When my son was seven years old, his favorite toys were Transformers.  The toys were incredibly popular at the time and spawned a movie franchise of the same name.  Transformers were all vehicles, cars, vans -or my favorite, a semi-truck- that when manipulated by small fingers and subtle help from mom became robots.  No pieces were added or taken away to make the magical transformation.  Instead, car doors opened to reveal arms and hands tucked inside and car hoods popped open to reveal faces, and when completely unfolded, the vehicle was now a robot with a fabulous name such as Optimus Prime.  You see, the vehicle was just waiting to reveal the real power hidden inside.   As humans, we are less malleable and often less likely to wish to transform ourselves, though becoming a large yellow robot in the midst of a traffic jam would have it perks.  But we are all capable of transformation just as awe-inspiring, but our transformation happens in our minds.

It may seem odd to use a child’s toy to begin a blog series about adult development, but childhood is a time when we are all open to, even focused on, the idea of growth and change.  It is natural to ask children, even high-school students, what they learned that day at school.   In the adult world, we are much more focused on what is accomplished in a day as though growth has stopped, as though growth is not necessary to accomplish the many tasks of work and life.  I have been lucky enough to work with a wide array of individuals professionally.  I have taught college students and worked in and provided professional development for businesses, organizations and universities.  The need for adult development, for transformation, is not limited to a classroom.  It can have profound effects on the way we live our lives, do our jobs and support others to do theirs.   It is first and foremost about understanding our own beliefs and being open to examining them.

Jack Mezirow the creator of  the term Transformative Learning defines it as “the process of using a prior interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one’s experience in order to guide future action.”  Simply put, a transformative learning experience helps us change our way of thinking about a subject, ourselves and the world.    It changes the way we work and live.

Why is it important to experience transformative learning in adulthood?  Our worlds are broadening, and we have to broaden with them.  It has never been more evident than in our current political climate that there are huge differences in the ways we each view information and the world.  For collaboration at work, in our personal lives, and as citizens of the broader world, we need the skills to analyze, reflect, and grow.  For those of you who work in the professional development arena, manage others, or are just interested in how to broaden your own viewpoints, this blog series on Transformative Learning will provide information and practical tools for creating an environment and mindset that welcomes transformation.  Don’t let the grandiose word put you off.  Transformation, like my son’s robots, is a familiar childhood experience – one of play as much as of work – and although it can stir emotions, it also increases our ability to enjoy and contribute to the world around us.  It might actually get us out of an internal traffic jam.

For more information:

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