Transformative Learning: Suggestive Assumptions and Practices

This essay argues that most proposed forms for schooling learning are founded on assumptions associated with Normal Science. While most of these forms of school learning are inherently conservative, even the most well know approaches to transformative learning, such as critical pedagogy, are also beholden to the dictates of Normal Science. The limitations of Normal Science suggest a need for learning approaches that push against the limits of this paradigm. Such a push is suggested by looking at the assumptive framework and practices associated with a newly developed technology platform—UnEarth. UnEarth moves between Normal Science and Experimental Art is an attempt to create communities of difference, share knowledge across those differences, store knowledge in personal and community libraries that show gaps and strengths in learning as well as interests that can be used for curriculum planning and future job recruitment and do so within an “open text” that creates possibilities as opposed to directing participants to do this or that. By doing so communication patterns, the nature of schoolwork and the stop-go-stop nature of education were transformed. These findings suggest that technology can stand side by side with transformative ambitions, a stance not possible with platforms like UnEarth.