Exploring the Transformative Potential of Education

Education as Change, 2014

This paper examines the intimate relationship between pedagogic practices and the education of teachers within the larger contemporary Indian context. The first part of the paper examines this relationship in the light of a neo-liberal economic and social engineering-oriented policy discourse which is centred on concerns of national competitiveness in a globalising world. This has gained momentum in India over the last decade with the increasing engagement of the corporate sector in education, leading to a superficial policy consensus. In practice, the tension between policy imperatives and the lived reality of school education continues. This is further accentuated by an entrenched teacher education discourse and practice that has wrapped itself in dualities, is circumscribed and resistant to meaningful interrogation and challenge. It is argued that classroom pedagogy is being shaped by the culture and social ethos of teacher education as much as the neo-liberal frame within which teachers' work and worth is being viewed and judged. The paper brings to light the tenuous epistemological frame that currently structures the experiences of those preparing to be teachers. It argues for the need to engage with more robust epistemological underpinnings in designing teacher education programmes.

Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2014

Transformative learning is defined as the process of effective change in a frame of reference. It is based on the Transformative Theory developed by Jack Mezirow.. He advocates critical reflection on experiences, so as to experience a perspective transformation. Mezirow argues that "reflection involves a critique of assumptions to determine whether the belief acquired through cultural assimilation in childhood, remains functional for us as adults". This study finds transformative learning relevant to South African school contexts, since the definition of 'school' in this country is heavily loaded with different meanings denoting various attributes. The communities are also varied in their cultures, languages, socioeconomic standards, and residential areas previously determined by race. Some perspectives of transformative learning are discussed. They are consciousness-raising, critical reflection, development, individuation and the existential process. The school-based university students engaged in transformative pedagogy at the different schools. The application of learning through the existential process caused change in perspectives of various people at school. The study, consequently, recommends existential process for the transformative pedagogy.

Revista on line de Política e Gestão Educacional

The authors of the article consider transformational education as a formation of sustainable professional development. Its appearance is associated with attempts to resolve many crises states of society, which indicate the destructive phenomena of any society, regardless of its socio-economic formation and political model of social development. Many scientists recognize that a more sustainable model of human development can be achieved through education. However, the classical learning model, which has shown its effectiveness in the past centuries, is now experiencing powerful pressure from modern information technologies. This article introduces readers to its main and universal theoretical and research positions. Since the practice of implementing transformational learning can vary not only depending on the conceptual approaches, but also the basic cultural features of the country implementing it. The article describes the results of transformational professional development of te...

Transformation through education in contemporary times: A Freirean reconsideration. In R. Chowdhury (Ed.) (2019). Transformation and Empowerment through Education: Reconstructing Teaching and Learning (pp. 1-16). London: Routledge, 2019

The neutrality, or indeed ‘objective’ and disinterested stance, of the teacher or educator is a myth, conditioned as we are by our idiosyncratic lived experiences and the retrospective readings we make of them in constructing our subjectivities and value judgements over a lifetime. What matters is how conscious we are of our actions on those with whom we engage with educational activities and their often lasting effects, molding them as we are, in the shape of our own agendas, and banking on them our own internalisations of the transformative agenda. How much we allow them to develop their own voices and agencies in becoming free and creative thinkers, empowered in the knowledge of their own liberties and emancipated selves, is often the habituated given. Through dialogue with the critical scholarship and the cycle of reflection and action/praxis, in the chapters of this book, a call is made for what Freire refers to as the drive for transformation and enquiry. It is the acceptance that the energy and potential o1f empowerment through education is within the capacity of every person that allows them to contribute at their fullest capability in building a new society where they can achieve well beyond the fulfilment of their most basic needs.

Education is both as integration and transformation. The author has chosen Paulo Freire, John Dewey and others who looked at and weaved education that should push the learners to transform themselves and the world around them.

• In its essence, transformative learning is a dynamic and ever-emerging process, according to the core literature that deals with it. As such, when examined from the perspective of teacher professional development, transformative learning ceases being solely related to an individual and becomes a composition within which the individual creates and expands forms that need change. Thus, teacher learning that focuses only on new technology, methodology, and classroom management remains informative and valuable, but without a transformative character. This paper explores the underpinning principles of transformative learning by observing the notions of transformative change from the perspective of two non-traditional schools: one in Hungary and the other in Portugal. As such, the analysis and conclusions are formed using the data collected through a qualitative inquiry of teachers and principals from the two selected schools. The results suggest that teacher transformative learning in the two specific settings is intimately related to the awareness and need of change in education provisions, as well as with the challenges that this change brings. The gathered insights pave a way to a better understanding of the intricate and delicate tapestry of teacher learning in occasions in which it embraces an everlasting reflective and transformative character.

Journal of Transformative Education, 2003

This article proposes a rationale for a transformative approach to education against the backdrop of an analysis of the current political scenario marked by neoliberalism and the effect of this ideology on educational policy and practice. The author looks at some of the intellectual influences that, in his view, continue to abet this process and the larger process of capitalist restructuring, all of which have an effect on educational policy making and practice. What signposts should one explore for a transformative education, based on ideals of social justice, bearing this scenario in mind? The article will tentatively propose some of the ingredients for a transformative process of education and then proceed by providing a critical reflection on two "on the ground" projects taking place in the author's home country. Downloaded from 40 Journa l o f Tr a n s f o r m a t i v e E d u c a t i o n / J a n u a r y 2 0 0 3 Tr a n s f o r m a t i v e A p p r o a c h t o E d u c a t i o n 41

scholars' journal, 2021

The main objective of this study is to discuss the perspectives of school change. This study is a theoretical analysis and based on document review. The concept of educational change is described as school improvement. It is one of the ways to address the changing social needs through the technological, political, and cultural change of the school. School improvement or change is to change the school system as a whole for the attainment of better results, but questions arise about how to change, who is to change, and what to change and answers are varied and complicated. The concept of educational change is multidimensional. The perspective of technological change focuses on well-equipped classrooms and the use of information communication technology. The perspective political change fosters on power, authority, and interests of people. The cultural viewpoint asserts that the values, norms, and behaviour influence the organizational performance and unless changing it, the system cannot be changed. School change is necessary for the Nepalese context and in doing so, all the three perspectives technological, political, and cultural are necessary to address. The technological part of the school system is nearly very poor, the party politics in schools is influencing the authority and the school culture is not favourable to address the changing needs of the society. So, all the dimensions are needed to be taken into consideration to change the school system in Nepal.

Tribhuvan University Journal

This library based paper appraises importance of transformative education in Nepalese context. In doing so, educational outcomes have been theorized based on Vedic educational philosophy, power and pedagogy as well as fourth goal of sustainable development (quality education for all). This paper comes up with conclusion that transformative education has been becoming international agenda for sustainable development. Nepalese policy also has focused on developing and utilizing human capital potentials. However, modern education system has been re/producing passive teachers and students even in Universities. Teachers are failed to produce critical students having fullest sense of civic virtues and justice that are enviable for maintaining just society. Thus, better to apply intrinsic, extrinsic and functional power and linking teaching with personal and social development while transmitting of knowledge in the process of socializing students and others. Government mechanisms also need...