The Transformative Learning Hub (TL Hub) seeks to blur the boundaries conventionally drawn between research and teaching. Organised as a horizontal community of learners, it expressly brings together researchers, educators, students, changemakers and activists across different disciplines and fields at Wageningen University and beyond who are committed to engaging with transformative learning theory and practices in our teaching, research and societal engagement. While definitions of transformative learning abound, the Transformative Learning Hub embraces the notion that we are all learners and, as such, seeks to foster members’ critical and constructive efforts to challenge learners of diverse backgrounds and in diverse settings ‘to critically question and assess the integrity of their deeply held assumptions about how they relate to the world around them’ (Mezirow & Taylor, 2010, p. xi) and to engage in cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural work towards articulating and bringing about the change they’d like to see in their lives, the lives of others and the world in which they are part.

In monthly gatherings, participants engage in peer-to-peer coaching in an affirmative setting that enables them to tap into each others’ wisdom and experience in order to reflect on and respond to real-life teaching and research challenges related to timely themes (e.g., engaging with Black Lives Matter and anti-oppression movements, climate change, etc.); to experiment with existing transformative learning techniques and prototype ones they are developing; and to empathically connect as fully human (physical, emotional and reflective) beings with these themes as well as with one another. 

The Transformative Learning Hub draws on Theory U as a framework to structure the monthly meetings. 

Events:

• Transformative Online Learning programme (Nov. 2020-Apr. 2021)
• PhD course in Transformative and Participatory Qualitative Research Methods (Period 4)
• U.Lab (Feb.-Jun. 2020)
• CSPS Annual Day 2020
• CSPS Indicators of Awesomeness working group
• Monthly Transformative Learning Hub Meetings

If you wish to know more and/or join the Hub, please contact:

Anke de Vrieze (anke.devrieze@wur.nl)

Meghann Ormond (meghann.ormond@wur.nl)