Abstract
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.
 
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Highlights
Within Higher Education context special emphasis should be given to teachers’ education and their adequate preparation in order to deal with the complex school realities in which they will engage (Caruana, Woodrow & Pérez, 2015; Charissi, 2017; Charissi, 2020; Raikou, 2019)
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 the students’ perspective transformation, and (c) What elements related to students’ participation-presence at school were that contributed to change
It was focused at exploring: (a) The extent to which transformative learning occurred for the students of an Early Years Learning and Care University Department during their studies, (b) The educational experiences and the personal life events during their studies that contributed to their perspective transformation, and (c) Students’ evaluation of the elements related to their participationpresence at school that contributed to change
Summary
Within Higher Education context special emphasis should be given to teachers’ education and their adequate preparation in order to deal with the complex school realities in which they will engage (Caruana, Woodrow & Pérez, 2015; Charissi, 2017; Charissi, 2020; Raikou, 2019). Εngagement in transformative learning experiences seems to be an important factor for the students’ personal and professional development. Critical thinking and transformation should be at the focus of a fertile HE environment leading to optimal professional preparation. Such a learning environment should not be oriented only to the promotion of the official curriculum. It is important that teacher educators “design learning experiences for teacher candidates in a way that seeks to transform their knowledge, skills and perceptions to that of professional teachers and in some circumstances that of change agents” It is important that teacher educators “design learning experiences for teacher candidates in a way that seeks to transform their knowledge, skills and perceptions to that of professional teachers and in some circumstances that of change agents” (Caruana, Woodrow & Pérez, 2015, pp. 26-27) because of their critical role in connection to children, families and the society as a whole
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