Initial Evaluation of the TL Conference

Transformational Conference Feedback

The first pass on the evaluation of the conference.  We put the words from the forms through Wordle.  This gives a good idea of the quick thoughts of the participants.  In the main it seems to have been a positive experience.  We will post more detailed analysis of the evaluation up on the blog shortly.  In the meantime if anyone who was there would like to comment on this, please add a comment to this post.

Thanks

Kenny

Notes from Workshop 1A Researching TL

Prof Steve Rayner, Host for the workshop has provided the following notes. If you were in this workshop and would like to add to this, or if you missed it and have something to add, please post in the Comments below.

1. Distinction between TL as peak moments of personal insight or intense change in thinking and perspective (literally transformational) and TL as continuing and continuous shift in position as a consequence of learning (perhaps transformative).
2. Quasi-religious nature of terminology/ discourse reflecting spirituality, emotionality and holistic basis for much of the discourse about TL.
3. Difficulties in defining, measuring and assessing TL (& therefore establishing standards of quality or competence and related to this educational interventions producing intended outcomes or impact).
4. Link to ESD but concern for growing pressure in HEI to commodify knowledge, introduce instrumental managerially and wreck many of the values and ‘requirements’ necessary for TL.
5. Unanimous agreement about the issue of resource linked to the previous point.
6. Need for mixed methodologies as well as qualitative methodologies in developing an understanding/ new accounts of TL. There was a view that perhaps ‘participatory research’ was a requisite for appropriate research design in work with TL.
7. TL at the moment is an elusive slippery construct which some felt will by definition always be so given its inclusion of a need for emotionality and affect as key aspect of what it is that we recognise as transformational (linked too to learning that converts self-reference and personal identity).
8. Student empowerment – is it a neccessary pre-condition for teachinng TL? Case examples given of intended transformational learning in a curriculum for media studies in the UoG were contributed (several related to trips, re-location, removal from established comfort zones); ditto with a comparative research project funded by PRSI involving early years team in education (UK-Sweden).
9. Possibilities around organizational learning, institutional change and TL – need for research and more work with the ideas of TL and learning communities within the institution?

Please leave comments below.

Kenny

The Conference and after

After a few technical hiccups at about 10 minutes before kick-off, the

'Building a Wall' by Brenda Anderson

conference went ahead yesterday and seemed to engage the participants in some animated and enthusiastic discussions.

We have captured quite a bit f the discussions in a variety of formats in both digital (video, image and sound recordings) and analogue (post-it notes, doodles on tablecloths, and evaluation questionnaires) formats.  Our challenge is going to be to convert the analogue to digital and to convert the digital into a meaningful and navigable set of resources to explore and respond.  We will try to use this blog as a the main portal to this material, though it may also be stored elsewhere.

Please check back over the next couple of weeks.  You will see this blog develop and grow.

Kenny

Transformational Learning

The delegate packs are complete, the bookings are made and the keynote speakers are arriving in Cheltenham.  All is now set for the conference.  This blog is the PRSI blog and we hope to use it over the next few weeks to continue the conversation, share some ideas and resources with participants and others.

Over the next few days, we will share some of the conference materials here and allow you to comment on them and on the conference, make suggestions and link to other useful websites.  We hope to capture some of the discussions on the day to share them here too.

We look forward to continuing the conversation.

Lindsey, Glenn & Kenny

Conference Organising Committee