TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES OF PRE-SERVICE EARLY YEARS TEACHERS: INSIGHTS FROM A GREEK HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

This study aimed to investigate the transformative learning experiences of university students, namely pre-service teachers from an Early Years University Department in Greece. A total of 127 students were involved. The data were collected by using the Learning Activities Survey (L.A.S.). The questionnaire is divided into four parts, consisting of closed and two open-ended questions (King, 2009). The basic research questions were: (a) What stages of perspective transformation students went through during their studies, (b) What educational experiences and what personal events that experienced during their studies contributed to their perspective transformation, and (c) What elements related to students’ participation-presence at school contributed to change. It was noticed that critical reflection on assumptions, the third most important precursor step in fostering transformative learning, was one of the less common stages that students went through along with self-examination. Only 4 students went through all the stages of perspective transformation as described by Mezirow (2012). However, certain patterns of transformative learning experience were identified. The respondents were found to face disorienting dilemmas causing their awareness to be raised in terms of: (a) Previously held values, beliefs, points of view or expectations regarding children (b) Their role as early years practitioners and its impact on children, (c) The need to exceed taken for granted ideas and obsolete pedagogical perceptions and (d) The importance of self-awareness, personal growth, and empowerment. It was shown that specific educational/learning activities, especially those engaging their experience, their active participation, mutual understanding, support (between classmates or classmates and teacher) and cooperation as well as exercising theory in practice, triggered perspective transformation. These findings imply the need for cultivating a higher education learning environment that supports the practicing of strategies and the development of skills that can help learner’s transformation and promote a more sustainable, socially-just and fulfilling world. Article visualizations: