This research applied Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to theological education, in particular in situations where theological education is concerned with the purpose of formation. A field study among minority Christian women attending a Bible school in Pakistan found that the transformative pedagogy contributed to the formational aspects of the theological education programme and helped to integrate the fragmented curriculum, and the separation of theology and spirituality. Students’ epistemological, theological, and personal assumptions were identified at the beginning of the course and changes in these assumptions tracked over the year of study. Five areas of formation, namely relationship with God, thinking theologically, communicating the gospel, relationships with others, and self-understanding, were identified as a way of assessing how changes in assumptions impacted on formational change. Transformation occurred over the range of assumptions and areas of formation. Students’ assumption change was found to be idiosyncratic, responding to the transformative environment created by the teachers, according to particular developmental and formational needs students had. Fostering reflective ability, and the inclusion of reflection activities, as well as mentoring, contributed to students’ formation in the use of transformative learning pedagogy. Transformative learning proved effective even among students with less developed cognitive ability. The South Asian earthquake of 2005 was a significant trigger event which impacted on student formation in developing care and concern, understanding ministry, theodicy, and in developing epistemological complexity. Implications for further research on the use of transformative learning in different theological education settings, and to compare changes over a longer term are also considered.

This research applied Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to theological education, in particular in situations where theological education is concerned with the purpose of formation. A field study among minority Christian women attending a Bible school in Pakistan found that the transformative pedagogy contributed to the formational aspects of the theological education programme and helped to integrate the fragmented curriculum, and the separation of theology and spirituality. Students’ epistemological, theological, and personal assumptions were identified at the beginning of the course and changes in these assumptions tracked over the year of study. Five areas of formation, namely relationship with God, thinking theologically, communicating the gospel, relationships with others, and self-understanding, were identified as a way of assessing how changes in assumptions impacted on formational change. Transformation occurred over the range of assumptions and areas of formation. Students’ assumption change was found to be idiosyncratic, responding to the transformative environment created by the teachers, according to particular developmental and formational needs students had. Fostering reflective ability, and the inclusion of reflection activities, as well as mentoring, contributed to students’ formation in the use of transformative learning pedagogy. Transformative learning proved effective even among students with less developed cognitive ability. The South Asian earthquake of 2005 was a significant trigger event which impacted on student formation in developing care and concern, understanding ministry, theodicy, and in developing epistemological complexity. Implications for further research on the use of transformative learning in different theological education settings, and to compare changes over a longer term are also considered.

This research applied Mezirow’s transformative learning theory to theological education, in particular in situations where theological education is concerned with the purpose of formation. A field study among minority Christian women attending a Bible school in Pakistan found that the transformative pedagogy contributed to the formational aspects of the theological education programme and helped to integrate the fragmented curriculum, and the separation of theology and spirituality. Students’ epistemological, theological, and personal assumptions were identified at the beginning of the course and changes in these assumptions tracked over the year of study. Five areas of formation, namely relationship with God, thinking theologically, communicating the gospel, relationships with others, and self-understanding, were identified as a way of assessing how changes in assumptions impacted on formational change. Transformation occurred over the range of assumptions and areas of formation. Students’ assumption change was found to be idiosyncratic, responding to the transformative environment created by the teachers, according to particular developmental and formational needs students had. Fostering reflective ability, and the inclusion of reflection activities, as well as mentoring, contributed to students’ formation in the use of transformative learning pedagogy. Transformative learning proved effective even among students with less developed cognitive ability. The South Asian earthquake of 2005 was a significant trigger event which impacted on student formation in developing care and concern, understanding ministry, theodicy, and in developing epistemological complexity. Implications for further research on the use of transformative learning in different theological education settings, and to compare changes over a longer term are also considered.

Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, November 12, 2007. / Major professor: Martha C. Yopp. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-130). Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI company.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on June 2, 2009) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2009. / Directed by Gerald Duffy; submitted to the Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 10, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-180).

Dissertation (Ed.D)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2010. / Directed by Kathleen Casey; submitted to the Dept. of Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jul. 9, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 98-102).

M.Ed. / Stirring my interest in the area of personal development for adult learners was the recognition of the importance of self-development within the Life Orientation and Arts and Culture learning fields. Within these, the focus is on learners’ “inner” development enabling them to live successfully in a dynamic world. There are a number of self–development programmes and books currently available, and while many of these claim to be transformative they offer little substantiation for this apart from personal anecdotal evidence. Few of the programmes provided evidence of their value for participants over time or of the effect, they had on an individual’s perspectives. Thus, it is my contention that any programme aimed at effecting a personal change would need to focus on facilitating an increase in the participant’s level of self-awareness by empowering them to engage in processes of critical self-examination. Participants should be encouraged to engage in critical discussion of challenging information they are introduced to (Brookfield, 1995; Brookfield & Preskill, 1999; Gravett, 2001). These types of discussions provide a forum in which participants are able to test and validate their transformation. Another consideration for programmes wanting to effect personal change is the learning climate in which the transformational learning takes place. A climate conducive to learning must promote the development of mutual trust and respect between the learners and the educator (Gravett, 2001; Vella, 1994). This helps the participants to gain a sense of psychological safety in which their perspectives are affirmed and validated. Further, it allows the participants the freedom needed to explore alternative points of view and supports them in their transformation. Adopting this approach enhances the learning process, as it allows for the inclusion of individual learning styles, uses the learner’s knowledge base as a starting point in constructing new knowledge, and promotes critical reflection and discussion resulting in transformation (Cranton, 2002; Foley, 2000; Gravett, 2001; Pratt, 2002; Vella, 1994). As Employee Development Consultant, at Contract Marketing, I was co-designer and presenter of a personal development programme. The objective of this specific programme can be summarised as aiming to transform the participant’s view by challenging their current perspectives and exposing them to the concept that everything that is has a unique purpose. In addition, it aimed at assisting individuals in defining and documenting their purpose in the form of a Mission Statement (Juriaanse, 1985). The programme piloted in January 2004 and involved seven participants. There is presently no information on how the programme was experienced by participants. As a period of two years has passed since presenting the programme, I was interested in exploring how participants’ experienced it and investigating what influence this particular programme has had on their lives two years later. In my view, two years would allow enough time for participants to incorporate the principles they had identified during the programme into their lives. Furthermore, I would argue that this gap would allow participants to give a more accurate and unbiased account of how beneficial or detrimental they had found the programme to be in the pursuit of the above. In addition the recommendations for improvement which will be drawn from this study could prove to be valuable in shaping the programme in future.

Using Mezirow's (1991) transformative learning theory as a framework, this qualitative case study investigated conditions conducive to transformative learning experiences among theological students in an online program at a seminary. Learning Activities Survey developed by King in 1998, a Community of Inquiry framework proposed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer in 2000, and semi-structured interviews were employed. Emails were sent to 85 students (81 current In-Ministry M.Div. students and four recent graduates), and 38 (44.7%) took the online survey. A typical participant in this survey was a married White male in his 30s. Of the 38 survey respondents, 30 (78.9%) indicated having experienced transformation during their study. Among those 30, class assignment (66.7%) and a person (60.6%) were two factors that influenced them the most in their transformative learning experiences. Data collected from the online survey and two online courses shed light on the semi-structured interviews conducted with 11 students. A qualitative analysis software ATLAS ti. and Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory were utilized to analyze the data. This resulted in a proposed integrative learning condition model which proposed two conditions conducive to transformation, being in-ministry and using integrative learning strategy. These two conditions were significantly influenced by physical presence. A surprising result was that physical presence does not indicate a three- or four-year stay on campus at a traditional seminary, but is a by-product of a blended, online program which gives students more opportunities to develop quality relationships both during their on-campus intensives and in their local ministries. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the idea of online theological education using a blended model which promotes integrative learning strategy and learners being in-ministry.