the game that I created. I was encouraged to expand on this by explaining how each block worked, then by explaining why each block was needed. Weeks of fine-tuning old lessons and writing new ones helped me adopt the proper mindset for describing solutions to problems for students.”

The ambassadors also reported a great deal of improvement in communication skills.  A sophomore reflected, “I also had difficulties following teachers and writing notes... Now I am able to record what people say in meetings and take notes.” Another sophomore stated, “Through brainstorming sessions, I learned to listen to others’ opinions and dispute different points of view in a professional manner.” A junior reflected, “I also learned how to send emails in a professional manner, and how to network with people.” A senior wrote, “I slowly but surely was able to improve my public speaking skills to a point where I did not think possible.”

The ambassadors will be present in the session to share their experiences in detail. Participants attending this session will have two takeaways. First, regardless of class standing, students will perform self-directed learning when proper guidance and constructive and detailed feedback are regularly provided by peers and supervising faculty. Second, teaming students cross-class standings greatly helps students at low class standing to enhance their discipline knowledge.

Douglas Harms, “Department Programs to Encourage and Support Service Learning and Community Engagement”, The annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE), July 04-08, 2015, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Michael Goldweber, Computing for the Social Good: A Service Learning Project, ITiCSE’11, June 27–29, 2011, Darmstadt, Germany.

R. Ferguson and et al, Service-Learning Projects: Opportunities and Challenges, ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE), March 1–5, 2006, Houston, Texas, USA.

J. Stone and et al, “Community-Based Projects for Computing Majors: Opportunities, Challenges and Best Practices”, SIGCSE’12, February 29–March 3, 2012, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

C. Brooks, “Community Connections: Lessons Learned Developing and Maintaining a Computer Science Service-Learning Program”, SIGCSE’08, Mar. 12-15, 2008, Portland, Oregon, USA.

C. Zander and et al, “Self-Directed Learning: stories from industry”, Koli Calling  International Conference on Computing Education Research, November 12-18, Tahko, Finland.

J. Goode, G. Chapman, and J. Margolis, “Beyond curriculum: the exploring computer science program”, ACM Inroads, Vol. 3, Issue 2, June. 2012, pp 47-53.

30-Minute Research Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Preparing preservice teachers to meet the needs of modern middle grades learners requires consideration of far more than content area knowledge.  Common Core State Standards and related high-stakes measures demand that literacy skills, including critical reading, analysis and synthesis of ideas, and meaningful written communication, are taught in all content areas.  In recognition of this need, Missouri requires all content area middle grades teacher candidates to complete eight hours of literacy education preparation. Many of our teacher candidates enter these courses with a perspective of literacy as irrelevant to their content area or with a history of difficulty in reading and writing. To successfully reach them, we have designed and implemented a Reading and Writing Workshop structure to challenge student assumptions and support preservice teacher educators in exploring and reflecting on these frames of reference.

Participants will examine the use of a Reading and Writing Workshop model to launch transformative learning with preservice content-area teachers in a literacy education course.  Participants will explore student reflections using an adaptation of Brookfield's Critical Incident Questionnaire (1986) as a tool to guide student reflection on assumptions around the nature of literacy and the role of literacy instruction in content area instruction. 

As there is a significant need for literacy education instruction, Missouri teacher preparation programs require eight credit hours of literacy coursework for all preservice teachers.  Determining the best way to prepare future teachers—many of whom lack confidence in their reading and writing skills—is a salient inquiry for research. Guiding students in re-examining their assumptions around the role of literacy in their learning will support meaningful integration of these fundamental skills in instructional design.  This transformation of students' frames of reference requires both a challenge to their current conceptions of content-area literacy and meaningful reflection.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2012), students’ writing performance declines as they advance into secondary grades. Consequently, the Common Core State Standards (2010) include cross-disciplinary literacy standards, “predicated on the idea that content area teachers will use their expertise to teach, guide, and engage students in the reading, writing, speaking, and language relevant to the respective discipline” (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). This is especially relevant in content areas like science, as it can support student understanding of the identities, activities, and patterns of thinking within the field (Pytash, 2013). Likewise, writing in math “provides opportunities for students to demonstrate mathematical understanding and construct arguments"  (Martin, 2015, p. 30).

Here, we have used the Reading and Writing Workshop format, commonly used in elementary and middle grades, to individualize instruction, engage students in self-directed learning, and facilitate differentiation and formative assessment (Teague et al., 2012). Recent research has explored the use of this model in the content areas, providing opportunities for additional instruction in content, application of learning, and information about student understanding. However, as Wendt (2013), notes, “the typical math or science teacher may lack the support and training necessary to fully implement the teaching of literacy" (p. 40).

Experiential learning has been established as an “ideal framework for delivering middle grades curriculum” (Kleine et al., 2009, p. 29). Pytash (2013) specifically notes, “preservice teachers need to write and to experience the instructional approaches they might use in their future classrooms” as many preservice teachers assume that their students will arrive with knowledge of content area writing which research has demonstrated they often lack (p. 808).  Additionally, this employs a social constructivist model which is increasingly prized in classrooms as teachers seek to build collaboration and other real-world communication skills. As cited in Martin (2015), Beck and Kosnik (2006), note “the act of writing may appear to be an isolated activity for an individual; however, the social environment and interactions of the writer are instrumental to his or her ability to construct meaning" (p. 304).

The final consideration in this research is supporting teacher candidates as they examine assumptions about literacy. This transformation is supported through structured reflection on course content and on individual worldviews. Thus, our data collection instrument was adapted from Brookfield’s Critical Incident Questionnaire (1986) to increase student focus on specific, practiced, and meaningful reflection.

Beck, C., & Kosnik, C. (2006). Innovations in teacher education: A social constructivist approach. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Brookfield, S. (1986). Understanding and facilitating adult learning: A comprehensive analysis of principles and effective practices. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA). (2010). Common core state standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

Kleine, K. & McBryar, L. (2009). Preservice Teachers Experience Middle Grades Curriculum. Middle School Journal. 40(3), 28-36.

Martin, C. L. (2015). Writing as a Tool to Demonstrate Mathematical Understanding. School Science & Mathematics, 115(6), 302-313. doi:10.1111/ssm.12131

Mezirow, J. D. (2006). Learning as transformation: critical perspectives on a theory in progress. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass a Wiley Company.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common core state standards initiative. Retrieved December 23, 2010 from http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards.

Pytash, K. (2013). Secondary Preservice Teachers’ Development of Teaching Scientific Writing. The Association for Science Teacher Education. 24, 793–810.

Teague, G., Anfara, V., Wilson, N., Gaines, C., & Beavers, J. Instructional Practices in the Middle Grades. NASSP Bulletin. 96(3), 203-227.

Wendt, J. (2013). Combating the Crisis in Adolescent Literacy: Exploring Literacy in the Secondary Classroom. American Secondary Education. 41(2), 38-48.

30-Minute Research Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

As students grow more diverse and institutional resources become increasingly limited, measuring the impact of Transformative Learning and other student success initiatives is more important than ever. Speakers will discuss the results of data analyses for Transformative Learning institutional initiatives and investments to inform key decisions about how to scale programs and target specific student groups to maximize student success on campus. Analyses shared will highlight TL impact by student sub-populations as well as overall and will also demonstrate how analytics can help identify students who are “TL-prone” --- meaning, they are students highly susceptible to the positive effects and gains from experiencing TL. 

This session will share robust, reliable, large-N analyses that show TL to be a compelling approach. If you advocate for TL and want to point to real-world results to help you make your case, this session can provide solid evidence.  

Outcomes:

--Learn how the ability to measure initiative impact quickly and accurately is helping institutions maximize existing initiatives in Transformative Learning.

--Empower schools to make strategic decisions around resource allocation and prioritization that affect student outcomes.

--Learn the positive impact of TL on student learning, persistence, and success across campus, both in the curriculum and co-curriculum.

As student populations grow more diverse and institutional resources become increasingly limited, measuring the impact of Transformative Learning and other student success initiatives is more important than ever. Speakers will discuss the results of data analyses for Transformative Learning institutional initiatives and investments to inform key decisions about how to scale programs and target specific student groups to maximize student success on campus. Analyses shared will highlight TL impact by student sub-populations as well as overall and will also demonstrate how analytics can help identify students who are “TL-prone” --- meaning, they are students highly susceptible to the positive effects and gains from experiencing TL (even though students overall benefit significantly from TL-focused teaching and co-curricular engagement, as this case study analysis shows).

This session will share robust, reliable, large-N analyses that show TL to be a compelling approach in 21^st century higher education. If you advocate for TL on your campus and want to point to real-world results to help you make your case, this session can provide solid evidence.  

3 Learning Outcomes:

--Learn how the ability to measure initiative impact quickly and accurately is helping institutions maximize existing initiatives in Transformative Learning.

--Empower school leaders to make strategic decisions around resource allocation and prioritization that affect student outcomes.

--Learn about the positive impact of TL on student learning, persistence, and success at a university that has fully implemented TL across the campus, both in the curriculum and the co-curriculum.

Dirlam, D. K. (2017, August 30). Transformative learning needed for higher education assessment. Emerging dialogues in assessment. Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education. Available: http://www.aalhe.org/?page=ed_2017transformativ

Siemens, G., & Baker, R. S. J.d. (2012, April 29-May 2). _Learning Analytics and Educational Data Mining: Towards Communication and Collaboration_. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge. Vancouver, B.C. ACM Digital Library. Available: https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2330661

50-Minute Interactive Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

There is growing evidence of the connection between environment, body, and mind and how they interact to influence learning. Our study of three books suggest that learning is not just a cognitive endeavor, but is also related to how our body functions and the environments in which learning occurs.  So…does cognition depend on the body and its relation with the environment? This 30-minute interactive session explores this question through discussion and activity related to the brain-body-environment system. Specifically, we will share an evaluation and synthesis of three cognitive neuroscience books: The New Science of Learning (Doyle & Zakrajsek, 2013), Neuroteach (Whitman & Kelleher, 2016) and How the Body Knows Its Mind (Beilock, 2015). Participants will gain new theoretical understandings about the mind-body connection and engage with related transformative learning (TL) applications to build more TL experiences in the classrooms. Come prepared to share your knowledge and insights as we network with one another and interact around the key concepts at the heart of this intriguing session. How do we use responses of the body and mind to stimulate emotion, attention, physical activity, movement, and motivation for deeper learning and more effective recall? Join this session to learn more about the transformative learning potential of an embodied brain perspective and share your perceptions.

There is growing evidence of the connection between environment, body, and mind and how they interact to influence learning. Our study of three books suggest that learning is not just a cognitive endeavor, but is also related to how our body functions and the environments in which learning occurs.  So…does cognition depend on the body and its relation with the environment? This 30-minute interactive session explores this question through discussion and activity related to the brain-body-environment system. Specifically, we will share an evaluation and synthesis of three cognitive neuroscience books: The New Science of Learning (Doyle & Zakrajsek, 2013), Neuroteach (Whitman & Kelleher, 2016) and How the Body Knows Its Mind (Beilock, 2015). The facilitators will introduce research-informed teaching strategies from these books and discuss the evolving mind-brain-education (MBE) discipline out of Harvard Graduate School of Education (Fischer, 2009). From meta-cognition to intrinsic motivation to physical/ mental movement, participants will experience the integration of neuroscience into educational pedagogy. We will practice with research-based classroom strategies that have the potential to launch transformative learning by engaging the whole student. Participants will be asked to consider how developing an embodied brain approach to teaching, rather than the more traditional separate mind-body perspective, can lead to important changes for their students. Shifts in practice which expose students to numerous transformative experiences may indeed launch more dramatic transformative learning changes (Heddy & Pugh, 2015). Participants will gain new theoretical understandings about the mind body connection and engage with related transformative learning (TL) applications to build more TL experiences in the classrooms. Come prepared to share your knowledge and insights as we network with one another and interact around the key concepts at the heart of this intriguing session. How do we use responses of the body and mind to stimulate emotion, attention, physical activity, movement, and motivation for deeper learning and more effective recall? Join this session to learn more about the transformative learning potential of an embodied brain perspective and share your perceptions.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Reaching advanced levels of linguistic and cultural proficiency in a foreign language is a challenging task for students and instructors who face the task of how to best support students in acquiring this proficiency. The presenters will share how this challenge is met at the Defense Language Institute by using the target language as a tool for learning about various domains of knowledge, such as politics, geography, and economy (i.e. “Big Culture” of the target country) via research based learning. By conducting research in the target language on various country specific and global topics, students learn to analyze, identify biases in various authentic sources available online and form their own balanced opinion of region-specific and global issues as well as present their findings to an audience verbally and/or in writing. Additionally, by participating in in-country immersions students are able to simultaneously sharpen their linguistics skills (i.e. fluency and accuracy) and gain a better understanding of the perspectives that govern the daily habits and behaviors of native speakers of a foreign language (i.e. “Small Culture”). The expected outcomes are how we can best increase our students’ motivation level and success rate in class and to transform our students into life-long learners.  

A shallow understanding of other cultures and their ways of life gives rise to biases in thinking, and a lack of sensitivity toward members of other societies which in turn lie at the heart of many global conflicts. Foreign language education is invaluable in that it can be planned so that students have the opportunity to critically examine their own “habitual ways of thinking, feeling, and acting” (Mezirow,1997) and to acquire acceptance of and respect for different cultural views of the native speakers whose language they are learning. Educational experiences that allow students to reach the highest level of cultural competence and cross-cultural understanding are therefore as important as the linguistic skills that enable them to utilize higher order cognitive skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The presenters will share two components of the Defense Language Institute’s (DLI) curriculum that serve both of the abovementioned ends/objectives (i.e. research based learning and in-country immersions).  By conducting guided research in the target language on various country specific (i.e. “Big Culture”) and global topics, students learn to analyze, identify biases in various authentic sources available online and form their own balanced opinion of region-specific and global issues as well as present their findings to an audience verbally and/or in writing. Sample student projects from Arabic and Russian will be shared with the audience to help exemplify how such projects can transform students’ view of other cultures and their assumptions about global issues. Additionally, by traveling to the target country students are able to simultaneously sharpen their linguistics skills (i.e. fluency and accuracy) and gain a better understanding of the perspectives that govern the daily habits and behaviors of native speakers of a foreign language known as the “Small Culture”. Students comments from post in-country-immersion sensing sessions will be shared to demonstrate the transforming nature of these immersion events. These two types of experiences have demonstrated to significantly raise students’ motivation level and success rate in class and transform them into life-long learners of a foreign language thereafter.

This interactive session will begin with the audience sharing in small groups their foreign/second language experiences they believe transformed their thinking of their own learning process and/or assumptions regarding members of a target culture. Presenters will then discuss the benefits of research based learning and in-country immersion programs in the DLI context and the transformational value of these activities. The audience will then be encouraged to share with the group strategies and approaches they have implemented in their academic settings that have transformed their students’ point of views regarding their learning of a foreign language and/or their understanding of a foreign culture’s practices, values and beliefs. Lastly, the floor will be open to the audience comments, discussions, and questions. The objective is that the audience gain a better understanding of the application of transformational theory in a variety of academic settings and be motivated to try out some of the strategies shared during this session in their language classrooms and programs. 

Bloom, B.S. (Ed.). Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.J., Hill, W.H., Krathwohl, D.R. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

Jerome H. Hanley. Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg: Five Stages Toward Cultural Competence. The International Child and Youth Care Network. http://www.cyc-net.org/reference/refs-culturalcompetence.html.

Mason, J. L. (1993). Cultural competence self-assessment questionnaire. Portland, OR: Portland State University, Multicultural Initiative Project.

Mezirow, J. “Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice.” In P. Cranton (ed.), Transformative Learning in Action: Insights from Practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, no. 74. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997.

Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (1999). Allen Press, Inc.; Lawrence, KS.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Instructional design that incorporates gamification elements provides an environment and opportunities for learners to begin building social capital by expanding their networks that can lead to transformational learning experiences. These types of environments might provide and educational setting to meet psychological needs of self-esteem and belonging from Maslow’s Hierarchy. The transformational process may include mastery, achievement, status and help learners feel a sense of belonging. 

Participants will learn about gamified strategies that can be integrated into instructional design and describe how gamification can take dry material and increase learning outcomes and social capital. They will receive 4 tips to gamify learning outcomes and increase social capital. 

Strategies using gamification have been used by corporations for a number of years.  Now, those same strategies are being used for engagement, feedback and data collection in industry, colleges and K-12 education. Innovative educators can benefit from industry by identifying cutting edge trends and methods for education and training and applying them college and K-12 instructional strategies (Brull & Finlayson, 2016).

Gamification is used to deliver dry content in non-game contexts using game elements and game design techniques such as feedback and challenges (Attali & Arieli-Attali, 2014; Werbach & Hunter, 2012). Engaging learners with gamification is one way to immerse learners in an environment that will help them acquire and retain knowledge in challenging content (Randel, Morris, Wet­zel, & Whitehill, 1992). Gamification provide an avenue for learners to set their own schedule and environment for learning as opposed to the traditional model for teacher delivered instruction (Kapp, 2012). Elements of fun keep learners attention. Kapp (2012) defined a game as “a system in which players engage in an abstract challenge, defined by rules, interactivity, and feedback, that results in a quantifiable outcome often eliciting an emotional reaction” (p. 23).

New generations of digital learners expect different instruction that has previously been delivered in education. They want fun learning challenges delivered in multimedia contexts available on demand. For some students, technology drives their learning and for others it does not matter as much. Learning styles and individual proficiency with innovative technology divide these groups (Guthrie, 2014). According to Malsow’s Hierarchy, learners are motivated by psychological needs for belonging and self-esteem which might be provided in an educational setting using gamification strategies. Understanding the learning styles and motivations of learners is essential for instructional design. 

Participants will learn about gamified strategies that can be integrated into instructional design and describe how gamification can take dry material and increase learning outcomes and social capital. They will receive 4 tips to gamify learning outcomes and increase social capital. 

Participants create a non-digital tool for student choice based on personal learning styles in a gamified learning environment and will use personal devices to build social capital and experience motivation through gamification.

Guthrie, C. (2014). Who are we teaching? The learning expectations of “Digital Tribes” in the Classroom. International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, 4,(2) 146-150.

Kapp, K. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction: game-based methods and strategies for training and education. San Fran­cisco, CA: Pfeifler.

Werbach, K., & Hunter, D. (2012). For the win: How game thinking can revolutionize your business. Philadelphia, PA: Wharton Digital Press.

Attali, Y., & Arieli-Attali, M. (2015). Gamification in assessment: Do points affect test performance? Computers & Education, 83, 57-63.

Randel, J.M., Morris, B.A., Wetzel, C.D., & Whitehill, B.V. (1992). The effectiveness of games for educational purposes: A review of recent research. Simulation and Gaming, 23, 261-276.

Brull S., & Finlayson S. (2016). Importance of gamification in increasing learning. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016 Aug 1;47(8):372-5. doi: 10.3928/00220124-20160715-09.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

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

This paper argues that quality education has a bearing on performance which, in turn, ultimately has a bearing on social transformation. This is thus an exploration of one of the ways in which quality education can be facilitated to realize this ideal. Located within critical theoretical pedagogies, this paper focuses on work that emphasizes transformative learning within learning environments that enable students’ active participation, deep learning, and agency.

The design the study has drawn from the qualitative perspective of the transformative paradigm. The empirical data on which this paper is based were generated using semi-structured interviews with first generation Black African second language speakers of English (L2) who, at the time of the study were pre-service teachers at an institution of higher learning in South Africa. The findings indicated that the tutoring sessions provided a platform for pre-service (L2) teachers to actively participate and speak about their learning experiences in a non-threatening environment. The responses indicated that tutoring sessions carried the potential to create spaces for preservice teachers to engage meaningfully.  However, there were negative aspects of the tutoring sessions. In this regard useful insights about the various strategies for optimizing tutor spaces to provide useful support for student teachers.

The challenge of higher education is to shape history and make a significant contribution towards social transformation through developing a responsive and responsible citizenry. It is about creating a 21^st century in which education enhances, rather than diminishes a country’s socio-economic conditions. Global trends indicate a move into a phase where a variety of factors are identified as influencing the quality of public education and its ability to serve its citizens as well as, contribute to societal success. It has become evident that higher education institutions at all levels are recognising the need for transformation for both access to, and quality of, public education. There is recognition of the teaching and learning methods and conditions limiting transformation in the academia. Concern has been raised about the role of higher education in making a contribution towards the transformative agenda, with specific regard to graduate attributes that have cyclical ramifications for quality education.

The concern for quality education is about the creation of optimal learning environments  through appropriate tutor support which contributes towards graduatness with implications for social transformation. This paper is an exploration of one of the ways in which quality education can be facilitated to realise this ideal. Located within critical theoretical pedagogies, this paper focuses on work that emphasises transformative learning within learning environments that enable students’ active participation, critical reflection  and social engagement..

In its design the study has drawn from the qualitative perspective of the transformative paradigm. The empirical data on which this paper is based were generated using semi-structured interviews with first generation Black African second language speakers of English (L2) who, at the time of the study were pre-service teachers in South Africa. The findings indicated that the tutoring sessions were a platform for this cohort of preservice teachers  to actively participate and speak about their learning experiences in the non-threatening environment of tutor sessions. The responses indicated that, on the one hand, tutoring sessions carried the potential to provide transformative and critical pedagogies where the preservice teachers could engage meaningfully with texts. On the other hand there was an unintended consequence where the negative aspects of the tutoring sessions were critiqued. In this regard they were able to proffer useful insights about the various strategies for optimizing tutor spaces so that they could serve the purpose of providing appropriate support for pre-service teachers.

Finally, we argue that tutor support sessions have potential value for creating optimal learning environments that promote the development of critical graduate attributes in education that is geared towards social transformation. Tutoring sessions are thus seen as spaces for the facilitation of student teacher engagement in pursuit of the creation of optimal learning environments, firstly for the benefit of the cohort that forms the fulcrum of this discussion. Secondly, these spaces are regarded as ideal hubs for the inculcation of transformative learning in the form of critical thinking and critical consciousness that will promote change agency.

Key words:  transformative learning, optimal learning ecologies, graduate attributes, tutoring sessions, student engagement, praxis

Brookfield, S. (2003). Putting the critical back in critical pedagogy: A commentary on the path of dissent. Journal of Transformative Education, 1(2), 141-149.

Breuing, M. (2011). Problematizing critical pedagogy. International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 3(3), 2-23.

Brunquell, C. Brunstein, J, & Jaime, P. Education for sustaninablity, critical reflection and transofrmative learning: Professor's experiences in Brazilian administrative courses. Int. J. Innovation & Sustatainable development, 1, Nov3/4, 321-342.

Coupland, N. (2001). Language, situation and the relational self: Theorizing dialect-style in sociolinguistics. In P Eckert & J. Rickford )Eds. Style and sociolingusitics variation (pp 185-210). Cambridge University Press.

Cranton, P. (2000). Teaching for transformation. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 9(3), 63-72.

Creswell, J.W. (2008). Educational research: Conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative educational research. New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Kincheloe, J.L McLaren, & Steinberg, S.R. (2007). Critical pedagogy and qualitative research. In N.K Denzin & Y.S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 685-696). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Makalela, L .(2015). Moving out of linguistic boxes, the effects of trans-languaging strategies for multi-lingual classroom contexts. Per Linguam, 3(1), 1.

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning as transformation: Critical perspective on a theory in progress. San Fransisco: Jossey Bass.

Mezirow, J. (2003). Transformative learning as discourse. Journal of Transformative Education, 1(1), 58-63.

Morrow, W. (2009). Bounds of democracy: Epistemological access in higher education. Cape Town: HSRC Press.

Neary, M., & Winn, J. (2008). The student as producer: Reinventing the student experience in higher education. In The future of higher education, policy, pedagogy and the student experience, Continuum (pp192-210).

Patton, M.Q, (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Rall, J. (2002). Critical consciousness, critical thinking and academic discourse in college composition. Peer.

Shor, I. (1996). Empowering education: Critical teaching for social change. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

30-Minute Research Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

"Tutors On the Move" traveled to Santa Fe South’s administration building, the site of their summer school program, twice a week. Three to five tutors spent
three hours each day working one-to-one with students. The tutors assisted the students with their course work, but also helped them develop their English speaking and reading skills. This portion of the project ran from July 10-July 28.

"Tutors On the Move" also traveled to Southern Oaks Library where we spent two hours per week, in a reserved, library study-room, hosting English Conversation Group and One-to-One tutoring for adult learners. We conducted a pre-survey, asking questions on students' confidence and speaking level, to be able to judge this growth at the end of the program. This portion of the program ran from July 6-July 28 with one specific one-to-one tutoring session lasting until August 21.

The roundtable discussion will provide an overview of the project’s development, implementation, and evaluation, and it will showcase tutors’ reflections on their growth in Service Learning and Civic Engagement as well as Global and Cultural Competence. In doing so, it will ask participants to explore how they can launch TL in their classrooms, companies, and communities.

How do we put Transformative Learning into action in our own communities? This roundtable will examine a STLR-funded TL project created by peer-tutors at the University of Central Oklahoma. Initially proposed as a Service Learning project which would connect high school English language learners in the Oklahoma City metro with individual academic support and mentoring, “Tutors on The Move” expanded to also serve adult immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship through conversation groups and tutoring at the Metropolitan Library System. Building relationships with those of different socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, the project sought to view the impact of such interactions on both its tutors and target population. The roundtable discussion will provide an overview of the project’s development, implementation, and evaluation, and it will showcase tutors’ reflections on their growth in Service Learning and Civic Engagement as well as Global and Cultural Competence. In doing so, it will ask participants to explore how they can launch TL in their classrooms, companies, and communities.

Roundtable Plan

1. Problem/Inquiry: English language learners and newly-arrived immigrants in the Oklahoma City metro need to know that the University of Central Oklahoma cares about them and is willing to help them accomplish their civic and academic goals.

2. Method of Addressing Issue: To address this issue, the project’s developers first conducted a needs-assessment of community organizations and high schools in the Oklahoma City metro to find how our tutors could best serve the needs of English language learners. This included email and phone communications, meetings with representatives of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Oklahoma City, The Metropolitan Library System, and Santa Fe South Charter High School. As a result of the needs assessment, the project was designed to offer both one-to-one academic tutoring for high school students in the Alpha summer school program at Santa Fe South Charter High School as well as tutoring and conversation groups for adult immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship at Southern Oaks Public Library.

Findings

1. Reflection from SFS Teacher:

We wanted to say thank you to you and the other tutors...  Many of these students lack the confidence to ask for help...  But having a tutor right next to them for one on one interaction gave many of our students the confidence and drive they needed to be successful in an academic setting.  I loved (and hated) how they wished they could have worked with you EVERY day instead of just Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Students who on their own would complete one, maybe two, lessons per day, were able to complete 4 and more lessons in a day.  We look forward to working with you all in the future.

Sincerely,

Kari Allison

Santa Fe South High School Teacher

P.S. The tutoring support was particularly helpful for our ELLs and others who have low reading levels.  Getting them to dissect and really think about what they read and take helpful notes.

2. Hunter’s Reflection:

3. Angela’s Reflection:

4. Brian’s Reflection:

Questions for Attendees and Open Discussion

No outside sources referenced. 

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

A service learning project,"Code Okie: One Line at a Time!", encapsulates the transformative learning experiences of a team of undergraduate students, namely the Computer Science (CS) Ambassadors. The CS Ambassadors are currently composed of three females and three males, who are from different cultural and national backgrounds and at various class standings. The CS Ambassadors are united for the common goal of generating interest in the computing field among high school students, especially those from rural communities, minority ethnic groups, and females in Oklahoma, by conducting project-based workshops. This poster presents the journey of the team with the project and their experiences in each tenet of University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) transformative learning. The participants of this poster session will have two takeaways. First, they will be informed of the current status of CS education in Oklahoma and will be encouraged to raise public awareness on it. Second, they will perceive a model of an effective undergraduate team and what it takes to help them undergo transformation in their personal and professional life.

The demand of workforce in computing field in the United States is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations [1]. The number of graduates in CS each year, however, is significantly lower than the demand. In order to address this issue, different approaches are made in several states [2][3][4]. None of these approaches, however, targets students in rural high schools where lack of funding, CS teachers, and resources are the main obstacles to good CS education [5].

"Code Okie: One Line at a Time" is a service learning project that reaches out to high school students, especially from the rural areas, minorities, and females, to raise their interest in CS. A team of undergraduate students, namely CS Ambassadors designed and delivered the lesson plans of three modules that use Scratch, Raspberry Pi, and Robotics. Each module was designed with a specific purpose; the Scratch module introduces basic programming concepts through a drag and drop method in visual representation. The Raspberry Pi module introduces physical computing that shows the connection of software to hardware, using python programming language. The Robotics module goes further into the advanced use of Raspberry Pi that controls the movement of a robot.

In order to reach the current state of Code Okie, CS Ambassadors from different class standings and cultural backgrounds experienced various occasions that introduced them to the six tenets of University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) transformative learning. Our journey began with self-studies as we didn't have any prior knowledge of and experience with the three modules mentioned above. We also followed every step required in conducting research such as filling out an IRB application and receiving Qualtrics training, reading relevant literatures and presenting to the team, learning SPSS for data analysis, etc.

To make the workshops and administration more effective, we meet weekly under the guidance of a faculty supervisor and brainstorm ideas. In every rehearsal and meeting, we learned to present, debate and constructively criticize on different views of teammates. This, along with delivering lessons to high school students, enabled us to grow in communication skills. Being a part of Code Okie provided a sense of belonging to UCO community, as we represented UCO in front of participants. In addition, having an impact on a single student's life gave us an ecstatic feeling that in turn increased the sense of giving back to the community.

CS Ambassadors, though being involved in various university's organizations that enhanced leadership, teaching high schoolers in a professional manner was a different sector. We learned to give our best to create a positive and ethical influence on the participants. The great improvement in leadership was seen among the members who are introvert but started taking initiatives to complete a project by deadlines without relying on the supervisor. Through the passage of time, a great bond of friendship was developed among the members despite having language barriers and cultural differences. Now, we are able to communicate not only professionally but also personally.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational outlook handbook, computer and information technology occupations. www.bls.gov/ooh/, 2018 

Feaster, L. Segars, S. K. Wahba, and J. O. Hallstrom. 2011. Teaching CS unplugged in the high school (with limited success). In Proceedings of the 16th annual joint conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education (ITiCSE '11). ACM, New York, NY, USA, pp. 248-252

Yadav, and et al (2011). Introducing computational thinking in education courses. In SIGCSE'11 - Proceedings of the 42nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 465-470), 2011

Hu, C. Heiner, and J. McCarthy, “Deploying Exploring Computer Science Statewide”, SIGCSE 2016

Myung Ah Park and Jaehee Lee, “Rural Minorities in Computing Education – A Study of Rural Schools with No CS/IT Courses in Oklahoma”, International Conference on Computational Science & Computational Intelligence – Symposium on Education, 2016

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

The main goal of this project was to understand the effect of various teaching approach on students’ understanding of Hazard Analysis Critical Point plan (HACCP) development process. This research was conducted over the period of two semesters.  In 2015 Fall, the instructor has introduced HACCP training as a three-credit hour course in Oklahoma State University’s Food Science Program.  Since the introduction, HACCP course has been offered twice.  For the first time, traditional face-to-face lectures and case study based approaches were used while the second time a problem-based learning approach was utilized to teach concepts of HACCP.  The effectiveness of these approaches were measured by series of quizzes, midterm exams, and student surveys.   The problem-based learning approach was found to be more effective, and student preferred teaching approach for this class.  When problem-based learning approach was employed,  on an average student quizzes and midterm score increased by 27.1% compared to traditional in-class face to face lectures.   

All USDA-FSIS inspected meat processors are required to have Hazard Analysis and Critical Control System in place (HCCAP plan) to operate as per 21CFR417.   Therefore, HACCP training is a crucial component of training régime of any food processor subjected to USDA-FSIS inspection.  The higher education institutes have a vital role to play in building an infrastructure in the nation to support food industry by preparing qualified food safety professionals. 

In 2015, Department of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University introduced a new option: Food Safety in its Food Science program.  The major goal of this option is to prepare industry ready food safety professionals.  In order to prepare curriculum for the new option, 15 Oklahoma food industries were surveyed to understand their needs.  Based on the survey outcome, 8 new courses including HACCP in the food industry were developed and introduced.  The HACCP course is first of its kind, 3 credit certificate course which provides an opportunity to receive USDA-FSIS recognized certificates to students.  

 Since introduction in Fall 2015, HACCP course has been offered twice (Fall 2015-19 students and Fall 2016-17 students).  Because of the unique nature of the course, the instructor has utilized two very different approaches to teach the course.  In Fall 2015, the course was taught using traditional face-to-face lectures and case studies based approach while second time a Transformative Learning theory-problem based approach was utilized.  For the problem-based approach, students were asked to develop an actual HACCP plan for a small meat processor (less than 10 employees; processing volume- 600 heads/year).  In Fal 2016 class, students developed food safety plans over the period of a semester.  Throughout the semester, students received feedback on their HACCP plans from the instructor and a USDA-FSIS inspector.  The effectiveness of the teaching approaches used in these classes  were measured by a series of quizzes, midterm exams, and student surveys. 

 The problem-based learning approach was found to be more effective, and student preferred teaching approach for this class.  When problem-based learning approach was employed, on an average student quizzes and midterm score increased by 27.1% compared to traditional in-class face to face lectures.  Fall 2016 class clearly reflected in student surveys that because of the real-life problem and students’ interactions with a meat processor and USDA inspector their perception of the HACCP plan and its implementation challenges changed drastically.  The class also felt that they have better understanding HACCP system.  

Based on the findings of this project, the instructor has introduced a similar approach to teaching one additional food safety regulation class. 

USDA (2017).  9CFR 417.  https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/9/part-417

Poster

Measuring Transformative Learning
Launching Transformative Learning

A study was conducted with 53 UCO football players as part of a class project; the results revealed that over half receive their nutrition information from their coaches, and the majority believed that eating a nutrition meal will improve their performance. However, the UCO athletic program does not employ a Registered Dietitian or sports nutritionist. The purpose of this STRL project was to increase knowledge, awareness, and to provide resources about proper food/beverage choices and nutritional practices for performance, recovery, and overall health to the football athletes. Outcomes of the project were the players gaining awareness of the effects of nutrition on performance and body composition. Due to the success of the project with the football team, it was continued for a second year and expanded to all student-athletes through a UCO Intern position. The author will present the results of the survey, methods that were most successful for the student-athletes during the project and lessons learned as a result of the transformative learning experience with the anticipation that this will be an on-going collaborative project for nutrition students and student-athletes at UCO.

Nutrition is a very important component of an athlete’s training and performance. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ position on this issue is that physical activity, athletic performance, and recovery are enhanced by optimal nutrition (1). Although diet and nutrition are significant aspects of athletes’ training and performance, there may not be an easily accessible qualified person for athletes to seek out for advice. In 2012, there were fewer than 40 major colleges or professional teams that employed full time registered dietitians (RD) (2).  This leaves a void, making it harder for athletes to obtain reliable evidence-based advice. Oftentimes, athletes rely on a coach or the internet for nutrition information. Some coaches may have limited knowledge of the basics of nutrition.  Torres-McGehee et al. (2012), concluded that coaches and athletes have the least amount of knowledge base pertaining to nutrition when compared to athletic trainers or strength and conditioning specialists. However their knowledge may not be a suitable replacement for the expertise of a RD (3).  A systematic review that was conducted in 2011 by Heaney et al., found that athletes may have a higher or equal to knowledge base of nutrition when compared to non-athletes but were lower when compared to nutrition students (4). With this lack of knowledge, athletes may not be getting sufficient macro/micronutrient intake when their bodies are needing to perform and recover from sports performance/training.  A small study was conducted as part of an Advanced Nutrition course of 53 football players, ages 18 - 23 years. The study revealed that 52% seek their nutrition information through their coach/trainers. The majority of UCO athletes believe that eating a nutritious meal will improve their athletic performance. According to the survey, the athletes seek their nutrition information from their coaches first; then seek secondary information from the internet, and friends. Athletes are not required to take a nutrition course and UCO does not employ a sports dietitian. The purpose of this STRL project was to increase knowledge, awareness, and to provide resources about proper food/beverage choices and nutritional practices for performance, recovery, and overall health to the football athletes. This was done by providing the athletes with information on the nutritional value of foods, the components of an adequate diet, and the proper knowledge of making appropriate food choices and purchases from available resources. Throughout the year the goal was to provide the athletes valuable knowledge but also encourage active participation through activities such as healthy breakfast options for summer practice, grocery store tours, discussions on the importance of BMR and body composition, and nutrition education.  Due to the success of the project with the football team, it was continued for a second year and expanded to all student-athletes through a UCO Intern position. Based on expected outcomes during the second year, it is anticipated this will be an on-going collaboration between nutrition students and student-athletes that will benefit both groups through this transformative learning experience.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American College of Sports Medicine, & Dieticians of Canada. (2016). Nutrition and athletic performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501-528. Retrieved from http://www.eatrightpro.org/resource/practice/position-and-practice-papers/position-papers/nutrition-and-athletic-performance

Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association. (2012). 'Sports RD' survey: Nutrition specialists laying claim to where food meets the field. Retrieved from https://www.newswise.com/articles/sports-rd-survey-nutrition-specialists-laying-claim-to-where-food-meets-the-field

Torres-McGehee, T. M. (2012). Sports nutrition knowledge among collegiate athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, and strength and conditioning specialists. Journal of Athletic Training. 205-211.

Heaney, Susan, et al. (2011). Nutrition knowledge in athletes: a systematic review. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 21(3), 248-261.

Poster

Launching Transformative Learning

Young children in the United States are growing up in a world that is sprawling with visual culture (Apkon, 2013) yet an increasing number of them are not exposed to visual arts education in schools. With art education programs on the decline, young students are growing up without the opportunity to experience the academic connections and transformative learning experiences that art education can provide (Kokkos, 2011). This is particularly true in high-need, high-poverty urban areas which creates an equity gap between schools in poor communities and those in wealthier communities (Rabkin & Hedberg, 2011). To combat this gap, Oklahoma City Public schools partnered with Oklahoma Contemporary’s Art for Every Fifth Grader program. A University of Central Oklahoma undergraduate student and faculty member are conducting the external evaluation of the program through a Student Transformative Learning Record grant. This poster reports on the gallery visits component of the program where students received guided gallery tours and created associated artwork. Students were surveyed about their experience. This poster presentation describes those outcomes from over 500 students and makes a connection to the transformative learning potential inherent in interaction with living artists and their work.

Young children in the United States are growing up in a world that is sprawling with visual culture. The visual cascade of pictures, visual messages, and digital media are an important part of everyday life (Apkon, 2013) yet an increasing number of students are not exposed to visual arts education in schools. Budget cuts to the Oklahoma public education system have been rampant and ever increasing over the last decade. This has put an enormous strain on schools, resulting in the elimination of many important art programs. With art education programs on the decline in the state of Oklahoma, young students are growing up without the opportunity to experience the academic connections and transformative learning experiences that art education can provide (Kokkos, 2011). Many art educators have lost their jobs and those who remain are spread thin across multiple schools or are working part-time. This requires them to be more creative and collaborative than ever before in order to help launch the transformative potential of the arts for these students. This is particularly true in high-need, high-poverty urban areas which creates an equity gap between schools in poor communities and those in wealthier communities (Rabkin & Hedberg, 2011). This is certainly true for the Oklahoma City Public schools district. As such, they have decided to partner with community programs to supplement visual arts education for young students. One such partnership is The Art for Every Fifth grader program conducted by Oklahoma Contemporary. This program aims to ensure all students can access quality arts education in order to increase their odds of academic and personal success. The program seeks to reach all 4,000 Oklahoma City fifth graders. In order to reach this goal the program directors connected with the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) to seek assistance with the external evaluation of the program. A UCO undergraduate student and faculty member are working together through a Student Transformative Learning Record grant to carry out this research project. This poster reports on the gallery visits and collaborative artwork component of the program. Students received free visits to Oklahoma Contemporary where guided tours and associated artwork creation took place. Students were surveyed about their experience at the gallery. This poster presentation describes the results from over 500 students and makes a connection to the transformative learning potential inherent in interaction with living artists and their work.

Apkon, S. (2013), The Age of the Image: Redefining Literacy in a World of Screens, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Rabkin, N, & Hedberg, E.C. (2011). Arts Education in America: What the decline means for for arts participation. Prepared for the National Endowment for the Arts Office of Research and Analysis, research report #52.

Kokkos, A. (2011). Transformative learning through aesthetic experience: Towards a comprehensive method. Journal of Transformative Education, Vol 8(3). pp. 155 - 177

Poster

Launching Transformative Learning

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) centers around monthly Reflect & Connect sessions. In these sessions, participants are brought together to foster communication between students, with Peer Fellows and Faculty and Staff Mentors. Their posters are a result of their work this year in HSI and specifically through the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process (IKPP) developed by Dr. Melissa Peet. IKPP serves as a way for students discover strengths they utilize to help them succeed in college. Outside of the Reflect & Connect sessions, program participants attend cultural activities around campus and also engaged in a service project in the Oklahoma City Hispanic community.

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Elementary teachers have difficulty integrating content across the curriculum. This is a challenge because integration across the disciplines is not modeled effectively since college courses are taught in isolation.  Misconceptions of how to apply the course content through integration occur because of the lack of modeling. This investigation determined if modifying the college classroom from two isolated courses to an integrated model would transform teachers’ abilities to apply integration practices.

In this investigation, the pre-service teachers were taught grade-level standards in English Language Arts and Science for three weeks. During this time, pre-service teachers were also taught specific content from experts in the field (archaeologists, anthropologists, and paleontologists).  The pre-service teachers were then required to implement and integrate standards with the specific content.

A qualitative study measured 20 pre-service teachers' abilities to apply integration practices.  Findings determined a positive self-efficacy is related to the integration model.  These findings validate the importance of using the integrated model to transform teachers' abilities to apply integration practices.

Elementary teachers have difficulty integrating content across the curriculum (Daniel, Auhl, & Hastings, 2013). This is a challenge because integration across the disciplines is not modeled effectively since college courses are taught in isolation.  Misconceptions of how to apply the course content through integration occur because of the lack of modeling. This investigation determined if modifying the college classroom from two isolated courses to an integrated model would transform teachers’ abilities to apply integration practices.

In this investigation, the pre-service teachers were taught grade-level standards in English Language Arts and Science for three weeks. During this time, pre-service teachers were also taught specific content from experts in the field (archaeologists, anthropologists, and paleontologists).  The pre-service teachers were then required to implement and integrate standards with the specific content.

A qualitative survey with four questions relating to abilities was administered to 20 pre-service teachers. This survey measured their ability to implement and integrate standards and content.

From the 20 participants, 75% expressed feeling prepared to implement and integrate the specific content after receiving formal instruction from the experts. The remaining 25% expressed feeling mildly prepared after receiving formal instruction from the experts. No pre-service teachers felt unprepared.

Data from this study will be considered when developing future learning experiences for the pre-service teachers. In addition to having formal instruction from experts, informal trainings may be considered for future use.

Daniel, Auhl, & Hastings G. (2013). Preparing pre-service teachers for the profession: creating spaces for  transformative practice. Journal of Education for Teaching, 40(4), 377-390.

Poster

Measuring Transformative Learning
Launching Transformative Learning

Evidence exists that higher education institutions interested in launching transformative learning are well-entrenched in the consideration of mechanisms for supporting the implementation of Open Educational Resources (OER) and alternative textbooks. However, developing and implementing OER is a significant undertaking in terms of time and human resources. This presentation, based on a research study, deploys a sample of institutions of higher education to determine the current state of support mechanisms in order to recommend options and variables to implementers just embarking on the OER journey. At the end of the presentation, participants will be more knowledgeable about existing institutional support structures regarding OER. Handouts highlighting field best practices on supporting faculty that wish to adopt, adapt, and build resources and implementing an institutional review team will serve as a resource for participants.

Evidence exists that higher education institutions interested in launching transformative learning are well-entrenched in the consideration of mechanisms for supporting the implementation of Open Educational Resources (OER) and alternative textbooks. However, developing and implementing OER is a significant undertaking in terms of time and human resources. This presentation, based on a research study, deploys a sample of institutions of higher education to determine the current state of support mechanisms in order to recommend options and variables to implementers just embarking on the OER journey. Findings reveal that institutions have made strides in the development of faculty mini-grants and stipends with guidelines, proposal checklists, and weighting mechanisms to inform decision-making. Sponsorship of institutional OER initiatives seems split between institutional library functions and teaching and learning centers and other issues, such as ownership and licensing are significantly underdeveloped in field implementation or fall in a large continuum of practices.

Achieve, Inc. (2011). Rubrics for evaluating Open Education Resource (OER) objects. Retrieved from https://www.achieve.org/files/AchieveOERRubrics.pdf

Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2014). Opening the curriculum: Open educational resources in U.S. higher education, 2014. Retrieved from  http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/openingthecurriculum2014.pdf 

Allen, I. E., Seaman, J., Poulin, R., & Straut, T. T. (2016). Online report card: Tracking online education in the United States. Retrieved from http://onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/onlinereportcard.pdf.

Armellini, A., & Nie, M. (2013). Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 28(1), 7-20. doi:10.1080/02680513.2013.796286

Belikov, O. M., & Bodily, R. (2016, July-September). Incentives and barriers to OER adoption: A qualitative analysis of faculty perceptions. Open Praxis, 8(3), 235-246. doi:10.5944/openpraxis.8.3.308

Blick, W., & Marcus, S. (2017, Spring).The brightly illuminated path: Facilitating an OER program at community college. College Student Journal, 51(1), 29-32. Retrieved from SPORTDiscus database: 121530611.

Bliss, T., Robinson, T., Hilton, J., & Wiley, D. (2013). An OER coup: College teacher and student perceptions of open educational resources. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, (1). doi:10.5334/2013-04

Borchard, L., & Magnuson, L. (2017). Library leadership in open educational resource adoption and affordable learning initiatives. Urban Library Journal, 23(1), 1-13. Retrieved from http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1160&context=ulj.

Cengage. (2016). Open educational resources and the evolving higher education landscape. Retrieved from https://assets.cengage.com/pdf/wp_oer-evolving-higher-ed-landscape.pdf

Cohen, J. Z., Omollo, K. L., & Malicke, D. (2014, April-June). A framework to integrate public, dynamic metrics into an OER platform. Open Praxis, 6(2), 189-197. doi:10.5944/openpraxis.6.2.118

College Board. (2017). Average estimated undergraduate budgets, 2016-17. Trends in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/average-estimated-undergraduate-budgets-2016-17.

Connecticut General Assembly. (2018). Public act no. 17-130. Substitute Senate Bill No. 948. Retrieved from https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/ACT/pa/2017PA-00130-R00SB-00948-PA.htm

Cooney, C. (2017, June). What impacts do OER have on students? Students share their experiences with a health psychology OER at New York City College of Technology. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 18(4), 155-178. doi:10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3111

de Hart, K., Chetty, Y., & Archer, E.  (2015, April). Uptake of OER by staff in distance education in South Africa. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(2), 18-45. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2047/3272

Donaldson, R. L., Nelson, D. W., & Thomas, E. (2012). 2012 Florida student textbook survey. Florida Virtual Campus: Tallahassee, FL. Retrieved from http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/%5Cpdf%5C2012_Florida_Student_Textbook_Survey.pdf

Emery-Arrias, M. (2013, June). College textbooks. United States Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Committees. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/655066.pdf

Falconer, I., McGill, L., Littlejohn, A., & Boursinou, E. (2013). Overview and analysis of practices with Open Educational Resources in adult education in Europe. Seville, Spain: European Commission Institute for Prospective Technological Studies. Retrieved from http://openeducationeuropa.eu/en/article/Overview-and-Analysis-of-Practices-with-Open-Educational-Resources-in-Adult-Education-in-Europe. doi:10.2791/34193

General Assembly of Maryland. (2017).The Textbook Cost Savings Act of 2017. Senate Bill 424, Chapter 763. Retrieved from http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=02&id=SB0424&tab=subject3&ys=2017rs

Goodsett, M., Loomis, B., & Miles, M. (2016, July-September). Leading campus OER initiatives through library–faculty collaboration. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 23(3), 335-342. doi:10.1080/10691316.2016.1206328

Grewe, K. E., & Davis, W. P. (2017, June). The impact of enrollment in an OER Course on student learning outcomes. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 18(4), 231-238. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2986/4211

Groom, C. (2013). A guide to open educational resources. JISC. Retrieved from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/programmerelated/2013/Openeducationalresources.aspx#Finding%20and%20sharing%20open%20educational%20resources

Hanley, L. F. & Bonilla, D. (2016, April-June). Atolls, islands, and archipelagos: The California OER Council and the new landscape for open education in California. Open Praxis, 8(2), 131-142. doi:10.5944/openpraxis.8.2.284

Hassall, C. et al. (2017). Institutional and technological barriers to the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in physiology and medical education. Advances in Physiology Education, 41(1), 77-81. doi:10.1152/advan.00171.2016

Hilton, J., Fischer, L., Wiley, D., & Williams, L. (2016, December). Maintaining momentum toward graduation: OER and the course throughput rate. International Review of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 17(6), 18-27. doi:10.19173/irrodl.v17i6. 2686.

Hilton, J. III. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(4), 573-590. doi:10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9

Illowsky, B. S., Hilton, J. III, Whiting, J., & Ackerman, J. D. (2016, July-September). Examining student perception of an open statistics book. Open Praxis, 8(3), 265-276. doi:10.5944/openpraxis.8.3.304

Jung, E., Bauer, C., & Heaps, A. (2017, June). Higher education faculty perceptions of open textbook adoption. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(4). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/3120/4218.

Karunanayaka, S. P., Naidu, S., Rajendra, J. C. N., & Ratnayake, H. U. W. (2015, October-December). From OER to OEP: Shifting practitioner perspectives and practices with innovative learning experience design. Open Praxis, 7(4), 339-350. doi:10.5944/openpraxis.7.4.252

Kursun, E., Cagiltay, K., & Can, G. (2014, December). An investigation of faculty perspectives on barriers, incentives, and benefits of the OER movement in Turkey. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 15(6), 14-32. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1914/3128

Lesko, I. (2013). The use and production of OER & OCW in teaching in South African higher education institutions: A case study. Open Praxis, 5(2). doi:10.5944/openpraxis.5.2.52

Mtebe, J., & Raisamo, R. (2014). Challenges and instructors’ intention to adopt and use open educational resources in higher education in Tanzania. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(1). doi:10.19173/irrodl.v15i1.1687

Pitt, R. (2015, October). Mainstreaming open textbooks: Educator perspectives on the impact of OpenStax college open textbooks. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 16(4), 133-155. Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2381

Prasad, D., & Usagawa, T. (2014). Towards development of OER derived custom-built open textbooks: A baseline survey of university teachers at the University of the South Pacific. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 15(4). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1873

Reynolds, R. (2012). Obstacles to faculty adoption of OER and open textbooks. Retrieved from http://thelearninglot.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/obstacles-to-faculty-adoption-fo-oer.html

Senack, E. (2014, January). Fixing the broken textbook market: How students respond to high textbook costs and demand alternatives. Retrieved from http://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/NATIONAL%20Fixing%20Broken%20Textbooks%20Report1.pdf.

Senack, E., Donoghue, R., O’Connor-Grant, K., & Steen, K. (2016). Access denied: The new face of the textbook monopoly. Retrieved from http://www.studentpirgs.org/sites/student/files/reports/Access%20Denied%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf

Strope, M. (2015, April 15). ‘Freeway flyers’ now make up the bulk of faculty. Retrieved from http://www.guildfreelancers.org/news/2015/4/15/freeway-flyers-make-up-the-bulk-of-faculty

Texas Senate. (2017). Texas State Bill 810. Texas 85^th Legislature. Retrieved from http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/85R/billtext/pdf/SB00810I.pdf#navpanes=0

Wiley, D., Bliss, T. J., & McEwen, M. (2014). Open Educational Resources: A review of the literature. In J. M. Spector, M. D. Merrill, J. Elen, & M. J. Bishop. (Eds.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (pp. 781-789). New York: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_63

Zhang, M., & Li, Y. (2017). Teaching experience on faculty members' perceptions about the attributes of Open Educational Resources (OER). International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 12(4), 191-199. doi:10.3991/ijet.v12i04.6638

Zhao, B. Q., Xu, S. H., Lin, S. J., Luo, X. N., & Duan, L. (2015). A new visual navigation system for exploring biomedical Open Educational Resource (OER) videos. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, (23), E34-E41. doi:10.1093/jamia/ocv123

Poster

Launching Transformative Learning

The goal of this course redesign was to engage students in learning the principles of biology by using the kitchen as a laboratory. This work had two outcomes: 1. Allow students to make gains in understanding of course content and 2. Improve the perceptions students have about biology and its relevance to their lives. This work was funded through the Engaged Learning Initiative at Freed-Hardeman University (FHU).  FHU is currently in the introductory stages of formalizing transformative learning across campus.  This course was redesigned and evaluated using tools gained through Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER). Specifically, students self-reported learning gains in topics covered in class using an instrument called a Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG).  In this poster, components of the course structure will be highlighted.  The results of the SALG from two semesters of courses will also be presented.  Finally, select student comments will also be shared. Suggestions are welcomed regarding how to better structure student reflections and better help students connect what is done in the kitchen to biological concepts. 

Principles of biology (BIO 110) is a course for nonbiology majors to meet the general education requirement for life sciences at Freed-Hardeman University (FHU). The goal of this project was to expose students in the BIO 110 course to biological topics such as metabolism, pH, plant biology, muscle structure, blood viscosity, lipid transport, biomolecules, water, the scientific method, and G protein-coupled receptors in a novel, relevant way. Engaging students in the liberal arts core continues to provide challenges for faculty at FHU. By using the kitchen as a laboratory, the instructor sought to challenge traditional perceptions of biological topics and instead make them applicable and interesting.

This poster will summarize the experience of the students and instructor after two semesters of implementation. Biological concepts were organized using a theme for the week. Typically, a short lecture was followed by activities in the kitchen designed to allow students to experience various principles of biology. Students performed experiments and completed lab reports answering questions about their results. Questions and prompts in the lab report sought to challenge students to reflect on learning that was done in the lab; however, improvements could be made in this aspect of the course and feedback is welcomed. For the final project, students assumed the role of food scientists and used the scientific method to “dissect a recipe.” This involved using the scientific method to make a favorite recipe and test two different variables with appropriate controls. Students then reported their findings to the class.

Student learning was positively impacted by this approach. This poster will summarize student-learning gains as reported by students using a Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG) instrument. Students reported making “moderate, “good,” or “great” gains in all of the major concepts covered in the class on the assessment of learning gains in the fall of 2016. This format of instruction was repeated in the fall of 2017 and student-learning gains will be reported for this semester as well. 

In summary, this poster presents the initial launch of transformative learning work in an introductory biology course. It also presents assessment data of student-reported learning gains. This work demonstrates the power of engagement to impact student learning and improve perceptions about content that students find difficult or uninteresting. It is the presenter’s desire to continue implementation of this approach and further refine the reflection component and help students draw more connections among course topics.

Selected References

Buddies, S. (2014, July 10). Saucy science: Exploring the science of marinades. Retrieved November 20, 2017, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/saucy-science-exploring-the-science-of-marinades/

HarvardX: SPU27x Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from https://courses.edx.org/courses/course-v1:HarvardX SPU27x 2015_Q2/course/

McGuire, T. R. (2005). “Reinventing Myself as a Professor: The Catalytic Role of SENCER.” SENCER Backgrounder at SSI 2005.

Moore, J. (2005). Is higher education ready for transformative learning?: A question explored in the study of sustainability.” Journal of Transformative Education, 3:,76-91

Tasty Buds. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2017, from http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chtaste.html

Yuhas, D. (2012, November 22). Savory Science: Jelly Bean Taste Test. Retrieved November 20, 2017, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-jelly-bean-taste-smell/

Poster

Measuring Transformative Learning
Launching Transformative Learning

Critical reflection on experiential activities can promote transformative learning by encouraging students to consider different perspectives and frames of reference (Strange & Gibson, 2017). The present study aims to promote opportunities for transformative learning by prompting students to reflect on experiential learning activities. We created reflection prompts and a developmental-stage rubric informed largely by King’s Reflective Judgement Model (King, 2000) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Foundations and Skills Lifelong Learning VALUE rubrics (Rhodes, 2009). The rubric measures students’ ability to reflect across four developmental stages ranging from “beginning” to “distinguished”. We piloted the rubric with several sections of a large introductory communications course at a southwestern public university. Participants attending the poster presentation will learn about and discuss the creation of this developmental reflection rubric to promote opportunities for transformative learning across university courses. In addition, participants will take away working knowledge of the various revisions involved in the development of the rubric for adaptation at other institutions. Descriptive statistics, actual student examples, and future implications will also be discussed.

Critical reflection on experiential activities can promote transformative learning by encouraging students to consider different perspectives and frames of reference (Strange & Gibson, 2017). John Dewey originally described reflection as an “active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends” (Dewey, 1910). Schön later expanded Dewey’s conceptualization and emphasized “reflection-in-action” or “learning by doing” inspiring a wave of educational research implementing reflection (Carol, 2002). Currently, higher education uses critical reflection to promote student learning outcomes. Recent research has found that college students are unlikely to reflect on their educational experiences without being prompted (Eyler, 2002) and need to be provided with clear guidelines, structure, and regular opportunities to reflect (Hatcher, Bringle, & Muthiah, 2004).

The present study aims to promote opportunities for transformative learning by prompting students to reflect on experiential learning activities. We developed reflection prompts and a developmental-stage rubric informed largely by King’s Reflective Judgement Model (King, 2000) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Foundations and Skills Lifelong Learning VALUE rubrics (Rhodes, 2009). The rubric underwent several revisions based on feedback from an expert panel consisting of doctoral students and faculty professors across a variety of disciplines. The rubric measures students’ ability to reflect across four developmental stages ranging from “beginning” to “distinguished.”

We piloted the rubric with several sections of a large introductory communications course at a southwestern public university. Students completed community service projects as their course assignments and were prompted to reflect on the experience through an electronic portfolio. We drew several random samples, totaling 118 reflections, for agreement analysis until we reached sufficient agreement. Two doctoral students independently rated this sample and then met to resolve discrepancies to reach the resolution in ratings. Four incomplete reflections were removed from the final sample, resulting in 114 students with complete data. In order of developmental status, reflections were coded into the “beginning” (29%), “developing” (53%), “proficient” (16%), and “distinguished” (2%) stages. Additional results and examples of actual student reflections are also presented.

Future directions will engage large numbers of college students in critical reflections from a variety of courses and disciplines. Subsequently, analyses will be run on the reliability and validity of these samples in order to validate our development performance rubric. Additionally, future research will examine the relationship between reflective learning and academic outcomes such as grade point average (GPA) and retention in an effort to improve our understanding of student learning outcomes.

Dewey, J. (1910). How we think. Boston, MA: D.C. Heath and Company.

Carol, R. (2002). Defining reflection: Another look at John Dewey and reflective thinking. Teachers College Record, 104(4), 842-866.

Eyler, J. (2002). Reflection: Linking service and learning—Linking students and communities. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 517-534.

Hatcher, J. A., Bringle, R. G., & Muthiah, R. (2004). Designing effective reflection: What matters to service-learning? Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 11(1).

King, P. M. (2000). Learning to make reflective judgments. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2000(82), 15-26.

Rhodes, T. L. (2009). Assessing outcomes and improving achievement: Tips and tools for using rubrics. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Strange, H., & Gibson, H. J. (2017). An investigation of experiential and transformative learning in study abroad programs. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 29(1), 85-100.

Poster

Measuring Transformative Learning
Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Learning about a new topic can be exciting and fun, but working with a team can make the experience even more beneficial. Our project was about the different leadership theories used by K-12 and Higher Education administrators. We are conducting a survey to find out which theories are used, where they were learned, and what theories they would like to know more about. When working with other individuals, you have to learn the best way to interact with them. One of the most intriguing aspects of being on a research team was learning about the different roles each of us played. We all contributed to the project in different ways. The experience allowed each individual to grow certain skill sets along with the opportunity to expand their knowledge of a new topic.

When I first started this project I did not know what to expect. I was told the research project would be about learning what leadership theories are used by K-12 and Higher Education Administrators. I had minimal knowledge of how leadership theories applied to education. When we first started, the group had an open mind about how the project would offer us a variety of opportunities to grow our education on leadership theories. Our research group consists of one undergraduate student, one graduate student, and two professors. It has been interesting learning how to work within the group. One aspect that has been intriguing has been the different roles each person in the group plays. I identified the different roles through observing the group in our meetings, communication, and how we went about starting to conduct research. Our professors on the team help with a lot of the official paperwork as well as helping the students grow their knowledge on the subject. The graduate student has done a lot of work collecting a variety of published research. As the undergraduate student, I have worked on collecting contact information, conducting research, and putting a survey together. We never laid out who would do the different areas of work throughout the project, but we all just jumped in to start working. Working on a research group has helped each of us grow in multiple skill sets. For example, I have learned how to improve my communication skills because I have had to contact different universities. I have also learned how to communicate to different individuals on the team that have a different learning style than I do. Being on a research team has been an experience that was unexpected. We have had the opportunity to grow our knowledge on a topic that we had minimal knowledge on. Once we are done conducting surveys and collecting data, our research can be applied to future research projects. Our research can help enable another team who wants to dig deeper into the application of leadership theories in education.

Alonderiene, Raimonda, and Modesta Majauskaite. “Leadership style and job satisfaction in higher education institutions.” International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 30, no. 1, 2016, pp. 140–164., doi:10.1108/ijem-08-2014-0106

Lazaridou, Angeliki. “The kinds of knowledge principals use: Implications for training.” International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, vol. 4, no. 10, 19 Oct. 2009, pp. 1–15., doi:10.22230/ijepl.2009v4n10a187

Posner, Barry Z. “On Putting Theory Into Practice.” Journal of Management Inquiry, vol. 18, no. 2, June 2009, pp. 139–141., doi:10.1177/1056492608326321

Quin, Jeff, et al. “Comparison of Transformational Leadership Practices: Implications for School Districts and Principal Preparation.” Journal of Leadership Education, vol. 14, no. 3, 2015, pp. 71–85., doi:10.12806/v14/i3/r5

York-Barr, Jennifer, and Karen Duke. “What Do We Know About Teacher Leadership? Findings From Two Decades of Scholarship.” Review of Educational Research, vol. 74, no. 3, 2004, pp. 255–316., doi:10.3102/00346543074003255

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

This proposal will explain the skills I learned and the adaptation of behavior needed to literally navigate the streets and archives of Art Galleries and Museums of London. This project allowed me to learn how to handle material in London collections, realize what materials were useful and how to spend my time more wisely in the archives. Getting to see and uncover these women's lives as artists opens a window into how they were treated and how they created the artwork we have collected from them today. This poster will present my results researching the comparison between British women war artists and German women artists during the Great War. This project was also conducted at the University of Central Oklahoma with the use of the Research, Creative and Scholarly Activites Grant.

The War Artist Advisory Committee (WAAC) of Great Britain commissioned British women artists to paint a record of life on the home front during World War I and World War II. By comparison, German women artists painted an interpretation about how they felt during this time of sacrifice. Their artwork, although reflecting a time of war, presents an entirely different war record. The British women were precise and worried about a commission; the German women were messy and expressed their grief. Consider for example Sella Hasse expressed her grief and heartache through rough stokes of charcoal whereas Anna Airy eyed the technical aspects of painting through the depiction of the industry. The WAAC told the British women what to create, while the government told German women what not to create. Both the German and the British women dealt with the rise in female workers, the loss of family and friends, and the technological advances in industry and warfare. Both met obstacles to self-expression from their governments as the powerful sought to restrict their artistic talents. Both had to endure hardships in the art community. These women strived to express themselves with the help of their natural abilities and were often swept aside for other male artists. The research for this project is drawn from the archival collections and art galleries housed at the Imperial War Museum, Tate Britain, and the British Library.  

Palmer, K. (2011). Women war artists. London: Tate Publishing.

Siebrecht, C. (2013). The aesthetics of loss: German women’s art of the first world war. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Speck, C. (2014). Beyond the battlefield: Women artists of the two world wars. London: Reaktion Books.

Poster

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

In this interactive session, we will explore how the beliefs that we (faculty and staff) have about learning and expertise shape our educational practices – and how those practices make transformation more, or less, likely for our students. In other words, we will consider how our assumptions enable or constrain student learning and transformation.

This session will draw on interviews and focus groups with hundreds of students, faculty, and staff who were asked to reflect on their own experiences with learning and teaching in higher education. One theme emerging from this research is the nature of the relationships that contribute to transformative learning. Powerful experiences commonly involve a blurring of the traditional roles in higher education institutions; rather than “student” and “professor” equating with novice and expert, during many transformative experiences the two act as partners in the shared task of learning.

Building from this research, we will consider practical ways that faculty, staff, and students can become partners in the challenging yet essential work of making higher education a transformative experience for all.

Colleges and universities can and should be life-changing places for students. Higher education offers students the chance to learn deeply and broadly, to hone professional and personal skills, and to wrestle with fundamental questions of meaning, purpose, and identity. The potential for individual transformation is immense, as is the possibility of contributing to changes socially, economically, culturally, scientifically, and politically. Too often, however, students drift through the academy, learning little that lasts and missing a unique opportunity to transform themselves and to develop new capacities to enhance our world.

In this interactive session, we will explore how the beliefs that we (faculty and staff) have about learning and expertise shape our educational practices – and how those practices make transformation more, or less, likely for our students. In other words, we will consider how our assumptions enable or constrain student learning and transformation.

This session will draw on interviews and focus groups with hundreds of students, faculty, and staff who were asked to reflect on their own experiences with learning and teaching in higher education. One theme emerging from this research is the nature of the relationships that contribute to transformative learning. Powerful experiences commonly involve a blurring of the traditional roles in higher education institutions; rather than “student” and “professor” equating with novice and expert, during many transformative experiences the two act as partners in the shared task of learning.

Building from this research, we will consider practical ways that faculty, staff, and students can become partners in the challenging yet essential work of making higher education a transformative experience for all.

Johansson, C. & Felten, P. (2014). Transforming students: Fulfilling the promise of higher education. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Felten, P., Bauman, H. D., Kheriaty, A., & Taylor, E. (2013). Transformative conversations: A guide to mentoring communities among colleagues in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Plenary

Communicating Transformative Learning

One of the biggest challenges for middle grades education majors is transitioning into the habits of mind of a teacher. This examination of assumptions is amplified for non-ELA content area majors as they engage with required literacy education courses.  Many of these students do not see themselves as strong readers or skilled writers; further, they do not appreciate literacy as a vital component of content area instruction.

To challenge students' assumptions, the presenters restructured Application of Content Area Literacy for Middle-Level Learners, a required course, to promote purposeful examination of literacy education by using a reading/writing format similar to that popular in local middle schools.  Student feedback indicated that this structure challenged both their understanding of literacy and their comfort as learners and as teachers, creating the disorienting dilemma needed to launch transformative learning.  Further, student responses from the first semester of implementation indicated that these students felt supported in the classroom holding space while negotiating their new roles as comprehensive content area instructors.

Session participants will be introduced to the Critical Incident Questionnaire (Brookfield, 1986), the measure used during this research. Attendees will explore the curricular framework used to launch the challenging of assumptions and subsequent transformative learning. 

There is a significant need for literacy education instruction.  In Missouri, teacher preparation programs require eight credit hours of introduction to literacy coursework, regardless of content area specialization.  Determining the most effective way to prepare teachers to serve middle-grade learners is a salient inquiry for research.

Students’ writing declines as they advance into secondary grades, attributed in part to writing transitions from an integrated part of content area curriculum to an isolated class.  Likewise, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, reading scores have stagnated, and these scores are particularly concerning for students with disabilities.  Because of these deficiencies, the Common Core State Standards include cross-disciplinary literacy standards in each content area in the middle grades to prepare students for participation in the workforce. This inclusion is “predicated on the idea that content area teachers will use their expertise to teach, guide, and engage students in the reading, writing, speaking, and language relevant to the respective discipline” (National Governors Association, 2010).  This is especially relevant in content areas with specific writing formats, such as science, as it can support student understanding of the identities, activities, and patterns of thinking within the field.  Likewise, writing in math “provides opportunities for students to demonstrate mathematical understanding and construct arguments.

 In the Introduction to Literacy Block II course, we have experimented with using a Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop format for presenting course content to our students.  The workshop is commonly used in elementary and middle grades as a way to individualize instruction, engage students in self-directed learning, and facilitate differentiation and formative assessment.   In addition to general use in the elementary classrooms, recent research has explored the use of the writing workshop model in science and math content areas, providing opportunities for additional instruction in content area, application of learning, and information about student understanding. However, as Wendt, notes, “the typical math or science teacher, for example, may lack the support and training necessary to fully implement the teaching of literacy.

Given the potential value of this teaching model, it is important to instruct preservice middle school teachers about the workshop model.  Experiential learning has been established as an “ideal framework for delivering middle grades curriculum” specifically notes, “preservice teachers need to write and to experience the instructional approaches they might use in their future classrooms” as many preservice teachers assume that their students will arrive with knowledge of content area writing which research has demonstrated they often lack.

In addition to the value of experiential learning, the workshop presentation employs a social constructivist model which is increasingly prized in classrooms as teachers seek to build collaboration and other real-world communication skills.

The final consideration in this research is supporting teacher candidates as they move from reflection-on-action to reflection-in-action.  This evolution in thinking can be supported by the use of structured reflection both on course content and on individual learning and application.  For this reason, the data collection instrument in this study is adapted from Brookfield’s Critical Incident Questionnaire.

Beck, C., & Kosnik, C. (2006). Innovations in teacher education: A social constructivist approach. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Brookfield, S. (1986). Understanding and facilitating adult learning: A comprehensive analysis of principles and effective practices. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA). (2010). Common core state standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf

Kleine, K. & McBryar, L. (2009). Preservice teachers experience middle grades curriculum. Middle School Journal,40(3), 28-36.

Martin, C. L. (2015). Writing as a tool to demonstrate mathematical understanding. School Science & Mathematics, 115(6), 302-313. doi:10.1111/ssm.12131

National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). The nation's report card: Writing 2011. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2012470

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common core state standards initiative. Retrieved December 23, 2010 from http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards.

Pytash, K. (2013). Secondary preservice teachers’ development of teaching scientific writing. The Association for Science Teacher Education, 24, 793–810.

Teague, G., Anfara, V., Wilson, N., Gaines, C., & Beavers, J. (2012). Instructional practices in the middle grades: A mixed methods case study. NASSP Bulletin, 96(3), 203-227.

Wendt, J. (2013). Combating the crisis in adolescent literacy: Exploring literacy in the secondary classroom. American Secondary Education, 41(2), 38-48.

30-Minute Research Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Attendees of this session will experience the draw-and-write research method throughout the presentation. The presentation describes a study that investigated changes in sentence structures related to the draw-and-write technique. The study design asked four UCO sections of Composition I students to volunteer participation. The participants wrote and submitted an essay; drew examples used in that essay; and, finally, revised the essay. The aim of the study was to examine and measure the effect of drawing on three areas of student performance: 1) description changes, 2) sentence structure changes, and 3) students’ engagement and attitude toward the assignment. Comparative content analysis and reflection questionnaires were data collection instruments. Content analysis  divided data into categories of student changes in writing between the original and revised essays. The changes were easily distributed into two areas of learning outcomes: 1) Objective: students analyzed the connections between their experiences and the lesson learned and 2) Subjective: once students drew their experiences, usually in greater detail than noted in the original essay, many added emotions and opinions regarding the experience. Ultimately, students discussed how their writing changed, ways they learn, attitudes toward various assignment types, and multidisciplinary applications of drawing. Attendees will also discuss multidisciplinary applications.

Before the session, I place paper and drawing pencils under chairs.  As my talk begins, I introduce myself and my study.  As I talk about my study, I ask participants to write a description of themselves in the rain.  After ten minutes, I ask participants the draw themselves in the rain.  I continue to talk.  After ten more minutes, I give my conclusion and ask participants to revise their original descriptions. We talk about changes they made between written descriptions and if the drawing influenced any of the changes.

Research Questions and Purpose: Does drawing an example help students create more concise, descriptive writing? Does drawing change student attitudes and engagement with a writing assignment? The aim of the study was to examine and qualitatively measure the effect of drawing on three areas: 1) description changes, 2) sentence structure changes, and 3) students’ engagement and attitude toward a writing assignment.

Research Design: Four sections of UCO Composition I students (100 students in total) between the ages of 18 and 22, volunteered to participate. I assigned a narrative essay, asking students to write about a specific experience that taught them a lesson. After essays were submitted in class, students drew the experience(s) used in their narrative essays. Stick figures were allowed as enhanced understanding was the aim, not artistry. Once essays were graded, I returned them and assigned revisions. Students were to make grammatical and mechanical corrections as well as tighten their overall argument and examples. Students could reference their drawings, but reference was not required.

Data Collection and Analysis: Comparative content analysis and reflection questionnaires were the qualitative data collection instruments. Content analysis divided student revisions into categories. Questionnaires revealed student attitudes toward the assignment. A common, dominant category in both collection instruments was determined, proving the effectiveness and validity of the draw-and-write research method.

Multidisciplinary Applications: The mind connects ideas in many ways. Moving beyond the writing classroom, drawing may enable deeper connections and understandings about assignments, disciplines, and selves. Could students discover much about their thinking processes if they drew themselves working through a math, physics, or engineering problem? What if students drew themselves working with a clinical patient, or a marketing client, or in a laboratory? Drawing may be a helpful, transformative action for students of many disciplines.  For many students in my courses, drawing ideas before verbalizing or writing them, clarified the ideas and, more importantly, the subsequent writing.

Transitive Learning Outcomes: Objective /Rational and Subjective/Emotional. The categories of student changes in writing between the original essay and the revision essay easily distributed into two areas: 1) Objective: students analyzed the connections between their experiences and the lesson learned; writing is changed and 2) Subjective: students drew their experiences, usually in greater detail than noted in the original essay.  For some, the drawing helped express emotions and opinions regarding the experience.

As a class, we discussed these two ways of learning and how these ways work together to teach us.

Literature Review: In this study, I employed the draw-and-write research method to encourage student clarity in writing. Literature review shows that the draw-and-write research method has been used in health sciences, social care, and elementary education research for several decades. Current uses include application to business and industry education, health professional education, community education such as courses offered by the YMCA, and informal settings such as self-help groups. I applied the method using college-level participants in the Humanities, a combination not found in the literature.

Ambrose, Susan A. et al. (2010). How Learning Works: Seven Researched Principles for Smart Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Brookfield, S.D. (2000). "Transformative learning as ideology critique." In J. Mezirow & Associates (Eds.), Learning as transformation. Critical perspectives on a theory in progress (pp. 125–150). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cranton, Patricia. (2016). Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning: A Guide to Theory and Practice, 3rd edition. Sterling, VA:Stylus Publishing.

Dirkx, J.M., Mezirow, J., & Cranton, P. (2006). "Musings and reflections on the meaning, context, and process of transformative learning: A dialogue between John M. Dirkx and Jack Mezirow." Journal of Transformative Education, 4(2), 123-139.

Gagnon, Jr., G.W. & Collay, M. (1999) Constructivist Learning Design. Available at http://www.prainbow.com/cld/cldp.html

Grabove, Valerie. (1997). "The Many Facets of Transformative Learning Theory and Practice." In: Transformative Learning in Action: Insights from Practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. no. 74, edited by P. Cranton, pp. 89–96. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Kligyte, G. (2011). "Transformation narratives in academic practice." International Journal for Academic Development, 16(3), 201-213.

Loughlin, Kathleen A. (1993). Women's Perceptions of Transformative Learning Experiences Within Consciousness-Raising. San Francisco, CA: Mellen Research University Press.

Lysaker, J. & Furuness, S. (2011). "Space for transformation: Relational, dialogic pedagogy." Journal of Transformative Education, 9(3), 183-187.

Mezirow, J. (1975). Education for Perspective Transformation: Women's Reentry Programs in Community Colleges. New York: Center for Adult Education Teachers College, Columbia University.

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a Theory in Progress. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Mezirow, J. and Edward Taylor, eds. (2009). Transformative Learning in Practice: Insights from Community, Workplace, and Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Swanson, K.W. (2010). "Constructing a learning partnership in transformative teacher development." Reflective Practice, 11(2), 259-269.

Torosyan, Roben. (2007). Teaching for Transformation: Integrative Learning, Consciousness Development and Critical Reflection. Unpublished manuscript. http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/rtorosyan/

30-Minute Research Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Are you tired of lecturing to a classroom full of zombies?  Are you looking for a fun way to wake up the minds and hearts of your students? Have you considered transformational service learning? In this 30 minute roundtable, we will discuss different methods of developing engaging service learning experiences designed to empower your students to use their classroom knowledge in a real-world environment.

We will also describe our recent success in developing and implementing a multidisciplinary service learning experience with three professors and 135 students representing the following five classes: Business Communications, Human Resources, Principles of Marketing, Consumer Behavior, and Introduction to Business.

The university students with encouragement and technical support from their professors hosted the first annual Business Bulldogs Networking Showcase for area high school students. In each course, the university students developed a component of the event which fit with the curriculum of their course.  For example, in the H.R. class, the students developed an event application and made phone calls to prospective attendees.  In the consumer behavior, class the students designed Corporate Social Responsibility YouTube videos.  The Intro to Business, Principles of Marketing, and Business Communications class designed informative ethics research displays.

In this roundtable, participants will discuss ways of developing new teaching/learning opportunities for transformational learning projects.  Attendees will brainstorm ways of applying both Bloom’s Taxonomy and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle in their traditional classroom environments.

A recent case study describing the first annual Business Bulldog Networking Showcase, which was developed and implemented by the presenters in Fall 2017, will be used as a jumping off point for a brainstorming session to discuss ways of implementing high impact learning experiences in the classroom environment.

The Business Bulldog Networking Showcase programming was developed considering the importance of activities which empower students to reach higher levels of educational attainment discussed in Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956). The professors endeavored to develop learning experiences which increased student expertise beyond Bloom’s (1956) basic Knowledge and Comprehension to the areas of Application, Analysis, Synthesis and Evaluation. The event gave students the opportunity to apply their new knowledge in developing programming to share their learning experience with area high school students. In the face-to-face reflections and online survey results, university students reported experiences which demonstrate they gained the opportunities for analysis, synthesis and evaluation through preparing, implementing, and evaluating the event.

The Business Bulldogs Networking Showcase event resulted in some exceptional teaching/learning moments. The activities included in the event were designed to maximize the classroom experience by giving students an avenue to practice the course theory in a real-world environment.

Below is a description of the programming presented by the university students to the high school students:

• Bulldog Speed Networking – This station enabled high school students to get face time with SWOSU administrators, faculty, staff and students. The students were encouraged to ask questions about classes, internships, clubs, scholarship, housing and much more.

• Bulldog Team Building Bash – This station included five high energy networking games, which were similar to what a professional might experience at a corporate training or business retreat.

• Business Scavenger Hunt – This station encouraged students to learn about ethical issues in business.  The booth included topics ranging from sports to politics to positive examples of corporate social responsibility in banking, real estate and insurance. Students who completed the scavenger hunt were entered in a drawing to win an Apple Watch.

• YouTube Video QR Code Challenge – High school students watched videos developed by SWOSU students about proposals for business programs to benefit societal needs.

The Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Cycle was also implemented in the development of this new teaching/learning method. Students’ learning process followed the Kolb’s (1984) cycle starting with 1) concrete experience of learning the course material; 2) reflection on possible ways of applying their learning; 3) forming abstract concepts based on the feedback of their professors and peers; 4) taking their previous experience and testing their new knowledge at the event.

The final deliverable of this session will be the development of a mind map, (recipe) of possible ways attendees representing faculty, staff administration and students can collaborate to develop transformational learning experiences designed to maximize student learning.

Bloom, B., Englehart, M., Furst, E., Hill, W., Krathwohl, D. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: Longmans.

Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (Vol. 1). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

This thirty-minute roundtable discussion will discuss the challenges and successes involved with implementing a comprehensive sexual education curriculum on a college campus where many students have received little to no sexual health education before college. This panel will also offer a discussion of transformative strategies for teaching comprehensive sexual health in the classroom. Participants will reflect on how to engage your entire community in discussions about sex positivity on campus.

In 2017, the University of Central Oklahoma received a grant to work with the National Campaign to Prevent Unplanned and Teen Pregnancy. Inspired by this grant, faculty, students, and staff worked together with the Women's Research Center and BGLTQ+ Student Center on campus to create an evidence-based and sex-positive sexual health curriculum for one of UCO’s core classes taught in both face-to-face and online formats. This roundtable will discuss the challenges and successes involved with implementing a comprehensive sexual education curriculum on a college campus where many students have received little to no sexual health education before college. It will also explore the creation of peer sexual health educators or Sexual Health Ambassadors at UCO. This panel will offer a discussion of transformative strategies for teaching comprehensive sexual health in the classroom. Participants will reflect on how to engage your entire community in discussions about sex positivity on campus. 

http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/sexual-health/teens-and-young-adults/

https://www.bedsider.org/

http://www.positive.org/

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens

http://www.adolescenthealth.org/Resources/Clinical-Care-Resources/Sexual-Reproductive-Health/Sexual-Reproductive-Health-Resources-For-Adolesc.aspx

https://kinseyconfidential.org/resources/

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Executive and leadership coaching have become growing areas for professional development and organizational change. Participants will learn a model that synthesizes Mezirow's steps of transformation with elements of Kolb's work into a concise and powerful coaching model. Participants will also learn, through experience, one approach to alternative perspectives as a coaching tool.

This interactive session will introduce participants to the model of Transformative Coaching, a reflective process developed by one of the presenters. Building on Mezirow and Kolb, this coaching process moves the coachee through a transformative experience leading to new alternative frames of reference. Participants will experience one powerful piece of the model, recently described in the Journal of Transformative Learning, which addresses the development of alternative perspectives. The model has proven to be successful with leaders from various organizations in the UK, and a few cases will be provided as well as a description of the on-going qualitative analysis. Participants will also gain insight into the process of applying transformative learning to particular process as in this case of executive coaching.

Corrie, I., & Lawson, R. (2017). Transformative executive coaching: Considerations for an expanding field of research. Journal of Transformative Learning, 4(1). 

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions in adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

30-Minute Research Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

The push for Transformative Learning is relatively new in the business disciplines. This panel will include a discussion of members from several business disciplines (Finance, Business Law, Insurance, Real Estate, etc.). This panel will discuss multiple transformative learning applications across several business disciplines. These ideas can be directly applied or adjusted to be used in your discipline.

Attendees will gain an introduction to how Transformative Learning is taking hold in business.

Attendees will gain at least two examples of Transformative Learning they can apply in their courses.

The push for Transformative Learning is relatively new in the business disciplines. This panel will include a discussion of members from several business disciplines (Finance, Business Law, Insurance, Real Estate, etc.). This panel will discuss multiple transformative learning applications across several business disciplines. These ideas can be directly applied or adjusted to be used in your discipline.

Each speaker in the panel will prepare a handout of discipline specific references for the attendees.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Transformative Learning (TL) is generally a reference to an adult learning theory proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 1970's in the United States. This session will give an introduction to TL theory through the lens of Mezirow, and also delve into contemporary explanations of this "living" theory. Participants will critically reflect on their understanding of learner transformation through discussion.

Transformative Learning (TL) is generally a reference to an adult learning theory proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 1970's in the United States. Prior work by von Humboldt, Freire, Habermas, and others both informed TL theory and spun-off parallel theories. In fact, even Mezirowian TL theory is a living theory, with continued publications and explorations into its validity and process. This session will give an introduction to TL theory through the lens of Mezirow, and also delve into contemporary explanations. Participants will critically reflect on their understanding of learner transformation through discussion.

Dirkx, J.M., Mezirow, J., Cranton, P. (2006). Musings and Reflections on the Meaning, Context, and Process of Transformative Learning: A Dialogue Between John M. Dirkx and Jack Mezirow. Journal of Transformative Education, 4(2): 123–139.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed (30th anniversary ed.). New York: Continuum.

Glisczinski, D.J. (2015). Transforming our perspectives: Tattoos, the hippocampus, and premise reflection. Journal of Transformative Learning, 3(1).

Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective Transformation. Adult Education, 100–110.

von Humboldt, W. (2000). Theory of Bildung in Teaching As A Reflective Practice: The German Didaktik Tradition. Ian Westbury, Stefan Hopmann, Kurt Riquarts, eds. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

30-Minute Research Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

In Fall 2015, the University of Central Oklahoma rolled out the Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR), a campus-wide initiative that captures TL moments both inside and outside the classroom. The STLR process has transformed the way many faculty understand teaching and assessment of learning. From faculty surveys and feedback, we discovered along the way that many faculty were unsure of how to prompt students to reflect in a meaningful manner that would produce learning artifacts (papers, presentations, speeches, video blogs, etc.) that could be used to assess learning using an evidence-based approach within the framework of TL.

In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of using critical reflection prompts in their teaching, how it facilitates deeper TL moments, how it can help uncover hidden learning and bring it to the surface. By looking at their own TL experiences, participants will engage in a hands-on critical reflection activity (Peet & Kilbourne, 2017) to learn how the process can inform their own teaching practices, assessment, and pedagogy.

In Fall 2015, the University of Central Oklahoma rolled out the Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR), a campus-wide initiative that captures TL moments both inside and outside the classroom. The STLR process has transformed the way many faculty understand teaching and assessment of learning. From faculty surveys and feedback, we discovered along the way that many faculty were unsure of how to prompt students to reflect in a meaningful manner that would produce learning artifacts (papers, presentations, speeches, video blogs, etc.) that could be used to assess learning using an evidence-based approach within the framework of TL.

In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of using critical reflection prompts in their teaching, how it facilitates deeper TL moments, how it can help uncover hidden learning and bring it to the surface. By looking at their own TL experiences, participants will engage in a hands-on critical reflection activity (Peet & Kilbourne, 2017) to learn how the process can inform their own teaching practices, assessment, and pedagogy.

Brookfield, S. D. (2004). The Power of critical theory: Liberating adult learning and teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mezirow, J., & et. al. (Hg.). (2000). Learning to think like an adult. In J. Mezirow (Ed.), Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress (pp. 3-34). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Reynolds-Keefer, L., Peet, M. R., Gurin, P., & Lonn, S. (2012). Fostering integrative knowledege and lifelong learning. Peer Review: Emerging trends and key debates in undergraduate education. Association of American Colleges and Universities, 13(4). Retrieved February 2, 2018, from https://www.aacu.org/publications-research/periodicals/fostering-integrative-knowledge-and-lifelong-learning

50-Minute Interactive Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

To experience long-term academic success, college students must shift from teacher-led pedagogical facilitation to student-driven andragogical exploration.  Can a university offer an experiential course that facilitates a student transformation to self-directed learning?   Yarbrough and Hughes created a four-step learning process called, Experience, Logic, Application, and Innovation.   The purpose of the learning process is to support college students on a self-directed exploration of their knowledge, skills, abilities and interests.  The following presentation will share information about the process, instructor training and student outcomes.

As professionals in higher education, our goal is to foster an environment where students begin to facilitate and direct their learning journeys.   From this perspective, Yarbrough and Hughes developed a learning process called Experience, Logic, Application, and Innovation.  The technique facilitates self-directed learning based on a four step information gathering process involving reflection on Experience, Logic, Application and Innovation (ELAI).  Specifically, students are taught to frame new information within four boundaries, reflection on previous personal experience, logical review of research and expert opinions, application of knowledge and potential for innovation.  With a scaffolded learning experience, students will apply the ELAI process to gain personalized understanding of the following ten skills as they relate to the student’s own learning experience:

1. Becoming a Self Directed Learner.
2. Goal Setting.
3. Learning Styles and Preferences.
4. Learning Community.
5. Writing for Effectiveness.
6. Speaking for Effectiveness.
7. Leadership.
8. Team Development.
9. Critical Thinking.
10. Reflection.

The presentation will provide an overview of the Experience, Logic, Application, and Innovation process, application strategies, suggestions for training instructors to apply the ELAI process, methods for supporting students on their journey of transforming to self-directed learners and conclusions based on instructor and student responses/outcomes to the experience.

Learning Outcomes

• Examine the significance of reflection in the transformational learning process.
• Plan to use the scaffolded ELAI reflection process to support online and on-campus student transformational learning experiences.
• Estimate the learning experiences generated through application of the ELAI process.

Clark, M.C. (1993). Transformational learning, New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 57, 47–56.

Dirkx, J.M. (1997). Nurturing the soul in adult learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education (pp. 79-88).

Grow, G. O. (1991/1996). “Teaching Learners to be Self-Directed.” Adult Education Quarterly, 41 (3), 125–149. Expanded version available online at: http://www.famu.edu/sjmga/ggrow

Grover, K.S., & Miller, M.T. (2014). Gender differences in self-directed learning practices among community members. PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 23, 19–31.

Hersey, P., &  Blanchard, K. (1988). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources (5^th ed.) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Knowles, M.S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. Chicago: Follett.

Knowles, M.S. (1984). Andragogy in action. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Knowles, Malcolm, S. and Associates (1984). Andragogy in action: Applying modern principles of adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.

Mezirow, J. (1978). Education for perspective transformation: Women’s re-entry programs in community colleges.  New York: Teacher’s College, Columbia University.

Mezirow, J.D. (1981). A critical theory of adult learning and education. Adult Education Quarterly, 32(1): 3–24.

Mezirow, J. (1990). How critical reflection triggers learning. In J. Mezirow (ed.), Fostering Critical Reflection in Adulthood (pp. 1-20).  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 74, 5–12.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Watson, J. B. (1930). Behaviorism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Many faculty do not think about transformative learning when they are creating an online course, but the truth is that there are multiple dimensions of the online course that can be very useful in encouraging transformative learning experiences.  The very nature of the asynchronous learning environment encourages more reflection and can provide opportunities for students to move through reflection and learning activities at their own pace, which will allow more space for transformation to occur.

In this session, we will give a brief overview of some of the key components to creating an online learning environment conducive to transformative learning. Much of this involves the intentional design by the instructor to ensure the creation of a safe and respectful place for students to examine their feelings and thoughts. We will then facilitate discussion of what this looks like in real courses, give examples and talk through common challenges.

Key takeaways for participants will include:

• The ability to identify what is necessary to create the safe environment in the online course for transformative learning.
• Strategies for using common learning management system tools to facilitate transformative learning.

Many faculty do not think about transformative learning when they are creating an online course, perhaps because the environment itself can be new to many and seems impersonal whereas we think of transformation as a personal event. The truth is that there are multiple dimensions of the online course that can be very useful in encouraging transformative learning experiences.  The very nature of the asynchronous learning environment encourages more reflection and can provide opportunities for students to move through reflection and learning activities at their own pace, which will allow more space for transformation to occur.

Generally, much of the interaction online is done on the discussion board. Although designing fruitful discussions can be challenging, there are multiple strategies that can be used to create deeper and more meaningful conversations in these forums that can lead to transformation. In this session, we will give an overview of key design considerations that facilitate such discussions as well as facilitation tips to nudge students along as needed. The discussion board can also be used for role plays and collaborative activities, which can encourage the “exploring of new roles, relationships and actions” as well as “acquiring new knowledge and skills.” Intentional planning and design in the use of discussion boards can create maximum opportunities for transformative learning to occur.

Reflection is critical to transformative learning and the online environment is the perfect place for which this can occur. There are various tools in Learning Management Systems that can be used for reflection. The use of blogs can allow for both private and public reflection. A private blog can serve as a reflection journal throughout the semester, and if it is public, the conversation can extend to other students or the instructor. The use of dropboxes can be a tool for students to submit reflections privately to the instructor. Outside of an LMS, there are many online tools that students can use to create and model their thought processes on any given subject and engage in dialogue with peers and others.

In this session, we will give a brief overview of some of the key components to creating an online learning environment conducive to transformative learning. Much of this involves the intentional design by the instructor to ensure the creation of a safe and respectful place for students to examine their feelings and thoughts. We will then facilitate discussion of what this looks like in real courses, give examples and talk through common challenges.

Key takeaways for participants will include:

•        The ability to identify what is necessary to create the safe environment in the online course for transformative learning.
•        Strategies for using common learning management system tools to facilitate transformative learning.

 

Boyer, N., Maher, P., & Kirkman, S. (2006). Transformative learning in online settings: The use of self-direction, metacognition, and collaborative learning. Journal of Transformative Education, 4(4), 335-361.

Meyers, Steven A. (2008). Using transformative pedagogy when teaching online. College Teaching, 56(4), 219-224.

Smith, R. O. (2012). Fostering transformative learning online. In E. Taylor, & P. Cranton, The handbook of transformative learning theory research and practice (pp. 408-422). Chichester: Wiley.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

The Cryptologic Korean Literature Course is an advanced Korean designed for 80 hours of instruction. The course is intended for students with the proficiency level 3 or better in listening and reading based on Interagency Language Roundtable scale. The course content includes a variety of genre – fictions, essays, poetries – from the three literary time periods: contemporary, pre-modern, and classic. The course requires students’ active engagement and participation in the use of target language. To promote a higher degree of learner autonomy in the learning process and also to facilitate students’ engagement, the main mode of instruction involves student-led lessons. Students will be asked to read and research selected materials, pre-study in advance to lead lesson and follow-up discussion on their own, complete writing assignments, including reflective writing and literary critiques, and deliver presentations on the selected works, associated research and reflections. The course objectives are for the students to enhance their language proficiency toward 3+, gain literary knowledge and socio-cultural awareness, increase communicative competence, develop autonomous learning, and broaden their world-view.

Recent studies on Second/Foreign Language (SFL) learning have demonstrated the significance of learner autonomy in achieving a higher level of language proficiency and global competence (Benson, 2006; Dam & Legenhausen, 1996; Little, 1991). Defei (2007) discovered that the students’ English proficiency was significantly related to their autonomy. Lowe (2009) revealed a positive correlation between learner autonomy and academic performance. These studies in common contend that learner autonomy involves learners taking control over their learning process using their rationals and psychological attributes. One of the key attributes of Transformative learning (TL) is the development of autonomous learning. TL involves a shift of learner perspectives through critical reflection on the structures of assumptions that they use to understand their experiences (Mezirow, 1997). In the adult SFL learning context, TL can occur when interaction with a new language and culture offers a different way of describing, conceptualizing, and experiencing the world (Guiora, 1983). The objectives of this presentation are twofold: (i) to examine how student-led lessons as an instructional task to promote learner autonomy in an adult Korean language class can lead the students to improve their Korean language proficiency; (ii) how this approach influenced the students’ perspectives on learning Korean language, learning about Korean culture, developing intercultural awareness, and gaining in self-esteem and self-confidence.

The subjects of the students are 20 military linguists taking Advanced Korean courses. Student-led lessons are facilitated and guided by instructors in the following steps: (i) research on daily topic to probe and promote background knowledge; (ii) pre-study on the selected authentic materials to teach; (iii) teach the lesson and lead in-class discussion on the lesson they’ve taught; (iv) write reflective journal on the lesson and topic they led and taught. The aimed learning outcome of the student-led lessons is not merely to foster leaner autonomy, but to deepen their leaning by involving the learners in critical reflection on their learning, aware and examine their operating assumptions, and possibly negotiate the shift of perspective. As Brookfield (2000) points out, TL takes place when the process involves a critical reflection, a recognition and analysis of taken-for-granted assumptions.

Effectiveness of the student-led lessons is analyzed in forms of oral interview, journal writing, reflective questionnaire. After the student-led lessons, the instructors interchange feedbacks and comments with each student individually, attempting to identify lesson-related difficulties such as genre of materials, level of content, intensity of context, richness of contextual/socio-cultural references and inferences, etc. Then they reflect what they initially assumed and comprehended on the lesson, and how their assumptions are either confirmed, confronted, disputed, and shared during the process of lesson and discussion they led. Finally, a questionnaire is administered at the end of the course on how the lesson task affect their perspective on the target language and culture, and about their self as well. Findings indicate that the student-led lessons facilitate TL: students experience significant gains in their Korean language proficiency, increased self-confidence, and perspective shifts regarding the language learning process, other cultures, and a number of social issues.

Benson, P. (2006). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. Language Teaching, 40(1), 21-40.

Boyd, R. D., and Myers, J. G. (1998). Transformative Education. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 7(4), 261–284.

Brookfield, S.D. (2000). Transformative learning as ideology critique. In J. Mezirow & Associates (Eds.), Learning as transformation. Critical perspectives on a theory in progress (pp. 125–150). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cranton, P. (2006) Understanding and promoting transformative learning: A Guide for educators of adults (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dam, L. & L. Legenhausen. (1996). The acquisition of vocabulary in an autonomous learning environment - the first months of beginning English. In R. Pemberton et al. (Eds.), Taking Control: Autonomy in Language Learning (pp. 265-80). Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

Dafei, D. (2007). An exploration of the relationship between learner autonomy and English proficiency. In P. Robertson, P. & R. Nunn (Eds.), Asian EFL Journal: Teaching Articles 2007 (pp. 1-23). Busan: Asian EFL Journal Press. Retrived from http://www.asian-efl-journal.com.

Goulah, J. (2006). Transformative second and forieng language learning for the 21^st century. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies: An International Journal, 3(4), 201-221.

Guiora, A. Z. (1983). The dialectic of language acquisition. Language Learning, 22(5), 3-12.

Lowe, C. (2009) A correlational study of the relationship between learner autonomy and academic performance (MA dissertation). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/openview/b2d12fc06cecfa34455f4427e6980b48/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 74, 5-12.

Taylor, Edward W. The Theory and Practice of Transformative Learning: A Critical Review. Information Series no. 374. Columbus: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education, Center on Education and Training for Employment, College of Education, the Ohio State University, 1998.

30-Minute Research Session

Launching Transformative Learning

The primary goal of this presentation is to report the findings of the dissertation research - Nurse educators teaching through the lens of transformative learning: A case study. Although the qualitative study focused on nurse educators from an accredited nursing program in the United States, all educators seeking to enhance student engagement and deep learning in the classroom can benefit from the presentation. Another goal of the presentation is to engage participants in small group reflection and discussion about their progression as educators, bringing back to the larger group their insights about active learning and teaching practices.

The themes of the research that will be shared in the presentation match nicely with the threads of the Transformative Learning Conference: 1) Stepping off the stage – how educators transform from passive instruction to active engagement; 2) Teaching outside of the box – how educators create innovative, transformative activities; 3) Finding the balance – how educators find the right mix of engagement activities and knowledge transfer; 4) Who’s in charge? – how educators achieve student buy-in by taking the mystery out of deep learning; and 5) Seeing is believing – how educators help other educators discover the gifts of transformative learning.

The goal of this presentation is to report the findings of dissertation research on transformative learning in nursing education. In September 2017 data was collected at an accredited nursing program in the United States to explore the holistic experiences nurse educators had when teaching through the lens of transformative learning. This qualitative case study included face-to-face interviews with ten nurse educators and three program managers, six classroom observations, qualitative surveys of 97 students, and records review over a one week period.

The central research question of the research was: What are the holistic experiences nurse educators have when teaching through the lens of transformative learning theory with undergraduate nursing students? The purpose of the research was to add to the body of knowledge in the nurse education specialty. Prior to this study, there was a gap in the literature on nurse educators’ perspectives of the impact transformative learning strategies have on student outcomes. The nursing literature has provided clear evidence on the need for research about innovative teaching strategies to help foster reform in nursing education.

The findings from the study reflect the conference threads of communicating transformative learning, critical reflection of transformative learning, and launching of transformative learning. The themes from the research that will be shared in the presentation include: 1) Stepping off the stage – how nurse educators transform from passive instruction to active engagement; 2) Teaching outside of the box – how nurse educators create innovative transformative activities; 3) Finding the balance – how nurse educators find the right mix of engagement activities and knowledge transfer; 4) Who’s in charge? – how nurse educators achieve student buy-in by taking the mystery out of deep learning; and 5) Seeing is believing – how nurse educators help other educators discover the gifts of transformative learning.

Although this research focused on nursing education, all higher education instructors seeking innovative strategies in the classroom can benefit from the results of the study. Participants of the presentation will be invited to interact with brief small group reflection and discussion about one aspect of the findings. Participants will be asked to consider their progression in education and the one main event in their career that helped them develop a more active learning approach with their students. This reflection will be brought back to the larger group to help enhance the insights gained from the researcher’s discoveries. Time will also be provided at the close of the presentation for participants to ask questions of the researcher.

Akhtar-Danesh, N., Baumann, A., Kolotylo, C., Lawlor, Y., Tomkins, C., & Lee, R. (2013). Perceptions of professionalism among nursing faculty and nursing students. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 35(2), 248-27.

Al-Kloub, M. I., Salameh, T. N., & Froelicher, E. S. (2014). Nursing students’ evaluation of problem based learning and the impact of culture on the learning process and outcomes: A pilot project. Nurse Education In Practice, 14(2), 142-147. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2013.06.013

Anyan, F. (2013). The influence of power shifts in data collection and analysis stages: A focus on qualitative research Interview. Qualitative Report, 18.

Atkinson, P. & Delamont, S. (2010a). Ethics and the practice of qualitative research. In Atkinson, P. & Delamont, S. SAGE qualitative research methods (pp. 401-414). UK: SAGE Publications Ltd. doi:10.1177/1473325008097137

Atkinson, P. & Delamont, S. (2010b). Five misunderstandings about case-study research. In Atkinson, P. & Delamont, S. SAGE qualitative research methods (pp. 220-245). UK: SAGE Publications Ltd. doi:10.1177/1077800405284363

Barraclough, L. & McMahon, M. R. (2013). U.S.-Mexico border studies online collaboration: Transformative learning across power and privilege. Equity & Excellence in Education 46(2), 236-251.

Bazeley, P. (2010). NVivo. In Neil J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Research Design. (pp. 945-949). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi:http://dx.doi.org.library.capella.edu/10.4135/9781412961288.n282

Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating nurses: A call for radical transformation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Boghossian, P. (2006). Behaviorism, constructivism, and socratic pedagogy. Educational Philosophy and Theory. 38(6), 713-722.

Bolf-Beliveau, L. (2013). The scholarship of teaching and learning: Transformation and transgression. Insight: A Journal Of Scholarly Teaching, 863-68.

Brock, S. E. (2010). Measuring the importance of precursor steps to transformative learning. Adult Education Quarterly: A Journal Of Research And Theory, 60(2), 122-142.

Brookfield, S.D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Brown, P. P., & Brown, C. S. (2015). Transformative Learning Theory in Gerontology: Nontraditional Students. Educational Gerontology, 41(2), 136-148. doi:10.1080/03601277.2014.950492

Burns, H. (2015), Transformative sustainability pedagogy: Learning from ecological systems and indigenous wisdom. Journal of Transformative Education 13(3). 259-276. doi:10.1177/1541344615584683

Capella University (n.d.a) The role of the qualitative researcher. Retrieved from http://campustools.capella.edu/BBCourse_Production/PhD_Colloquia_C4C/Track_3/phd_t3_u06s1_qualrole.html

Capella University. (n.d.b). Elements of sampling plans. Retrieved from http://media.capella.edu/CourseMedia/XX8922/ElementsofSamplingPlans/transcript.html

Capella University (n.d.b) Course 8102 Introduction to qualitative research. Retrieved from https://www.capella.edu/CourseDescr/CourseDescriptionInfo.aspx?CourseNo=ED8102

Chan, Z. Y. (2014). Students' and experts' perspectives on three learning and teaching activities. Nurse Education In Practice, 14(5), 449-454. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2014.03.002

Christie, M., Carey, M., Robertson, A., & Grainger, P. (2015). Putting transformative learning theory into practice. Australian Journal Of Adult Learning, 55(1), 9-30.

Coryell, J. E. (2013). Collaborative, comparative inquiry and transformative cross-cultural adult learning and teaching: A western educator metanarrative and inspiring a global vision. Adult Education Quarterly: A Journal Of Research And Theory, 63(4), 299-320.

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30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Good writing in 2017 cannot be only an individual performance. Because of the advent of collaborative platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and podcasts, the idea of text has been expanded. Not only into the visual and oral but also to include many voices as authors/producers of any one text. To reflect our communal society, good writing must encompass a variety of interactive and synergistic methods. So it is necessary to transform composition in the classroom to reflect the realities of every day written discourse. This 50-minute presentation will demonstrate how to move a topic from the standard research essay format to one which incorporates blogs and podcasts as well as traditional research and writing techniques. This transformation creates a new and vibrant take on the idea of the essay, making it relevant to modern students. The outcomes of our presentation will reflect Cranton's (1992) framwork of three types of change: assumptions, perspectives, and behaviors. This will be demonstrated through the realization of the expanded definition of "an essay" which in turn changes students perception and execution of the transformed essay.

Good writing in 2017 cannot be only an individual performance. Because of the advent of collaborative platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and podcasts, the idea of text has been expanded. Not only into the visual and oral but also to include many voices as authors/producers of any one text. To reflect our communal society, good writing must encompass a variety of interactive and synergistic methods. So it is necessary to transform composition in the classroom to reflect the realities of every day written discourse. This 50-minute presentation will demonstrate how to move a topic from the standard research essay format to one which incorporates blogs and podcasts as well as traditional research and writing techniques. This transformation creates a new and vibrant take on the idea of the essay, making it relevant to modern students. The outcomes of our presentation will reflect Cranton's (1992) framwork of three types of change: assumptions, perspectives, and behaviors. This will be demonstrated through the realization of the expanded definition of "an essay" which in turn changes students perception and execution of the transformed essay.

"Blogging is the New Persuasive Essay" by Shelley Wright 

"Personal Narrative Journalism and Podcast" by Mia Lindgren

"Using Blogging to Enahcne the Initiation of Students into Academic Research" by Eddy K. M. Chong

"A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluating Serial in the Context of Podcast Histories" by Richard Berry

"Blogging Thoughts: Personal Publication as an Online Research Tool" by Torill Mortensen and Jill Walker

"Serial, Seriality, and the Possibilities for the Podcast Format" by Mariam Durrani, Kevin Gotkin, and Corrina Laughlin

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Diversity is a term that is often tossed around in higher education and it is said to be important… Or is it?  What is intentional being done to support issues of diversity and inclusion? As these topics continue to be discussed, presenters will address the importance of promoting equal learning opportunities for under-represented students and discuss strategies of how to best support students for retention and student success.  This roundtable discussion will embrace different viewpoints and allow participants to engage in open and authentic dialogue.  The purpose of this workshop is to address some of the challenges and risks marginalized students face while attending college and also discuss best practices to collaboratively create ground-breaking solutions to spark positive change at other higher education institutions.

We will be focusing on the framework of Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning theory to emphasize self-examination, sense of alienation and building confidence in new ways.  Linking transformative learning theory to our discussion will allow participants to gain a better understanding of experiences marginalized students face in college.  In our discussion, we will open up by sharing student experiences to bring awareness to a wide array of issues these students face while in college. Participants will have the opportunity to have an open dialogue of best practices and suggest creative ways to better serve marginalized student populations to increase retention and promote student success.

Mezirow, Jack. (1997). Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (74), 5-12.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Defying the stereotypical rigid and noiseless shush-zone, the Beam Library at Oklahoma Christian University offers a third space, an intentional space where normative rules and structures are challenged by shared encounters with cultural and ideological otherness. Third spaces open possibilities for transformational education by broadening worldview, encouraging self-reflection, and enlarging the soul. Among other strategies, we generate third space experience through two, co-curricular weekly chapel events that engage the intersection of faith and culture. First, Beam Chapel offers a reflective space where participants engage gritty questions arising from the dark of film, literature, and television. Second, Safe at Home exists as a generous safe space that fosters connection and facilitates crucial conversation about gender, sexuality, and church. Chapel facilitators foster meaningful conversations among participants and demonstrate the library’s capacity as a significant space for transformative learning, as evidenced by participant survey responses mapped to specific learning outcomes for each chapel. Presentation participants will 1) hear about third space as significant for fostering transformative learning; 2) recognize strategies for taking TL to co-curricular spaces; 3) learn about co-curricular TL for empowering undergraduate research; and 4) engage in question-and-response with presenters.

Research question: Are co-curricular third spaces viable spaces for transformative learning?

Design and method: Survey feedback mapped to specific learning outcomes offers evidence for the transformative viability of two, co-curricular weekly chapel events, Beam Chapel and Safe at Home.

Defying the stereotypical rigid and noiseless shush-zone, the Beam Library at Oklahoma Christian University offers a third space, an intentional space where normative rules and structures are challenged by shared encounters with cultural and ideological otherness. Third spaces open possibilities for transformational education by broadening worldview, encouraging self-reflection, and enlarging the soul. Among other strategies, we generate third space experience through two, co-curricular weekly chapel events that engage the intersection of faith and culture.

First, Beam Chapel offers a reflective space where participants engage gritty questions arising from the dark of film, literature, and television. The chapel hollows out a space for acknowledging, questioning, celebrating, and critiquing assumptions about faith, popular culture, and our inherited tradition(s). Second, Safe at Home exists as a generous safe space that fosters connection and facilitates crucial conversation about gender, sexuality, and church. Safe at Home offers an important space for empowering students who may feel unsafe (whether because they are or affirm LGBT+ individuals) to learn to navigate existence among difference and to foster hospitable rather than fearful responses to the current, normative experience of LGBT+ students at OC.

Chapel facilitators foster meaningful conversations among participants and demonstrate the library’s capacity as a significant space for transformative learning, as evidenced by participant survey responses mapped to specific learning outcomes for each chapel. At the 2018 Transformative Learning Conference, we hope to establish the concept of third space as a provocative concept for transformative education, describe our own strategies for taking TL to co-curricular spaces, and demonstrate transformative learning in the lives of two students for whom each co-curricular chapel has fostered and enhanced undergraduate research. Presentation participants will 1) hear about third space as significant for fostering transformative learning; 2) recognize strategies for taking TL to co-curricular spaces; 3) learn about co-curricular TL for empowering undergraduate research; and 4) engage in question-and-response with presenters.

Elmborg, J. K. (2011). Libraries as the spaces between us: Recognizing and valuing the third space. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 338-350.

Elmborg, J., Jacobs, H. L., McElroy, K., & Nelson, R. (2015). Making a third space for student voices in two academic libraries. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 55(2), 144-155.

Månsson, N., & Langmann, E. (2011). Facing ambivalence in education: A strange(r's) hope?. Ethics & Education, 6(1), 15-25.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Transformative Learning (TL) is generally a reference to an adult learning theory proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 1970's in the United States. This session will reference TL theory through the lens of Mezirow along with contemporary explanations, as discussed in part 1 of this session. Participants will continue interacting through concept mapping activities to reveal concepts related to TL.

Transformative Learning (TL) is generally a reference to an adult learning theory proposed by Jack Mezirow in the late 1970's in the United States. Prior work by von Humboldt, Freire, Habermas, and others both informed TL theory and spun-off parallel theories. In fact, even Mezirowian TL theory is a living theory, with continued publications and explorations into its validity and process. This session, part 2 of 2, will continue delving into Mezirow's TL theory and contemporary explanations through participant concept mapping.

Dirkx, J.M., Mezirow, J., Cranton, P. (2006). Musings and Reflections on the Meaning, Context, and Process of Transformative Learning: A Dialogue Between John M. Dirkx and Jack Mezirow. Journal of Transformative Education, 4(2): 123–139.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed (30th anniversary ed.). New York: Continuum.

Glisczinski, D.J. (2015). Transforming our perspectives: Tattoos, the hippocampus, and premise reflection. Journal of Transformative Learning, 3(1).

Mezirow, J. (1978). Perspective transformation. Adult Education, 100–110.

Novak, J.D. (1998). Learning, creating, and using knowledge: Concept maps as facilitative tools in schools and corporations, 2 ed. New York: Routledge. 

von Humboldt, W. (2000). Theory of Bildung in Teaching As A Reflective Practice: The German Didaktik Tradition. Ian Westbury, Stefan Hopmann, Kurt Riquarts, eds. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

30-Minute Research Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Conference attendees can explore opportunities to communicate about transformative learning through a conversation with the Journal of Transformative Learning (JoTL) co-editors. This session explores the three types of submissions (research, essays, and teaching notes) accepted for JoTL publication and offers examples of recent submissions and publications. Upcoming JoTL Special Issue Calls will be discussed as well as the inquiry process for becoming a Special Issue editor for a future JoTL issue. Steeped in view of transformative learning as an active process of learning that encourages seeing new things, seeing old things differently, and re-conceptualizing mindsets, the JoTL seeks to foster dialogue that culminates in richer resources for transformative learning practice.

Conference attendees can explore opportunities to communicate about transformative learning through a conversation with the Journal of Transformative Learning (JoTL) co-editors. This session explores the three types of submissions (research, essays, and teaching notes) accepted for JoTL publication and offers examples of recent submissions and publications. Upcoming JoTL Special Issue Calls will be discussed as well as the inquiry process for becoming a Special Issue editor for a future JoTL issue. Steeped in view of transformative learning as an active process of learning that encourages seeing new things, seeing old things differently, and re-conceptualizing mindsets, the JoTL seeks to foster dialogue that culminates in richer resources for transformative learning practice.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

We explore Freire’s (2005; 2011) pedagogical love as an instructional model capable of deeper and more meaningful learning; through the development of critical thinking and inventive 21-century knowledge-creation skills.  This education is not just cognitively uplifting, but is socio-politically transformative and humanizing to learners of all ages—in higher education and P-12 settings.  Audiences include educators at all levels and others in the field of teaching and learning.  We introduce a theoretical point-of-reference that juxtaposes Freire’s ideas alongside Dewey’s (1900; 1918; 1926; 1930; 1997; 2014).  The pairing of Freire and Dewey’s ideas is not new, and facilitates application of Freire’s to P-12 U.S. settings.  We offer insights into “deeper transformative learning,” and a theory to practice application in authors’ narratives of experiences as learners, teachers, and parents.  Questions include ones related to elements of Freirean pedagogical love; how these apply to U.S. realities in authentic and meaningful ways; what would this look like in instruction; comparisons to other similar approaches—like Dewey’s for example; transformative/cognitive benefits; and what serves as evidence of educational success? 

KEYWORDS—Love/ Lovelessness, Sociopolitical and Cognitive Transformations, Dialogic, Problem-Posing, Problem-Solving, Criticality, Knowledge Creation, Student-Centered, Teacher-as-Student, Student-as-Teacher, Reflective Practice, Conscientization, Praxis, Empowering, Possibilities, Hope/Hopelessness, Humanization, Banking Model

This roundtable discussion explores Freire’s (2005; 2011) pedagogical love as a means of deeper and more meaningful instruction, that encourages critical thinking and inventive 21-century knowledge creation in learners.  This education is cognitively uplifting, socio-politically transformative, and humanizing to learners of all ages—as Freire and Dewey (1885; 1936; 1937; 2014) indicate.  Other writers like Calleja (2014), Dirkx, (1998), Kitchenham (2008), Mezirow (1978), and Taylor (2008) also support this view.  Skills learned in this approach allows learners of all ages opportunities at success, in what Friedman (2005) describes as Flat World realities, where technology is the mover, shaker, and shaper of almost all—if not all aspects of human living.  Audiences for this discussion are educators at all levels especially teacher education faculty, curriculum specialists, P-12 instructors, scholars, researchers, and others in the field of teaching and learning.  We will begin by introducing a theoretical point-of-reference that juxtaposes Freire’s (2005; 2011) ideas alongside Dewey’s (1900; 1918; 1926; 1930; 1997; 2014).  The idea of pairing Freire and Dewey is not new, as evident in Stinson (2016), Glassman and Patton (2014), Shyman (2011), Darwish (2009), Hedeen (2005), Vinson (1999), and Betz, (1992) and others.  Pairing with Dewey and Freire facilitates application of Freire’s ideas in P-12 U.S. settings.  We will next offer insights into our concept of “deeper transformative learning;” before presenting theory to practice applications grounded in authors’ narratives of real-life experiences as learners, teachers, and parents.  There are other theory to practice research on Freire’s pedagogical love that include Nieto (2016), Darder (2017), Schoder (2010) Barrett (2003), Kennedy and Grinter (2015), Smith-Campbell and Littles (2016), and Smith-Campbell, Littles, and West (2015).  These works mostly reflect teacher’s voices.  We take this one-step further and use Dewey’s ideas as a bridge to the application of Freire’s ideas on pedagogical love to P-12 settings.  We also offer narratives reflective of perspectives from learners and parents—in addition to those of teachers, based on our model of Freirean pedagogical love.  We hope to engage in discussions on questions related to instructional and learning elements of Freirean pedagogical love in diverse educational settings; of how these elements apply to U.S. realities in authentic and meaningful ways—what would this look like in instructional settings—what are its transformative and cognitive benefits?  Why are these ideas valuable?  How does it compare to other similar approaches—like those of Dewey’s for example?  What serves as evidence of educational success under this approach?  How are these ideas productive of deeper transformative learning applicable to 21-century realities? 

KEYWORDS: Transformative Learning, Love/ Lovelessness, Dialogic, Problem-Posing, Problem-Solving, Criticality, Knowledge Creation, Reflective Practice, Conscientization, Praxis, Student-Centered, Teacher-as-Student, Student-as-Teacher, Sociopolitical and Cognitive Transformations, Empowering, Possibilities, Humanization, Banking Model

Barrett, S. W. (2003).  Liberatory education in the 21st century: Learning from Paulo Freire (Doctoral dissertation).  Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses http://proxy-s.mercer.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy-s.mercer.edu/docview/305309072?accountid=12381 (Order No. 3115522).

Betz, J. (1992).  John Dewey and Paulo Freire.  Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 28 (1), 107-126. 

Calleja, C. (2014).  Jack Mezirow's conceptualisation of adult transformative learning: A review.  Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 20(1), 117-136.

Darder, A.  (2017). Reinventing Paulo Freire: A pedagogy of love (2^nd. ed.).  New York, NY:  Routledge, Taylor and Francis.  Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy-s.mercer.edu/lib/merceru/reader.action?docID=4877632

Darwish, B. (2009).  Education as a political act: Dewey, Freire, and the (international baccalaureate) theory of knowledge (Dissertation).  Retrieved from https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/bitstream/handle/1974/2579/Darwish_Babor_200908_M.Ed.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Dewey, J. (1885).  Education and the Health of Women.  Science, 6(141), 341-342.Dewey, J. (1903).  Democracy in education.  Elementary School Teacher, 4(4), 193-204.

Dewey, J. (1900).  The school and society.  Chicago, IL:  The University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/schoolsociety00deweiala

Dewey, J. (1918).  How we think.  New York, NY: D.C. Heath & Co., Publishers.

Dewey, J. (1926).  My pedagogic creed.  Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/mypedagogiccree00dewegoog

Dewey, J.  (1930). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education.  New York, NY:  The Macmillan Company.  (Original publication 1916).  Retrieved from https://ia700409.us.archive.org/1/items/democracyandeduc00deweuoft/democracyandeduc00deweuoft.pdf 

Dewey, J. (1936).  Education and new social ideals.  Vital Speeches of the Day, 2(11), 327-328.

Dewey, J. (1963).  Liberalism and social action.  New York, NY: Capricorn Books.  (Originally Published, 1935).

Dewey, J., (1990).  The school and society.  The child and the curriculum. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Dewey, J. (1997).  Experience and education.  NewYork, NY: Simon & Schuster.  (Original publication, 1938).

Dewey, J. (2014).  The Democratic faith and education.  The Antioch Review, (4), 783- doi:10.7723/antiochreview.72.4.0783

Dirkx, J. M. (1998).  Transformative learning theory in the practice of adult education: An overview.  PAACE Journal of Lifelong Learning, 7, 1-14.

Freire, P. (2005).  Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30^th anniversary edition.  (M.B. Ramos, Trans.).  New York, NY: Continuum.  (Original work published 1970). 

Freire, P. (2011).  Education for critical consciousness.  New York: The Seabury Press.  (Original work published 1974).

Friedman, T. L. (2005).  The world is flat: A brief history of the globalized world in the twenty-first century. London, UK: Allen Lane.

Glassman, M., & Patton, R. (2014).  Capability through participatory democracy: Sen, Freire, and Dewey.  Educational Philosophy & Theory, 46(12), 1353-1365.  doi:10.1080/00131857.2013.828582

Hedeen, T.  (2005). Dialogue and democracy, community and capacity: Lessons for conflict resolution education from Montessori, Dewey, and Freire.  Conflict Resolution Quarterly 23, (2), 185-202.

Kitchenham, A. (2008).  The evolution of John Mezirow's transformative learning theory.  Journal of Transformative Education, 6(2), 104-123.

Kennedy, J. L., & Grinter, T. (2015).  A pedagogy of radical love: Biblical, theological, and philosophical foundations.  International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 6(1), 42-57.

Mezirow, J. (1978).  Perspective transformation.  Adult Education, 28, 100-110.

Morris, D., & Shapiro, I. (Eds.).  (1993). John Dewey: The political writings.  Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company Inc.

Nieto, S. (Ed.).  (2016).  Dear Paulo: Letters from Those Who Dare Teach. New York, NY: Routledge Taylor and Francis.  (Originally published 2008).  Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy-s.mercer.edu/lib/merceru/reader.action?docID=

Schoder, E. M.  (2010). Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of love (Doctoral dissertation).  doi:10.7282/T33R0SZ  Retrieved from http://proxy-s.mercer.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/741024930?accountid=12381   (Order No. 3409997). 

Shyman,  E. (2011).  A comparison of the concepts of Democracy and Experience in a sample of major works by Dewey and Freire.  Educational Philosophy & Theory, 43(10), 1035. doi:10.1111/j.1469-5812.2009.00625.x

Smith-Campbell, C. J., & Littles, S.  (2016). Freire’s Pedagogy of Love and a Ph.D. student’s experience.  Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 14 (1).  Retrieved from http://www.praxisuwc.com/smithcampbell-et-al-141

Smith-Campbell, C. J., Littles, S., & West, J.  (2015). Transformative education and Freire's pedagogy of love: A PhD graduate's experience.  In J. D. Sims, & E. Cunliff, E.  (Eds.).  Transformative learning conference proceedings.  Journal of Transformative Learning.  University of Central Oklahoma.  Retrieved from http://jotl.uco.edu/index.php/jotl/issue/view/18/showToc

Stinson, D. W. (2016).  Dewey, Freire, and Foucault and an ever-evolving philosophy of (mathematics) education.  Journal of Research in Curriculum & Instruction, 20 (2), 70–78.  Retrieved from http://jrci.jams.or.kr/jams/download/KCI_FI002102986.pdf

Taylor, E. W. (2008).  Transformative learning theory.  New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, 2008(119), 5-15.

Vinson, K. D. (1999).  National curriculum standards and social studies education: Dewey, Freire, Foucault, and the construction of a radical critique.  Theory & Research in Social Education, 27(3), 296-328.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

During this Roundtable Discussion, the leader will provide some of his reflective tools that utilizes on a regular basis. Participants will be able to share their own reflective tools for the benefit of all participants. The first outcome will be the opportunity to share success stories. The second outcome will be the opportunity to learn new tools for reflection.

Reflection has become much more than a buzzword. It is a practice that can be straightforward, as well as nuanced. One such technique is the Six Word Memoir, asking participants to summarize a subject in six words. This technique has been utilized in my Adolescent Psychology and Developmental Psychology courses for the past four semesters, with excellent feedback from students on its efficacy. Another reflection technique I have utilized is ABC Reflections; students are asked to find three concepts from a chapter, define them, reflect on their use in education, and reflect on their existence in their own lives. These are two of a wide variety of techniques that educators employ shoe encourage students to examine and re-examine their learning. This Roundtable will provide an opportunity for participants to share their reflective tools and their accompanying success stories.

http://www.sixwordmemoirs.com/

https://topr.online.ucf.edu/assign-six-word-memoirs-for-reflection-and-synthesis/

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Attempting to implement a university-wide ePortfolio while simultaneously using it as a mechanism through which experiential and service learning based activities can be collected and reflected upon, with assessable products evaluated against psychometrically validated skills rubrics to award proficient students a credential in these skills creates a unique challenge. Completing this as a large, tier 1, research institution while working to formally embed these learning opportunities and scaling them across curricular disciplines sand co-curricular activities, achieving faculty and staff ownership, and successfully engaging them appropriate ePortfolio pedagogical approaches takes this challenge even further.

In 2016, the University of North Texas launched Career Connect to use the ePortfolio as a tool to facilitate collection and connections for students while engaging them metacognitive reflection. In this Socratic style roundtable, we consider strategic staffing decisions that have helped us overcome these barriers to introduce formal ePortfolio requirements to nearly 3,000 students across 60-course sections and multiple co-curricular activities in just 11 months. Additionally, we will discuss how faculty and staff have bought into the process and made pedagogical adjustments to support skills-badging through eligible experiential and real-world learning activities, otherwise known as "Connect activities."

Identifying and implementing experiential learning frameworks (Dewey, 1916; Kolb, 1984) and community-based learning activities across a large tier 1 research institution while also helping students recognize the impact of these learning opportunities creates its host of challenges. Furthermore, engaging faculty and staff across curricular and co-curricular opportunities to identify, track, and implement ePortfolio pedagogy while targeting, developing, and assessing key career skills and learning outcomes in communication, critical thinking, and teamwork. Additionally, implementing a university-wide ePortfolio infrastructure developed to support and cultivate this learning environment requires a transition to new uses of technology and a willingness to re-evaluate the current learning environment.

This round-table discussion will focus on the process of engaging with the University of North Texas (UNT) faculty and staff across disciplines in an effort to identify potential opportunities  based on Dewey (1916), Kolb (1984), and Jones and Pfeiffer’s (1980) research regarding action-based experiential learning activities that also procedurally include student reflection and feedback. This effectively creates an environment for transformative learning (Mezirow, 1997) collected in a university-wide ePortfolio. The ePortfolio serves as the integrative mechanism to allow a student to make connections across their university career, recognizing the ways in which skills can transfer across courses and experiences into their future studies or careers. UNT launched Career Connect in 2016 to institute a university-wide ePortfolio structure focused on identifying and developing experiential learning activities across the courses and extra-curricular opportunities with assessable products collected in the ePortfolio. The UNT ePortfolio was selected as a meta-high impact practice (Watson, Kuh, Rhodes, Light, & Chen, 2016) because of its ability to facilitate reflection while creating a portable and accessible medium through which a broad range of demonstrated knowledge and skills can be displayed. Career Connect has focused its efforts on visiting with departments and faculty, supporting curriculum design and course development to better integrate ePortfolio collection opportunities, as well as high impact experiential learning activities, and offering support on skills assessments based on the AAC&U VALUE rubrics in the three skill areas (communication, critical thinking and teamwork). This discussion will consider lessons-learned and best practices that have allowed this program to grow at an exponential rate. 

Over an 11-month tracking period, the program has grown to include over 60-course sections across over 50% of UNT departments, thereby reaching over 3,000 students all working towards collecting a digital and assessable product attached to an experiential learning activity with a structured critical journal and reflection assignment. Through Socratic discussion, we will explain the approach UNT has utilized, first by developing the ePortfolio infrastructure constraints to eligible activities with critical reflection followed by an office structure that completes a majority of the technology transition on behalf of faculty. Next, considering the requirement that students engage in real-world-like learning activities, internships, or service learning options we will also share how we have supported faculty and staff with focused revision of activities to be more structured, contain an assessable product, and appropriately integrate the ePortfolio and reflection process. 

Dewey, J. (1916/2009). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. Lexington, KY: WLC Books.

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 74, 5-12.

Pfeiffer, J.W., & Jones, J.E. (1980). Introduction to the structured experiences section. In J. W. Pfeiffer and J. E. Jones (Eds.), The 1980 annual handbook for group facilitators. San Diego, CA: University Associates.

Watson, C. E., Kuh, G. D., Rhodes, T., Light, T. P., & Chen, H. L. (2016). Editorial: ePortfolios - The eleventh high impact practice. International Journal of ePortfolio, 6(2), 65-69.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

This interdisciplinary round table discussion features SoTL Scholar members, who will share how they became teacher-scholars and their current research studies. The presenters include Dr. Marty Ludlum, Textbook Uses of College Students:  Myth and Reality; Dr. Linda Harris, Teacher Professional Identity Development Through Campus Leadership; Sam Ladwig, Innovation and Inquiry: Challenging assumptions and encouraging wild ideas; and Dr. Jill Lambeth, Service Learning Experiences in the Online Learning Environment.

SoTL scholars will share their research. 

Bishop-Clark, B.,& Dietz-Uhler. (2012).  Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Stylus Pub.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

Transformative learning experiences are at the heart of individual and collective change, yet they are rarely scaled up institutionally in ways that create culture change. Behavioral interventions and pedagogical techniques can prompt student engagement and success through encouraging a sense of belonging, connection to personal goals and values, and resiliency (NASEM, 2017). For such practices to reach students across campus, it is imperative that instructors learn about these practices and that they are supported in implementing them and in creating transformative learning experiences in their classrooms.

A model program at Washington State University will be used as an example for this session. The result of this program is that faculty participants are able to transform their courses using methods and adaptations that have been shown to increase student engagement, connection, and learning. Both faculty and student engagement and learning are being measured at multiple scales, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Learning outcomes include an increased knowledge about classroom interventions that build the foundation for transformative learning; knowledge of the benefits of nurturing belonging, connection, and resiliency; and practical ideas about how to scale-up the development of critical competencies known to support student success.

Transformative learning experiences are at the heart of individual and collective change, yet they are rarely scaled up institutionally in ways that create culture change. Educational attainment is a national priority and the development of interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies is critical to students’ success. Behavioral interventions and pedagogical techniques can prompt student engagement and success through encouraging a sense of belonging, connection to personal goals and values, and resiliency (NASEM, 2017). For such practices to reach students across campus, it is imperative that instructors learn about these practices and that they are supported in implementing them and in creating transformative learning experiences in their classrooms.

A system-wide transformational learning program at Washington State University will be used as an example to generate feedback and evoke discussion topics. The program is a scaled-up model focused on providing training and tools to a cohort of instructors who engage in multiple, focused, and evidence-based practices that require self-reflection and integration throughout the teaching and learning process. After participating in the program, faculty participants are able to transform their courses using methods and adaptations that have been shown to increase student engagement, connection, and learning. Both faculty and student engagement and learning are being measured at multiple scales, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

This session will engage the audience through questions that elicit feedback regarding the usefulness and applicability of this program in the transformative learning context. The session handout will include a brief overview of the program and useful reference materials for participants who want to explore the training topics more on their own. Participants will discuss challenges on implementing a scaled-up transformational learning program and collectively brainstorm solutions. Participants interested in launching similar programs at their institutions will have the opportunity to network with others across a range of experiences implementing such programs.

Learning outcomes include an increased knowledge of theory and research related to classroom interventions that build the foundation for transformative learning; knowledge of the benefits of nurturing belonging, connection, and resiliency in students and in faculty; and practical ideas about how to scale-up the development of interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies that are known to be critical to students’ success across classes and departments within a university setting.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). Supporting Students' College Success: The Role of Assessment of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Competencies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi:https://doi.org/10.17226/24697.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Begin with an outline and lecture social interactions and how they can be heightened through communication skills.

Each participant is given a handout that they can follow that advises where this takes places and how each participant can actively engage one another through holistic communication.

Social interaction activity – all participants are broken down into groups of four and can practice what they have learned.

Participants – interview and get to know each other; practice active listening which includes eye contact, minimal speaking by the interviewer, and ask any follow up questions.

Participants rotate within the group and become interviewer and interviewee, so everyone has a chance to experience both roles.

Participants share with the overall conference attendees what they have learned from deep meaningful holistic conversations with each other.

Closing comments and any questions on how it can be implemented in the classrooms.

Human beings are social creatures that need to explain things in detail to get the full effect of what they are feeling deep inside their inner soles.  Keane, T., Keane, W., and Blicblau (2016) showed how connecting with others and developing models of being socially responsible, are necessary skills for students to develop in higher education.  No matter the job or title, humans need to feel that their thoughts, ideas, and experiences are welcomed in the work environment.  However, the level of trust between social interactions in the workplace maybe higher in certain job capacities but the theory of being social with each other is still prevalent.  The need for deep meaningful conversations with co-workers in the work environment resonates a positive vibe throughout the workplace.  Getting to know your co-worker; what resonates with them, what their driving force is for coming to work daily, is imperative. 

Students in higher education must learn to communicate with their fellow classmates.  They need to have deep meaningful conversations and how to acquire communication skills that will allow them to be successful.  Lear, Hodge, and Schulz (2015) revealed in their study how employers rated listening as the most important communication skill they look for in employees.  Active listening is one of the most instrumental tools that can be taught to students before they enter the workforce.  Not speaking when having deep meaningful conversations and allowing the speaker to have one’s full attention with eye contact, reinforcement confirmations (yes, right, uh huh, ok) that the message is being received, and empathy for what one may be going through; are all part of active listening.  This form of communication is deep holistic learning that can help students learn how to build rapport with their fellow peers and set the stage for transformative lifelong learning.

Students in higher education need to learn how to actively communicate and engage with others.  They should feel that they can rely on their fellow peers after a meaningful engagement. Ross-Gordon, Gordon, Alston, Dawson, and Van Aacken (2015) discovered through the deployment of transformative learning, communication improved among participants along with being able to engage more with others.  This form of transformative learning maybe something that the students have never experienced due to technology taking over several venues of education delivery.  However, there is still hope.

The students can be realigned with their learning on how to communicate effectively with one another through a shift in their paradigm.  The paradigm shift allows students to reflect on what they have experienced with one another.  Ross-Gordon et al., (2015) noted how imperative reflection is regarding transformative learning.  Giving students time to do this is vital.  Follow up questions from the active listener allows both communicators to invoke intrinsic feelings from each other.  Both should walk away from the conversation with positive reinforcement of one another’s contributions that can be sustained for the overall journey.

Lear, J. L., Hodge, K. A., & Schulz, S. A. (2015). Talk to me!! Effective, efficient communication. The Journal of Research in Business Education, 57 (1), 64-77. Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/library/p438572/the-journal-of-research-in-business-education

Keane, T., Keane, W. F., & Blicblau, A. S. (2016). Beyond traditional literacy: learning and transformative practices using ICT. Education and Information Technologies, 21 (4), 769-781. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10639-014-9353-5

Ross-Gordon, J., Gordon, S., Alston, G., Dawson, K., & Van Aacken, C. (2015). Efforts to transform learning and learners: the first decade of an innovative doctoral program. Journal of Thought, 49 (1), 52-70,90-91. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/jthought.49.1-2.52?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Teacher professional learning, provided through formal and informal learning opportunities, is instrumental in developing social capital and professional growth (Jones & Dexter, 2014; Spillane et al., 2015; Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). Dispersed schools in Honduras have access to limited resources presenting challenges for teachers to form social networks and share information. Mobile technology, however, can help mitigate this distance and act as an effective tool for engaging teachers in conversations surrounding pedagogy (Aubusson, Schuck & Burden, 2009; Dahya, 2016). Leveraging a model using WhatsApp in Africa (Cordeiro & Brion, 2007), Train for Change (TfC)--a non profit teacher development project in Honduras--is interested in the effects of spacing out prompts over a six-week period on teacher retention and generalization of learned content from an in-person professional development (Gluckman, Vlach, Sandhofer, 2014). This roundtable session will present initial mixed methods findings on the social pedagogical networks shared by rural teachers as well as an analysis into the interactions transpiring within WhatsApp groups through the lens of the TPACK model (Cavanaugh et al., 2013). It will culminate in a discussion surrounding the use of mobile technology in launching transformative learning among under-resourced and geographically dispersed schools, generating recommendations for future action research.

Teacher professional learning, provided through formal and informal learning opportunities, is instrumental in developing social capital and professional growth (Jones & Dexter, 2014; Spillane et al., 2015; Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). Social capital theory posits the richness of a social network as a key determinant of a group’s social capital (Coleman, 1990). Dispersed schools with limited resources--the case of most schools in Honduras--present challenges for teachers to gather together in person to discuss pedagogy, therefore limiting the potential to develop strong networks amongst teachers. In However, mobile technology can help mitigate this distance and act as a tool for engaging teachers in conversations surrounding pedagogy (Aubusson, Schuck & Burden, 2009; Dahya, 2016).

UNESCO’s Mobile Technology Working Paper Series (2012) explored the potential of mobile technologies to support teachers' improved practice. While existing mobile technology initiatives in Latin America focused primarily on the use of technology with students, our interest emerged as to how a model leveraging mobile technology for professional learning amongst teachers in Africa (Cordeiro & Brion, 2007) could apply to rural schools in Honduras. Train for Change (TfC) is a project under the non-profit (501c3) Student Helping Honduras that provides professional-development to rural schools through a two-year cohort model composed of teachers from six dispersed schools. While in-person professional development is provided monthly, WhatsApp group chats have been employed as a way of fostering community and social capital amongst schools. However, an initial review of WhatsApp conversations, indicated a limited pedagogical focus, prioritizing logistical and informal conversations amongst participants.

In order to foster a richer dialogue surrounding pedagogy in these groups, we were interested in the role of the spacing effect, (Gluckman, Vlach, Sandhofer, 2014) to support teachers’ retention and generalization of learning outcomes from in-person professional development sessions. Our aim is to track the shift in dialogue both within and amongst cohorts of teachers through weekly teacher reflections and the sharing of artifacts as evidence of implementation. This process will be implemented during a six week period from February-March, 2018 post a week-long professional development session. Teacher surveys will be collected prior to provide a baseline of how individuals currently use WhatsApp, modifying a protocol employed by Hargis et. al. (2013), as well as who they go to for pedagogical advice to develop network diagrams prior to WhatsApp intervention utilizing social network survey items designed and validated in previous studies (Pitts & Spillane, 2009; Pustejovsky & Spillane, 2009).

This roundtable session will present initial mixed methods findings on the social pedagogical networks shared by rural teachers as well as an analysis into the interactions transpiring within WhatsApp groups, including the use of dialogue, images, videos, and other forms of communication surrounding pedagogy through the lens of the TPACK model (Cavanaugh et al., 2013). Participants will engage in a dialogue surrounding the use of mobile technology in promoting teacher professional development for under-resourced schools, and garner recommendations for how the data presented may provide key implications for action research both in Honduras and in similar contexts.

Aubusson, P, Schuck, S., & Burden, K. (2009) Mobile learning for teacher professional learning: benefits, obstacles and issues, ALT-J, 17:3, 233-247. doi:10.1080/09687760903247641

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

Cavanaugh, C., Hargis, J., Kamali, T., Soto, M. (2013). Substitution to augmentation: Faculty adoption of iPad mobile learning in higher education. Interactive Technology and Smart Education. doi:10.1108/ITSE-01-2013-0001.

Coleman, J. (1990). Foundations of Social Theory. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Cordeiro, P., & Brion, C. (March 2017). Using Mobile Phones to Support Professional Learning for School Leaders in Three African Nations. Proceedings of the UNESCO Paris Conference.

Dayha, N. (2016). Landscape Review: Education in Conflict and Crisis - How Can Technology Make a Difference? Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit.

Gluckman, M., Vlach, H. A. & Sandhofer, C. M. (2014). Spacing simultaneously promotes multiple forms of learning in children's science curriculum. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 28, 266–273.

Hargis, J., Cavanaugh, C., Kamali, T., & Soto, M. (June 2013). Measuring the difficult to measure: iPad mobile learning. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 5(2), 60-77.

Jones, M. & Dexter, S. (2014). How teachers learn: the roles of formal, informal, and independent thinking. VCU Scholars Compass.

Pitts, V. M., & Spillane, J. P. (2009). Using social network methods to study school leadership. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 32(2), 185-207.

Pustejovsky, J. E., & Spillane, J. P. (2009). Question-order effects in social network name generators. Social Networks, 31,221–229.

Spillane, J. P., Hopkins, M., & Sweet, T. (2015). Intra- and inter-school interactions about instruction: Exploring the conditions for social capital development. American Journal of Education, 122(1), 71-110.

UNESCO (2012). Mobile Learning for Teachers in Latin America (Working Paper Series on Mobile Learning).

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

Team-based learning (TBL) is a structured form of small-group learning that emphasizes student preparation out of class and application of knowledge in class. Students are organized strategically into diverse teams of 5-7 students that work together throughout the class and include a 3 step process: preparation, in class readiness testing, and application-focused exercise. Students in a community nutrition course use a team based learning approach to go through the steps of doing a needs assessment and making a recommendation for a community organization. Students must complete readings ahead of class session, show readiness, and during class we work through the step by step process of doing a needs assessment. Each group chooses a different community organization. The class work culminates with each team writing an executive summary. They utilize this in choosing and completing their individual service learning projects. This session will discuss what strategies others are using for TBL? What are the best ways to measure TBL? What roadblocks have we hit and how do we overcome them?

Team-based learning (TBL) is a structured form of small-group learning that emphasizes student preparation out of class and application of knowledge in class. Students are organized strategically into diverse teams of 5-7 students that work together throughout the class (1). Team-Based Learning is an evidence based collaborative learning teaching strategy designed around units of instruction, known as “modules,” that are taught in a three-step cycle: preparation, in-class readiness assurance testing, and application-focused exercise. A class typically includes one module (2). In my community nutrition course about 40% of the content is flipped, which has been found to be a successful way to utilize this approach (3). TBL is utilized by students to go through the steps of doing a needs assessment and making a recommendation for a community organization. Students must complete readings ahead of class session, they are "tested" over the material individually, clarifications are made through class discussion and during class we work through the step by step process of doing a needs assessment. Each group chooses a different community organization which enriches the discussion between groups and provides for a wide learning experience for all members of the class. The class work culminates with each team writing an executive summary. They utilize this in choosing and completing their individual service learning projects. I believe this to be a much better approach that the traditional lecture format where the students would do the assignment(s) for homework. This method has proven to be more successful as evidenced by the quality of the finished products and brings about more participation and better class discussion. Although, there is some pushback from students at first, it has been found that students do have have a more positive experience in the learning process (4). There are many ways in which this teaching approach can be utilized and this is a worthy topic for a roundtable discussion where multiple strategies, evaluation techinques and feedback can be shared.

What is team based learning. Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/team-based-learning/

Team Based Learning Collaborative. Retrieved from http://www.teambasedlearning.org/definition/

Nwosisi, C., Ferreira, A., Rosenberg, W., & Walsh, K. (2016). A Study of the flipped classroom and its effectiveness in flipping thirty percent of the course content.
International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 6(5), 348-351.

Oldland, E., et al. Students’ perception of the role of team-based learning in shaping individual learning style, team skills and clinical practice. Australian Critical Care, 29(2), 117.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

In this workshop, we will use the lens of SoTL (the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) as a way to focus our attention on the processes and products of transformative learning. We may not be able to see the big picture on a day-to-day basis in our classrooms or programs, but what can we see more clearly by taking a scholarly view of learning and teaching? The workshop will introduce novices to some practical SoTL methods that can be applied in many disciplines and contexts, and it will encourage more experienced SoTL scholars to hone their ongoing inquiries. At the end of the workshop, participants will have a sketch of a SoTL project they can use to envision their own students’ transformative learning.  

Transformative learning can be hard to see as it is happening.

The rearview mirror is one helpful tool for spotting it. While we are speeding through our own lives (or witnessing our students zip through college), we can catch glimpses of significant change here or there. The full picture, however, tends to come into focus only when we have covered enough distance to have a clearer perspective. Looking back, we often can see how the pieces fit together.

Another way we look for transformation is to try to see patterns and trends among a large sample of individuals. This is how educational research often works. Scholars typically cannot tell us if a certain practice (undergraduate research, service learning, and so on) will lead to transformational learning for a particular student, but they can assure us that in general certain experiences yield specific outcomes.

Both the rearview mirror and large-scale research have their uses, but how can individual faculty and staff develop a clear image of transformative learning in their classrooms and interactions with students? We rarely have the gift of time (“Let me know if ten years if this helps”) nor do we work with large enough groups of students to effectively identify significant patterns. How can we see what is happening with our students now in ways that can help us challenge and support them in their transformation?

In this workshop, we will use the lens of SoTL (the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) as a way to focus our attention on the processes and products of transformative learning. We may not be able to see the big picture on a day-to-day basis in our classrooms or programs, but what can we see more clearly by taking a scholarly view of learning and teaching? The workshop will introduce novices to some practical SoTL methods that can be applied in many disciplines and contexts, and it will encourage more experienced SoTL scholars to hone their ongoing inquiries. At the end of the workshop, participants will have a sketch of a SoTL project they can use to envision their own students’ transformative learning.  

Johansson, C. & Felten, P. (2014). Transforming students: Fulfilling the promise of higher education. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Felten, P., Bauman, H. D., Kheriaty, A., & Taylor, E. (2013). Transformative conversations: A guide to mentoring communities among colleagues in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Workshop

Measuring Transformative Learning

Summary: The Child Study Center is an active learning lab for Guidance of the Young Child class with required lab hours for FLE, ECED, and is required for graduate students as a prerequisite. Others areas who utilize the lab include speech and hearing, assessments, deaf school, and for community tours of the program as a cutting edge example. To provide TL experiences that can be measured, eight of the many guidance techniques discussed in class to focus on are selected as the more specific ones to for observation and evaluation during the students time in the Center. Students submit a personal reflection response each time, get regular feedback from Ms. Cristy and a Q/A in class with Ms. Cristy and Ms. Angela on 2 occasions. There is a specific question regarding the value of the experience and to reflect on the growth they noticed at the end of the semester.

Outcome1: The student will become more aware of the relationship between theory and practice regarding guidance of young children

Outcome2: The student will recognize the value of developmentall appropriate practice in developing curriculum and arranging space for young children.

Abstract: A University Laboratory School allows teachers to research educational theories and curriculums, and directly apply them to the children in the classroom.  Laboratory Schools also provides students who attend the university with the opportunity to gain experience working with young children directly (Hall, Peden, & Maurer, 2017).  The Child Study Center at UCO provides students and teachers with a University Laboratory School, that allows students to experience active learning.  Students enrolled in Guidance of the Young Child are required to attend and participate in the Child Study Center every week as part of an active learning lab.  Students are exposed to a setting where they can observe, interact with, and study 3-4-year-old children, in an environment, which applies different teaching strategies that are developmentally appropriate. Active learning requires students to reflect on what they are doing, in order for students to gain a deeper understanding on what they are learning through experience. After each time in the Child Study Center, students submit a personal reflection describing what they observed and what guidance techniques were used during their time spent in the Center. Personal reflections provide learning experiences that can be measured by the students participating in the Center and also by the teacher who offers feedback.  When transformative learning takes place in a lab along with lectures, students are able to take the information learned in class and immediately apply it to a real-world setting.  Results show that students who attend an active learning laboratory will become more aware of the relationship between theory and practice regarding guidance of young children.  Students will also recognize the value of developmentally appropriate practice in developing curriculum and arranging space for young children. Teachers, university students, and pre-school age students can all benefit from an active learning lab.

Hall, H. H., Peden, G. J., & Maurer, W. T. (2017). Assessing birth to age 5 teaching methods at a university labratory. Journal of Research and Child Education, 31, 270-280.

North Carolina Central University. (N.d.). Child development labratory. Retrieved from http://www.nccu.edu/academics/sc/socialsciences/humansciences/cdl.cfm

The Emergence of Emergent Curriculum. (2012). NAEYC Young Children

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Participants will reflect on the importance of competency-based higher education as a model to educate citizens committed to the sustainable development of our planet.

Participants will understand the importance of the integration of new technologies into the competency-based model in higher education.

From the presentation of the case “Integration of New Technologies at Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) based on the Experience of Students in the Educational and Pedagogical Management Program,” participants will have access to good practices carried out at UPC to integrate ICTs in the teaching-learning processes.

This presentation aims to determine a correlation between an integral education, human perfection, the conformation of common good-oriented societies, and the competency-based model in higher education supported by the integration of new technologies to facilitate learning in the classrooms.

A first reflection on the 17 sustainable development objectives promoted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will be presented and a correlation with the competencies that 21st-century citizens must have to attend the needs of their environment will be established.

The second part seeks to address the university’s role in the 21st citizen education and how the competency-based teaching approach supported by the integration of technologies allows people to achieve the learning objectives proposed.

Finally, another case will be presented: “Integration of New Technologies at Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) based on the Experience of Students in the Educational and Pedagogical Management Program.”

GINI-NEWMAN. (2015). Creating Thinking Classrooms: leading educational change for 21 st. Canada: Canada Publications

SAHLBERG,P. 2015, Finish lessons. Teacher college press.

LYN S.2015, Good to great innovate. Corwin.

AYLLÓN. J.R. 2006. Introducción a la ética. Historia y fundamentos. Editorial Palabra, pp. 246.

IGLESIA CATÓLICA. 2017, Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica. Artículo 1 Tomado de http://www.vatican.va

PERÉZ. P. (2007), Principios para la organización social, Universidad de Piura. pp. 34-35

IGLESIA CATÓLICA. 2017, Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica. Artículo 1 Tomado de: http://www.vatican.va

AYLLÓN. J.R. 2006. Introducción a la ética. Historia y fundamentos. Editorial Palabra, pp.241

REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA. (2001). Diccionario de la Lengua Española, tomo 2, vigésima segunda edición

Madrid: Editorial Espasa Calpe, S.A.

Perez, P (2000) .Psicología educativa. Piura: UDEP.

http://www.undp.org/content/undp/es/home/sustainable-development-goals.html

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

In 2015, this author was part of the UCO Fulbright Iraqi Scholars program and through the guidance of the  (CETTL) UCO Center  led the shift in Iraqi universities. One conference, three workshops, and multiple webinars has resulted in over 300 Iraqi instructors trained from ten different provinces. The breadth of teaching and learning from a TL perspective has support from the U.S. Embassy and the IREX organization objectives: increase opportunities for instructors to shift their educational focus on the transmission of knowledge to a learner-centered approach, where deeper and long-lasting learning occurs. Challenges that have become apparent through the move to a TL methodology are that the Ministry college and administration have legal obstacles that need to be overcome, like a shortage of time and materials. We are proposing to address these by offering more training for professors and post-graduate students; involving other educational entities, e.g., CETTL or IREX, to deliver easily implemented methodologies, and to network with universities and other educational units across Iraq. Participants' takeaway lessons learned from our launch. It will be interactive and of interest to a broad audience, and considering launching TL at their own universities.

The UCO Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching & Learning (CETTL) should change the last three words in the four lines definition of CETTL from “University of Central Oklahoma” to other universities in the United States and overseas countries.

"CETTL, in collaboration with other campus units and individuals, offers programs, services, and resources to encourage, enhance, and support faculty to help students learn. It also provides support and confidential consultations for individual faculty members, and consistently promotes deep, transformative learning experiences for all students at the University of Central Oklahoma."

This session presents the process involved in implementing a transformative learning initiative in a country outside the U.S. It will suggest lessons learned in the implementation of TL that can be transferred to other countries. The author led the shift in Iraqi universities to transformative learning. As a participant in the 2015 UCO Fulbright Scholars program, this author was introduced to TL through the guidance and leadership of CETTL (specifically Drs. King and Horn). Upon returning home the author was able conduct three workshops, one conference, and some webinars on TL.
The application, strategy, and experience of TL spread quickly. Within two years more than 300 Iraqi university instructors from twenty universities in ten different provinces were trained. The breadth of teaching and learning from a transformative learning perspective can make a difference in the Iraqi education system in another two years mostly because of the support from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the IREX organization (The International Research & Exchanges Board). These agencies are a couple of the most prominent influencers in higher education in Iraq, benefiting from our UCO experience (Barthell et al., 2010) and inspirations (King, 2002).

The objectives of launching TL in Iraq are to increase opportunities for instructors to shift their educational focus on the transmission of knowledge to a learner-centered approach, where deeper and long-lasting learning occurs.

The challenges that have become apparent through the move to a TL methodology are that the Ministry has legal obstacles that need to be overcome, that there is a shortage of time and materials, and that this shift challenges the college and administration hierarchy. We are proposing to address these challenges by offering more training for professors and post-graduate students; involving other educational entities, e.g., CETTL or IREX, to deliver easily implemented methodologies, and to network with universities and other educational units across Iraq.

Participants will takeaway from this session lessons learned from our launch of TL in Iraq to their universities. The session will be interactive with and of interest to a broad audience participants comparing and contrasting challenges and benefits we have discovered to what they might envision in their university.

Barthell, J., E. Cunliff, K. Gage, and C. Steele. (2010). "Transformative Learning: Collaborating to Enhance Student Learning." A Collection of Papers on Self-Study and Institutional Improvement, 26th Edition. Higher Learning Commission.

King, K. P. (2002). A journey of transformation: A model of educators’ learning experiences in educational technology. In J. M. Pettit & R. P. Francis (Eds.). Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Adult Education Research Conference, (pp. 195200)

Mezirow, J. Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a Theory in Progress. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2000.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

This thirty-minute session will focus on communicating a transformative learning experience through a scenario that involves a student organizational leader working through Jack Mezirow’s ten-step transformative learning theory. The goal of the session is to provide participants with examples of each step in order to personalize the theory in a way that is clear, concise, and relatable. The session will incorporate role play in order for participants to be able to create their interpretations of the theory that will allow critical reflection through communicating a transformative learning experience.

A transformative learning experience can be defined by a change in behavior as a result of a disorienting dilemma. “When circumstances permit, transformative learners move toward a frame of reference that is more inclusive, discriminating, self-reflective, and integrative of experience (Mezirow 1997).” Transformative learning as a process is often personal to the learner, meaning the change occurs within oneself. An important aspect of adult education is learning to make our interpretations rather than simply acting on known beliefs and feelings of others (Mezirow 1997). Jack Mezirow’s ten-step process of transformational change is a guide to explain the personal journey through the development of the mind.

Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (74), 5-12. doi:10.1002/ace.7401

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

Participation in intergenerational learning projects builds a bridge between students and older adults. Positive interactions between these two groups encourages understanding and empathy, ultimately reducing ageism associated with negative misconceptions and prejudices between generations. In the US, individuals age 65 and over are the fastest growing segment of the population. Along with this increase in population size, individuals are living longer and the need for quality fitness programs designed for this age group is growing. Students in Kinesiology programs need an opportunity to apply acquired health related skills within this population. Intergenerational fitness programs meet this need by joining students and seniors in a professional fitness environment focused on the health of the older adult community. The Center for Active Living and Learning (CALL), provides students an opportunity to engage in real-life experiences related to exercise and health promotion for older adults. Through these personal interactions, students expand on classroom based knowledge and develop positive attitudes towards older adults. Seniors learn to implement healthy living skills while students transform their perceptions and become advocates for senior health. This project will look at the transformational journey of three students as they reflect on their experience with the CALL intergenerational fitness program.

Practical experiences facilitate learning and inspire passion, ultimately expanding on student’s classroom learning experience. Participation in intergenerational service-learning projects builds bridges between students and older adults; promoting a transformation of student’s views. Studies indicate intergenerational experiences improve students’ attitudes towards older adults while also providing needed services to enhance the quality of life of the senior community (Munoz Alcon, 2016; Powers, Gray, & Garver, 2013). Giving students an opportunity to become familiar with older adults eases age related anxieties and contributes to the student’s overall learning process (Hutchinson et al., 2010). By creating environments for positive interactions between these two groups; ageism associated with negative misconceptions and prejudices between the generations is reduced (Francis, 2014; Hutchinson, Fox, Laas, Matharu, & Urzi, 2010).

Fitness students that have not had previous encounters working with older adults may view them as weak, frail, and incapable of exercise. Intergenerational fitness programs introduce college students to seniors and provide a space for them to engage on a professional level. As our society rapidly ages, many graduates of the Kinesiology program will work in settings with older adults. The US Census Bureau (2016) estimates the population of adults age 65 and over is currently 66.8 million and the 85+ age group is expected to triple by 2040. Oklahoma has seen a 23.4% increase of older adults within the last decade and this number is also predicted to rise. The need for quality fitness programs designed for this age group is growing and is necessary to help seniors maintain vitality, independence, and performance of daily activities.

Programs that encourage cardiovascular health, balance, strength and independent daily living, play an instrumental factor in fitness in late life. An additional benefit of these programs is increased adherence to fitness classes; some participants attend for the social aspect, peer support, or the overlap of the two (Hernandez and Gonzalez (2008). Encouraging college student’s involvement in the community, particularly in the health and fitness area is beneficial to everyone involved (Flora, P., & Faulkner, G., 2006). Fitness classes lead by students provide quality health information and a safe place for seniors to exercise.

The Center for Active Living and Learning (CALL), promotes intergenerational health and fitness by providing UCO students an opportunity to engage in real-life experiences related to exercise and health promotion with older adults. This program fulfills the need for high-quality senior fitness programming and facilitates student engagement. Students learn how to design safe effective fitness classes from instructors and evidence-based fitness programs. Applying classroom knowledge in this setting, further develops health related skills and stimulates deeper learning. As students and participants build bonds, they teach each other. Seniors learn to implement healthy living skills while students improve their perceptions and become advocates for senior health. Through these personal interactions and reflection, students develop a deeper understanding which contributes to lifelong transformation.

This project will look closer at the transformational journey of three students; their background, program experience, and personal reflection of participation in the CALL intergenerational fitness program.

Administration on Aging. (2016). A profile of older Americans: 2016. Retrieved from https://www.acl.gov/sites/default/files/Aging%20and%20Disability%20in%20America/2016-Profile.pdf 

U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement; Population Estimates; and American Community Survey: 2016. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/data-detail.html

Flora, P., & Faulkner, G. (2006). Physical activity: An innovative context for intergenerational programming. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4(4), 63–74. Retrieved from http://jir.ucsur.pitt.edu/.

Francis, S. L., Margrett, J. A., Hoerr, K., Peterson, M. J., Scott, A., Franke, W. D. (2014). Intergenerational service learning program improves aging knowledge and expectations and reduces ageism in younger adults. Journal of Youth Development, 9, (3).

Hutchinson, P., Fox, E., Laas, A., Matharu, J., & Urzi, S. (2010). Anxiety, outcome expectancies, and young people’s willingness to engage in contact with the elderly. Educational Gerontology, 36, 1008–1021. Retrieved from http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/03601277.html. 

Hernandez, C., & Gonzalez, M. (2008). Effects of intergenerational interaction on aging. Educational Gerontology, 34, 292–305. Retrieved from http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/03601277.html. 

Munoz Alcon, A. I., (2016), Who learns from whom? Building up intergenerational bridges through service learning. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 228, 470-475. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.072 

Powers, M., Gray, M., Garver, K., (2013): Attitudes Toward Older Adults: Results from a Fitness-Based Intergenerational Learning Experience, Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 11:1, 50-61. doi:10.1080/15350770.2013.755067

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

This session discusses the transformation and challenges of Instructional Assistants (IAs) as they engaged in a quarter long professional development course concurrent with their first teaching experience. Universities have responded to the need to prepare these future instructors for the demands of teaching in higher education in diverse ways. However, past research has not focused specifically on Instructional Assistants’ perspectives on these institutional offerings of professional development. This study addresses this gap in literature by carefully examining the views of IAs participating in an eight week, non-credit bearing course. This session details the action research case studies of three IA participants engaging in the first offering of this “Survival Skills for IAs” course. These participants engaged in multiple levels of reflection during the course, providing insight to their transformation, as well as insight into barriers to transformation. Session participants will learn how transformative reflection was developed through this pilot study, leading to increased self-efficacy and agency among participants; they will also learn about the limitations to transformation from the perspectives of the IAs. Participants will engage in a discussion addressing these barriers to transformation generating solutions to address challenges Instructional Assistants face as new teachers in higher education settings.

As an integral part of teaching and learning in higher education, Instructional Assistants (IAs) need to be prepared to meet the learning needs of a diverse student population. Universities have responded to this need in diverse ways, relying on the body of research focusing on standards of teacher proficiency by practice and instruction (Lambert & Tice, 1993). Past research has not focused specifically on IA perspectives in the context of a campus-provided professional development. This pilot study addresses this gap in literature by examining the views of IAs participating in a professional development course where they engaged in discussions surrounding andragogy, active teaching and learning, and lesson design. Participants took this course concurrent with their teaching duties and had the opportunity to learn through consistent practice and reflection-on-action, a method by which most professionals learn (Schön, 1983).

This session details the action research case studies of three IAs, who engaged in multiple levels of reflection during the “survival skills” course. Data sources consisted of ethnographic field notes taken by three Graduate Student Researchers (GSR); the first one served as a complete observer, the second served as a participant observer for the first session then complete observer for the rest of the course, and the third served as a participant observer for the first session then complete participant for the rest of the course. Notes were taken during eight, one-hour professional development sessions. The second GSR conducted one semi-structured interview with each of the three participants at the end of the course. Artifacts including results from a small group perception during week five, as well as reflection notes collected at the end of each session were also examined.

The professional development instructor prompted consistent reflection to foster reasoning and reconstruction, which are considered levels where transformation occurs (Bain et al., 2002). Exchanging ideas and experiences with others is fundamental to improving reflection (Hatton & Smith, 1995). Thus, allowing for a structured space for first-time IAs to collaboratively reflect over the set period cultivated autonomous transformative reflection and peer-to-peer reflection prompting. Through a review of participant dialogue, researcher interest into their process of transformation emerged: professional development and consistent reflection helped develop participant self-efficacy as teachers (Yost, 2006). However, this came with a bilateral increase in the participants voicing barriers to transformative action, namely the lack of departmental and professor support and the growing discrepancy in andragogy with the professors they were assisting. Findings revealed the transformation of the participants and exposed the limitations of the course.

Specific recommendations that emerged include 1) conducting a future study into IA reflection and transformation, 2) expanding professional development opportunities for new IAs 3) increasing levels of support from departments and professors of record to effectively mentor IAs, and 4) encouraging those in teaching positions to use empirically-based methods for learning to provide consistency in andragogy between professors and their assistants. The roundtable session will engage participants in discussion regarding ways to facilitate these recommendations, as well as generating new suggestions.

Bain, J.D., Ballantyne, R., Mills, C. & Lester, N.C. (2002). Reflecting on practice: Student teachers' perspectives. Post Pressed: Flaxton, Qld.

Bandura, A. (Ed.) (1995). Self-efficacy in changing societies. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(1), 33-49.

Lambert, L.M., & Tice, S.L. (1993). Preparing graduate students to teach: a guide to programs that improve undergraduate education and develop tomorrow's faculty. Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education.

Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. London: Temple Smith.

Yost, D. (2006). Reflection and self-efficacy: Enhancing the retention of qualified teachers from a teacher education perspective. Teacher Education Quarterly33(4), 59-76.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

Three faculty and three students share stories of their STLR research experience on this roundtable. Students not only learned research experientially through the research process and reflection, they gained practical education through the implementation of research with an “a-ha” moment in mind (Mezirow 2000; 2009).

The panel will focus on the mentorship by three faculty: Drs. Teresa Pac in CFAD, Jicheng Fu in computer science and John Wood in political science. They partnered with their respective students, Michael Litzau, Marcus Ong, and Heather Barras, all of whom were transformed by their projects.

The unique faculty-student relationship built through research collaboration was transformative as it created authentic and trusting relationships (Taylor 2009) and empowered students (King 1997).

All three research teams have presented at conferences. Fu’s team even created a smartphone app and game platform based on their project.

Pac and Litzau researched and presented: “Examining Human Migration Trauma by Boat since the 1970s in the United States.” Fu and Ong researched, presented and produced: “Achieving Practical and Effective Assessment of Power Wheelchair Users’ Activity Levels,” and Wood and Barras researched and presented “Taxonomy of Perceptions of Human Nature: Operationalizing a Deep Structure in Public Administration.”

Three faculty and three students share stories of their STLR research experience on this roundtable. Students not only learned research experientially through the research process and reflection, they gained a practical education through the implementation of research with an “a-ha” moment in mind (Mezirow 2000; 2009).

The panel will focus on the mentorship by three faculty: Drs. Teresa Pac in CFAD, Jicheng Fu in computer science and John Wood in political science. They partnered with their respective students, Michael Litzau, Marcus Ong, and Heather Barras, all of whom were transformed by their projects.

The unique faculty-student relationship built through research collaboration was transformative as it created authentic and trusting relationships (Taylor 2009) and empowered students (King 1997).

All three research teams have presented at conferences. Fu’s team even created a smartphone app and game platform based on their project.

Pac and Litzau researched and presented: “Examining Human Migration Trauma by Boat since the 1970s in the United States.” Fu and Ong researched, presented and produced: “Achieving Practical and Effective Assessment of Power Wheelchair Users’ Activity Levels,” and Wood and Barras researched and presented “Taxonomy of Perceptions of Human Nature: Operationalizing a Deep Structure in Public Administration.”

Cranton, P. (1994). Understanding and promoting transformative learning: A guide for educators of adults. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cranton, P. (1997). Transformative learning in action: Insights from practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

King, K. (1997). Examining activities that promote perspective transformation among adult learners in adult education. International Journal of University Adult Education, 36(3), 23-37.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning to think like an adult. In Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress. San Francisco, CA: J.M. Associates.

Taylor, E. W. (2007). An update of transformative learning theory: a critical review of the empirical research (1999-2005). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26(2), 173-191.

Taylor, E. (2009). Fostering transformative learning. In J. Mezirow, E. Taylor, &. Associates, Transformative learning in practice (pp. 3-17). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

This project reports the results of two studies that investigated the impact on student perceptions of learning and student satisfaction of using partial credit iterative responding (PCIR) with the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT) forms.This presentation covers the basics of using the IF-AT scratch-off PCIR forms for testing in a live classroom environment. Advantages and disadvantages of the assessment technique are discussed from both a faculty and student perspective as well as the use of the actual forms themselves. Survey results of student satisfaction with the assessment technique are discussed concerning student preference and liking of the assessment technique, perceived demonstration of learning provided by the PCIR approach, and other opinions related to deterring cheating and reduction of student stress both in studying for the exam and during the exam. Finally, other advantages of the technique to the faculty member are discussed as well as tricks learned to make the process more efficient and effective.

This project reports the results of two studies that investigated the impact on student perceptions of learning and student satisfaction of using partial credit iterative responding (PCIR) with the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT) forms.This presentation covers the basics of using the IF-AT scratch-off PCIR forms for testing in a live classroom environment. Advantages and disadvantages of the assessment technique are discussed from both a faculty and student perspective as well as the use of the actual forms themselves. Survey results of student satisfaction with the assessment technique are discussed concerning student preference and liking of the assessment technique, perceived demonstration of learning provided by the PCIR approach, and other opinions related to deterring cheating and reduction of student stress both in studying for the exam and during the exam. Finally, other advantages of the technique to the faculty member are discussed as well as tricks learned to make the process more efficient and effective.

DiBattista, D., and Gosse, L. (2006). Test anxiety and the immediate feedback assessment technique. The Journal of Experimental Education, 74(4), 311-327.

Maurer, T. W. & Kropp, J. J. (2015). The impact of the immediate feedback assessment technique on course evaluations. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 3(1), 31-46.

Serdikoff, S. L. (2016, March). College students’ evaluations of the mmediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IFAT). Paper presented at the SoTL Commons Conference, Savannah, GA. Abstract retrieved from  https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2016/75

Epstein M. L., Lazarus A. D., Calvano T. B., Matthews K. A., Hendel R. A., Epstein B. B., Brosvic, G. M. (2002). Immediate feedback assessment technique promotes learning and corrects inaccurate first responses. The Psychological Record, 52(2), 187-201.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

Participants that attended the STLR Pre-Conference Institute will share insights learned and plans for how they might implement STLR at their own institutions.

Participants that attended the STLR Pre-Conference Institute will share insights learned and plans for how they might implement STLR at their own institutions.

Mezirow, J., & et. al. (Hg.). (2000). Learning to think like an adult. In J. Mezirow (Ed.), Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress (pp. 3-34). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Panel

Launching Transformative Learning

Adults in e-learning environments have grown rapidly over last several years. Transformative learning in adult education has numerous elements to consider. Many considerations must be taken into account when designing, developing, and implementing e-learning. Transformative learning occurs in many environments, one of these environments is the online environment. Adult learners have unique experiences and diverse educational backgrounds. By understanding specific characteristics of the adult learners, one may better integrate elements of transformative learning into the learning process. This presentation will examine transformative learning in adult education. In addition, this presentation will discuss sites for transformative learning.

Mezirow (1991) identified that "Transformative learning involves an enhanced level of awareness of the context of one's beliefs and feelings." One site of transformative learning in adult learning is that of the online environment. Bierema and Merriam(2015) identified that transformative learning starts with the individual, but also includes other sites such as online, the workplace, and the community. Adults in e-learning environments have grown rapidly over last several years. Many considerations must be taken into account when designing, developing, and implementing e-learning. Adult learners have unique experiences and diverse educational backgrounds. Adult learners have unique learning characteristics that have been elaborated upon by many authors such Knowles (1980, 1984, 1998), Maehl (2000), and Merriam and Caffarella (1999). By understanding the specific characteristics of adult learners, one may be able to enhance their understanding of transformative learning and provide an environment beneficial for transformational learning.

Bierema and Merriam identified that the individual is the first “site” of transformative learning. Knowles (1980, 1984, 1998) suggest that learning is typically derived from real-world experiences, and these real-world experiences can relate to that learning situation and provide for a better grasp of the information. These assumptions can assist an individual in engaging in transformative learning through experiential and self-directed learning. He initially identified four underlining properties of adult learners. First, he identified the learner as self-directed and independent in the pursuit of information. Second, the real-life experience of the learner must be acknowledged and built upon. Third, the readiness to learn is driven from the learners’ occupational and social roles. Finally, the learner is driven by the possibility for immediate application of the knowledge or skill. Harbour, Daveline, Wells, Schurman, & Hahn (1990) identified that adult learners have six specific characteristics: 

• Adults need to associate new knowledge with their old knowledge.
• Adults bring a substantial amount of real world experience and education into the classroom.
• Adults like to learn from organized materials.
• Adults sometimes let mistakes affect their attitude or self-esteem.
• Adults are usually interested in subjects that are relevant, practical, and applicable to their life.
• Adults must feel psychologically and physically comfortable in the environment.

Again, transformational learning can be engaged through these characteristics.

Bierema and Merriam (2015) identified that, although there is a scarcity of research studies examining transformative learning and online learning, it can be concluded that pedagogical elements and technology can be merged to begin the development of transformative learning. Distance learning in adult education is essential in the changing the world in which we live. Understanding and integrating transformative learning poses new challenges not only to the students but also the instructor. Knowledge about how these instructors and students adapt to transformative learning environment is crucial within the learning context. Therefore, it is essential to possess an understanding of the challenges of transformative learning theories and especially theories about adults as distance learning.

Bierema, L. L. & Merriam, S. B. (2014). Adult learning: linking theory and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Durjx, J. M., & Smith, R. O. (2009). Facilitating transformative learning: Engaging emotions in an online context. In J. Mezirow, E. W. Taylor, & Associates. Transformative learning in practice. San Franciso, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Duffy, T. M., Lowyck, J., & Jonassen, D. (1993). Designing environments for constructive learning. Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.

Harbour, J., Daveline, K., Wells., Schurman D., & Hahn, H. (1990). Distributed training for the reserve component: Instructor handbook for computer conferencing. Boise, ID: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and Boise State University.

Hardy, D. W., & Boaz, M. H. (1997) Learner development: beyond the technology. In T. E. Cyrs (Ed.), Teaching and learning at a distance: what it takes to effectively design, deliver and evaluate programs. (pp. 41-48). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Heide, A. & Stilborne, L. (1996).  The teacher’s complete and easy guide to the internet. Toronto, Canada: Trifolium Books.

Dasworm, C.E., & Bowles, T. A. (2012). Fostering transformative learning in higher education settings. In E. W. Taylor & P. Cranton (Eds), The handbook of transformative learning (pp. 388-407). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education, Chicago, IL: Follett.

Knowles, M. S. (1984). Andragogy in action. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Knowles, M. S. (1998). The modern practices of adult education (rev. ed). Chicago, IL: Associated Press.

Maehl, W. H. (2000). Lifelong learning at its best: innovative practices in adult credit programs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Merriam, S. B. & Caffarella, R. S. (1999). Learning in adulthood. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Moore, M., & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance Education: A systems view. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Smith, C. L. (1998). Attitudes of African American college students toward computers. (Doctoral dissertation). University of Georgia.

US Office of Technology Assessment. (1989). Linking for learning: A new course for education. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Communicating Transformative Learning

“Do it Yourself” assignments allow learners to stake a higher-than-average claim in their academic education, encouraging students to make their own decisions regarding the content, structure, or presentation of their work. An undergraduate, introductory marketing class allowed students to determine the content of their midterm test. Students chose the specific focus of the test questions (by researching how marketing works in their various fields of study) and picked which three of the nine listed test questions they wanted to answer. Students were then encouraged to revise and resubmit by the end of the term. This roundtable session briefly explains the details of this midterm from the initial planning stages to the final implementation and results. Afterward, presenters will open the floor to discussion about other potential “DIY” avenues to foster student engagement and transform typical test and assignment structures with the “IKEA” model.

Attendees will learn to brainstorm, develop, and implement an IKEA-style assignment that best suits their students' unique needs. Attendees will discuss potential pitfalls (e.g., inflexible grading rubrics and student indecision) and mediate these obstacles without disrupting the transformative spirit of the project or diminish student learning. Attendee feedback will help to improve IKEA projects in future semesters.

Recently, an undergraduate, introductory marketing class allowed students to determine the content of their midterm test. First, students chose the specific focus of the test questions (by relating their answers to how marketing works in their various fields of study). Second, students picked which three of the nine listed test questions they wanted to answer. Finally, students who wished to improve their grade on the midterm were then encouraged to revise with instructor input and resubmit by the end of the term—this element pushed students into a “growth mindset” versus a “fixed mindset,” and prompted them to strive for self-improvement throughout the semester. This roundtable session briefly explains the details of this specific midterm test from its initial planning stages to the final implementation and post-semester assessment of its impact.

Afterward, presenters will open the floor to discussion about other potential “DIY” avenues to foster student engagement and transform typical test and assignment structures with the “IKEA” model. These suggestions may include utilizing a “video term paper,” the “un-research” research paper, and various other means of associating in-class concepts with current events and real-world scenarios to bring an added sense of relevance to otherwise hypothetical, abstract concepts.

Attendees will participate in an open, interactive discussion in which they may develop their ideas for DIY content and receive feedback and suggestions from presenters and other participants. Attendees will receive a content-planning handout that walks them through the process of building a DIY assignment from the ground up. Attendees will learn to brainstorm, develop, and implement an IKEA-style assignment that best suits their students' unique needs. Attendees will discuss potential pitfalls (e.g., inflexible grading rubrics and student indecision) and mediating these obstacles without disrupting the innovative spirit of the project or diminish student learning. 

Genereux, W. E. (2015). Video term papers as an expanded form of literacy. C2C Digital Magazine. Retrieved from http://scalar.usc.edu/works/c2c-digi-mag-spring-summer-2015/video-term-papers-as-an-expanded-form-of-literacy

Hosier, A. (2015). Teaching information literacy through "un-research".Communications in Information Literacy, 9(2), 126-135.

Pande, R., Jeffrey, A., Megoran, N., & Young, R. (2013). Connecting lectures to current affairs: The "letters to newspapers" assignment. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 37(2), 220.

Schmal, D. K. (2013). Multiple frameworks for creative instruction: Academic content taught through music-infused instruction and integrated arts (Order No. 3575254).

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

Drawing connections to experiences outside of the classroom can be an integral part of incorporating new knowledge into an existing mental structure, thereby facilitating student learning. Thus, this session discusses how instructors reflect on revealed student interests and use this information to make “on-the-spot” adjustments to their lesson plans in the span of a single class session. This study focuses on when instructors allow student interests to guide the class agenda “on-the-spot,” what “on-the-spot adjustments” look like, and how these adjustments impact student learning. Using ethnographic research to observe both the stimuli that instructors respond to and the instructional modifications they make, this study offers a typology of four actions instructors can take to incorporate student interests. These actions are not mutually exclusive and initial results suggest that instructors often use these modification techniques in combination. Through this session, participants will engage in a discussion of “on-the-spot” modifications that they may have made, share the cues that they used, and evaluate evidence they have on how this contributed to student learning. Feedback will be solicited as to how to best measure learning in response to instructor modification.

Deeper learning requires students to make connections in the context of a mental framework. Drawing connections to experiences outside of the classroom can be an integral part of incorporating new knowledge into an existing mental structure, thereby facilitating student learning (National Research Council 2000; Schiefele 1991; Smith & Tanner 2010). In line with this existing research, data gathered from ethnographic field notes conducted in the context of a professional development course providing “Survival Skills” to new Instructional Assistants (IAs), revealed that there was significant variation in student interests across course topics (Hardesty et al., 2017). In response, staff instructors leading different sections of the “Survival Skills” course made numerous modifications to their original lesson plans--modifications that differed greatly depending upon each instructor's teaching style. Critical reflection on student interests led to quick, “on-the-spot,” adjustments in the span of the same class session. This insight led to the investigation of the following questions through a pilot study. A full study will be conducted in Winter quarter, 2018:

1. When do instructors allow student interests to guide the student agenda “on the spot”?
2. What do “on the spot” adjustments look like? What forms can they take?
3. How do adjustments to incorporate revealed student interests impact student learning?

Ethnographic research provided a unique vantage point for the researchers to observe both the stimuli that led instructors to make instructional modifications as well as the type of modifications that were made from the original lesson plans. The researcher compared modifications to the instructors’ proposed learning outcomes to analyze their decision-making process.

As a takeaway, we offer a typology of four categories of actions instructors could take to incorporate student interests. First, instructors could choose not to modify their lessons plans. Second, instructors could change their examples or application in light of students’ interests. Third, instructors could change the agenda and give more time and prevalence to topics where students are highly engaged. Fourth, instructors could incorporate student feedback into their lesson plans for future class sessions. The proposed typology is represented in Figure 1 below.

The proposed typology represents the possible actions an instructor could take, keeping in mind that different actions may be appropriate for different circumstances. Thus, these categories are not mutually exclusive. Through this session, participants will engage in a discussion of “on-the-spot” modifications that they may have made, share the cues that they used,  and evaluate evidence they have on how this contributed to student learning. Feedback will be solicited as to how to best measure learning in response to instructor modification.

Figure 1. Incorporation of revealed student interests (Cannot insert, available via email request)

Initial results indicate that instructors are responsive to the incorporation of student interests to varying degrees, even when they were unplanned. Implicit cues like facial expression and enthusiasm factor into an instructor’s choice to modify as do explicit cues like student questions and an expressed desire for application. Furthermore, instructors in this study used a mix of modification techniques, often combining multiple techniques where appropriate.

Hardesty et al. (2017). Ethnographic Pilot Study of Survival Skills Class. [Manuscript in Preparation].

National Research Council (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. (Expanded ed.). J.D. Bransford, A.L. Brown, & R.R. Cocking (Eds.), Washington DC: The National Academies Press.

Schiefele, U. (1991). Interest, learning and motivation. Educational Psychologist, 3(4), 299-323.

Smith, J. & Tanner, K. (2010). The problem of revealing how students think: Concept inventories and beyond. CBE – Life Sciences Education 9(1).

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

A Hispanic teacher candidate will share her journey in helping Hispanic families increase their participation in their children's education through a personal STLR service learning project focusing on global and cultural competencies. The project will be shared along with the teacher candidate's critical reflection of what she gained from the experience. Her two mentors will also provide additional insights. In an effort to broaden this topic, opportunities for participants to share their positive experiences in assisting ESL students and/or families will be provided and discussed. Second, participants will be invited to participate in a Google Doc so that all contributions will be recorded and accessed by all participants. Participants will leave with strategies and more importantly a greater understanding of how and why to better serve ESL students and their families.

According to the 2011 US Census Bureau Hispanics makeup, 17% of the U.S. population and that is a 48% increase since 2000. While 86% of Hispanics between the ages of 5-17 speak English very well, 41% of 18 and older do not speak English very well. Sixty-three percent of Hispanic adults ages 25 older have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and 26% are living in poverty. The research clearly states parent participation does have a positive impact on children's education but minority parental participation is decreasing (Tinkler). These disparities, including English as a second language, can lead to challenges for families when trying to navigate their children's education.  This is a current topic, and one colleges of education and schools struggle with all the time. It is important that these groups not get further behind but feel more empowered with their unique funds of knowledge.  

The undergraduate Hispanic teacher candidate proposed and was granted a STLR grant to provide a service learning project to help Hispanic families increase their participation in their children's education. This project is connected to the Global and Cultural Competency. The project's goal is to provide two avenues to assist Hispanic families in effectively influencing their children's education. The first is a bimonthly blog that provides educational tips and strategies. The blog is written in English and Spanish. The teacher candidate uses her personal and scholarly knowledge to help create the blog topics and method of writing the blogs. The second method is to create monthly handouts that can be sent out through a school that has a high ESL population that help focus on particular topics. This handout will be both in English and Spanish. The first two handouts will promote creativity and technology. Through this experience, the teacher candidate has grown in a deeper understanding of how to reach this at-risk population that she wants to utilize in her future career as a teacher.

This round table best serves individuals in teacher education but can be helpful to anyone who teaches ESL students. The teacher candidate will lead the round table by sharing her experience and what she has learned through critical reflection since she has served as both the Hispanic student and now teacher candidate. Her two mentors will provide insightful thoughts on this project. Using a Google Doc members of the table will be able to join in the document that will be built during the session. The participants will be given opportunities to discuss these issues and strategies to assist these groups. These ideas will be recorded and shared with the group on a Google Doc, those unfamiliar or unable to access the document at the session will be included in a group email with the link.  Therefore all participants will leave with new strategies and a better understanding of why and how to better serve under-represented populations that have English as a second language.

Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (2017). Hispanic population trends. Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/02/15/hispanic-population-trends/ph_13-01-23_ss_hispanics11/

Tinkler, B. (2002). A review of literature on Hispanic/Latino parent involvement in K-12 education. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED469134)

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Critically Reflecting in Transformative Learning

This session will focus on how to transform learning by creating a classroom culture where mistakes are valued and struggle is perceived as worthy and necessary.   This type of classroom culture doesn’t happen by chance.  Rather, it is something we must work at every day.  So how do we make it happen?  The first step lies in supporting growth mindset.  The research of Dweck (2016) and Boaler (2016) helps us more deeply understand the impact of mindset on student learning.   Students with a fixed mindset are less likely to persevere in the presence of mistakes while those with a growth mindset are likely to persist and turn mistakes into learning opportunities.   Equally important is the role of instructors who must explore student thinking to uncover what students know and what their misconceptions may be.  We must not be content with right answers for wrong reasons, all of which can be uncovered through formative assessment opportunities (Keele and Tobey, 2011).  During this discussion-based session, we will explore practical formative assessment strategies useful to the higher education classroom.  Our conversations will include what we know about brain research, how these findings to support growth mindset and the idea of productive struggle.

This session will focus on how to transform learning by creating a classroom culture where mistakes are valued and struggle is perceived as worthy and necessary.   This type of classroom culture doesn’t happen by chance.  Rather, it is something we must work at every day.  So how do we make it happen?  The first step lies in supporting growth mindset.  The research of Dweck (2016) and Boaler (2016) helps us more deeply understand the impact of growth and fixed mindsets on student learning.   Students with a fixed mindset are less likely to persevere in the presence of mistakes or challenge while those with a growth mindset are likely to persist and turn those mistakes into learning opportunities.   Equally important is the role of instructors who must explore student thinking to uncover what students know and what their misconceptions may be.  We must not be content with right answers for wrong reasons all of which can be uncovered through formative assessment opportunities (Keely and Tobey, 2011). 

During this discussion-based session, we will explore practical strategies and best practice useful to the higher education classroom.  The dialogue will be organized around these key ideas shown through research to have positive impact on student learning. 

1)     The session will focus briefly on brain research as described by both Dweck (2016) and Boaler (2016) and how these findings help us know more about how to support growth mindset within ourselves and then in our students.

2)     When growth mindset is in place, students will be more willing to struggle.  This session will examine what productive struggle looks like in the classroom and how to support students as they move through the struggle.  How we handle student mistakes will either contribute to or take away from their willingness to persevere and struggle over time. 

3)     Formative assessment has been shown through research to have positive impact on student learning yet in many classrooms, formative assessment is a missed opportunity. (Keely and Tobey, 2011).  Formative assessment can help us uncover student thinking so that we can plan intentionally for intervention appropriate to the mistakes and error patters our students make during or beyond the class hour. 

4)      We will examine three specific formative assessment strategies that can be used in our classrooms as early as tomorrow and at little to no cost to us or our institutions.  These include “My Favorite No,” “Fist of Five,” and assessment probe opportunities. 

5)     Attendees will be encouraged to share their own teaching experiences related to struggle, mistakes, and how they uncover student thinking through formative assessment.  The presenter will be prepared to share additional ideas and resources as time permits. 

Building a classroom culture where mistakes are valued is linked to mindset, productive struggle, and on-going formative assessment.    It is what we do with student mistakes that matters most.  Taken together, these become the attributes which promise to transform student mindset and learning in ways that will prepare students for all that is possible.  

Boaler, J. (2016).  Mathematical mindsets:  Unleashing students’ potential through creative math, inspiring messages, and innovative teaching.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass.

Dweck, C. S. (2016). Mindset:  The new psychology of success.   New York:  Penguin Random House, LLC. 

 Keely, P. & Tobey, C. R. (2011).  Mathematics formative assessment:  75 practical strategies for linking assessment, instruction, and learning.  Thousand Oaks, California:  Corwin and NCTM.

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Measuring Transformative Learning

Teachers take advantage of technology to prepare students with the experience and knowledge of learning with computers.  Web 2.0 technology tools could present opportunities for delivering transformative learning experiences anytime, anywhere, in several formats with nearly complete control.  In different ways, it could deliver comprehensive self-directed learning experiences. Gikas and Grant (2013) acknowledged that these tools facilitate the creation of content while it eases communication and interaction among learners.  They work well with language learners because they encourage the use of several skills that are necessary when learning a new language.  Blogging pushes the learners to write, review and respond to the work of others.  Wikis requires students to integrate language-learning skills that are important to conduct research and to write new entries.  Based on those observations, Gikas and Grant concluded that those tools could be integrated in the language classroom.  Instructors must find ways to enhance the authenticity of students’ learning with tasks that engage their personal backgrounds and help them connect personal experiences to the real world using available technological resources and effective teaching pedagogies. 

 

Teachers take advantage of technology to prepare students with the experience and knowledge of learning with computers.  Web 2.0 technology tools could present opportunities for delivering transformative learning experiences anytime, anywhere, in several formats with nearly complete control.  In different ways, it could deliver comprehensive self-directed learning experiences. Gikas and Grant (2013) acknowledged that these tools facilitate the creation of content while it eases communication and interaction among learners.  They work well with language learners because they encourage the use of several skills that are necessary when learning a new language.  Blogging pushes the learners to write, review and respond to the work of others.  Wikis requires students to integrate language-learning skills that are important to conduct research and to write new entries.  Based on those observations, Gikas and Grant concluded that those tools could be integrated in the language classroom.  Instructors must find ways to enhance the authenticity of students’ learning with tasks that engage their personal backgrounds and help them connect personal experiences to the real world using available technological resources and effective teaching pedagogies. 

The session starts with an explanation of a project developed and implemented by the presenter with an intensive language learning class of eight students.  The objective of the project was to use a tool available in the Sakai environment to practice the target language and increase language proficiency in a collaborative environment.  The goal was to evaluate Sakai’s capabilities and tools and to determine how to best integrate this technology tool into the language program to promote higher proficiency levels.  Higher-level thinking skills are expected from students as language is used to critique, evaluate, and synthesize, and not for memorization. Instructors must find ways to enhance the authenticity of students’ learning with technological resources at their disposal using effective teaching pedagogies that engage their personal backgrounds and help them connect personal experiences to the real world.  From the students’ perspective, the project had an impact on their motivation to learn and it triggered a positive perception of language learning, possibly because of the low social anxiety environment.   Also, students commented on their appreciation to read, assess and review each other’s contributions. 

The first outcome of this roundtable session is to discuss and share experiences using similar web 2.0 tools to create transformative learning environments. The second is to provide feedback on the project presented considering the case parameters and to provide suggestions for improvement.

 

 

Gikas, J., & Grant, M. M. (2013). Mobile computing devices in higher education: Student perspectives on learning with cellphones, smartphones & social media. The Internet And Higher Education, 1918-26. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.06.002

30-Minute Roundtable Session

Launching Transformative Learning

This interactive session encourages communication between individuals who may or may not be members of different identity groups. Identity groups have significant value for individuals in terms of belonging, but they can become hindrances and block interaction. Yin and yang are an eastern concept that suggest a blending of perspectives that in the western mindset are often perceived of as opposites that must, by their nature, clash. This concept offers an alternative perspective, enabling perspective transformation and encouraging dialogue

Mezirow speaks of a disorienting dilemma that can lead to perspective transformation. Participants will have an opportunity to understand and experience elements of Yin and Yang that can lead to this transformation, thus leaving behind the rigid extremes of many societal ideas, such as male or female, gay or straight, etc. Something cannot be still without movement. Bad cannot exist without good, vice versa. If one cannot exist without the other, we must understand the importance of everything in between the extremes.  

Attendees will participate in safe, respectful and deep group discussion and interactive learning activities, and will leave with a better understanding of how they might better facilitate communication using this new perspective.

This interactive session encourages communication between individuals who may or may not be members of different identity groups. Identity groups have significant value for individuals in terms of belonging, but they can become hindrances and block interaction.

Yin and yang are an eastern concept that suggest a blending of perspectives that in the western mindset are often perceived of as opposites that must, by their nature, clash. This concept offers an alternative perspective, enabling perspective transformation and encouraging dialogue

Mezirow speaks of a disorienting dilemma that can lead to perspective transformation. Participants will have an opportunity to understand and experience elements of Yin and Yang that can lead to this transformation, thus leaving behind the rigid extremes of many societal ideas, such as male or female, gay or straight, etc. Something cannot be still without movement. Bad cannot exist without good, vice versa. If one cannot exist without the other, we must understand the importance of everything in between the extremes.  

Attendees will participate in safe, respectful and deep group discussion and interactive learning activities, and will leave with a better understanding of how they might better facilitate communication using this new perspective.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions in adult learning. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Sodan, A. C. (1999). Toward successful personal work and relations – Applying a yin/yang model for classification and synthesis. Social Behavior and Personality, 27(1), 39-71. doi:10.2224/sbp.1999.27.1.39

Wang, R. R. (2005). Dong Zhongshu's transformation of YIN-YANG theory and contesting of gender identity. Philosophy East & West, 55(2), 209-231.

30-Minute Research Session

Communicating Transformative Learning